Marie Gonzales

Teaching My Mom to Drive — Beginner's Guide for New Drivers Hi there, and welcome to my blog! I’m so excited to share my driving journey with you. Recently, I’ve been teaching my mom how to drive, and it’s been such a rewarding experience for both of us. It made me realize that there are many first-time car owners, elderly people, or even those who have just bought a car and are new to driving, who could use a little guidance. So I decided to create this guide — not only for my mom but for anyone who needs a little help getting comfortable behind the wheel. These guidelines are specifically designed for people driving automatic vehicles and align with the teachings from driving schools in New Zealand. Whether you're a first-time car owner or helping a loved one get behind the wheel, this guide will provide simple, step-by-step instructions to help you gain confidence and drive safely. 1. Before You Start the Car Starting on the right foot is important! Here's what to do b...

  These are all based in “Luke 2” Jesus Birth in Bethlehem and “Matthew 2:11” Three Kings presented Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. To those who don’t know, the gifts given to Jesus at his birth, according to the Gospel of Matthew (2:11), were gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These gifts were brought by the Magi, also known as the Wise Men or Three Kings, who traveled to Bethlehem to honour the newborn Jesus. Each gift held symbolic meaning: 1. Gold: Represented kingship and wealth, acknowledging Jesus as a king. 2. Frankincense: A valuable resin used in worship, symbolizing Jesus’ divinity and priestly role. 3. Myrrh: A fragrant resin used for anointing and embalming, foreshadowing Jesus’ suffering and death. These gifts were not only valuable but also carried deep spiritual significance, reflecting Jesus’ identity as King, God, and Savior. Printable 1, Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem Printable 2, The Three Kings Printable 3, Merry Christmas May this holiday season bring y...

Tongariro Alpine Crossing — April 2024 Tongariro Alpine Crossing was said to be New Zealand’s best one-day trek in the country, regarded as among the top ten single-day treks in the world. With the distance of 20.2 km (12 miles or 7-8 hours at a normal speed) hike, you’ll be able to see the steep climb and the unpredictability of the weather, though worth it in terms of dramatic scenery and cultural identity, landforms and its volcanic peaks. Tongariro Alpine Crossing is located in the Central North part of the North Island at the National Park — one of New Zealand’s oldest national parks. Tongariro Alpine Crossing is not a circuit trail, it means your starting and ending are two different places. They made some changes to the trail and now it's 20.2km walk How did I get to the National Park? - I drove from Auckland to Tongariro National Park for 4 hours. Initially, my plan was to take the bus. However, things didn't really go as planned because the bus takes 2 hours longer t...

Who is Marie Gonzales? Welcome to my personal blog, a space where I share my passions and experiences. Here, I aim to inspire you to embrace life fully and find purpose. Originally from the Philippines, I moved to New Zealand just a couple of weeks before the world was impacted by COVID-19. At 25, my family and I made the bold decision to start anew in a different country. Time has flown by, and I am now approaching 29. In the Philippines, I pursued various certifications and training: Certified in Caregiving Registered First Aid Provider Completed a course in Computer Secretarial Studied Electronics (Me, training for first aid). Part of the First Aider Training includes: CPR (adult, child and infant), AED, Choking or also known as foreign body airway obstruction, treating minor injuries/cuts/burns, bandaging Me, volunteering in an Aged Care Facility in the Philippines. I studied Caregiving for my grandmother, because she keeps on going in and out of the hospital for 6 continuous month...

(From left to right: Ash, Kayla, Ashish, myself, and Udip.) They say that in a world full of insincerity, those who find loyal friends are truly fortunate. And I couldn't agree more. Six months after my grandfather's passing and just before the world was overtaken by COVID-19, my parents, two of my siblings, and I moved to a new country. For the first two years, I felt like an outsider. Transitioning from having a close-knit group of friends to having none at all was profoundly depressing. To fill the void—the time I would have spent with friends—I worked two jobs for nearly three years. I indulged myself, developing a spending habit I dubbed "Treat yourself, because no one else will." While not inherently bad, it was a coping mechanism. Despite my efforts, I struggled to make friends. Each attempt was met with silence or non-verbal rejections, which left me deeply saddened and eventually exhausted. I stopped trying, learned to prioritize my own needs, and gradually s...