Longest Day

aight so today has man been a day that never came into focus. I went through the motions tryin to regain some semblance of a routine, but somehow didn't approach those things with the same passion I normally do. While coaching i felt like my energy had been zapped. I found myself only being able to rally up the energy for the kids in small doses, luckily I had a very capable coach with me who made up for my lack of energy, but why is that after a vacation you're more tired then when you left?

After coaching I had to argue about money, never a fun thing and although no blame should be shouldered by one party, its frusturating when the final aggreement makes neither party happy. Thats all I'm going to say on that subject because of its sensitivity to some readers.

After that I had a chat and a soda with my Rotary host who helped remind me of what my priorities should be my studies, basketball, then rotary and then the overarching concern now that I'm in the real world money- POMONA COLLEGE WAS NOT THE REAL WORLD, every meal prepared housing, electricity, internet, all taken care or. Oh how i miss those days.

Real spit though i got so much going on in my life at the moment and I dont know how to use this journal to best express those things.

1) My Girlfriend- enough said
2) School- I need a thesis topic and to begin researching- two possibilities
a) indigenous rights
b) or illegal human trafficking for sexual purposes
I'm leaning towards (b). Let me know if you have any thoughts

3) Basketball- I'm coaching little kids who I have a blast doing it but to no fault of there own they are not the population that I really want to coach, in that they are affluent. What an odd feeling, and where does that come from? Is it more noble to work with kids from impoverished communities? I'd say so, but then again why do I feel entitled to enter those communities and work for them. Is it a recognition that I can enter and should embrace that privilege, especially as one who grew up amongst an impoverished community. Really I have an oppurtunity here, to work with any population I want, but for the first time I have to seek out the impoverished community rather than starting there as I have and trying to break into the elite society. Its like from going from the city of Pomona to Pomona College I established myself as a person with ties to all the privileges that go to a prestigious university or college and now don't see myself as a poor kid workin hard to break into the rich kids club. Thats a first for me, I have this new feeling of having money but with it comes a complete change in how I define myself. I've always taken pride in being poor, because I knew I could achieve anything. Now I achieve something that gives me some money this scholarship and now I'm unsure how to define myself. I'm like a rapper who signs a record deal, do I lose all legitimacy now that I'm paid. Am I so departed from my community that I can't go back? I doubt that and would hate that if that was the case, but its just odd knowing on which side of the fence I'll lie. I guess the best thing is that I know with this new echelon of privilege I've pushed my way into I can actually begin to challenge this segment of the population to discuss why I shouldn't be painted as an example of the American Dream- one person overcoming odds- but rather one person who can see the odds and see why it screws thousands of people daily. OK squash that rant

This list may also reflect the first time basketball was not my first priority, another departure from how I've defined myself in the past. But thats another conversation.

Still Alive

Hey Yall- I am still breathin despite jumpin off three bridges in the span of 5 days. P.S. I haven't sky dived yet! but will be doing so in the future, those pictures of me are of me harnessing up for a bungy jump. I'll give a more detailed account to everyone when I get back to auckland. One Love

Kobe

Okay so today I procrastinated my entire day away, while I should have been writing, I watched youtube videos, checked myspace, checked facebook, emails, even checked my own blog (yes its that hot), and one thing has stuck out. Well two things, Florida is that good, but the real thing is KOBE is that good. I hate opening up ESPN.com and seeing Dwayne Wade practiced, good for him. I've returned to practice many a times in my day and never recieved a collumn about it. I even hobbled through warm ups just to be a part of the game, now thats heart. No real spit though, mad props to Dwayne Wade he is great, he won his title did his thing, my only thing is KOBE is the truth. Why are we seeing headlines like McGrady carries team to victory with 24 points, while Kobe scores 43 in a win and its called dissapointing. P.S. I missed Kobe against Houston, but I heard he did not dissapoint. As I watched Kobe's highlights today though, you can't help but marvel at his basketball ability. Yes, to all the haters he's that good, even if you don't like him you know everytime he shoots you expect it to go in. You'd be foolish not too, he's made you feel dumbfounded one to many times to expect that shot not to drop. Thats it, till next time.

