An unexpected night in New Zealand and what it taught me about thinking on my feet, staying flexible, and trusting God.
I once flew halfway around the world, traveled on a military cargo plane, and managed to find my way around Australia. But when I ended up in New Zealand, ordering dinner nearly defeated me because I couldn’t understand what the waitress was saying even though we were both speaking English.
Of all the challenges I could have encountered while traveling alone, I certainly didn’t expect a Kiwi accent to be one of them.
But that’s what happened during my first night in Christchurch, New Zealand, a country I hadn’t even planned to visit.
Let me explain.
An Unexpected Detour
At the time, I was stationed in Hawaii with the U.S. Navy. I decided to visit family in Sydney, Australia, using a military travel benefit called Space-A.
For those unfamiliar with it, Space-A stands for Space Available. Eligible military personnel and their families can travel aboard military aircraft when space is available.
It’s a wonderful benefit, especially when you’re young, adventurous, and don’t have much money to spend on airfare.
But there’s a catch.
You aren’t guaranteed a seat, and the military isn’t going to rearrange its flight schedule to accommodate your vacation plans.
I learned that firsthand when I waited two days at the terminal before finally boarding a cargo plane bound for Australia.
And forget about first-class accommodations.
There were no cushioned seats, no flight attendants offering refreshments, and certainly no complimentary snacks. I sat on a bench in a cold aircraft and brought my own food.
But I made it to Australia, visited my family, and eventually returned to Richmond Air Force Base to catch a flight home to Hawaii.
Fortunately, I secured a seat.
Well, another bench.
At least I was heading home.
Or so I thought.
During the flight, the pilot announced that we would be stopping in Christchurch, New Zealand, to refuel.
New Zealand?
That wasn’t on my itinerary!
I was excited because I’d never been there before. But I was also nervous.
I was traveling alone, and I knew absolutely nothing about Christchurch. I was also concerned about whether I’d understand the local accent.
As it turned out, that last concern wasn’t entirely unreasonable.
All I Wanted Was Dinner
We landed at a military base in Christchurch in the early evening.
It was winter in New Zealand, and coming from Hawaii, I certainly noticed the cold.
We were given free lodging for the night at the military barracks.
Once I settled into my room, I had a problem.
I was hungry.
There wasn’t a dining facility available, and I didn’t know where to go.
I could have stayed in my room worrying about getting lost, but that wouldn’t have solved anything. I needed dinner, and nobody was going to find it for me.
So I put on my courage, stepped outside into the cold, and started walking along a road near the base.
Fortunately, I found a restaurant.
The place was brightly lit and full of diners. A friendly waitress welcomed me, showed me to a table, and handed me a menu.
So far, so good.
Then she asked me a question.
I stared at her.
I knew she was speaking English, but I couldn’t quite understand what she said.
I asked her to repeat herself.
She did.
And I still had to concentrate to understand her.
This was exactly what I’d been worried about!
Suddenly, I felt like I was taking an exam in Kiwi English.
An exam I hadn’t studied for.
All I wanted was dinner. Was that too much to ask?
Eventually, I managed to order some sort of steak dinner with mashed potatoes.
I don’t remember how the steak was prepared, but I remember those mashed potatoes. More importantly, I remember the relief of finally getting my order across.
I had traveled across the Pacific Ocean on a military aircraft, but a conversation with a waitress had me questioning my listening skills.
I still laugh about that.
Thinking on My Feet
Looking back, I realize how much of that trip required me to think on my feet.
I waited two days for a flight to Australia. I had to figure out how to get from Richmond Air Force Base to Sydney. I returned to the base without knowing exactly when I’d get a flight home.
And then I found myself spending the night in New Zealand.
None of those situations came with detailed instructions.
I had to assess what was happening, consider my options, and make decisions.
I’ve come to appreciate something about quick thinking:
“Thinking on your feet doesn’t mean having every answer. It means knowing what needs to be done and doing what you can with what you know.”
That evening, I didn’t need to know everything about Christchurch.
I needed to find dinner.
So I looked for a restaurant.
When I couldn’t understand the waitress, I asked her to repeat herself.
