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On the 17th I facilitated an activity I named "ANimal Hack". This game naturally requiresd a hackey sack and everyone must cooperatively work together to each hit the hackey sack. This is known as a "hack". The only stipulation to this game is the only means of communication must be done through an animal sound. 9 people all together participated in this game and although we did not reach our goal everyone at least made an effort and it turned out to be a fun activity. I feel "animal hack" resonates well with the chapter A Good Group because as a leader and a participant I was not concerned with obtaining a hack and being a phenomenal player. I was focused with moving the hack around and allowing everyone to engage. It was not an exceptionally amazing group but we were absolutely a good group.
I feel most relaxed and tranquil when I am scuba diving. I feel that chapter 40 Meditate reflects myself as a participant in this actvity. Instead of swimming wildly I clasp my hands and let the current dictate my direction. I become attune to my breathing and relax. When I am silent and focus on my breaths I recognize there is no need to struggle. I also have learned to understand and accept the overall process.
One of my members in my food group in Australia lost track of time and did not meet with the rest of us at the specified time at the grocery store. This was unfortunate considering I wanted to control this event. I had to let go of this urge and take initiative. The Unfolding Process talks about how process naturally unravels and even though it is tempting to have control of this, the process and group interaction usually will end up chaotic. I had to trust that the process would work itself out and in the end we all made an excellent dinner everyone enjoyed.
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Kaikoura
I feel the water taxis in Abel Tasman are a bit excessive. Participants who are about to engage in sea kayaking trips I believe are fully capable of carrying a rented kayak to the destined put in. Driving a gas guzzling tractor to me seems like a wasted mode of energy. I do not feel it is necessary just to fulfill a convenience. As far as the bolted routes at Payne's Ford, again it is yet another convenience for rock climbers in specific. I can see that it does mitigate many potential injuries however drilling bolts into the side of a cliff face to only benefit climbers seems detrimental to the immediate area. Many irresponsible climbers are drawn to these places and sometimes littering, graffiti and other means of disrespect to the landscape often occur. WHen it comes to the dolphin encounter unfortunately it was cancelled and I do not have much to say.
Queenstown
When I look at Mt. Cook from a sustainable view I see its environment is directly involved. There is definitely a high regard for conservation here however this is a popular spot for rock climbers. This in turn affects the wildlife and landscape. Also Mt. Cook is a hot spot for hikers who may also be capable of environmental degradation. My experience here however did not reflect this fortunately. The majority of people I encountered were very much in tune with their stimuli and respected Mt. Cook with a humble manner. Conversely Queenstown was a different breed. Off the bat I noticed there was a variety of opportunities to boost economy through tourism. However, opportunity is almost always accompanied by dependency which is very prevalent here. Current Queenstown has a few monuments to at least remind tourists of its past culture. This culture is steadily decaying from all the traffic that is endemic. The abundance of success from adventure tourism in Queenstown has only offered a concentrated focus on the activities alone. Everyone is overwhelmed with river rafting, mountain biking, bungee jumping, sky diving and countless other activities to the point where there is simply no room to retain or acknowledge this towns history and dying culture. Tourism has taken hold and the overstimulation has changed this areas atmosphere.
Byron Bay
Personally I think it is far more important saving and preserving a country's historical culture. Realistically though Australia and New Zealand especially thrive off of adventure tourism for economical support. NZ is struggling to support itself just from its common good. It makes me smile at least both countries make great efforts in reminding its visitors of how culture used to be. There is an obvious difference with how things are running today compared to how it was in the past. Life itself places a great challenge on every living entity on this planet and it is called change. Both countries as a whole recognize this and and they now primarily depend on tourism. With any third world country this is the case. I have witnessed this through my travels in Honduras. Although Australia and NZ may not be third world status they both are going though a shift in culture to survive.
In regards to the gondola proposal plan pertaining to the Fiord Land National Park I think it will be beneficial. I dislike seeing tourism degrade and area however with a monetary based economy it is essential in order to bring more revenue. There also is a great chance here for education and it may quite possibly influence people to be more considerate and appreciative of the land. Gondola construction is guaranteed to damage the environment. It is relieving to know the plan of construction is roughly 3 months. However judging from my own observations, these proposals commonly exceed their limits. In terms of a socio-economic stance this gondola plan will for sure bring more visitors that businesses will profit from. I very much despise writing the above but once again it truly makes sense when we are living in a monetary based culuture. If I could have it my way I would give all my time and effort in supporting a resource based economy where everyone simply helps one another by living off the land, instead of reaching into each others pockets. I have realized though no matter what I try and do, the world will ultimately keep revolving. Sure all my actions may be insignificant but if I can create any form of positive impact that will satisfy my motivation to be a part of this world.
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Byron Bay
A lot has happened since my last blog in Manly. We all spent a few days mountain biking and hiking in the bush at an area called the Cascades. We also got to try new foods like crocodile meat pies and kangaroo stew. I got very intimate with some parasites and enjoyed my natural blood donation. After Cascade we made a long drive to Byron Bay. Here the main interests are surfing, scuba diving and eating great food of course. I have facilitated a couple of activities here and have had to adjust my leadership style slightly. I had to act like a benevolent dictator and demand people to stop what they are doing and play. I definitely do not favor this style but I learned it can be effective by using a tone that is not overly aggressive. Of course I had to add some cynical sarcasm behind it but after 7 weeks we all have a bit more of a understanding of each other's style. The scuba diving here has been incredible. I am blown away with all of the new species I have seen here. I cant wait to share some footy with everyone. Unfortunately the groups last day in Byron was yesterday, I hope everyone is traveling safe and Im gonna miss ya! See ya soon!
---Timmay
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