Hot Sauce i mean Hot Water

Holla from the Coramandel peninsula. Quiggs, Andrew, Kristen and Marta, drove about 2 hours to Coramandel Town which was probably about 140 kilometers then another 2 hours to Port Jackson which was probably about 60 kilometers of just gravel road. It didnt help that the car, named Donna- pronounced with a Norwegian accent, probably only had a couple of inches clearance from the ground since it was loaded with the 5 of us, plus our camping gear, plus clothes, plus food. Needless to say every ping and scrape sound made the 5 of us cringe worried the muffler was going to fall off poor Donna as we crawled along the street at less than 20 kph. I must say that Donna proved her worth again as she must have numerous times before being a 1988 Toyota Corona, that runs like Darren Collison (good run UCLA, Florida is that tough).

Anyways the long trip there was worth it as we spent the entire next day on the beach wandering around and takin in the fact we had this entire beach to ourselves. Sunday we spent pursuing a trail to hike as well as what we thought would be a brief stop to the Hot Water Beach. It turned to be another long drive and we ended up just spending the day on the Hot Water Beach. Now you may be asking what is a "Hot Water Beach?" Well theres a natural hot spring under ground that seeps up onto the beach right where the tide of the ocean comes up. Supposedly you can dig a whole and sit in it like a hot tub, we were there to late to accomplish that but we felt the hot water springs and they were scalding hot. We even sat in them for some time as the waves crashed on us and pushed us off them. But it was the first beach where I saw some solid waves. Waves that just crashed on you and you could dive under, not the measly waves of resort towns or resort beaches, but ones where if you can't swim you shouldn't be in the water. Note I did see some serious waves at Bethel Beach on the west coast outside of Auckland, but those waves were so ridiculous you could not swim in them.

This shall be my last post for a couple weeks at least as I'm headed for a two week tour of the South Island, which promises to have everything from Wine Tasting, Hiking to Bungy Jumping crammed into it. After which I'll come back attend a couple classes and leave for 5 days in Fiji, enough said.

5-4-3-2-1-JUMP

Oh yeah I forgot to mention last weekend I jumped of the Harbor Bridge here in Auckland. It was very different from my previous bungy jump in that it was much shorter, and that I actually went completely under water. My suggestion to everyone is you should give the bungy jump thing a try, because it is a lot of fun, plus people will think you're crazy, dumb, or a combination of the two for doing so.

Staying Busy with Basketball

Today I've started my third week at Strathalan School in Papakura. Its great to be able to work with the same group of kids over a sustained period, because of the relationship you can build with them. I've been amazed at how much they've been able to absorb. I started with just a jumpstop and now they are pivoting and protecting the ball, probably doesn't sound like a lot to the casual fan, but to help put it in perspective that skill set is something that kids in the US don't really get a grasp on until high school, at least I did not. The other thing that amazes me is how much they remember. I only work with a group for 30-45 minutes a week and then don't see them until the next week and I can jump in and ask them what is a jump stop, pivot or defensive stance and they'll immediately jump into it. A couple days ago some students from Freeman's Bay came in for an afterschool program at Youthtown and I found a group of 5 of them playing shaq says on there own time, it was a moment of recognition that a simple game I brought from a basketball camp at the University of La Verne to New Zealand is fun no matter where you do it.

On a leisurely note, I travelled to the Bay of Islands, where I went out on a sail boat around the islands and even squeezed in a round of golf in plain view of the Bay, very scenic. Anyone that thinks golf isn't a sport I challenge you to go out and play 18 holes and get at me the next day to let me know how you feel physically. Then we can debate. Thats it for now, stay tuned for some pictures.

Capitol City

I spent this weekend in Wellington, the capitol of New Zealand and have reached several conclusions, some more relevant than others.

First, museums are alright, just alright. It is great to be able to walk around and see objects, in a museum, but they seem so removed from their setting. For example today I saw a replica of a Maori canoe, but it was held up on a pedestal and tilted at an angle as if it was floating in the air like Peter Pan's ship. Despite the carvings on the canoe being worth a viewing, the canoe cannot come to life to me as a viewer unless I were to see it in action. I need to see the canoe in the water, or at least outside.

Second, there are some amazingly talented people in this world. It was the first time since college where I got to be held in the same room with exceptional students, with dreams, hopes and aspirations to change the world. I participated in an orientation for fellow Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars, and was awe struck by peoples projects that ranged from wave energy to teacher quality. I'd like to thank those involved in the weekend for making it a special place, a think tank of people networking to help facilitate eachothers experience while here in New Zealand and hopefully further beyond this short 9 month scholarship period.

Third, I have great ideas, do great things, and may even be a great person, but it is a constant struggle to make sure you put your best foot forward and not get lost along the way. The journey has always just begun, beginning constantly, never ends. The struggle is whats fun, may I never stop struggling. HOLLA