Hello there!

Name: Chloe
Destination: Christchurch, New Zealand

What better way to record a journey through word and image? I am about to spend the next few weeks WWOOFing my way south from Auckland to Christchurch. For those who have never heard of it, WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, or Willing Workers On Organic Farms) is a network of travelers and would-be organic farmers / do-it-yourself-ers. Similar to Couch-Surfing, WWOOFers find hosts in the areas they want to visit, repaying the hosts for their hospitality by working for a few hours each day on whatever project needs doing. It seemed like the best way to spend a few weeks traveling and getting to know the land and the people.

The saying, “Take only pictures, leave only footprints,” was originally intended to promote low impact to pieces of preserved land – don’t remove anything from its habitat, and don’t leave behind anything but the impressions of your feet in the ground. And do be careful about where you leave those footprints, you don’t want to damage anything. Here, I’ll be working with a different intent of the phrase. When I am feeling more philosophical, “leaving footprints” signifies that where I go, I leave behind an impact. A small piece of me that stays behind in the form of something created, whether those creations are stories made, kittens fed, buildings fixed or gardens tended. “We need to stop talking about low-impact lifestyles. Let us strive to make an impact, and let’s make that impact a positive one!”

Additionally, even when I am not feeling quite so philosophical and wordy, “leaving only footprints” is a reference to my goal of visual documentation. For years, I have enjoyed creating stories through a collection of images. In telling stories through the lens of a camera, I force myself to practice seeing the world with eyes wide open, appreciating what is there to see and discovering what it is that makes something beautiful worth looking at. Once I reach the city and settle into uni life, it is also a challenge to create opportunities to see things in everyday life.

I intend for this blog to serve as an outlet for the discoveries that come throughout my journey. It is also the most convenient way to ensure that all of you can hear and see the stories while I am out of reach. If you have questions about anything relating to my travels, I want to answer them! Leave a comment below, or shoot me an email, I’m always happy to hear from you.

Welcome to Aotearoa, Land of the Long White Cloud.