Those weren’t extraordinary decisions. They were practical ones.
But I’ve noticed that we sometimes complicate situations by worrying about everything that could go wrong before we’ve even considered what we can do.
James 1:5 reminds us that if we lack wisdom, we should ask God, who gives generously.
I appreciate that verse because it acknowledges something we don’t always like admitting.
We don’t know everything.
There are situations where experience helps, and there are situations where we need to ask questions, seek advice, or reconsider our assumptions.
I don’t believe trusting God means abandoning common sense. God gave us the ability to think, learn, and make decisions.
When I pray for wisdom, I’m asking for help to exercise better judgment, not for an excuse to avoid making a decision.
Sometimes, the wisest thing we can do is admit that we need more information.
Even if that means asking a waitress to repeat herself.
The Trouble With Making Plans
I’ve always enjoyed traveling, but one thing I’ve learned is that a travel itinerary is a plan, not a promise.
And Space-A travel makes that abundantly clear.
You can plan to leave on a particular day, but you might spend two days waiting at a terminal.
You can plan to fly home, only to discover that the aircraft needs to stop somewhere you hadn’t considered.
You can make all the preparations you want, but you still have to deal with circumstances beyond your control.
Proverbs 16:9 says:
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” (NIV)
I don’t interpret that verse to mean we shouldn’t plan.
Quite the opposite.
Planning is part of being responsible.
But I’ve also learned not to become so attached to a plan that I can’t adjust when circumstances change.
“Flexibility isn’t giving up on the destination. It’s being willing to change how you get there.”
My destination was Hawaii.
Christchurch was an unexpected stop along the way.
I couldn’t change the aircraft’s schedule. I couldn’t demand that the pilot skip New Zealand because it wasn’t part of my vacation.
What I could do was make the best of the situation.
I had a place to sleep, I could find something to eat, and I knew the flight would continue the following day.
That was enough to work with.
I think about that whenever life interrupts my plans.
Sometimes, I can solve the problem immediately. Other times, I have to wait, gather information, or accept that something will take longer than expected.
What matters is how I respond.
Am I willing to adjust, or am I so focused on what I expected to happen that I overlook the options available to me?
Being Open-Minded Doesn’t Mean Being Reckless
One thing I’ve always appreciated about traveling is meeting people whose lives, customs, and ways of communicating are different from mine.
But I also know how uncomfortable unfamiliar situations can feel.
Before arriving in Christchurch, I was already worried about understanding the Kiwi accent.
And then I struggled to understand the waitress.
I could have allowed that experience to embarrass me or make me reluctant to speak.
Instead, I asked her to repeat herself.
She was friendly, and eventually, we understood each other well enough for me to order dinner.
That encounter reminds me of something I believe about being open-minded:
“An open mind doesn’t pretend to understand. It stays curious enough to ask another question.”
Being open-minded isn’t about agreeing with everyone or accepting everything without question.
It’s about recognizing that our own experiences aren’t the only ones that matter.
The way I speak English isn’t the only way English is spoken.
The way I understand something isn’t necessarily the way another person understands it.
And unfamiliarity doesn’t automatically mean something is wrong.
Proverbs 18:15 says:
“The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.” (NIV)
That verse makes me think about how important it is to listen carefully.
Not just to hear words, but to make an effort to understand.
Sometimes, we assume we know what someone means before they’ve finished speaking. Sometimes, we avoid asking questions because we don’t want to look uninformed.
But how can we learn if we’re unwilling to acknowledge what we don’t understand?
I was in New Zealand for one night, and my interaction with the waitress lasted only a short time.
Yet I still remember it years later.
Not because anything dramatic happened.
I remember it because I was genuinely trying to understand someone whose way of speaking was unfamiliar to me.
And because I was very hungry.
Let’s not forget that part.
Soul Insights
1. Quick Thinking Begins With Understanding the Problem
When I arrived in Christchurch, I didn’t know the area or where I could find dinner. I could have spent the evening worrying about everything I didn’t know, but that wouldn’t have put food on the table. Instead, I focused on the immediate problem and found a restaurant near the base. I’ve learned that when something unexpected happens, identifying what actually needs attention is more useful than imagining every possible complication. Before reacting, I need to understand the situation I’m dealing with.
