Another year has come and gone and as the fireworks bring in 2011 it is time to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the promise of new beginnings. In 2011 I celebrate my first year of blogging and while there have been some good moments and plenty of long periods without regular updates, the most pleasing aspect of this experience to date has been the interaction with my readers. While this group is small, the reaction to many of my articles has been positive and I have enjoyed some very engaging discussions on several topics. For now I am enjoying a relaxing holiday travelling through Germany and the United Kingdom. Regular article postings will resume in February, in the meantime I have had time to reflect on 2010 and set the direction for Our World in 2011.
My Vision
My vision for this site exists on two levels. The first level is for it to be the launching pad for discussions relating to the world we live in – from the communities we build, to the communities torn apart by prejudice and hate – and to discuss and develop ideas to build a better world. The second level is for it to be the launching pad for direct action to bring about change – creating our own revolution! It is not through words but through action that change occurs and until we are willing to get off the internet and actually take positive steps towards building a better world then we will fail in our aim.
That is why I am writing this outline for 2011. I want to share with you the experiences of my travels, my readings, my work and my thoughts. As I wrote several months ago, I live multiple lives, with each life experiencing many aspects of this world that few people get the opportunity to see. I live in cosmopolitan Auckland, my work takes me to remote Maori communities in New Zealand, my family live in the rural heartland of New Zealand, and my travels take me around the world from Australia to Europe and everywhere in between. By sharing these experiences, I hope to continue the discussion on how we can build a better world for ourselves and our children.
I have travelled extensively and the human spirit is the same in New Zealand as it is in the townships of South Africa and the suburbs of Berlin. As I write this I am relaxing aboard the ICE train taking me from Berlin to Hamburg. I have spent the last week visiting a German family living in the outskirts of Berlin, and spent a few nights in the heart of the city enjoying Silverster (New Years) at the Brandenburger Tor and exploring reunified Berlin. Our World will draw together my experiences in the hope of showing the world that there is more than unites us then there is that divides us.
2011 already promises to be an exciting year! Read on for my plans to develop Our World, and my travel and work plans.
Our World
2011 is going to be a big year for Our World. With regular, ass-kicking content, and your continued support in reading and helping spread the world, I hope to create a site that fosters discussions on how we can build a better world. This means more content and more content which debunks myths and shatters prejudices held about foreign lands and peoples. My trip to South Africa last year was an eye-opener in that it showed me a country vastly different from the one portrayed in the media and popular belief. This experience has been repeated time and time again. In fact, some of the most unfriendly, unhelpful and outright racist people that I have met happen to be New Zealanders. Some of the worst tourist infrastructure exists not in Asia or Africa but in London. The World as it Exists is vastly different from the World that we are conditioned in the West to Believe exists.
Alongside my writing, I am committing to take action this year to bring about change in this world. Discussion will only get you so far – true revolution can only come from direct action. That is why, alongside my ideas and thoughts on various topics, you will read about my experiences in bringing about change and also about what you can do as well.
Travel
2010 was a fantastic year of travel and exploration and 2011 promises to be even better. I am currently in Germany en route to London where I will spend three weeks experiencing the sights and sounds of this grand city. Alongside regular trips around New Zealand for work and relaxation and several weekends enjoying the cities and beaches of Australia I plan to visit at least 5 new countries this year. Together with my girlfriend we have both picked 5 countries that we have never been to before and we plan to travelling to at least 5 of them. On the list are Australia, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Scotland, Tahiti, Turkey, and The Ukraine. I visited four new countries last year (Singapore, South Africa, Malaysia and Germany) and came home with wonderful memories. But that is all they are – memories. In 2011 I will be heading out into the world and living new experiences and creating more new memories. For what is life but the experience of living!
Work
This year sees a continuation of my work as a lawyer working predominately in the Maori/Indigenous field. I am on the verge of shifting to a new firm having resigned my previous job in December. I have written previously on the fulfilment that I receive from my work and I plan to really leverage this during 2011 – There are still many battles to fight for Te Ao Maori (The Maori World) as we collectively work to build a better future for ourselves in a colonised society. Part of my 2011 work goals include reaching out beyond my work as a lawyer to help Maori. I have taken up a role as a tutor to Maori law students at the University of Auckland to share my experiences and help bring as many young Maori into the profession as possible. Another thing I want to do this year is write more on issues relating to Te Ao Maori and to provide support to the advancement of Te Ao Maori alongside Te Ao Pakeha in New Zealand.
Thanks to everyone who read and commented on my articles last year. It was a wonderful journey and I look forward to it continuing in 2011. I appreciate your support and I invite you to join me in spreading the Our World message this year.
