Thank you so much!

Tomorrow, we are getting in the rental car and driving up to Auckland, where we’ll board a plane for LA. And, after almost a year, we will be leaving New Zealand. I have never enjoyed the departure section of airports, but I do love the arrivals section. It’s not really adequate, but I guess it sums up our feelings now…

Before we go, though, I wanted to say thank you to a few people who have made our year here the fantastic experience it was. They are a pretty varied group, but they all, through their kindness or help, made an impression.

To Dawson, Lee, Gretel, Frankie, & James; Andy, Tonya, Tom, Sam, & Annabelle; Alan, Deb, Nina, & Levi; Jason, Liz, Ethan, & Amelia; David, Belinda, & Liam; and Monique – thank you for befriending us, looking after us, and sharing your holidays with us!

To Ann & Michael; Carol; Dave & Fleur; Sharon & James; and Andy – thanks for thinking of us and opening your homes to us!

To all the students and staff at Kaka Street Special School and to the students and staff at Otumoetai College’s Special Needs Unit – thanks for giving me a purpose and opening your classrooms to me!

To all the staff and patients at Tauranga Hospital and Grace Hospital – thanks for your kindness and trust!

To Lindy, Russell, the staff and our neighbors at Anchorage Apartments – thanks for making our home a comfortable one!

To Ihaka, Jaap, & Robbie – thanks for your patient teaching!

To Razia and the local branch staff at National Bank – thanks for helping us sort out our kiwi dollars!

To the unbelievably kind staff at Bin Inn, Mount Liquor, Col’s Butchery, The Copy Shop, and The NZ Post Shop – thanks for your friendly smiles, good suggestions, and assistance!

To the editors and authors of Lonely Planet – thanks for astoundingly good advice and reliable recommendations!

To the friendly people who offered a welcoming smile when they heard our accent and wanted to know more about us – thanks for your kind interest!

And to you, dear readers – thanks for sharing this year with us!

Readers, I do have a favor to ask of you… We’d love to know who you all are. Would you please leave a comment for us, even if it is just your name? (If you aren’t sure how to do this, here are directions... Click on the underlined word “comments”, just below this post. Type any comments and your name in the text box. Click on the circle next to “anonymous”, and hit “publish your comment”.) Thanks for taking the time to do this – we hope to get to thank you in person soon!