a really fantastic Saturday - part I

Our Saturday morning began with some loud chanting from the street – freshman initiation again.  Even though we are not on Castle Street our flat is close enough that we could clearly hear the shouts and chants and singing of the freshman dorm.  Initiation is a long-practiced tradition at Otago and has not ceased to amaze me during my time here so far.  Not too long after the freshmen passed we headed out to the farmers’ market.  Right before we left the flat Alex ran over to meet up with a new girl in town – Nancy.  Nancy is an international student (from Geneva College no less!) and is a transfer from Canterbury in Christchurch.  Fortunately she was not physically affected by the earthquake (as in, wasn’t in a collapsed building) but she is now relocated and having to start all over with her study abroad experience.  I know it’s been a stressful time for her and the other 15 students from her program who were transferred to Otago but how fortunate that they are all ok and that they can skip over the interruption in the semester by coming down here (classes at Canterbury are cancelled for the time being).  I am really looking forward to getting to know Nancy as well – she is really so sweet and was a huge encouragement to me in just the few hours that we spent together.

So anyways, on the way to the farmers’ market we walked through campus and what do we hear but the chanting of the initiation group.  About this time we came upon large masses of upperclassmen lined along the sides of the leith and piled on the bridge.  We decided to pause in our trek to the market to see what was going on, and boy was it worth it.  The freshmen continued to make their way down the stream and as they approached the bridge I realized two things: 1) the hilarity of this task of walking down the creek, and 2) the purpose of the presence of the upperclassmen.  This situation was really really funny because each of the poor freshman students was covered head to toe in mud AND they had to carry a cast iron bathtub the entire length of the leith through Uni campus, not allowed to set it down at any point.  And the goal of the upperclassmen was to act as onlookers and…throw various food items down from the sides: flour, eggs, zucchini, you name it.  I am thoroughly disappointed that i didn't have my point and shoot camera to take a video of this shenanigans.  I can confidently say that this was one of the strangest things that I’ve ever seen.

So...after our bizarre encounter with Scarfie (a term to describe Otago students) hazing we continued onto the market.  At the market I tried my first Bacon Buttie – a very popular sandwich among Dunedin residents.  This delicacy includes ham, bacon, mustard, ketchup, relish, and onion, held together on either side by two pieces of bread.  Sounds a bit strange?  You bet, but it was one of the best things I’ve eaten so far and I will gladly pay again for this treat.  After the market we walked to a place called ReStore, which is one of the bigger secondhand stores in Dunedin.  The thing that sets this store apart from the rest is that you can get a $2.00 bin, which means that you can fill the bin with whatever you want and get it all for just $2.00.  I got some useful items for camping.  We then proceeded to make our way up to George St. and walk back to our flats, but not before we stopped at Rob Roy’s – the popular convenience store with super cheap hand-dipped ice cream.  A single cone (but really 2 large scoops) is only $2.40, which is unheard of here.  I think I have been there at least 5 times already.

first day at Uni

I think I mentioned this before, but college/university here is known as Uni (as in, it’s weird for one to say college or university; I now say ‘I’m going to Uni’ rather than college).  Last night was the first night in the entire time that I've been here so far that i didn't hear loud music when i was going to bed.  It was odd actually, to go to sleep and not hear the sounds of partying...but a really nice change.  Today was officially my first day of classes and it went really well.  I only have one class on Mondays: Adventure Education.  I had a bit of trouble finding the right building; it’s tough sometimes because the buildings for Otago are spread throughout the city.  But I did find it and got there in time.  This class is taught by a professor named Mike Boyes and he seems like a really cool guy.  I’ve actually already met him once (I had to get signed into the class) and he is like the ultimate old outdoor man.  He has white hair and was clad with hiking boots, a Mountain Hardware monkeyman fleece, a backpack, and apparently just finished hiking the AT a few months ago when he spent some time in the States on sabbatical.  He introduced the class, which is about the psychological and sociological aspects of outdoor education and risk-taking.  He then invited anyone to his office at any time to discuss anything that has to do with our interest in nature and the outdoors.  I think I am really going to like this class.

