So I don't remember the count I had going anymore, but I'm back in Christchurch and I remember updating from the weekend. What follows are my activities since I've been here...:
Monday - I did nothing interesting most of the day. I got on here around 3 my time and figured out how to skype Sydney and Liz, who were both on! It was SOOOO GOOD to hear their voices and catch up with them! It made missing home a little easier knowing I could talk to them! I will be sooo relieved to get off that plane when this trip is finally over and see Joshua, my family and friends all waiting for me! I skipped class to talk to them a little longer, and I promise that I will never again miss another class, but I'm glad I did this type anyways :)...
Tuesday - Again, I went to class and that was about it. I sat at the library forever reading for classes and being bored. I chatted with Erinn for a bit on facebook and was able to catch up with her, but other than that not much happened. Later that night I went with Sara and some of her friends to Coffee Culture. I met a girl named Yuka (sp???) who's sense of humor reminds me of JiHy (sp???)! She's great and her and Nicole are hilarious together (they're flatmates). Anyways, Sara and I listened to the rowdiness above us before we tried to catch some shut-eye....
Wednesday (Today) - I have done nothing constructive. I went to class from 10-2, came back to my flat and made lunch, and now am sitting on the computer wishing people would be on Skype and being frustrated because no one is. I have nothing more to do today except sit on my butt and watch movies. I may run to a coffee shop tonight and do some reading, or I may be too lazy and instead will just sit here updating my blog and putting pictures up on facebook. Eventually, I will get all my pictures up on Snapfish as well, but I hate using the internet. That is my non-interesting day. Oh, New Zealand TV consists of all the crappy reality TV shows from MTV and a few New Zealand soap operas. It sucks. K I'm now done ranting thanks for reading :).
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
QUEENSTOWN TRIP!!!
To start with, I need to explain a few things/people. Here goes. I believe I've explained that Arcadia is a university in the States, but also has agreements with schools around the world to offer study abroad. In New Zealand, there are four main Universities that Arcadia offers study abroad programs at: Canterbury (me), Otago, Victoria, and Auckland. Each university also has a "student support coordinator" that lives in the same city as campus or possibly on campus. There is also a program director, who is in charge of EVERYONE within New Zealand, the boss of the bosses basically. Her name is Jane Gunn-Lewis, and she also happens to be the "director" for us Canterbury kids. However, she does not live in Christchurch but in Queenstown, and travels all over New Zealand for Arcadia. Then there's Shane, who's in charge of the Otago students, Aislinn for Victoria, and Kate for Auckland.
K, now on to the good stuff :). This past weekend was awesome and definitely what I needed.
After a fitful night of sleep where I kept waking up and thinking I'd missed the bus, I woke up to Joshua calling me at 5:55, 5 minutes before I wanted to get up :(. I hate waking up! Anyways, after chatting with him and his family for about 20 minutes, I got ready and headed for the corner of Ilam and Riccarton to meet the rest of my Canterbury Arcadians. They all made fun of me for bringing my suitcase, which I only brought because I decided to bring a sleeping bag. Not really sure why, but oh well. We had a LONG bus ride, about 6 hours, with only 2 stops. We got to Queenstown and met up with our Otago friends! It was great to see them again! We were split up into two lodges, each with 4 rooms and 4 bunk beds in each room. After putting our stuff in the rooms, we headed off to ride in a Gondola up a mountain in Queenstown. Queenstown is located south of Christchurch and is a huge tourist town. It is absolutely beautiful and in the middle of the Southern Alps. It's great for skiing, snowboarding, and tramping.
Anyways, we rode the gondola up the mountain and then each got 3 luge rides! It was so fun. Basically, you sit on these little rubber/plastic sleds that have bicycle-like handlebars to steer. Then you ride down these concrete tracks. It was soooo much fun! I tried to tip mine several times (which didn't work) but I did manage to almost fall out once (on accident) and could smell the rubber burning on the bottom from going around the corners too fast ;). It was so much fun though! After that, we rode back down the gondola, and a bunch of us bungee jumpers went to go sign up. This is where my weekend took a crazy turn...there were two separate bungee jumps offered. One is the Kawarau Bridge, which is cheaper, shorter, and the one shown on the Bachelor last season with Jason :). It's less scary too, obviously, and over a river where you can choose to get wet or not. The other jump is the Nevis and is the second highest jump in the world. It's over a huge ravine with a creek below, and is 234 meters high, or about 450 ft! I, naturally, wanted to do the bridge. However, when signing up, I was surrounded by all the guys and was completely pressured into "go big or go home." I was also under the impression that NO ONE else was doing the Bridge and didn't want to be the ONLY loser chickening out and doing the little one. So I gave in and signed up for the Nevis. After that, I learned that there WERE people doing the bridge, just not very many, and that everyone else not bungee jumping would be at the bridge to cheer people on. Great. I was so mad, and I blamed the boys the whole weekend...
Anyways, that night we didn't do much. A heap of us made pasta and frozen pizzas for dinner and split it, so dinner was about $4 (way cheap!). Then I hit the sack, and I was so thankful that I brought my sleeping bag because our sheets were dirty in our room and the comforters smelled HORRIBLE...I won't go into detail.
