Muir's writing, and because many of the article links at Threadgills no longer exist, I decided to add this
in the News Page section of my site. My hope is to preserve the article for future fans to read. I hope
you all enjoy reading it as much as I did!
L. Crystal Michallet-Romero
By Reneé O'Connor
Copyright © October 10, 1999 Reneé O'Connor
All Rights Reserved
Published in Austin-American Statesman
people told me - that it was a spiritual country, one of the most natural places in the world, where you could drink the water out
of every stream?
I laugh to myself when I think about it now, because I've learned New Zealand is more complex than that. Sure, it is incredibly
natural. New Zealand is filled with picturesque landscapes that, as yet, haven't been tortured by modernization. It's as if you're
living in a part of Eden. Yet at the same time, you have a city like Auckland - my home - which is as contemporary as any city
from around the world.
So it's the best of both worlds, I think. What's more, I've come to love the "Take me as I am" spirit of New Zealand. It's an
accepting place. People are honest. You feel free to express yourself here. I couldn't have picked a better country to call my
second home. I love it here. And as it turns out, you can drink the water out of some of the streams - you just have to be careful
to pick a spot upstream from the backpackers.
A Code of Honor
I've heard people describe their visit to New Zealand as "stepping back into 1950's America." A lot of New Zealanders laugh at
that comment. They say, "What does that mean? That we're just developing the color television?" I think that observation has
more to do with the spirit of the people. There's a sense of integrity and respect between people that I think we've lost in the
States somewhat. There's definitely a code of honor that makes people accountable for how they treat each other.
For instance: You can go down to some of the country towns, and people will have vegetable stands outside their homes. But
most of these are unattended! There's a little basket where you leave your money and take what food you want. A true honor
system ...
Once I was given the role on "Xena," I think it was the people - more than the natural beauty of the country - that attracted me.
They're friendly, personable. The population is quite small - about 4 million people, at the moment - and there's about "one degree
of separation" between everyone. Everyone knows you, in some way, and what you've been doing. There's a no-nonsense
mentality here. You are who you are. And they take you for what you give. There's no need for a facade, or superficiality. In
New Zealand, people wait for you to prove a sort of "mana." It's a Maori term, relating to honor, a pride you have of family or a
person. And it's quite highly regarded here. As I watch New Zealanders and how they treat each other with affection, I realize
that "mana" isn't necessarily "kindness" or "generosity." It has more to do with respect.
The rugged land
I think the natural environment of New Zealand has an effect on the character of its people. New Zealanders have traveled abroad
extensively. I find that when they come home, they tend to appreciate their country even more. They see the beauty of it, and
respect it more. It's easy to see, from my own work environment, that New Zealand is a rugged country. It takes stamina - real
physical stamina - to maintain your endurance here. New Zealanders are used to this, yet they still expect you to prove your inner
strength, to pull your own weight. As they say, "No whinging!" which translates to "No Whining."
Outside the city of Auckland, you can drive miles and miles and not see another car. Especially on the South Island of New
Zealand. During a day's drive at Christmastime, I went through a rain forest, stopped at a glacier and then continued on through
barren hillsides. On this tiny island, you can see geological facets from all over the world. We even have a tundra area, where you
can see penguins! The South Island is surreal. So beautiful, so untouched. I once took an airplane trip from Queenstown, in the
center of the South Island, through a portion of the Southern Alps. It was actually quite frightening, a little risky. But it was
worth it; the land was gorgeous. We landed at a spectacular place: Milford Sound. It's sort of a fjord, where the mountain peaks
jut out from beneath calm ocean waters....
It takes me about 20 minutes to get to work - and it's a beautiful drive. We don't work in the city; we work around farmland. So
I pass these beautiful pastures, filled with sheep. And these pastures are so lush, it's as if they can't be real. The colors are so
vivid here -- the sky, the foliage, the streaks of a rainbow. The sheer variety of native birds ... I notice it all the time. Just outside
the door, sometimes, I'll see a rosella. It's from the parrot family, and its colors are a brilliant red, green and blue. It thrills me, to
see something like that, still living freely in a nature. I grew up in a suburb of Houston. So even now, after four and a half years,
it's still hard for me to get used to the idea that I live in this lush, tropical home.
The city life
Auckland is quite a large city, home to 1.3 million people. It's the major port of the North Island. When I moved here, it reminded
me of San Francisco. You have this great mix of people. And at the same time, it's a cafe, cosmopolitan lifestyle.