I then proceeded to take care of several errands around town, including my application for my 18+ card (so I don’t have to carry my passport every time I go out), buying a starbucks mug for my tea, going to Kathmandu for a tent, and checking to see if I could find camera shop to clean my lens and get the grain of sand out that is interrupting the autofocus function.  To my dismay I found that professional lens cleaning is way above my price range - $75 just to send it away and not including the actual labor/repair cost – and that a new 18-55 kit lens runs at $375!  (I told you that things are so much more expensive here)  So I have decided to just go on TradeMe (NZ version of ebay) and get one there for probably around $50.

As I write this post I am sitting in the middle of Uni, along the leith and enjoying the really nice day that it’s become – 65 degrees and a bit breezy but this is really nice weather for Dunedin, as they say to expect 4 seasons every day here.  The Uni itself cannot compare with the aesthetics of Grove City, but there are several really nice gardens and parks around the area and throughout campus.

my view from across the leith

A long awaited post

Oh HeeEEY!  Sorry it’s been a little while since my last post.  There were a few days that didn’t have a whole lot of interesting things to write about and then these last several have been jam packed and I haven’t had time to update.  So here I am, back at it.  I think I shall write one post for each of the next few days and that way I won’t be up for the next 3 hours trying to post all at once.  It’s also good to provide some suspense : )

So let’s see…I have been in Dunedin for going on 2 weeks now and the adjustment is going well.  I have definitely experienced some culture shock though, which is only to be expected.  For the first week or so it just felt like I’ve been on vacation, and now it is more like wow, I’m actually living here and I have to cook meals and pay for electricity and go to school.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s still great here and I am really enjoying my time abroad but it is a definite adjustment to get used to.

Classes begin tomorrow – I know right?  Grove City is just coming back from their short spring break and I am just beginning.  I haven’t gone to classes in over two months so hopefully I still remember how to study.  I only have three classes this semester so it should be real good.  I am actually really excited about them too: Marine Vertebrates, Ecology, and Adventure Education.

Alright, an update on what I’ve been up to these last few days.  On Wednesday there was an international students’ scenic train ride.  I went along because I got a free ticket and thought that it’d be ok and maybe I’d meet some new people.  Boy did I underestimate how cool that train ride was going to be.  It was about 2 hours each way and we just rode through the most beautiful landscapes and scenery that I’ve ever seen.  Each time I looked out the window I was just astounded and couldn’t give my camera a rest.  In fact, the entire way back to Dunedin I stood outside on the platform and shot that way.  One of the coolest parts of the ride was when I started to talk to the few other students who wanted to stand out on the platform as well.  There were five of us – 2 guys and 3 girls.  I was talking to my friend Carolyn about the church that we both attended last Sunday and one of the girls overheard and said that she’s a Christian too and was interested in Grace Bible Church.  Then the other girl was like whoa, that’s cool because I’m catholic.  And then by this point the guys who were out there chimed in and said that they are Christians and we realized that it is pretty darn cool that 5 random people who just wanted to get some good pictures are all Christians, all very far from home, and all with similar goals for this semester.  God is so good.  Click here to see the sick pictures from the train ride. 

view from the back of the train - heading out from Dunedin, Otago

After we got back from the train ride we took our time getting back to campus and went for a bit of exploring.  Alex showed us some amazing graffiti and we got some really great shots of the town and the Uni at dusk.  Click here to see those photos.

approaching sunset near Uni

clocktower building at Uni

Then Thursday was clubs day.  This entails all of the campus clubs setting up tables in the student center and everyone can walk through and sort of shop for clubs they want to join.  I browsed everything and looked into the diving information but it’s really expensive to get certified and I think I want to spend my time here seeing more and save my $400 for other things that I will be able to use more.  But in the future, definitely interested in getting certified to dive.  I looked for a climbing group and sort of got information about an off-campus group that meets to climb, called the Alpine Club.  So I’m probably going to check that out.  The club that I did join is called the Tramping Club (note: tramping here means hiking, just fyi on that).  Membership gets me deals at the sponsored outdoor shop, free gear rental whenever I want, and good rates on guided trips throughout the semester, in addition to some free stuff.

