the eagle has landed

We touched down this morning (Sept. 23rd) at 545AM Auckland time (1:45PM on the 22nd Eastern time) - so, we are 16 hours ahead of you guys! The flight was actually really good - honestly, the 5 hour flight from DC to LA was worse than the 12 hour flight from LA to Auckland! Air New Zealand was super nice, comfortable, lots of food and drink service, not to mention we were exhausted and slept for about 9 hours!

Two of the YWAM staff, Ben and Josie, picked us up at the airport and brought us to the hostel ("backpackers") where we'll be living - I am in a room with 5 girls - it is VERY small. There is one outlet in our room, and there is one shower on our floor . . . . a floor that probably has 30 people on it? At least. It will be very very interesting in the mornings... and it will be a big challenge to not have all the space/clothes/amenities that I have become really used to. For instance - I never thought I'd be living in a hostel long-term. It has already hit me pretty hard how high my standards are compared to what you really need to live on. I know it will continue to be a challenge, but I think it's a really good lesson to learn.

One of the reasons they chose the hostel though is because it is near to a seedy part of town where you will lots of bars/gay bars/etc. and prostitutes (prostitution is legal in NZ), and the group from last year had a vision of really living in the middle of that place and being a light there, which is pretty cool.

Anyway, we don't have the best internet access in the world - we can use the internet but very limited access to skype (for bandwidth purposes), so I think the best way to contact me will be email. (chelsea.alanna.nielsen@gmail.com), or by snail mail if you feel so inclined.

Let me update the address I listed before- they have given us a new one:

Chelsea Nielsen

c/o YWAM Auckland DTS

PO Box 68373

Newton,

Auckland

1145

New Zealand

and if you have to send a package for any reason:

Chelsea Nielsen

c/o YWAM Auckland DTS

Tabernacle Office, Plaza Level,

441 Queen Street,

Auckland

1010

New Zealand

We have met most of the people on the trip - there will be 16 girls and 5 boys total. There are a lot of students here from the US! So we have little pieces of home.

Okay, well, I have limited time here, but I wanted to update you all!

PS - the weather is terrible! They have been having a freak weather pattern and it is freezing and rainy. Hopefully it will get better soon.

Please pray just that we would be focusing less and less on what we don't have here and more and more on what a great opportunity we're being given. And just for the first few days here, that we would start forming solid relationships with the other students here.

Love to you all.