A Chance to See Beyond Oneself

The Story

My disclaimer:
Idealy I would like to combine my stories and reflections but I lack the time, and most likely the skill, to create a narrative that successfully communicates both. I wish I could devote more time to comprehensively sharing my thoughts and feelings from travel but it is difficult for me to find time to formulate these before I reach a computer. Often these blogs are unedited and consist of a single flow of thoughts. In some ways I like the fact that I am able to share these stream of thoughts without tempering with them, it reveals my many faults as a writer thus reminding the reader of the consistent fallibility of the individual and to constantly remember that anyone's writing is just the tip of the iceberg. On the other hand, I am rather ashamed to not take the responsbility to appropriately take more time to consider what I am sharing. Sometimes I even wonder if it is worth sharing my thoughts because it attempts to simplify and generalize my experience which perhaps even limits it for myself. So it not only deceives the reader but also myself. But thats how it goes.

After staying the night at the farmers house, we traveled down to the south of the north island, to Cape Palliser. It was one of the most amazing environments I have ever expereiced, if I had my journal near me I would share the poem I wrote while there. It felt like the end of the world: the turbulent turquoise sea, jagged lava rock colliding with the ocean, the strongest winds I have ever felt, towering hills bordering the ocean, sparse little settlements that seemed uninhabitated, and a cloud layer in the distance as to prevent any vision of the outer sea. There were seals all over the coast line, one baby seal actually hopped up the rocks and sat right next to us within about 1 meter lengths from outstretched hands. I almost stepped on a baby seal as I was exploring the region - the mother was quick to stare me down though and I back away as a shameful cowardess.

We moved on to Wellington where we stayed with some college students that my german friend met while traveling in australia. As the many students had just finished their first year of college, they inspired us to join in the evening celebrations, quite the festivities I must say. Our day time was spent attempting to sober up for the next big night and explore the town in somewhat of a daze. I am often not prone to enjoy such elaborte celebrations and after a few days of so much partying was quite ready to move on - overall though it was quite fun as well as rather stimulating to be with such youthful spirits (not too mention a relief of realization I have matured enough to have no interest in living my life from one party to the next). Our dutch friend, Karin, departed north while my german friend, Lukas, and myself travelled to the south island. We have both missed Karin, she always had a smile on her face, was always ready to laugh at herself for some of her ridiculous actions, and had such a kind spirit towards the world. She will be missed.

The last several days have been spent sleeping in the car after long days of driving through the south island and hiking to the nearest panoramas. It is quite comfortable and cheap to sleep in the car, so it seems as though we might start a pattern of two nights in the car, one night in a hostel. We have seen some amazing landscapes all throughout the south island. Two days ago we saw two massive glaciers situated in the back of mountain valleys. Tomorrow I will be attempting the second largest bungee jump in the world 440 feet - rather exciting I must say. It has been a great joy to travel with my german friend, we get along on many levels and have similar travel interests. Last night we intended to stay in a hostel but it had closed. Having not showered or shaved for several days, we decided to sneak in to take a shower and shave and then made an exciting get away and slept in the car in the town of lake wanaka where we will be situated for about two days.

The Reflection

How does one attempt to approach consistent beauty? The south island has been full of so many diverse environments from galciers, to tropical beaches, snow caped mountain ranges, torquise rivers, peaceful grass valleys, and vast lakes bordered by rocky mountains. Part of me wants to sit in each beautiful location for several hours, just taking it all in, burning it into my memory, and savoring the moment. Another side of me has almost become used to consistently seeing so many gorgeous landscapes and is ready to pass on to the next beautiful location around the corner. How should one approach beauty? Is it to be appreciated only in the moment or constantly remembered? So much of me wants to take these visions with me but obviously the camera does little to capture the feeling of being enraptured by nature.

What role should memory play in our lives? Does memory only detrack from living in the moment? Does it work on automatic or must it be cultivated daily? How often should I immerse myself in the past or is it of little value because it can only become a distraction. Memory obviously forms who we are today but in what ways does it change according to refleciton?