Thursday night I went out to the Robert Burns Pub for live jazz night.  Robert Burns is one among the many pubs and bars in Dunedin and has a really good atmosphere.  The live jazz was provided by a band of folks who were all at least 70 years old and it was some of the best jazz I’ve ever heard.  I didn’t have my camera with me when we went but I promise to bring it next time and get some video of these guys.  I went with some friends and my flatmates and got to meet up with Elizabeth Simmons, a former Grove City student who decided to move to Dunedin.  It was a good night.  Friday rolled around and I did some shopping, opened a bank account to get a student deal where they give you $30 for opening with Westpac, and it was my turn to cook flat dinner in the evening.  And…I survived!  This was the first real meal I’ve cooked completely on my own (for other people) that wasn’t macaroni and cheese or some sort of sandwich variation.  It was tacos.  Then on Friday night there was an international students’ party at one of the Octagon bars called 10 bar (the Octagon is like the main center of the city of Dunedin, and yep, it’s a giant octagon!).  The party was fun for a while and I got to meet some new students.  But I must say, I’m not much for the club scene, too wild for me.  Mom and dad, you can be proud : )  Really though, I do thoroughly enjoy going out and the more mellow pubs with some live music will be a really good option for when I do stay around for a select few weekends this semester.  But I’m planning on being away most weekends and seeing this amazing country!

Then Saturday was a seriously jam-packed day and was probably the best day I’ve had so far in New Zealand – it was really fantastic.  And here goes the suspense part, because I’m-a-gonna write all about that tomorrow.  Until then, enjoy the sweet as photos!

Address Update

So, today i went to check on information about packages being sent to me (not that I'm demanding/expecting everyone to send packages : ) and i was told that it's best to have packages sent to the University Flats Office, which is the place in charge of my housing.  This is just an additional security thing so that i don't have to worry about a package being left on my front porch if I'm not home.  When anything arrives there they will just send me an email and i can go and get it.  If you've already sent something, no big deal (well, big deal because I'll be so very excited!) and letters can be sent directly to the previously listed address.  Here is the address for packages:

Jennifer Kimmel
c/o University of Otago Flats
105 St. David Street
PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054
New Zealand

Earthquake

So there was another earthquake today in New Zealand (another, as in another big one since the last one several months ago).  This short post is just to let everyone know that i am ok and that everyone here in Dunedin is just fine.  The quake center was located in Christchurch, about 6 hours north of Dunedin, though tremors were felt as far north as Wellington and as far south as Dunedin, so some people here did feel some shakes.  I was walking around town when they occurred, so i didn't feel anything, but other people (who were for example laying down) did feel them.  This earthquake was ranked 6.3 which is lesser than the last big one (7.0) but has caused much more damage.  There are confirmed fatalities but not sure yet how many.  We are just very fortunate down here; please be praying for the people of the Christchurch area.

wanted: Kraft character macaroni and cheese

I am absolutely positively not kidding about this.  It's a desperate plea for all of you who are considering maybe sending me a package, please include character mac and cheese!  Before i decided to travel to New Zealand i knew that this is a delicacy that i enjoy, but never have i understood that it is such a delight, such a fantastic, delicious, flavorful, scrumptious meal...until they don't have it here and i now, for the first time in my life, do not have access to this wonderful treat.  Oh, and for all of you who say that character and original mac and cheese taste the same, you couldn't be more wrong!  Though, do note that i will gladly welcome original Kraft mac and cheese as well, because they don't have that here either.  Is ANYBODY getting that i LOVE Kraft macaroni and cheese??

Ok, well enough of that and onto what this blog is actually about: my adventures in New Zealand.  Yesterday was Saturday here and that means market day!  There is a fantastic farmers' market that is set up at the dunedin train station (which is also really cool - see picture below) every Saturday from 8am-noon, and it's only about a 15 minute walk from my flat.  The produce is really fresh and really good and the prices are great as well.  In addition to produce they have fresh baked breads and pies and meats and seafood and big bouquets of flowers (only $5!).  Oh, and pies aren't like they are in America - pie here means meat pie.  There are a whole bunch of different kinds and they are soooooo good.  Next time i get one i will post a picture; they are very popular here.