The next day we all woke up early. We were split into two groups again: our options were either tramping or snowboarding/skiing. I chose tramping with most of the other kids and we headed to a new tramp site that Jane had never tried before. We were originally supposed to do an 8 hour tramp up a mountain, but it was closed because they were poisoning the opossums. The trail was supposed to take about 2.5 hours up and 2 hours down, and we were going to eat lunch at the top. We all started with Jane in the lead, who is the most fit 50 year old woman EVER (she skis almost every day), and we ended up finishing a small portion within 20 minutes that should have taken us 40. Woah. After that, the trek was pretty much uphill, and it kept getting steeper and harder. I got to a point where I refused to stop because I was afraid I wouldn't start again, and I was pushing off my legs with my arms in order to keep going! We saw heaps of dead opossums, and the trail got to the point that only single file was possible. The scenery, however, was breathtaking in itself. We drank from a natural spring (Dad, I know you'd be proud), and finally made it to the top after shedding pretty much all of our layers. The coolest part was that, if you slipped, you were going down and there was no stopping. It was a blast though. After reaching our destination, which was a day hut called "Bonnie Jean," we all started putting our layers back on (it was quite cold) and sat down to enjoy the view and eat lunch. Some of the guys decided to tramp all the way to the top, but I was way too sore already. After everyone got there and the boys made it back to us, we started the trek down, which was much easier for me than up. Nothin like a tramp up a mountain to show you how outta shape you are :)! After tramping, we all showered and got ready for dinner. We went out for pizza and had this awesome desert apple pizza that was delicious. Karie, Malia, Dan, Barrie, Rachael, and I went for a short walk, ended up at a cozy little bar where I almost fell asleep. We decided to go back and wait til 10 to go out and sat around and talked til then, but I couldn't muster enough energy to go out and went to bed at 11 instead.
The next morning we layered up and went jetboating!!! It's this awesome boat that can go through 4 inches of water since most of it is above water, and it goes an average 85-90 miles per hour! I wish I could have taken my camera, but we did 360s and such and got wet, so cameras were a no-go. But if you google "new zealand jetboating" it shows what we did. It was gorgeous and we were sooo close to hitting the giant rocks it was unbelievable! The whole time, all I could think of was how much my dad would love it, so I've decided that if I ever have the means to do it, we're taking a trip to New Zealand for him to experience some of this stuff! After that, reality set in that I was going to literally jump off a platform 450 feet in the air with nothing but a rope attached to me, and I got extremely nervous! We grabbed coffee at Starbucks and then checked in for bungee jumping. I was able to get on the internet for a few minutes before our bus left. We had a 45 minute ride out to the platform and plenty of time for me to freak out. Once there, we got strapped up and then headed out to the platform...it was so scary. I was freaking out, got really quiet, and then started projecting my anxiety into making sure that the people knew us Canterbury kids HAD to be on the 2:30 bus back because our other bus was leaving at 3:15, and if we missed it we were in trouble. The jump is set up so that each rope has a weight range, so the heaviest people went first. This meant that I was to go last, however, and that just was not possible for me and I was flipping. Once they switched cords and I'd watched most of the guys jump, I was up first. I really think they just wanted to shut me up since I was freaking out so much, but oh well, it worked ;). I sat down in this dentist/gyno looking chair and my ankles were strapped onto the bungee. Then the walk to the edge was the hardest thing ever. I was afraid my knees were going to give out. I kept telling the guy that I really didn't think I could do this, and I also told him I might pee my pants. At that, he said to make sure I pulled the black string that would allow me to sit upright so the flow didn't go down my face...funny eh? Anyways, I got to the edge, was trying not to look down, felt like throwing up, and he goes "3, 2, 1" and then I jumped!!!! It was AWESOME!!!! I can't even put it into words!!!! I was just falling it was so intense! And then I bounced back up, tried to pull the string but couldn't get it out all the way, and then i just hung there upside down looking at the water below and thinking "OH MY GOSH I REALLY JUST DID THAT" the whole time! It really helps to have people cheering you on! I finally was able to yank the black cord and sit up and enjoy the view as they brought me up. It was the most intense feeling ever! Very comparable to Joshua asking me to marry him, though slightly different :)! I still am on a high whenever I think about it and totally want to do it again!!!
Anyways, after that I didn't care if we missed the bus or not. I tried to talk to Joshua on Skype offered at the bungee place, but it didn't really work out too well. Tonya had answered and once she figured out how to work it I had to go :). Anyways, we made the bus with plenty of time to spare and then settled in for a nice long bus ride home. I met my new flatmate, Sara Young, who is awesome as well and then went to bed. What a crazy AMAZING day!!!!!!
K, now on to the good stuff :). This past weekend was awesome and definitely what I needed.
