onwards.

on my last day in Wellington i took a solitary expedition to Owhiro Bay. I walked barefoot along the scraggly pebbled shore, awed by the powerful landscape of big dark cliff looming  on one side, big dark sea on the other, and and big dark sky above, dotted with crying gulls. i have always felt a special connection to the places where the land meets the sea. Every time i travel i try to find a beach, dip my toes in the water, and call out towards my beloved Avalon Beach back home.mother nature’s tranquility gave me the space i deeply needed to reconnect with myself, reflect on my journey so far, and remember why i’m doing this. my first moments of this year began sitting on top of a hill at a festival near Brisbane, witnessing the most breathtaking sunrise i have ever seen, tears rolling down my face in awe of this beautiful world. this is the year i have finally stepped into adulthood; left school, left home, and began my first journey as an independent woman. i wanted to remove myself from the influences of family, friends and everything familiar, and expose myself to as many new and different influences as possible so as to return with a head full of beliefs and opinions that i could truly say were all my own. i took a moment at Owhiro Bay to reaffirm the promises i had made to myself when i first set off; to nurture mind, body and spirit, to be aware, to walk this earth with consciousness and respect, and always strive to be a better me even as i learn to love and forgive the person who i am now. and, as far as i have come, i feel powerful.

so, onwards now to South America, for the next six months. i’m sitting in the airport, finally realising this is the biggest and scariest thing i have ever done. and though i am a little bit shitting myself, i really do feel ready for all the challenges that await me. my first two weeks will be spent in Montevideo, capital city of my father’s home country Uruguay, where i will be doing an intensive spanish course every day. Then, I am off on my first Workaway placement on a farm up the coast in Rocha. I will be doing volunteer farm work in return for food and board, kind of like wwoofing. i am deeply looking forward to this, i need some solitude and nature now after so much city. i hope to be wwoofing all around uruguay and south america for most of my time here.  

goodbye New Zealand, and thank you for everything. after all the heartfelt farewells of the last couple of days, i am surprised and deeply moved to realise how much of an impact i have had on the friends i have made here. i mean something to them, and i will be missed, which is a wonderful feeling. i love you dear kiwi people, you also mean a great deal to me. thank you for being the best part of my travels. 

Yaramin xx

p.s. for all those of you writing me letters, you will have to ask me for my current address on facebook as i will be moving around a lot. Or ask Zeil. anyone can write me letters, i would so love to hear from you! and i will always reply.