After 6 months, I'm leaving Franz Josef. Franz Josef is a transitional town. Because it's so small no one lives here for an extended period of time. The town was a completely different environment when I arrived and it's different as I leave. This precious Franz bubble means that this town will never be the same again. Each person has their own path that somehow led us all to this wonderfully weird town at the same time. The town's size creates what I call the Franz High dynamic. The drama, the work, the routine. They are the perfect formula for making life long friends. These great people have seen all my crazy sides. I will truly miss every single one of them, but I also know that I will see them again... somewhere in the world.
I decided to take a selfie with everyone I said goodbye to. These are just some of the wonderful people that I've spent every day with for the last 6 months.
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| Sadhana. This Fijian sweetheart was my go-to coffee date gal. She always had silly stories or questions but her true talent was giving advice. |
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| Bex. The best badass boss I've ever had. She is loyal, loving, and supportive but can intimidate the most stubborn of guides. I'm so honored to have worked for her. |
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| Jake. My little brother in Franz! He was always good for a down-to-earth chat about life but two seconds later would flip a switch to tease me about my embarrassing moment of the day. |
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| Teanna. The glue of reception. This girl has taught me so much about the west coast and NZ but is equally knowledgable in Kardashian factoids. Can't wait to take a roadtrip to Dunedin with her next week. |
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| Jon. Super smart and super stubborn combine to create this crazy dude. It was always a good day at work when Jon was running the show and an even better night at Monsoon when Jon was pouring the drinks. |
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| Katie. Such a lovely person through and through. She is supportive and caring and silly. AND it's really fun to watch her wrangle Chinese tourists!! |
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| Kat. My hilarious neighbor was always up for an adventure. Whether it was drinking wine out of a pickle jar or climbing up a mountain, she was in. Never a dull moment when this Canadian/Russian was around. She's a badass glacier guide that keeps up with the boys but also cooks a delicious lamb shank. |
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| Amy. She is an honest soul. I wish I had more time to hangout with this Kiwi sweetheart. She's the best combination of creative and goofy but she isn't afraid to bring the sass! |
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| Flo Fo Sho. Friend for life. This isn't our first selfie and it definitely won't be our last. We initially bonded over Harry Potter but now she just knows too many of my embarrassing stories so I'm never getting rid of her. |
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| Sean. I loved my knitting nights and roadtrips with this sassy girl! She's the mama bear of YHA and I will truly miss her comforting advice. |
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| Alberto. This Spanish prince introduced me to the film What We Do in the Shadows (google it people and then watch the crap outta it). He's also one of the most genuine guys in Franz. |
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| Emma. This girl does whatever the %$&@ she wants and always gets away with it. She's a loyal friend with sharp wit and some serious drinking skills. |
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| Michael. Pretty sure I gave this kid 72 hugs before I left Franz. He's a super sweetheart who would answer all my silly questions with a straight face. AND he really wanted custody of my gumboots when I left haha |
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| Andy. Never had a conversation with this Broha that wasn't hilarious, smart, disturbing, or a combination of the three. I totally admire his work ethic and his knowledge of all things involving the outdoors. |
INTERMISSION
(I took a break from the selfies so I could steal movies from Jake... and also sleep)
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| Brotato was not patient while I copied his movies. |
Time to leave Franz... wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh :(
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| Jess. One of the most selfless people I've ever met and I was lucky enough to have her as my roommate for the last couple weeks. She taught me how to make banana chicken and she explored Almer Hut with me. I'm so glad this wasn't actually goodbye. I will see you in Dunedin, girlie! |
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| Pete. My second favorite nerdy ginger in Franz. You could always rely on him for a witty comeback or a big bear hug. |
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| Sharn. My first roommate. The social butterfly of Franz. She definitely dances to the beat of her own drum and that drum is creative, opinionated, and genuinely gets along with everyone! |
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| Hope. My surrogate mom in Franz. This free spirit taught me so much about life. She is loud and loving and adventurous! Her laugh is infectious and any conversation with her will leave you with a huge smile on your face. I valued her advice and admire her outlook on life. The world needs more Hope. |
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| Ally. My favorite American ally returned for my last night in Franz! We had cooking nights and drinking nights and Game of Thrones nights. We could literally talk forever and not get bored. I'm really gonna miss her outlook on life and her humor. Oh, and she can open a beer with a chainsaw. |
Great, I've written about all my awesome Franz friends and I'm now alone in a hostel in Wanaka. I know I needed to leave but it's really hard to miss home and now my home away from home.
Let the Funemployment begin!!