So after we went to the market we got a bus and went to a seaside town called Port Chalmers.  This place we really cool, much less populated than Dunedin and quiet and just really nice.  There we got some really really good fish and chips and walked up to the top of this huge hill to eat and look out over the harbor.  If you don't believe me about the beauty of this place, just have a look.  This is just a normal town with a - mmmm - relatively nice view for around here:

 

Then today is Sunday.  We went to church this morning, a place called Grace Bible Church.  It's a nice little church that holds services in a bowling club building, so i feel right at home : ) I really liked it; the sermon was really good and the people were just so darn nice.  I can't say how many people came up to us to ask where we were from (and not because it was that obvious that we're American, but because they are that much like a family and they reach out so well to newcomers) and everyone i spoke with was so incredibly genuine.  I would definitely go back there, though we are going to look for a weekday service because we are planning on traveling most weekends.  And speaking of churches, we have seen some really amazing ones so far here.  Example:

Well, only one more week til classes start!  Click here to see the updated Dunedin album.

new address

Also: here is my address abroad. All mail will be so greatly appreciated.  I don't even know if this is possible, but getting mail here i think might just top getting mail at camp, and that's a big deal : )

Jenn Kimmel
43 Howe Street
North Dunedin
Dunedin 9016
New Zealand

Arrived in Dunedin!

I’m officially moved in and living in my university city: Dunedin, New Zealand!  It’s close to the east coast and farther down on the south island.  I am really liking it here so far, but it’s a definite adjustment from everything that I am used to.  For example: partying here is a lifestyle, not a weekend activity.  I was shuttled here from the airport 2 days ago when I arrived and the first thing I encountered upon arriving at my flat (another term for house/condo here) was loud music coming from the house across the street, clad with a bunch of guys chilling on their couch on their roof with lots of beer.  From what I understand this coming week gets pretty crazy, as it is orientation, which is called “O Week” here.  Apparently couch burning is quite a big event as well.  We like our couch though, so unfortunately I don’t think I will be participating.

Anyways, enough of the party talk.  My flat is very nice and getting homey as we all settle in.  I will show pictures and explain more about that in another post.  I live with 3 flatmates, named Maxine, Paula, and Asma.  Maxine is the Kiwihost, meaning that she is the New Zealand student in our flat.  Paula is from Canada and Asma is from the Netherlands.  They are all very nice and we get along well so far.  We are all a pretty moderate bunch and have a good level of respect for each other, which is really positive and definitely not something that can be found in every flat.  We talked yesterday about details of living together, like food and bills and cleaning.  It’s a definite adjustment for me to have to make all of my own meals but I am sure I will catch on, especially since we have decided to live on a budget and cook for each other 4x per week, so each of us is responsible for one dinner between Monday and Thursday each week.  Food and health products here are quite expensive here and going to the grocery store is still not a fun task for me, for the financial  part and also because i am so unfamiliar with brands and what's good/not.  It makes sense that things are more expensive here because New Zealand is an island and it costs more to either ship things here or build a whole factory to manufacture products.  But I went to K Mart (I know, random thing to have abroad) today and spent $60 just on a few things like shampoo and hangers and sunscreen.  Sunscreen alone is about $15 a bottle, but I have to have it or my skin will fry off in about 5 minutes.  Geesh, I’m making it sound horrible.  It’s really fantastic and I am loving it, you’ll just find that I tend to share the unusual and surprising things about living here.  Then we also have to pay for electricity, which is a big cost in addition to our flat rent.  Electricity is actually also quite expensive in NZ and we have to be very conservative to try to keep costs down.  We each have to contribute about $15 NZD per week, so $60 for our flat per week for electricity.  Even though I think that is ridiculously high for electric, it’s good that I will be forced to be more conservative, as I can always use a lesson in that.  I hung my clothes out to dry on a line for the first time ever today, and it was a great success : )  Anyways, the moral of all of this is that I just need to make a good budget for myself and really stick to it and be frugal.  Never before have I so appreciated my shampoo and conditioner.  It’s a good lesson, really.

So…let’s back up a bit.  A few days ago, before I left for Dunedin, we spent our last full day in Rotorua.  That was another adventure day where we went to this small town called Waitomo (population 47!) to go caving.  I went on the tubing adventure, which was so cool.  Unfortunately we weren’t allowed cameras in the caves, but I did get some before and after shots.  Click here to see the updated Rotorua album.  They put us in full wetsuits and we played in a lot of mud along the way.  The coolest part of the cave was the glowworms.  They are these worms that breed within the caves and sit in the larvae stage for 9 months out of the year.  Now here is the interesting part: they make these sticky strings that hang down from where they are settled on the ceiling of the cave and their feces glows to attract food, which will ideally get stuck in the sticky strings hanging from the ceiling.  That’s right, they have glowing poop.  It’s actually a really pretty turquoise color and when everyone in the cave shuts the headlamps off and you look at the ceiling it looks like the night sky.  Here is a picture I found online:

