A Mother Photographs her Son 9,000 Miles from Home

 

Writer, painter, humanitarian and traveler Paige Peterson recently took a trip to Auckland, New Zealand, accompanied by her son, Peter Cary.

Here's an excerpt from her story:

 

 

"When you haven’t seen your son for months, what’s 22 hours on a plane? Nothing. And when you get there, a 1,400-mile road trip across islands that were among the last to be inhabited by humans? Irresistible.

My New York clothes stayed in my closet; I packed for the back of beyond. 

The South Pacific Ocean where New Zealand lies is vast, big enough to swallow all of Europe, Asia and the Americas combined. “Vast” also describes New Zealand. Fewer than 5 million people live on 100,000 square miles. By our standards, it’s empty. And that’s its glory."

 

 

We drove on windy back roads through some of the most beautiful landscapes on earth. But as parents know, the real pleasure is time in the car with your child. Long conversations. Tender childhood memories. Possibilities. Ambitions. Ideas. Dreams. In the end, all of that happened, but really, the majority of the time we simply listened to great music.

And I mostly photographed my son photographing New Zealand."

Get the full story of their trip here.

 

 

About Paige Peterson:

Paige Peterson is the Executive Vice President of the Huntsman Cancer Foundation, a position she has held since 2006, and as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations. The Huntsman Cancer Institute, founded by the late Jon M. Huntsman, Sr., is a leader in the study of cancer genetics. Its researchers have discovered more inherited cancer genes than any other cancer center. Its goal is to eradicate cancer worldwide. Ms. Peterson facilitated the partnership of Huntsman Cancer Institute and King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. They are now collaborating on cancer research. 

As a member of the Board of Directors of the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, Ms. Peterson shares the Council’s commitment to improving American knowledge and understanding of the Arab world. As a board member, she participates in the C3 Saudi-American Healthcare Forum, created to advance healthcare diplomacy. 

She has written extensively about the Middle East. Her work has appeared in American and Arab media. 

Before joining Huntsman, Ms. Peterson worked closely with Christopher Cerf, an award-winning author and television producer. She was a researcher and editor on several of Cerf’s books, including The Experts Speak and Mission Accomplished. The two were co-directors of a Welcome Books’ imprint, Cerf & Peterson, and co-authored a bestselling book, Blackie, The Horse Who Stood Still, which Ms. Peterson also illustrated. She also illustrated Jesse Kornbluth’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. 

Born in Marin County, California, Ms. Peterson is also a painter who is represented by Gerald Peters Gallery in New York City. The prestigious Guild Hall Academy of the Arts in East Hampton has honored her with a lifetime membership. 

Ms. Peterson lives in New York City.