May 14th

Friday 13th was my birthday in New Zealand, it was strange to think that I had turned 18 already in another country. Friday night was pretty bad weather with a lot of rain and stormy weather :) yay! Managed to at least talk with alison on the phone for a short while before going to Julia's restaurant where I was sung happy birthday by everybody at the Dutch :P haha ohh how i love my sister Julia..
It really began to hit me, just how different life feels now. I have the sweetest friends, family and home here in America. I never thought I could feel so close to these people like I am now, I'm not even sure what I had expected to happen but I know it really wasn't this. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but I know it's just going to be the hardest thing having to leave everybody. It worries me a lot because I really love everyone I'm meeting.

MY BIRTHDAY, 9am we had to leave the house to drive into Cleveland to be on the Nautica Queen cruise ship. Julia wrote me the cutest card, one I will keep forever and ever!! <3 We had a good time, so much laughing and actually the food reminded us of Prom, except this time we didn't miss out on the best part.. THE BREAD!! I was expecting it to be windy, I guess that's something I'm used to preparing myself for in New Zealand that I've brought that habit back to America. Sometimes I feel like I can't even breath, there's no wind..



Titanic action ;)

Later on, after my very long phone call to my New Zealander's; Julia and I drove into Warren. Best drive EVER!! Julia's so lovely, buying presents for me :P We had got ourselves into the singing mood ready for cosmic bowling. OHMYGOSH, that was real interesting aha. Zach and Kevin were just simply, WOW!! I think the videos we got of them explains all. They had a wild time. Afterwards we had the birthday cake, i liked all the American colours to it. By the time we went to sleep it must have been 3am. Julia left for work early and I slept in a while longer. I was lucky enough to have a kiwi dinner :) I was so happy!! Glenda and her family are so sweet, they made me a Pavlova too. "Should we put the food out the kiwi way or the American way"? I heard someone ask. So actually, in New Zealand we have someone put the meal on everyones plate before it's dished out to everyone while American families have all the food put out in the middle of the table so you can take what parts you want. Didn't even realise.. Apparently New Zealander's eat different from Americans, we use our forks AND knifes but tilt out forks the "British way" oh and also the word "shone" is not used in America? like, 'you shone like a star'!! Hmm well at least i know i'm not the only one being hassled about what words they use and how they use it, poor Glenda shares my pain. Overall I'm very grateful for the meal put on by Glenda's family. I almost felt like I could be home <3

Even being away from maybe the most important people in my life, I was still able to have a wonderful birthday weekend surrounded by the people I feel I can call my home and family. I'm so thankful for them all!! My kiwi family and friends are hardly forgotten, how could they be when they're sending me such cute birthday cards and presents thousands of miles across the globe.. for me ;)

Well this is really on my mind at the moment,

Kiwi like the kiwi fruit, the Kiwi bird and the Kiwi girls.

Yes, I have to be careful with how I speak about "kiwi stuff" to American people otherwise they think I'm really strange, and maybe I am just a bit but at least I have an excuse..

I'm from New Zealand :)