End of January Sighted!

Yes, I'm still just barely winning the battle against the impulse to hibernate. I've been busy, but not terribly inspired. I wish I had the energy to share New Zealand with you, but I am still trying to catch up with Tokyo. Here are some photos instead, I hope you (last 3 readers) forgive me for being so short in words.


News here includes:
Mailed my my first box of clothing home by boat this morning. About the size of 4 shoeboxes and filled with only summer clothing. Cost $40.


I applied for admission as a visiting student for the two summer terms at IUPUI, the Indiana/Purdue University campus in Indianapolis.

I will apply next for admission to the Post-Bachelor Teaching Certification program at Eastern Michigan University starting in the fall. It's not my first choice in schools, but Tom will be moving to Detroit (long story with confusing details, even to me) and so that's where We are headed. They have the right program and I will be certified. End of story.

I have officially decided to go to Tibet in April for about 3 weeks, though I haven't purchased tickets yet.

I am aiming to fly back to Indiana around the 25th of April!

That's about it right now and all of that is making regular life seem quite boring.

Cheers and I hope you're all well! (says the girl who is currently trying to herd preschool-ers without a voice).

ps. The photos are (top to bottom): Cape Reinga, the Northernmost tip of the North Island of New Zealand. You can barely see it, but at the tip there's a tree that is reported to be over 800 years old and it is, acording to Maori custom, the last stopping place of the deceased on their way to the next world. Next is a sand dune cowboy. I went boogieboarding down that sand dune. It was terrifying and a blast! The next is a shot of the Pohutukawa Tree, otherwise known as the New Zealand Christmas Tree since it is in bloom at Christmas time there. The final shot is a sunset while picnicing with friends on the "beach" near where we were renting a beach house in Bay of Islands. It really was this pretty... the entire time.