Round the World

Good evening good evening fine people!

And so my adventure has ended, and I'm back in London town.. Slowly falling back to ground, slowly realising the new reality I'm part of, and slowly letting my other reality to become a memory rather than a life.
I'm quite sad to be back because I really really enjoyed my time in Auckland. I enjoyed my work and I loved the people and relationships that I built up over the past 3 months. In saying that, I am glad to be back in London because I'm excited and determined to get back into my studies - I've never been so determined actually!

My last week was spent mostly with Cameron in Pukekohe - meeting the last few folk of his family that I hadn't met previously - that was really lovely. I had my first farewell dinner on Wednesday with the friends I met through Cam. We went for Italian and had a really great night. Thursday I had my last day at St Dom's school with the girls, Thursday evening I went out for Thai as my farewell with Hannah and Leon, the lovely couple I was lucky enough to live with for the duration of my trip. On Friday I spent part of the day having staff training on Mary, then ran some errands and had lunch with my good friend Jo. Friday night was my Logos farewell and about 17 people came out. We had a massive Chinese meal, and then went for drinks at a pub across the street. We had the room upstairs for a time, and we all gathered in a circle, and everyone took the time to give a little speech about me. It was very very sad and emotional, with so many beautiful and surprising things said to me. A couple of friends even played guitar and sang me a song.. Then they gave me my gifts - one being a new hoody with the brand new Logos logo embroidered on it - I couldn't believe it, I was the very first person to have anything with the new Logo on it! Then there was the proper goodbyes, and that too was very emotional. Cam and I drove back to Pukekohe all packed up, and Saturday was his mum's bday, so we took her out for lunch and just had a lovely day together. Cam and I drove up to Auckland for 5pm Vigil Mass, and then drove to say one last goodbye to his nana. Then we drove to the airport early enough for some dinner and have a proper goodbye without being rushed.....

All very emotional, but here's some photos from the last few days:

Me and Jo with the Logos sign (that will soon be the old Logos sign)

Maps, me, Cam and Tom at my Chinese farewell

Cam went to the toilet in the airport, and came back in a kilt!

Our last wee photo together

My last day with most of the Logos crew

And so, this marks the end of my New Zealand 2009 Travel Blog. No doubt there will be another opportunity to use this blog in the future, but in the mean time, I want to thank you all for taking the time to read my posts and leave comments. I'm glad I got to share a small part of my life with you

God Bless,
Cheryl

I'm here I'm here! Awesomeee!

OK, quick quick update cause I'm knackered!

Wednesday
Yesterday arrived at 11am. Was greeted at the airport by Fr Kev, two of the youth workers I'll be working with, and my good friend Cameron who I met at WYD last year in Sydney. He's a seminarian here in New Zealand, and he's my friend that got to meet (properly meet) Benny XVI on the boat at WYD. I'm still getting over the jealousy haha!

Proceeded to my first home (Marist community with Fr Kev, Fr John, and Fr Michael) Where I've been staying for two nights. My own wee room and en suite, lovely.
We then headed to the Logos Centre where I met the rest of the youth team, got a wee tour of the building - it's rather big as it use to be a convent. We've got St. Benedict's Church right across the road which is great too. Had some Mentoring training for 90mins, lunch, and headed home for dinner, then an early night as I was finding it difficult to keep my eyes open past 7pm.

Thursday
I intended to have a lie in, but after 11 hours of sleep, woke up at 6am tossing and turning. Had breakfast, watched some TV, then Cameron picked me up at 10am. We headed to 'One Tree Hill' - a huge hill where a tree use to be, but eventually got cut down, and we checked out the views of the city. You wouldn't believe how much it looks like home - loads of islands, mountains, greenery..

Then we headed into the city and headed to St. Patrick's Cathedral for Adoration and Mass. New Zealand has implemented some strategies to restrict the spread of swine flu - number one, no receiving Communion on the tongue (I've only ever did this once, and I had to as it was Uganda and I didn't have an option - I don't like receiving in my hands), number two, no receiving Communion under the two forms (so no chalice), and thirdly, no shaking hands at the 'sign of peace'. I found this a little amusing because the priest said.. And now, we will turn to each other and smile as a sign of peace' I coudn't help but giggle!

Afterwards we went up the high street for some food and had CHINESE, yay! Then back to the car, and drove to Mission Bay - a nice beach round the coast, where we went a wee wander round the bays. Then for a wee cappuccino, passed a photography exhibition in a wee gallery and then Cam dropped me back home.

Tonight we had fish - blue nose I think it's called, or just blue something or other, then checked out some Marian powerpoint presentations Fr Kev had prepared, and now I'm in ma wee room, stealing some random person's wireless internet connection which could cut out at any possible moment!

I'm only at the priests house for two nights, and tomorrow I'm going to stay with one of the youth workers and her husbands house for the rest of the trip.

Tomorrow I'll be at the office meeting the rest of the youth team and finding out what exactly I'll be up to for the upcoming weeks. I'll be going on a mini road trip to Wellington at the end of the month with the youth team and probably staying on for a week or so, that should be really exciting cause I'm dying to see the rest of the country that I saw last year.

Anyway, apologies for the massive update! Here's some photos and I'll chat again laters..

Skyline Auck CBD

Logos Office

Mission Bay, very similar to West of Scotland

Cameron

Meee

God Bless xx