I am consistently moved to embrace an outlook of spiritualistic pluralism as each new encounter seems to teach me about the inability for humans to create an objective perspective. This time of travel has helped me to live from moment to moment because that is all that is existing and real to me. I am moving further away from viewing things as one way or another, good and bad, wrong and right, beautiful and ugly - these binary oppositions seem to be attempts at proclaiming our "great understanding" of the nature while all the while we are so scared shitless of the unknown we hold on to the first "rational" thought that is proclaimed. Everything consists of everything depending on how you look at it and how you look at it is dependent upon what you have come to know. It may seem hopeless to some yet it is inspiring to me. I am trying to no longer worry about disagreeing with people, with attempting to be "right" or "rational", or trying to make "good" choices. I am reminded of the boat keeper in Hesse's novel Sidartha. He was so patient, quiet, ready to listen and learn, and embrace the lessons cultivated within that can be developed through time spent in the quite of nature and in the joy of human interaction.

...but perhaps I have it all wrong, no, actually, it may better be stated I do have it all wrong and that is what may make it all right for my perspective. By recognizing my perspective and value system are limited, I am able to embrace that which precedes my current beliefs in a greater form of truth. I hope to better learn how love is encorporated with learning and with experience, this will be perhaps my next contemplation.

I don't know if more than a few people are reading this but my heart is with those whom I have known over the years and I do appreciate all the lessons others have shared with me.

may we recognize there is a God with us,
Karl

The Story

After Tauranga I went on to travel the geothermal region of Rotorua with a California guy I met in Tauranga. We had a brilliant time discussing postmodernism, films, travel, and how it is pleasant to meet someone from the homeland when traveling. In Rotorua I met a girl from England that I planned to see in Taupo, by the largest lake in NZ.

From Taupo, I joined with Karin (Dutch), Sarah (English), and Lukas (German). We had an incredible time camping out at a hidden hot spring; it was the perfect experience for enjoying the wonders of the night sky sitting in a hot stream, drinking a beer, and talking about the meaning of life. The next day we took a beautiful hike and relaxed in the tall grass near the base of the mountain/hill. I wish I could share the pictures, so many of the locations are absolutely pristine. We have travelled several days (5 days?) together through the Tongariro national park (some of my favorite terrain so far) down to Ohakune where we spent a day relaxing while it was raining out. We then went on to Wanganui where we travelled down the main river by canoe.

Our english friend had to start heading north but the rest of us continue south. We had a quite pleasant unexpected experience today. I am writing this email from the home of a family that lives out in the countryside of Plymoth. We happened to drive back on this country road looking for a place to camp and happened to meet Andy, who is letting us camp on part of his property. We took a hike to overlook the ocean, surrounding mountains, and see the south island of new zealand - a stunning sun set that won't be forgot.

The group that has formed has been the most meaningful experience though. We have come so close, we are like family - traveling together each day, sleeping in the same room, driving in the same car. We have so many good laughs, often precursered by stereotypes of our respective nations, as well as good dicussions about vocation, poetry, and human relations. We will take a long drive around the southern region of the north island tomorrow and come back to spend the night again with this great family we met - everyon in NZ has been incredibly friendly and helpful whenever needed.

The Reflection

The pace of travel has shifted my mode of life operations. So much of my life is often spent in reflection, attempting to make chaos out of order in the intellectual realm as well my physical environment. It is enjoyable for me to attempt to organize my experiences, relationships, and thoughts thruoghout my daily life. But while traveling, everything has changed. I rarely read, I don't have time to write, and I haven't spent much time reflecting - everything has been experience and my attempt to be present to each one.

I never know where I am going from one day to the next, life is so unpredictable and disorganized - yet I feel completely comfortable with it. I have the privilege of having so little responsibility and so little need to fullfill specific expectations that I am able to experience each moment with a curious hope, learning from new people and being changed by the landscapes I transcend to.

I am attempting to be patient with the times I feel discontent, which have been rare. I wish to trust in that which is good and beautiful, the inaccessible ultimate truths of reality that we are provided glimpses of with each new person we meet, each new place we see, and each new reflection I cultivate. I struggle though to know how to approach my experiences. Do I take more time to reflect and relive my experiences in my mind, turning over perspectives and value systems? Or do I simply encounter each experience, being present to the joy, sadness, loneliness, companionship, etc that is revealed to me by the great mystery that is? Do we learn most by reflecting or is that an abstraction from the true reality?

