December 5, 2013

Dec 5, 2013

First Day in New Zealand

Kia Ora from Sister Moore! :)

Hello all my favorite people!

 

I'M IN NEW ZEALAND! and it feels so good.

 

I was welcomed into this beautiful country with a rainstorm. nothing makes me feel quite like home like the rain.

 

the plane trip was pretty exciting. i had a lay over in LA first where, after 3 payphone calls and a stressed out crying me i was able to meet up with my dad, lily and Dakota. it was a short but wonderful reunion. i only got to see them for 10 minutes because of my unfortunate coordination with geographic location and simple direction navigation. when i got to my connecting flight i noticed a large group of well groomed boys and some very shell shocked looking sisters, all stiffly clumped together. i'm not sure why they were so scared. everyone in the New Zealand air area was SO NICE. everyone was talking with everyone and smiling and just being so New Zealand-y (at least i assume that's what they're all like).

when we finally got on the second plane- which by the way, international flights are awesommeeeee. it looked so futuristic inside, with all the purple themed festive things. i got to sit next to this amazing English couple. you can't help but smile and want to be best friends with people with accents, or at least i can't. me and the lady became friends though, although we didn't talk much. i def took 4 Zzquil (not all at once) and was able to have lots of good quality sleep.

on the airplane i had my first new zealand meal. does all airline food taste that good or was it just new zealand??

we lost an elder when we got off the flight (apparently you do not bring beef jerky to NZ) and found one sister who had been avoiding us because she didn't want to introduce herself yet. then another girl joined us who had flown straight from Taiwan. i feel so bad for her! she doesn't know any English! she doesn't understand anyone and looks like she is going to cry at any moment. I'm trying to help her, but slowing down your English and acting things out can only go so far.

 

A large Samoan man picked us up from the airport and immediately made us all feel so welcomed. he made sure the elders were to take good care of us and handle all of our bags. it's funny how i didn't realize we were driving on the wrong side of the road until 5 min after we started. its super weird. it'll take a while to get used to. but as soon as we got to the MTC they served us second breakfast. they had all NZ's finest. eggs, beans, ham, porridge (SO DELICIOUS!) and they drink this drink mixture that has an undefinable taste and i can't decide if its good or not.

 

---shoot i gotta go. will write later!

 

love you lots n lots!

 

-Sista Moore