Whether it was the turquoise water, the snow-capped peaks, the green forest, whatever it was—it came together to enchant me more than anywhere else I’d been my whole life.
MY LIFE IS FOCUSED ON PLACE and my connection to it. I’m the daughter of park rangers and we moved a lot. I spent the first six years of my life at Yosemite National Park and the rest of my childhood spread out across parks in Texas.
When I was in high school, I thought, “I think I want to do the same thing as my parents. I want to spend time outside.” And in certain ways, my parents expected that I’d follow in their footsteps. They believed in that lifestyle and wanted that for me.
I started my career in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, but then I visited New Zealand during a college break. With that visit came a recognition of a path that I’d never considered before. It consumed me. I was struck by the landscapes and the people and the easy way of life. I could not believe how big the mountains were or how straight they rose from the low valleys. It all just seemed as close to perfect as I could imagine. Whether it was the turquoise water, the snow-capped peaks, the green forest, whatever it was—it came together to enchant me more than anywhere else I’d been my whole life. It was love. My whole goal became working in New Zealand.
I decided to test out living there for six months. I wanted to work for the Department of Conservation in what I knew best, national parks. As a young girl from the States with a working holiday visa, I had to make myself competitive to the government of New Zealand. I spent the whole summer working toward my goal and ultimately got a position as a hut warden.
After this first season in New Zealand, I got a position at Katmai National Park in Alaska, but my heart was still in New Zealand. When I’d left, I had a feeling of wanting to return, and that feeling always stayed with me. I could either try to bury the feeling or accept it. I decided I wanted to accept it. I had a gut feeling and I wanted to follow it.
I feel like I’ve built my own career here in New Zealand, separate from my parents. I’m now a biodiversity ranger. I go into the mountains for ten days at a time and work to protect native species. Of course I miss my parents and friends in the States but I believe the distance has helped me become a more active daughter and friend. As far as place is concerned, this is the place for me.
CRYSTAL BRINDLE