I have been intrigued by my companions perspectives on life and the ways that so many people from so many different cultural experiences can believe so many of the same things I do. I have been so pleasantly surprised to get into conversations that confirm my thoughts of personal growth as well as mental maturity. So much of this trip thus far has confirmed my recent thoughts of this past school year and summer time. I feel as though there has been a large change in my perspective, specifically over my last semester at Westmont and my summer working in Santa Barbara. It was most likely a culmination of all the learning that took place during my liberal arts education.

The trip feels as though it has been so long already but I am only into my travels 16 days. I have no clue of how I should get the most out of my travels. So far, I have learned the lesson that the less planning, the better the adventures. Attempting to make order of our lives is distracting from the good that is waiting to be given to us. I think so much of it correlates back to listening to our inner voice/connection to the infinite. When we attempt to rely on our rationale for organizing our life experiences, we limit our ability to openly listen to the best opportunities. The combination of silence and patience and accepting the experiences brought to us often lead to a fullfilling life. So many of the people I have met seem to believe that everything is meant for a reason in life, I have been intrigued by this perspective. There are so many implications to this belief, yet it seems most people have not developed all the possibilities of thought on the subject. At the same time, these people are able to achieve wisdom from focusing on their experiences.

To give a more concrete example, Lukas, the german I am traveling with right now (and probably will travel with throughout most of my time in NZ) has been traveling for the past two years. He provides maturity of thought with a love for life (and seems to be the driving force behind our wild nights). It is interesting to see how there are ways in which he reminds me of other germans and austrians I have encountered over the years yet at the same time denies any attempt at generalizing him. It seems that those that travel are able to extend their cultural mindset beyond that of their home land - thus extending past many of the stereotypes of their native culture.

This needs to be concluded, so I shall: life is still confusing for me but so much can be changed with perspective, I wish that all may be encouraged to treat each moment with respect, as even the most insignificant moments (as some might judge) can be a powerful moment of transformation as well as be another moment that adds to a better perspective.

With thanks for human companionships and friends from home,
K

The Story

I am currently in Tauranga, New Zealand, a busy town compared with the rurual places I have been staying. After traveling through the northern region, I made my way to the Corromandal penninsula, a rugged beautiful combination of coast and mountains. I parted with my french friend and drove south. I have had so many interested conversations with foreigners I am meeting in hostels. There was an English couple who had been traveling for the past 9 months, driving through Cananda, working on organic farms, and now doing the same in New Zealand. I picked up a hitchhiker who spoke of his troubles finding work in his small farm town and gave him a ride to Auckland where he is hoping to find work. I met three German girls, Johanna, Julia, and Patrica, at a hostel and have been giving them a ride/traveling with them the past few days. Out paths will part today as they will leave to work on an organic farm (a very popular option for traveling and living for free with about 4 hours of work a day). I met Jason from California and will be meeting him in Rotorua today and traveling with him for a while. One of my favorite activites thus far is to find the local mountain and conquer it with great fury. The panaramas have been amazing looking out over a combination of the ocean, mountains, and tiny islands.

One of my best experiences thus far was the jam session I attended last night at a local Irish Pub (with no Irish). It was an open mic/jam session format where people would come up and play original songs and others would come up and create instrumental jams. I was fortunate enough to be able to play bass most of the time and was overcome with joy at the opportunity to play with such great musicians. It felt so good to play with talented musicians after not playing bass for almost a month. We created melodious harmony till 2 am and were forced out of the bar...I left with a large smile on my face and struggled to calm my excitement for the sake of slumber.

The Reflection

One serious problem I have found with travelling is that my English must be simplified for communication with foreigners to the point where I fear I will no longer be proficient in it when I return to the USA. It is hard to formulate lessons learned as there have been so many encounters with new people and new places. If anything, it has encouraged some of the perspectives I have been having lately.

