My "Sweet Az" New Zealand Family

In January 2003 I flew down to Auckland, New Zealand where I spent an incredible four months with some of the most loving and Christlike people I have ever met, the Puriri family.  My host parents, Heidi and Arama, welcomed us with open arms and immediately made us feel at home.  With two little boys of their own, Teancum and Kowea, they were saints for allowing six crazy college girls to live under their roof for an entire semester!  Some of my most cherished memories were made from this experience, including kidnapping Arama from work dressed up in all black for a surprise romantic outing with Heidi, countless family outings to the beach, dancing with live music at the top of Sky Tower, watching the boys practice the Haka, listening to the awesome New Zealand accent, just to name a few.  Leaving New Zealand was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, just ask my parents who came down to pick me up! 

I was lucky enough to make a return visit for a month in the summer of 2005 with two of my good friends.  The Puriris once again opened their arms to us crazy college girls.  We spent an incredible four weeks driving around the country, visiting all the different sites we had fallen in love with two years previous.  The above collage is from the airport saying goodbye in '05.  We loved getting to know their new addition, their little daughter Nauvoo.  I absolutely LOVE all their smiles and the big hugs goodbye.

Fast forward five years to the last weekend in October, when I got the great news that the Puriris would be traveling to the states for a month long adventure through CA, UT, IL, OH, NY, and FL!  I was so excited to be able to see them after so much time!  I hopped in my car and drove right down to LA where they were flying in and out.  It was a whirlwind of a weekend, but it was so much fun to see them all again and to meet their youngest three sons.  My roommate Amy and I met up for dinner at their hotel  and we were absolutely shocked by how old Teancum and Kowea are now.  They are all still as cute as ever!  Seeing them again reminded me how lucky I was to be able to have such an incredible study abroad experience.  They truly are family and will forever hold a very special place in my heart!