Grades.

These are my results for the semesters work. Fairly happy considering I didn't give a crap about them or care for the work I had to do.

Course results:

Field Experience (EDU 250) - A

Social Studies & Art (EDU 308) - A

Multi-Cultural Education (EDU 417) - A-

Arts Integration in the Classroom (FA 300) - B+

Oh and this is more than likely the final post in this blog... Unless I fully succumb to sadness for not being in America and decide to write another blog about opposite homesickness.

Can I come back America?

...Please? 

Fin.

Well that's a wrap. My time here is done.

The last two days have been my least favourite days here in America but they have also been my favourite. All of my assignments and finals were out of the way and I was free to relax. The only problem was that all of my friends were now beginning to leave campus for the winter break.

It's such a sad feeling to say goodbye to friends who you have become really close to, developed new relationships with and then grown in life together. I don't want to say these goodbyes. It is too hard. I don't remember being as emotionally exhausted as this and I definitely do not remember crying this much ever in my life before.

It's the strangest feeling, for so long I fought being here. I wanted to be back in New Zealand. Wanted to be back doing life there. But now having grown here in America, with amazing new friendships, this feels like my life now. No. This is my life now. And in leaving I feel like I'm having to rip myself away from this place and these people and this hurts. 

To all my new friends, new family, I love you all more than you could ever know. I want to thank you all so much for allowing me into your lives for this time and being quick to accept me into this place. For putting up with my dry, sometimes pointed, humour, I thank you. Once I accepted my new environment, being 9000 miles from my homeland didn't seem all that much and you are all to thank for that. I love you all so much.

Honestly I wouldn't be flying back to New Zealand today if I had any choice.

Please know that I will be coming back as soon as I possibly can, and even though I know I am on the other side of the world keep in contact with me please and DO VISIT! I would be more than happy to take you for an adventure around my country.

Packed, but not ready. I don't think I ever will be.

Contact details:

Skype: tibutler

email: 1thomasbutler@gmail.com

Cell: +64 21 230 7495

Thanksgiving.

Well I get to experience my first ever Thanksgiving.

On Tuesday I flew into Columbus, OH. to meet up with Ron and Lynnette's and family for a week of thanks. 

Wednesday we had a few people and their kids come over for a vegan style (kinda, there was still turkey) dinner. We played games and there were plenty of laughs to be had. 

Today (Thursday) we are going out to Ron and Lynnette's  friends place for Thanksgiving dinner and for some football. 

Friday we are going back to Columbus Zoo at night time because they have lights all set up. I have been told this will be similar to Pukekura Park back home, albeit less spectacular.

Saturday I get to go tailgating at the Ohio State University versus University of Michigan game. Apparently this is a huge game and an intense rivalry so this should be fun (I will have to be on my best behaviour though, cant incite a riot now!). The weather forecast for that day is going to be cold too! A high of 35 and a low of 23 degrees Fahrenheit (freezing is 32). Glad I packed my thermals! 

And finally on Sunday it's church and I'm playing in the church band at night! It's been a while since I've jammed with a full band but it'll be nice for sure! 

Oh and then after church I fly back to Philadelphia and maybe rush in some last minute homework... by the sounds of what is planned I am unsure with how much homework is going to be done.

Thankful.

Video.

Title says it all really.

I did this video to capture the walk from my dorm to the dining commons, or my classes. This is only one small corner of campus.

Was a bit of fun to do.

Sandy.

Well Hurricane Sandy came and went without anything more than power outages and trees falling around where I was, it didn't even blow the pile of leaves off the front lawn where I was staying near Pottstown, PA. However Sandy did a lot of damage to the coastal areas, especially New Jersey, NYC, Cuba, and all the islands around there. Please pray for the people who are affected still. They need it.

The other day I met a student here at Eastern who's family had been displaced by the Hurricane, they were currently staying at a refuge as their house is not safe to live in and awaiting inspection. Hopefully they will get a green sticker saying that the house is safe to inhabit again. I pray for this. Another unfortunate thing is that the inspectors cannot come around until the houses have electricity but the power company wont put the electricity back on until the houses are safe and secure for fear of causing fires. Reminds me of what is going on in Christchurch at the moment because of the earthquakes.

Speaking of the earthquakes in Christchurch, it's really surreal to know that a place where you once were is now destroyed or severely damaged. This happened in Christchurch where I was in the Cathedral there and then the next day Christchurch had their fist 7.1 magnitude earthquake. After more earthquakes following that the Cathedral was destroyed and no one will enter that building again as it once was.

In some of the places I went in NYC were completely swamped by water. Ground Zero had sea water rushing down into it...

Sea water floods the Ground Zero construction site, Oct. 29, 2012, in New York. Sandy continued on its path Monday, as the storm forced the shutdown of mass transit, schools and financial markets, sending coastal residents fleeing, and threatening a dangerous mix of high winds and soaking rain. (Photo: John Minchillo / AP)

The subways became flooded..

This is a few miles north of where I used the subway, even further away from where the storm surge hit.
(Photo: Metropolitan Transportation Authority)  

Up near the Bronx. (Photo: Metropolitan Transportation Authority)  

Tunnels too...

Photo: Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin

More pics here.

Such a surreal feeling to have been there and then to see these places like this only a week after.

I really pray for those that were affected that Jesus draws near to them and comforts them and gives them the strength and supernatural peace to carry on and get life back to normal.

Sandy approaches.

"Some have compared the tempest to the so-called Perfect Storm that struck off the coast of New England in 1991, but that one hit a less populated area.

"The Perfect Storm only did US$200 million of damage and I'm thinking a billion" this time, Masters said. "Yeah, it will be worse." - Reuters. 

When a storm has it's own website then things ought to get interesting. Will try keep updates coming, but it's forecasted to pass right over top of where I am and power outages are expected. Pennsylvania has declared a state of emergency in preparation for this event and my university has sent out multiple emails giving us information about what to do. One of the emails did say to go home if that's where you feel most comfortable... but somehow I don't feel like that is a viable option for me just at this moment.  For now I'm just going to hang out in my room and do some school work for the weekend, expecting it to hit some time Sunday. I have a couple of options of places to go in case we get told to evacuate, but for now I plan to sit steady and tough it out. Whatever "it" is.

New York, New York (part 2).

New York continued...

Broadway. 

Well we eventually came to Broadway and had a wonder around on our way up to Times Square. It was getting close to dinner time so we zig-zagged backwards and forwards searching for a local place to eat (btw if you are ever in NY do not go to food places you know, go to the local food places! Live a little!).

Times Square.

After eating, we walked up to Times Square. This place is amazing! So many people, so much going on. It was night time, but felt like day with all the lights. We snuck into the Toys R Us store and I just about died... A 3-4 level toy store with half a floor dedicated to Lego! I literally could have spent the entire day there!

Lego Liberty.

Back out to Times Square and we quickly noticed a bunch of people looking up at a giant television. Oh hey, we were on it! Was some interesting "tweet who you want to get dunked" game and then motion sensed the crowd pushing the beach ball toward the target. This was a lot of fun! And yes, she got dunked.

On the jumbotron.

After that, it was getting close to our departure time so we stopped by at Starbucks to grab a coffee and then continued  few more blocks to our departure location. When we arrived back in Philadelphia, we caught the train back out to Eastern and we arrived home around 2am. Needless to say I slept like a baby that night.

Going home.