So the cave was a really cool experience.  At the end of the cave we also saw these things called Weka, which are really huge nocturnal bugs. They are harmless to humans but still scary-looking as they hide out in the cave during the daytime hours.  Check it out:

To round off the day we went out into Rotorua in the evening and got fish and chips for dinner, which here means fried fish and french fries, made fresh and wrapped in newspaper.  It’s a New Zealand favorite and really fun, though the place we went was a bit sketchy and the fish didn’t have much flavor but I am going out with my flatmates and some friends tomorrow to the Farmer’s Market and for fish/chips and we’ll see if it’s any better…I have a feeling it will be.

So yesterday we decided to explore a bit of Dunedin and check the area out.  Needless to say, this is a really big campus compared to Grove City and definitely a bit overwhelming for me.  But I am familiar enough now that I can get from my flat to the university and back and also to the main shopping street where all of the buses run.  Speaking of shopping, there is a lot of really good shopping here.  It’s definitely a big ‘ole college town.  We caught a bus and went to the beach, called St. Claire’s.  It was incredibly beautiful but so cold.  It was very windy and the water was freezing.  I suppose that the fact that all of the surfers were in wetsuits would have been some indication that it might be a bit chilly.  But we had a ton of fun nonetheless and got some really cool pictures.  Click here to see them.

 

Today was also a bit overwhelming at times but good overall.  I got up earlier this morning so that I could try and beat the crowds at course approval.  Otago goes about scheduling classes differently than what I am used to.  In the U.S. we sign up for classes and when they fill up no more students can take them.  Here students pick what courses they want and then have to go and see respective advisors over these next few days and get them to sign off on each course.  Then Otago takes all of the courses that students want and assign times and professors to teach them based on the number of students that want each one and then we get our schedules – called timetables here.  It’s actually a good system, but definitely overwhelming for me to have to go and hunt down these advisors when I am so unfamiliar with the campus layout.  But I did it and competed course approval, so that’s a feat!  Then we took our trek to K Mart and then came back and ordered pizza – Hell’s again.  I here is a picture of their witty menu:

Also, I went out on a limb and decided to try this drink here called Gingerbeer.  I have heard of it in this last week and seen people drinking it.  It’s non-alcoholic and a very interesting concoction.  It basically tastes like carbonated ginger.  Go figure.

Something that has been incredibly encouraging in my time here so far has been familiarity.  Yes I am really excited to be in this new and foreign place but it’s funny that it’s really warming to hear an American accent or just see a recognizable face from the Australearn group.  I am so glad that I decided to study through Australearn; the Culture/Adventure Program really helped to prepare me for my transition here.  I have also been really encouraged in meeting fellow believers.  I’ve run into several people already and it’s just so cool to have that instant connection with someone, knowing that you share a common foundation.    I understand that Otago has some pretty established Christian fellowship organizations on campus too, so I’ll be excited to check those out.   And then the church search begins on Sunday! Until then, enjoy the pictures!

Kia Ora!

So today’s blog is going to be kind of random, but I still want to keep the updates coming and I definitely have enough interesting things to share.  First off, Kia Ora! [pronounced ‘key-aura’]  This is a Maori greeting that means several things: hello, welcome, good day mate, goodbye, wish you well, etc.  All of the kiwis here say it upon meeting you and you are to say it back in response, and with great enthusiasm.  The Maori culture here is extremely pervasive in the lifestyle and ways of New Zealand, and in a good way.  It’s been really cool to learn more about the culture and understand some of the history of the Maori.  Last night we went to a Hangi, which is a traditional tribal dinner.  It was through this place called Tamaki Heritage Experiences, which is an organization that provides people with the chance to come to a recreated village to see many of the traditions of the ancient tribes.  The tribes of the Maori are still all throughout New Zealand, but the people live amongst all the rest of the citizens (as in, they don’t live in tribal villages anymore).  This place was really cool – they performed a tribal welcome and had some demonstrations of what village life used to be and then showed us the pit in the ground where our food was cooked.  Then the tribe performed songs and dance and Haka for us and we had dinner.  The whole evening was very cool and I have come to really appreciate the rich culture here.