2. Flexibility Requires Letting Go of Certain Expectations
I had planned to travel from Australia back to Hawaii, but the aircraft needed to stop in New Zealand. I had no control over that decision, and becoming frustrated wouldn’t have changed the flight schedule. What I could control was how I handled the overnight stay, including finding dinner and being ready to leave the next morning. I’ve learned that flexibility doesn’t mean abandoning my responsibilities or accepting every inconvenience without question. It means recognizing when a change is necessary and making a sensible adjustment.
3. Independence Doesn’t Mean Refusing Help
I was comfortable traveling alone, but that didn’t mean I knew how to handle every situation perfectly. When I couldn’t understand the waitress, I had to ask her to repeat herself instead of pretending I’d understood. That small exchange reminds me that independence and humility can exist together. I can take responsibility for my decisions while still recognizing when I need clarification or guidance. There’s no wisdom in protecting my pride at the expense of understanding.
4. An Open Mind Makes Room for Learning
Before arriving in Christchurch, I worried about whether I’d understand the local accent. My experience at the restaurant confirmed that I needed to listen more carefully, but it also showed me that a communication difficulty didn’t have to become a major problem. The waitress was friendly, and we eventually understood each other. I’ve learned that unfamiliar customs, accents, and perspectives deserve curiosity rather than immediate judgment. When I approach differences with patience, I give myself an opportunity to learn something.
5. Faith and Practical Judgment Belong Together
I believe in praying for wisdom, but I also believe God expects me to use the judgment and abilities I’ve been given. That night, I needed to assess my surroundings, find somewhere to eat, and make my way back to the barracks. I didn’t need an extraordinary sign to tell me that I should look for dinner. I needed to make a reasonable decision based on the situation in front of me. My faith reminds me to seek God’s wisdom while remaining responsible for the choices I make.
Final Thoughts
After finishing my meal, I paid the bill and walked back to the military barracks.
The following morning, I got ready for my flight home to Hawaii.
I had only one medium-sized piece of luggage, so there wasn’t much to pack.
And just like that, my first visit to New Zealand was over.
I didn’t see the famous attractions. I didn’t explore Christchurch or spend days discovering the country.
I spent one night there, walked to a restaurant, struggled with a Kiwi accent, and ate steak with mashed potatoes.
That was it.
But I still remember the experience.
When I look back on that younger version of myself, I see someone who was willing to travel alone, take chances, and figure things out along the way.
I also see someone who could get nervous about something as simple as ordering dinner.
Both were true.
And I think that’s an important distinction.
We can be confident in one situation and uncertain in another. We can have experience and still encounter something we don’t understand. We can make careful plans and still have to adjust them.
None of that means we’ve failed.
For me, trusting God has never meant that I will always know what comes next. I’m still learning to recognize the difference between situations I can influence and those I have to accept.
I can prepare, pray for wisdom, consider my options, and make decisions. I can also admit when I need help.
That night in Christchurch wasn’t some extraordinary spiritual event. It was an unexpected stopover during a trip home.
But years later, it gives me something worth reflecting on.
I didn’t need to know my way around the entire city.
I needed to find a restaurant.
I didn’t need to understand every variation of English.
I needed to ask the waitress to repeat herself.
And I didn’t need to turn an unexpected stop into a crisis.
I needed dinner, a good night’s sleep, and to be ready for my flight the next morning.
Thankfully, I managed all three.
Although I still think the steak and mashed potatoes were the real reward.
Your Turn: When Plans Change
Have you ever found yourself somewhere you hadn’t planned to be, whether during a trip or in an unexpected situation in everyday life?
How did you handle it?
Did you have to think quickly, adjust your expectations, or ask someone for help?
I’d love to hear your experience in the comments.
And if you’ve ever struggled to understand an accent while traveling, please tell me I’m not the only one who’s had to ask someone to repeat a perfectly ordinary question!
Share your story below. You never know who might learn something from an experience you’ve already lived.
Thank you for spending a little time with me here at Soul Path Insights.
© 2026 Amelie Chambord
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