kia ora

The end of the semester is such a strange time. I look at my calendar and logically I know it’s coming…in fact, students talk about college breaks so often that it’s one thing that would literally be impossible to forget. And yet, for me at least, the end of the semester is so jam-packed, so busy, so daunting…that I truly and honestly feel that those two weeks will never end. When I say, “I don’t know if I’ll make it”, I’m not exaggerating-I really don’t know! It seems like time stands still…days pass, eventually, but no progress is made. And then, and I know this from past experience, it ends and it’s almost disappointing. Not disappointing in the sense of missing class or school or exams but it all amounts to more waiting and then…after all of that…one grade. That grade, no matter how good or bad, can’t possibly show all of the squeezed deadlines, extracurricular meetings, the dreaded group projects, working through one sinus infection and two stomach viruses in two weeks…the blood, sweat, and tears doesn’t show up on a transcript. And, to be fair, neither does the good stuff-not the novel you read for class that you actually and truly enjoyed, the class discussion that made you forget you were in class, or the partner project where you were assigned a committed partner who actually cares and contributes. One grade. And for that, a full semester that concludes with two weeks of mass chaos. And yet, this was me on Monday.

Here I am on Thursday and I can actually feel it now. I think it may actually end….not in an distant way but truly, really conclude. I can safely turn on my Christmas music, decorate the apartment, and decide that Christmas is indeed coming…the world is indeed moving forward outside of this college campus. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and this one is jolly.

So here it is. I’ve found that with most college students, it’s one or the other: they really care about politics or they really don’t. With this election, though…there’s something strange going on. Almost everyone cares…it’s not necessarily an educated attempt to really consider and thoughtfully care but they care nonetheless. Let me just begin by saying: I REALLY CARE! I like politics in general but the nature of this election is so extraordinary and it just so happens that this is the first presidential election in which I’ve been able to vote. Exciting stuff! So exciting, in fact, that I’ve been nervous about this thing since I sent back my absentee ballot almost two weeks ago. So exciting that I can hardly stand watching CNN today, hearing about people’s plights at the polls and difficulties in getting their vote to actually count.

Something else that’s baffling: For many people across the country today, it may have been easier and less time-consuming to purchase a weapon, commit a crime, and flee the country than it was to vote. For others, it may have cost them 20 minutes and the push of a button. Why is it, then, that some of us care so much about exercising our right to vote (and will, in fact, even sacrifice for it) while others couldn’t care less? Growing up in a household where both of my parents voted in every election that I can remember, I guess you could say I was raised to care. Probably not raised to care quite this much, maybe, but that came later with my natural interest in law, further heightened by my experiences in college so far. Thus, I’m shocked and appalled when I hear that the United States consistently has one of the lowest voter turnout percentages of any developed democratic nation. Honestly, that scares me. We need to care. As citizens of the most powerful nation in the world, we have a responsibility to care.

And so here I am: too scared to turn on the TV yet thrilled that the day is finally here, my vote is in, the wait is finally over…history is being made as I type. Now off to Starbucks to get my free cup of coffee for voting…

Kia Ora! Welcome to my blog. You may be wondering what sort of jibberish I’ve selected as the name of my blog so let me confuse you further by saying that it isn’t jibberish but rather a New Zealand Maori greeting. “What’s Maori and where’s New Zealand…isn’t that the same as Australia?” (yes, people do make that comment…and quite often in fact) I’ve chosen to begin my story here, with a Maori greeting, because if life is merely a culmination of those experiences that shape you, challenge you, and spit you back out different, then my semester abroad in New Zealand (Spring 2007) is a good place to begin.

In order for you to understand the relationships, hobbies, and commitments that I’m involved in on a day-to-day basis, this is necessary. In one word: passion. In one sentence, passion for environmental ethics, social justice, community, and God.

Now time has passed and work, class, busyness, just life in general, has happened in the year and a half since then. Yet passion doesn’t just disappear and I hope you’ll see it on my blog. This year, you can join me-in my smiles and my stress…this is senior year!