Earlier yesterday we went to do some volunteer work at a local Railroad park.  It was sort of as quirky as it sounds but a good time nonetheless.  This place is sort of like a mix between a model train display area and a little kids’ park.  One odd thing is that it’s not typical for people in New Zealand to do service projects; for whatever reason they just don’t.  But our group did.  So.  We got there and the woman welcomed us and explained the jobs we would be doing and then we split off into groups.  This volunteer work was much less organized than other things I have done and I ended up playing with little kids for the majority of the morning.  But we started off by working on leveling one of the railroad tracks, which entailed lifting up the track and raking the gravel underneath and checking it with a level.  Note that this particular track was only about 10 inches across, so it is for a little train, called Little Blue.  So we did that and then rode on the train several times around to make sure it was good to go for the young ones.  Nick and Dad, you would have really enjoyed this place, it was neat.  They had a big room of model trains (as we think of them, the little ones) and then 3 different sizes of operating trains that you can ride on.  See below for a recap of the train ride for our group of students 20 years and older : ) Then the locals arrived – the kids were from a local Maori preschool and were all around 2-4 years old.  They got to ride the train and jump in the bouncy Thomas the Tank Engine complex and it was a blast.  I loved getting to spend time with then and experience a little of what it’s like to be a 3 year old Maori kid while hanging out in the bouncy train with them.

Some other random and interesting things I’ve learned thus far:

1.          New Zealanders have really bad teeth.  I don’t mean this in an offensive way, just factual.  I guess they just don’t have many dentists/orthodontists or at least don’t care very much about going because like 99% of them have teeth that look like they could use some work.

2.         Transportation is called waka

3.          The sun is really hot here, really really hot.  This is because there is a hole in the ozone layer above Australia/New Zealand and so the rays are way stronger, so much that daily news here includes burn times.  For example, today’s burn time was probably around 10 minutes.  No joke, you will get burnt in that amount of time or less if you don’t wear sunscreen.  I’ve worn sunscreen every day so far and have still gotten a little red.  Also, sunscreen is about $10 for a small bottle, and I really wish I would’ve known to bring more than I did.  For any of you who are thinking about visiting at any point, definitely bring some from home.

4.         Kiwis swear a lot but are so much more friendly than typical Americans.  They are a whole lot more laid back and chill and super genuine and really helpful.

5.          The kids here are just totally filled with joy, at least the ones I spent time with yesterday at the Railroad park.  The parents don’t hover as much and just let their kids run around and play, almost seeming as though they are more willing to let their kids make mistakes and learn from them than we typically are.  I could be reading too much into this, as I have only spent a few hours observing them, but it’s what I gathered from watching the interactions.  One thing I noticed was that the kids (and parents too, but it’s more obvious in the kids) aren’t as consumed with themselves and their own feelings.  They don’t take things personally and don’t seem as sensitive as American kids.  For example, today a little girl named Katie ran into this little boy, and it was obvious that the boy didn’t like that she did that.  But rather than getting upset, crying, or shoving her, he turned to her and said “Kayy-teaa” (in his thick and adorable 3 year old kiwi accent) and placed his hands on her shoulders and moved her out of his way, not shoving or angry, just conversationally.  This might not seem like a big deal to any of you reading this, but I was blown away by how easy-going all of these kids were to each other, in every way, and just really kind.  I think this is a really good quality in the people here – they don’t walk around thinking that everyone is out to get them.

6.         New Zealanders drive on the other side of the road.  After walking around Auckland and Rotorua for several days now, I find that it’s up to about 50% of the time that I look the correct direction before crossing the road.  I’m getting there, but it’s a definite adjustment.  Driving will be even more so.

7.          Signage and instructions tend to be way more upfront and to the point here, often sounding funny to me.  For example, when we were heading out of the airport in Auckland to meet up with the Australearn group the writing on the wall said “way out à” rather than “exit”.  They don’t have signs that say “yield” here, they instead say “give way”.  Rather than “nursing home” I saw a sign for “old persons residency”.  It’s just interesting to see how another place in the world has different directions for the same things.

8.         Bathing suits are called togs

9.         Coolers are called chilly bins

10.    McDonald’s here sells frozen Coke, like a Coke slushie.  I don’t think that we have those at the McDonald’s at home, but I could be wrong.  Really good, especially as hot as it is here.

