homeless to homeland

If you are my relatives you probably wont want to read this, if you're my friends you'll probably find this pretty insane, and if you like adventure, enjoy.


So my flight to New Zealand arrived into Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand, at 12:30 a.m. I didn't get out of customs until 2 am. I stepped foot in a new country. With no plans, no one to pick me up, and no friends, I had no clue what to do. I was far out from the city and didnt even know how to get there. The night was clear and dry. the city was silent and asleep. And and two thirtyt am i found myself skating down the street in new zealand. My arrival into a country I always dreamed of coming to, wasn't one I imagined. As I continued to skate in hopes of someone invitiing me in for the night I realized I was about to do something  never done...spend the night on the streets. At about three am i started looking for places to sleep, checked buidlings, parks, fields, anything that would keep me out of harms way through the night and into the morning. I didnt want to be seen by anyone. I even walked througha cemetery. I figured no one was going to be there except the dead of course. And I was willing to sleep next to them if that meant protection. As I walked through the cemetery I found some prime locations to sleep. The only reason why I didnt sleep there was because I didnt know when matienence would arrive the next morning. the last thing i watned was being greeted by some kiwi cops on my first morning. I kept moving on until i came across a church. Theres not a better place to crash for a rookie on the streets. So i went behind this church, set up camp at about four, and fell asleep between the church a field and a house. I was greeted by a church member the next morning, she asked what i was doing. Simply said I thought all was welcomed to the house og God regardless the hour. Ok i didnt say that, but i just answered honestly packed up at seven and continued to skate toward the city.

Getting to the city took forever. what should have been an hour trip took me four. its a lot like seattle, hills, rain, and cloudy. I couldnt see the skyline and all the hills covered up and signs of downtown. after the long trek i finally made it to downtown auckland. checked in  a hostel at about one and slept to six pm.

O my gosh, i swear to you this hostel was the most janky, sketchy, random, ran-down hostel ever. My roommates were three guys from india and a dude named cody who was local. two of the indian guys were pretty cool, used "bro" way to much. the other guy was sketchy. When I entered at noon he was submerged under his blankets, i figured he had a late night of partying and was sleeping in. When I woke up at six pm he was still under the covers, i then thought he was dead until i saw him move. Then I went out for dinner came back at like 8, still under the covers. Left for a movie at nine came back and he was still under his covers. and entire day he didnt leave his bed...creepy. I went to bed at 12:30 am, when i was falling asleep the guy gets up and starts pacing from one side of the room to another. like face pacing to the end of the room would stop, spin and walk to the otherside. he did this for a straight hr, he would periodically stop and look out the window for thirty seconds then conitue pacing. I asked if he was ok but his accent was to strong for me to understand his response. he stayed up the entire night. I woke up randomly at four am and he was facing the wall looking at his computer. The next day same thing, spent all day in bed, i didnt see him, move, didnt see his face, nothing. Until i came back once and he was gone, he walked in the room, I told him my name and he just stared at me then walked to his bed. I left the room and came back later and he was eating subway iin the dark, not a single light on. then that night he stayed up all night pacing and what not. He didnt change his clothes the whole time I was there, even though he had extra clothes, and the room smelled like a decomposing body, swear. the guy was insane. i literally slept with my knife under my pillow both nights.

But the local mate in the room was real cool. His name is cody and he has traveled to the states, he knows a lot about american sports, which is nice. After talking for a little bit we had much incommon. It was one of those encounters where you feel like you knew the person your entire life even though you just met. So the next day , last day at the hostel, him and I hungout in the city. He was my first friend in New Zealand, He couldn"t come at a better time because the sketchy hostel and boring city made me want to leave auckland, which i was going to do on monday, the day i checked out of the hostel. As we hungout we realized we were checking out the same day. He randomly invited me to his moms house for her birthday party, now that has turned into me staying at their house. Their mali ( the natives of the island) so they have much pride for their land and history. One thing led to another and Ive been stayinng with his family ever since. THey even let their kids skip school to come hangout with the new american family member. I was embraced like I was their own. Literally already call Mrs. Randell mom and Mr. Randell dad. Its funny because I feel like an exchange student, have my own bed, they dont let me make my food, they did my laundry, super nice and  loving. whanau means family in mali (the native language) and thas how ive been embraced...