My name is Alyson and I am currently preparing for the adventure of a life time. I just turned 25 and I feel like life has already gotten too serious for me. We all have certain goals in life and when I was “younger” my main goal was to graduate from college and to start a career. Well what I wasn’t prepared for was the 40 plus hours per week that I would be sitting and staring at a computer. Over the past few months there has been this overwhelming feeling of anxiety that has taken over. The anxiety created confusion and I simply didn’t know what my next goal in life was.
~Was I to stay put at a job that I wasn’t in love with? ~ Did I want to go back to school? ~ Did I need to move somewhere new? All of these questions kept circulating inside my head driving me crazy…

I believe that everything happens for a reason and the events that have taken place in my life so far have gotten me to this point. New Zealand first became a reality for me over Thanksgiving 2009. My cousin Jennifer, who lives in New Zealand happened to be in the states for a few months and decided to come celebrate “Turkey Day” up in Washington. I was simply joking around when I asked her if I could quit my job and move to New Zealand to work on her and her husband farm. Jennifer simply looked at me and said you know you could do that, right?… So long story short my decision was made right then and there.

I leave in nearly two weeks and I cant decide if I’m more excited or nervous about this whole thing. It almost feels surreal to me and I have a feeling it wont become a reality until I’m there. I’m hoping that I grow from this experience, become stronger, more independent, outgoing… and I want this opportunity to simply open my eyes to the world around me. I don’t want to take anything for granted. I’m so blessed to have such a loving family that has offered their home to me. I will miss everyone here in the states so much but I look forward to making new friends and getting to spend time with family that I otherwise might never have gotten to truly know.