Update from Rotorua

see green arrow for my current location

Hello from Rotorua!  We traveled down to this town by bus and it was about a 3 hour trip from Auckland.  This is our second full day here and where we will have most of our orientation for Australearn, the program I'm studying through.  The first day we were here (yesterday) we did some lecture-type stuff, just informing us of cultural and school things we need to know.  Then later in the afternoon we had some of what I like to call "forced fun".  Nah, it wasn't that bad (but getting there).  The first part was cool though...we got to learn the history of the Haka, a traditional Maiori war dance.  If any of you are familiar with the All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby team, they perform this dance/chant before each rugby match.  It was really interesting to learn the history and understand more about the purpose of the dance, which is solely based on protecting loved ones.  Now, things got really interesting when the Maiori man began to teach us the words to the Haka and then the motions.  I have a video of all of the Australearn students performing the dance but the connection is a little too slow to upload it for this post, so I'll have to put it one another time.  It’s quite violent, but supremely entertaining.  Click on this link to watch the All Blacks do the Haka.

Then last night we had a free evening and we walked around Rotorua to find a place to eat.  Big lesson that I’m learning really fast: things are really expensive here.  Every place we looked for food last night had prices around NZD $20 just for food alone.  So we (Alex, Kailey, Nia, and me) searched for a pizza place that we heard was good.  We found it – called Hell’s Pizza.  This place was COOL (actually hot! Hah, pun intended!).  It ended up only being about $8 a person after we spilt the cost and it was really really good.  When you order you choose a pizza based on which "sin" you want.  We got lust.  We got a six pack of beer and trekked to a park to see Lake Rotorua, a sulfur lake, which we quickly realized really stinks!  Like, literally, smells sooooo bad.  It was also pretty ugly too, but still a really fun experience and quite an adventure.  See this link to my Rotorua pictures.  In there you will find pictures of us and our Hell’s Pizza/beer/stinky lake trek and also a lot of rafting pictures.  That was today’s fun – today was called Australearn’s Day of Adventure.  We each got to pick what we wanted to do and there were a whole bunch of excursion options; I chose white water rafting.  They changed the river last minute because of the load of rain that the area got from the recent hurricanes and the river we were supposed to go on is currently flooded.  But it was all good because this river we went on - the Kaituna River - was so beautiful!  Also, it is class 4/5 rapids the entire way down, which is bigger than what I’ve been on before.  It was so much fun.  There was also a kayaking race happening at the same time we were there and apparently we saw the guy who won worlds, which I think is a big deal in the kayaking world.  Pretty cool, or as the kiwis say it, sweet as!  Also, a guy broke his paddle, which is really crazy.  Be sure to check out the facebook pictures for some really cool rafting shots.  In addition to all that, our New Zealand raft guide told us that we were lucky to have gotten to raft this river because it's only opened certain times for commercialized trips, i guess just 26 particular days out of the year.

All in all, things are going really well here.  New Zealand is just as stunningly beautiful as I’d imagined it to be, which is crazy because usually places don’t look the same as they do in pictures, but I feel like I am right in the middle of Lord of the Rings scenery all the time.  It’s really amazing and I wish you could all be here to see it.  I feel so insanely blessed not only to have the opportunity to be here, but to be surrounded by some really great people.  I have been so encouraged by the fact that I’ve already run into a bunch of people on this trip who are Christians and just that I have the chance here to be a light to those around me, and learn from them too.  Kiwis are really friendly, too, which is a nice step up from Europeans, who really don’t like us Americans, and for good reason as I witnessed a few years ago when there.  I also feel fortunate to have had some other experiences outside of the country and witnessed the stereotypical American way so that I can be really aware and not live out that stereotype.

