Happy new year, readers! Long time, no posts! I'm excited to be back after a few weeks off. Lots to catch up on!
Last we talked, I was in New Zealand, awaiting a visit from my family and fiancé! While that trip happened, we have all began calling it the "Trip From Hell". A few reasons:
fiancé's bag was lost on the way to NZ, causing us to buy him a new wardrobe when he arrived. He has FINALLY gotten his bag back (nearly a month later).
Mom's visa, even though is was approved, was not present in NZ's system. She was unable to get her boarding pass and therefore had to delay their trip by 5 days. Luckily, they made it and were able to extend their stay!
Mom broke her leg, causing her to fly back to the US in a temporary cast. She has since has surgery and is doing well
I went into Diabetic Ketoacidosis and spent two days in the Intensive Care Unit.
A rough few weeks. On the bright side, it was really REALLY nice to see the people I love most. I needed to feel connected to my family, and they came at the best time (even if it was super stressful and I don't think my dad will ever travel internationally again). My mom and I also got an insider's perspective on medical care in New Zealand, my thoughts on which I will share in a later blog post. Despite the obstacles, we got to visit Hobbiton and see some really pretty parts of NZ. Lots of laughter and booze, which always makes for a good vacation! Zac also surprised me with engagement photos :)
Because of my medical episodes, my sister tagged along on my trip to the South Island. I was really happy to spend some alone time with her, since she is staying in New Zealand until next September. We haven't gotten quality sister time in a while, so it was awesome to be together! It was a jam-packed few days, too! We dropped off her hiking friends along the trail and continued down to Kaikoura, where I swam with the dusky dolphins. I was in the middle of a pod of 300 dolphins, and they were very playful! Bri got to hang out on the boat and play photographer. We also explored a local seal colony, which made Bri very happy. Then, we drove down to Christchurch. I went ziplining (crossed that one off my bucket list!) while Bri explored the city, and then we raced out to the countryside for a horse ride! It was a beautiful landscape. The next day, we took a two hour bus ride to Mt. Sunday, where 'Edoras' was filmed in Lord of the Rings. Truly, it was one of the prettiest places I have ever been. Have a look at the tik tok Bri made for some highlights :)
(Hard to believe I was in the ICU that same week, huh?)
It was hard saying goodbye to both my family and my friends at Hearing Dogs. And don't even get me started on saying goodbye to the dogs themselves (spoiler: lots of tears). I will forever be grateful to all the friends I made, and I hope to see you all again soon. As I wrote to The Watson Foundation this morning, I enjoyed my work and time in New Zealand so much that I really didn't want to leave. But, part of the Watson year is to know when to move onto another learning opportunity.
I now write to you from Cork, Ireland, where I have been enjoying lots of seafood chowder and getting to know some locals. I start my position next week at The Rainbow Club, which supports kids with autism and their families. After meeting some staff members and chatting with them, I AM SO EXCITED!!!!! They embody such a holistic view of disability, which is refreshing compared to Irish legislation and education. Lots more info to come, but all I will share for now is that I am going to learn a lot here. I am so thankful for organizations like this.
There is so much I want to write about, so my next few posts might be playing catch up. Here's my list of ideas:
- Reflection of New Zealand: Connecting with Members of the Deaf and HoH Community
- My Medical Episode: What Got Me to this Point?
- Autism in Ireland: Background
- Halfway through my Watson: A Few Takeaways regarding the Cultural Perception of Disability
- Where in the World? My Fourth Country ANNOUNCEMENT!
Let me know what else you might want to read about. My inbox is super dry so please feel welcome to send me some questions or comments!
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