http://www.viruscomix.com/page483.html

but now it's all kiwis. Except today, because it is raining.

Mobi

Night frost!

After the first cold night, the kiwis have accumulated enough sugar and will be picked from today. That means I will stay here for a while. In this forsaken nothingness, It takes 2 weeks to get 'atlas shrugged', and they only have the abridged version available. Please send me my copy from home, it is either in the book box I left at Jonas or it is in my boxes at my parents house. I hereby promote Jonas to coordinator for the book to find me at

Central Oasis Backpackers
30 King Street
Opotiki
New Zealand

The people in the hostel are great. Finally, someone to have a conversation other than
-Where are you from?
-How long are you in New Zealand?
-What have you seen?

These are great topics, but without moving every other day, one gets to know each other and can address other topics. One example which I have scribbled into a short text with the netbook (please note that events may have been more mundane than depicted):

Within my sixth semester of molecular biotechnology I realised that I haven't done anything for about half a year. This realisation alone didn't change the status quo, I just started daydreaming about getting away from the laboratories with their repetetive tasks, the concrete block that is Bielefeld University. But for another semester, I made little to no progress for my bachelor's degree. Two events set things in motion again.

The first being my friend Jonas, who already told me about the intoxicating idea of anarchocapitalism, gave me 'the fountainhead' by american author Ayn Rand. The characters in the book, as well as the philosophy of objectivism they transported, showed me the necessity to change the tranquility I was captured in.

The second event was me visiting the university's therapeutic support desk, organised and led by psychology students. There, I was told about the possibility to schedule a therapeutic session with an experienced therapist, funded by the government and donations. After talking about my situation and articulating my problem, 'Ich fuehle mich dem Leben ausgeliefert', I was almost casually informed that it was no wonder I felt like that because I avoided decisions. Which was true. I realised that I was afraid of the responsibility any decision brought with it. But without making decisions on my own, my problem whould not change.

The only thing defining an adult is the possibility and necessity to make one's own decisions and taking the responsibility of their consequences. As a kid, we know what we want, but we can't decide about it. Our parents won't let us eat candy all day or go to the water park whenever we want to. As an adult, we can decide do all this, but, for better or for worse, we have no one to be responsible for the consequences but ourselves.

Realising this, I confronted myself with the decision to concentrate and work hard on that bachelor's degree and taking a year off afterwards, or to take a year off first and finishing the degree on return. I decided to take the year off first. My daydream to get literally as far as possible, to New Zealand, took shape. I booked the flight and insurance, applied for the visa and passport, and informed my family and friends. After making the firm decision to do so, it took me only seven weeks to leave for the land of the long white cloud.

Greetings,
Patrick

ps. How are you holding up? What's going on? How is life without me?

Hello people,

I got my netbook, and the guys at TechnologyWise in Tauranga helped me set it up. Their place reminded me of the student's faculty council, with cables and laptops and people eager to help a fellow Linux person.
When I traveled on to Whakatane, I discovered the most beautiful bay jet. Unfortunately, I also discovered that I lost or forgot my cellphone charger, ergo no photos for you guys. This beach had no sand, but smooth shell pieces that felt like walking on gold coins must feel and sound. There were piles of driftwood rattling like bones in old pirate movies.

The next day, I got a severe case of homesickness, so I surved around facebook and played Dwarf Fortress to numb my brain, which was rotating with ideas and thoughts. I don't know wether it always did and I felt good with it as long as I had people close to me to discuss these thoughts, or if it started without constant internet access to prevent it.

Right now, I am in Opotiki, where I found a bunch of germans (these people are everywhere), but they were the right mix to feel comfortable. There even is a movie nerd amongst them. We are waiting for the first night frost, because after that the kiwi picking can begin.

If it does, I'll stay here for some time and I'll give you the address of the hostel, so you can send me actual mail if you desire to do so.

Greetings,
Patrick

Hello there,

The battery is still in the mail. I made a race out of it by ordering “Atlas Shrugged” from a bookstore. After whatever item arrives first, I'll travel on. The netbook I don't have made me delay the blogging, because my perfection wanted it to be, well, perfect. Screw that attitude, here's what I did the last days:

I found the first novel of some author, bought it for five bucks and read it and it was great. Even better than the movie they made out of it. If I had my kindle here, which I regret not bringing with me, I'd read the other books of that guy, too, for his first one was entitled “Fight Club”.

I am currently at Mt Maunganui, at a hostel with an HDD full of movies and series. I watched the movie again and it was still great except for two things: They changed the ending (seems to be a tradition in Hollywood, the book ending is way better), and they changed the way the main characters met. The beach scene from the book is better than just meeting on a plane.

Speaking of the HDD, some guys at the hostel watch a surf related movie every day, it looks to me they are reensuring themselves of the cool lifestyle. I haven't seen them surf for once, but they tell the most awesome stories about it. But then, who am I to judge, for I was quite fond of the equally bad college-flics “S.H.I.T.” (trope: fun with acronyms) and “Van Wilder”. If the Anglophilic Cineast's Social Club has nothing else to watch, they can be viewed back to back. This is not a recommendation, they are not that good as movies.

Speaking of movies: I watched the Aardman style movie Pirates! In 3d. Hilarious, and the posters in the cinema reminded me that in one week I can feast my eyes on the Avengers. I don't know the german release, but since it takes time to ruin that movie for german audiences, I suppose I am ahead of you.

This writes itself: Speaking of ruining movies, at the hostel, I also watched “Tomorrow never dies”. A great example for three reasons:

1. The witty dialogue. Example: Monypenny on the phone with Bond, who is enjoying a lesson with his swedish teacher.

Monypenny: You have always been a cunning linguist, James.

*hangs up, turns around. M is behind her, with a priceless expression on her face.

Monypenny: Don't ask.

M: Don't tell.

How could one possibly translate that? That was a rhetorical question, I see no benefit in knowing how they did translate that.

2. A part of the movie takes place in Germany, and Bond/Brosnan is speaking german! A cringe moment that is lost in translation (pun intended).

3. The german henchman have heavy german accents, which I am quite fond of. German dubs replace any accent, wether it is an important story hint or just a nice touch, with perfect Hochdeutsch.

German accents in movies lead me to the next topic: Iron Sky is due this year. I don't know wether they made it in german, english or swedish, but since noone makes english dubs, the worst thing that can happen to me here are subtitles. I can live with that.

You are now thinking that I am spending my days in front of the tv and my nights at the cinema. To proove you wrong: Just an hour ago, I was walking along the beach. After the storm of the last days, the waves were perfect. Not for surfing, but instead of a constant swoosh sound, one wave approaches in silence, then breaks with a long, smooth, soft rush, leaving silence behind for the next wave to approach. The storm itself produced waves that formed spectacular sea sprays on the rocky peninsula, which you can find on Google earth, just south of the mountain itself. Search for "Mt Maunganui" then follow the beach.

Greetings,

Patrick.

ps. Some day I'll fill in the first weeks of the diary and post a tastefully edited (=censored) version of it.