Well, that’s about all for now.  Wi-fi is not free most places here (with the exception of McDonald’s) so I don’t know for sure when my next post will be.  We will be staying in Rotorua for the next 2 full days and then on the 16^th we fly to our schools, so hopefully I’ll be figuring out the internet situation by then.  Friends and family, know that I really miss you and I am thinking of you often.  I’m looking forward to skyping with many of you soon! 

first bunch of pictures!

the promised link for my Auckland pictures

enjoy!

first post from the city of sails

So I'm finally in New Zealand!! We've been here (in Auckland) for a day now, and boy, it's been a long day.  We landed this morning at 6:30 am NZ time (and the flight was a whole lot shorter than i expected, only 12 hours) and we have been super busy all day.  I was told it would be best for my adjustment to not sleep at all until tonight (it's almost 11 pm here right now) and i am sooooooo shot.  Also, my body keeps telling me to eat approximately 5 hours before i should be eating every meal here, which is really annoying.  But all is well, and it is really really pretty here.  We had a sort of orientation this morning and then a light lunch (subway of all things!) and then we were free to explore the city/do whatever we wanted until dinnertime.  So we walked around the city and went to some parks and these cool botanical gardens and scoped out some good coffee shops.  I don't recognize much here as far as companies or brands but among the things i do recognize are McDonald's (of course), Starbucks, Dominos, Pizza Hut, subway, Denny's (what?), and Quaker.  I've made some cool friends so far, most of whom are going to the same university (called "Uni" here), and some of them are Christians, which is really exciting.

Auckland has lots of dormant volcanoes, so there are large grassy hills everywhere throughout the city.  It is also known as the "city of sails" because of all of the sailboats that are docked in the harbor.  There are a bunch of oddities about here that you will find interesting, like how when kiwis think something is cool or interesting or really whatever, they say "sweet as" instead of just "cool" or "sweet".  It's actually funny with their accents because i always think i am hearing sweet ass.  let's see...they do have really cool accents, and they're super chill, which i like. Anyways, more to come on interesting things about this country, but that will have to wait until i am more awake.

So, all in all things are going really well.  I really can't wait to sleep in a bed tonight.  Tomorrow we have an early morning and are headed down to a place called Rotorua until Wednesday, when we will fly down to Dunedin.  

Also: i tried to post pictures on facebook of my experience so far and for some reason only the 7 from the plane were exported.  SO...i promise to have them available for your viewing pleasure by my next post.





love and miss you all!

getting there

So i am finally on my way to NEW ZEALAND!  I got up this morning at 5 am and we were on the road before 6 and i have just been going since.  Thus far, none of my flights have been delayed and here's to hoping that the big one that I'm about to board goes well too.  The time difference is already getting to me, and LA is only 3 hours difference!  Ok, let me back up... I flew out of Pittsburgh at 10:15 am this morning and landed for a layover in Chicago, which is 1 hour behind home time.  Then i flew from there at 3 (Chicago time) to LA, where i am now, which is another 2 hours behind, so 3 hours earlier than PA time.  So i am taking off from LA at 9:15 here time, but it'll be 12:15 am home time.  Just imagine how I'm going to have to adjust to being 18 hours ahead by tomorrow evening!

Things today have been good - i am much more content now that i have said my goodbyes and moved on for this adventure.  I've already met some interesting people...i sat beside a 26 year old dude on the way to California who is a songwriter/producer with a studio in LA and has had some really cool adventures of his own.  We talked for the majority of the flight and concluded about how interesting it is that you can fly, for example, beside someone for just a few short hours and wind up knowing more about him than you might many of your friends.  I just love having genuine, down to earth (no pun intended, as i had these conversations in the air) talks with people, really getting to know who they really are.  I've also met a whole bunch of AustraLearn students (the program through which i am studying abroad) and many of them are attending the same university as me.  I can't wait to get to know them more and share in the many adventures that are to be had!

Thanks to all of you for being so darn supportive and encouraging.  I so appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers.

great humor about airports

fun facts about New Zealand

- population of 4 . 2 million people
- main languages: English & Maori
- time zone is 18 hours ahead of Pennsylvania
- a New Zealander is otherwise known as a "kiwi"
- New Zealand was the first country in the world to give women the right to vote, in 1893
- New Zealand consists of 2 main islands (as well as several smaller ones along the coasts)
- total square footage is comparable to that of Colorado
- about 1600 km (~1000 miles) from Australia

- on the south island (where I’ll be living) the sheep to human population is about 20 to 1

- Dunedin – the city where I’ll be living- is home of the first university in New Zealand: the University of Otago, and also the first newspaper printed in the country

- Rugby is arguably the most popular sport; the national team is called the All Blacks

learn more at http://www.emigratenz.org/ReallyAndTruly.html