The Year I Learned to Say “Why Not?”
2023 was the year that I learned to face every opportunity by saying “why not?” instead of “why should I?” I was on the second half of my year off from school and starting to think of what my next steps were going to be. Going back to school at this point felt just like something I had to do, but not necessarily something that was calling to me. But I didn’t have an alternative, so I just didn’t think about it.
I dove right into my work, often working six days a week, and I loved it. I loved the people I worked with and the people who would come into the pub. On slower days, I’d take more time to chat with my tables. They’d ask what my plans were and usually I’d say I’d be going to the local university to finish my degree, but one day, out of nowhere the words New Zealand came out of my mouth. Oh? New Zealand? I have citizenship, and the cost of school would be cheaper, so why not? At first, it was just a dream. “I might go to New Zealand.” The more I said it, the more I liked the sound of it. “I’ll either stay here for university, but I’m also thinking of going to New Zealand.” And so, by the end of spring, I bought a one-way ticket from Burlington to Auckland. I was going to New Zealand.
I jammed my summer full of experiences. I traveled across New England and Canada (RIP the last-minute canceled Montreal Lizzo concert), long-boarded along the waterfront in the mornings, went to shows, and explored my hometown in a way I never had before. I made time to spend as much time with the important people in my life as I could. I was going to the other side of the world. Indefinitely. And as the summer came to an end, I said my goodbyes. Well, not goodbyes, but “see you laters.”
And so, I packed my entire life into one suitcase and hopped on the plane to the beginning of a new chapter. I struck gold; within a week I was on this beautiful farm in Waiuku staying with the kindest couple. They went out of their way to make sure I was settled. They’d show me around, take me out, and introduce me to the tight-knit community they had made out here. One night, they asked me to stay with them through the end of November, and in exchange for the work I’d be doing, they offered to get me the car their neighbor up the street was selling. It was a no-brainer for me. I already loved staying with them so extending my time by two months was an easy decision.
In mid-October I went out to Te Aroha for a week to dog-sit and who would’ve guessed how impactful that one week in a tiny town would’ve been. One afternoon while I was at a cafe, I overheard this guy talking to his dad about a big festival he was going out to in Vegas and I just had to interrupt. We chatted for a bit, exchanging stories of travels and adventure. Josh was in town visiting from Brisbane, so they were planning a nice family dinner and they had room for one more. Of course, I had to say yes. The dinner was lovely and still, an act of kindness that I will often think back on fondly. Josh left for America the next day, but not before we went back to that cafe where we met to have one last coffee together before parting ways.
That weekend, I decided to go out to Hamilton, and that was the night that I met Doug and the Hamilton crew. I got lucky meeting him the night before the Dougfest and he threw me on the guest list. What are the odds? And so I went to the first ever Dougfest and saw New Zealand music history in the making. Sold out show, 16 great bands, and one of the most energetic crowds out there.
November came to an end and it was time that I move on from Waiuku and see more of the country. I spent some time out in Katikati picking avocados and slaying the farmer’s markets on the weekends. I quickly fell in love with the Bay of Plenty and the people I met out there. As they’d been everywhere else, people out there were quick to welcome me into their homes without hesitation.
Come mid-December I decided I wanted a bit of a holiday so I flew to Australia and was reunited with my favorite Aussie-Kiwi out in Brisbane. And I was not there to fuck spiders, so we made the most of my time there and my week was jam-packed with adventures. Browsing Brisbane, crashing multiple work parties, lounging on the Gold Coast, staying up until sunrise, and biking around the city. That week came and went way too fast, and before I knew it, I was on the plane back to New Zealand.
I was lucky enough to be invited back to Waiuku for Christmas. It was lovely getting to spend it with the first couple that took me in when I got to New Zealand. At that point, I really thought of them as my second family. With Christmas over, I made my way up to the North Shore where I spent my New Year’s Eve with some folks that I’d met salsa dancing. And like that, I ended the year surrounded by half strangers who warmly opened their doors to me who by the end of the night, were no longer strangers.
All the adventures I’ve been on and the people I’ve met along the way have been because when faced with a choice, I’ve learned to say “why not?” instead of “why should I?” Cheers to 2024, and the opportunities that lie ahead.
Hey there! If you enjoyed my story and want to give a little to support me on my journey, you can buy me a coffee 🖤