I have been contemplating the intimate relationship between perspective, value system, and experience. It appears to me the three cannot be discussed indepdently for they have an unseperatable connection. Our perspective could be defined as our outlook, our approach, internal reflection, and general frame of perceiving reality. Value system is simply the things we view as holding value, they are the basis for how we make decisions, it is how we declare good from bad, etc. Experience includes everything we experience from our senses. Our perspective shapes how we experiences things, our experience then shapes our perspective - confirming, negating, confusing. Our value system affects how we experience, we choose certain experiences over others because of what we value and it thus confirms, negates, confuses our value system.

I struggle to say there is a correct perspective, it seems each one is shaped by experience, and that each persons experience is valueable because it is their only basis of knowing. My real problem is how to say that a value system can be valid. Because I by no means can say that a murders value system for killing is positive but that is because it conflicts with my value system. I suppose much of it comes down to the belief of whether we are simply material or spiritual creatures and whether or not there is a purpose in life.

I am out of time. (sorry again for the typos)

Let us share with others our fruits of contemplation
Karl

The Story

I am currently in the northern portion of New Zealand, enjoying the beautiful beach town of Paihia. When the wind calms, the conditions are rather nice - except that of the water temperature. My time in Auckland was spent wandering around the town and enjoying the company of my new friend Amber whom I stayed with.

The drive north in my rented toyota reminded me of the Irish countryside, beautiful rolling hills of green grass. A french hitchhiker, Celine, has accompanied me during the drive and provided good company for wandering around the town and countryside, teaching me about her new home in New Calidonia (near fiji).

Tomorrow I will leave for the West Coast and then make my way down to the southern portion of Northern New Zealand. I have decided that I will try to work when I arrive in Australia in a month - it will provide a different context to learn in as well as save money.

The Reflection

Travel is unique in that the entire purpose for me is simply to observe and participate in whatever ways possible - I am removed though, in a way that can not be as easily accomplished in the daily grind. My time thus far has preserved a stillness that provides a time for quietly experiencing nature, people, and the inner voice/true self/infinite reality/voice of God (as I prefer to call it due to the relational implications). Travel helps me to cultivate a perspective of viewing each experience as an opportunity to learn and grow. The growth is tested in times when difficulties arise - which I am sure will happen when traveling in Asia. New Zealand is fairly easy to travel in, so I am not challenged in many ways, except the first two hours of driving on the left side of the road.

I have found that the most important thing I learn while traveling is to listen to the inner voice/voice of God. I have found that it can guide me far better than any attempt at rationality. It seems that rationality is so often limited, as it is so dependent upon experience. One person experiences X event with a certain perspective and the person is forced to either use the situation to affirm their belief/value system, deny it by the basis of their value system, or be changed by it. There doesn't appear to be any logic to this process, it seems a constant changing perspective is the only way to adapt to such a mysterious life experience - I am rambling.

I apologize for typos, my time is limited. I would love to hear anyone' feedback or current experiences that are shaping their perspective.

go well and don't forget to look and listen,
Karl

I will leave California in about two weeks and two days to travel for about 8+ months around the world. If you will be traveling in the same areas as I will or know people that would be fun to meet (or even stay with) – let me know! My email is smerecnik@gmail.com. I will be updating this blog as well as sending out mass emails to those you wish to be on my mailing list.

Here is my itinerary (it may change):
New Zealand: Oct 2 – Nov 16
Australia: Nov. 16 – Jan 1
Malaysia: Jan 1 – Jan 8
China: Jan 8 – Jan 29
Thailand (and SE Asia): Jan 29 – March 20
Bahrain: March 20 – March 24
Turkey: March 24 – From Turkey I will be traveling throughout Eastern and Western Europe by train and hopefully ending my trip somewhere in Scandinavia around June. I don’t have a plane ticket back to the States yet, so my return date is not yet set.

I am currently applying to grad schools and will find out while travleing if I got into any. If I do not make it into any, I may stay overseas for longer - we shall see.

My hope is for this trip to be a time of great transformation and enlightenment. I would love to stay in contact with as many people as possible and will try to check my email often.

Blessings,
Karl