After a fitful night of sleep where I kept waking up and thinking I'd missed the bus, I woke up to Joshua calling me at 5:55, 5 minutes before I wanted to get up :(. I hate waking up! Anyways, after chatting with him and his family for about 20 minutes, I got ready and headed for the corner of Ilam and Riccarton to meet the rest of my Canterbury Arcadians. They all made fun of me for bringing my suitcase, which I only brought because I decided to bring a sleeping bag. Not really sure why, but oh well. We had a LONG bus ride, about 6 hours, with only 2 stops. We got to Queenstown and met up with our Otago friends! It was great to see them again! We were split up into two lodges, each with 4 rooms and 4 bunk beds in each room. After putting our stuff in the rooms, we headed off to ride in a Gondola up a mountain in Queenstown. Queenstown is located south of Christchurch and is a huge tourist town. It is absolutely beautiful and in the middle of the Southern Alps. It's great for skiing, snowboarding, and tramping.
Anyways, we rode the gondola up the mountain and then each got 3 luge rides! It was so fun. Basically, you sit on these little rubber/plastic sleds that have bicycle-like handlebars to steer. Then you ride down these concrete tracks. It was soooo much fun! I tried to tip mine several times (which didn't work) but I did manage to almost fall out once (on accident) and could smell the rubber burning on the bottom from going around the corners too fast ;). It was so much fun though! After that, we rode back down the gondola, and a bunch of us bungee jumpers went to go sign up. This is where my weekend took a crazy turn...there were two separate bungee jumps offered. One is the Kawarau Bridge, which is cheaper, shorter, and the one shown on the Bachelor last season with Jason :). It's less scary too, obviously, and over a river where you can choose to get wet or not. The other jump is the Nevis and is the second highest jump in the world. It's over a huge ravine with a creek below, and is 234 meters high, or about 450 ft! I, naturally, wanted to do the bridge. However, when signing up, I was surrounded by all the guys and was completely pressured into "go big or go home." I was also under the impression that NO ONE else was doing the Bridge and didn't want to be the ONLY loser chickening out and doing the little one. So I gave in and signed up for the Nevis. After that, I learned that there WERE people doing the bridge, just not very many, and that everyone else not bungee jumping would be at the bridge to cheer people on. Great. I was so mad, and I blamed the boys the whole weekend...
Anyways, that night we didn't do much. A heap of us made pasta and frozen pizzas for dinner and split it, so dinner was about $4 (way cheap!). Then I hit the sack, and I was so thankful that I brought my sleeping bag because our sheets were dirty in our room and the comforters smelled HORRIBLE...I won't go into detail.
The next day we all woke up early. We were split into two groups again: our options were either tramping or snowboarding/skiing. I chose tramping with most of the other kids and we headed to a new tramp site that Jane had never tried before. We were originally supposed to do an 8 hour tramp up a mountain, but it was closed because they were poisoning the opossums. The trail was supposed to take about 2.5 hours up and 2 hours down, and we were going to eat lunch at the top. We all started with Jane in the lead, who is the most fit 50 year old woman EVER (she skis almost every day), and we ended up finishing a small portion within 20 minutes that should have taken us 40. Woah. After that, the trek was pretty much uphill, and it kept getting steeper and harder. I got to a point where I refused to stop because I was afraid I wouldn't start again, and I was pushing off my legs with my arms in order to keep going! We saw heaps of dead opossums, and the trail got to the point that only single file was possible. The scenery, however, was breathtaking in itself. We drank from a natural spring (Dad, I know you'd be proud), and finally made it to the top after shedding pretty much all of our layers. The coolest part was that, if you slipped, you were going down and there was no stopping. It was a blast though. After reaching our destination, which was a day hut called "Bonnie Jean," we all started putting our layers back on (it was quite cold) and sat down to enjoy the view and eat lunch. Some of the guys decided to tramp all the way to the top, but I was way too sore already. After everyone got there and the boys made it back to us, we started the trek down, which was much easier for me than up. Nothin like a tramp up a mountain to show you how outta shape you are :)! After tramping, we all showered and got ready for dinner. We went out for pizza and had this awesome desert apple pizza that was delicious. Karie, Malia, Dan, Barrie, Rachael, and I went for a short walk, ended up at a cozy little bar where I almost fell asleep. We decided to go back and wait til 10 to go out and sat around and talked til then, but I couldn't muster enough energy to go out and went to bed at 11 instead.
The next morning we layered up and went jetboating!!! It's this awesome boat that can go through 4 inches of water since most of it is above water, and it goes an average 85-90 miles per hour! I wish I could have taken my camera, but we did 360s and such and got wet, so cameras were a no-go. But if you google "new zealand jetboating" it shows what we did. It was gorgeous and we were sooo close to hitting the giant rocks it was unbelievable! The whole time, all I could think of was how much my dad would love it, so I've decided that if I ever have the means to do it, we're taking a trip to New Zealand for him to experience some of this stuff! After that, reality set in that I was going to literally jump off a platform 450 feet in the air with nothing but a rope attached to me, and I got extremely nervous! We grabbed coffee at Starbucks and then checked in for bungee jumping. I was able to get on the internet for a few minutes before our bus left. We had a 45 minute ride out to the platform and plenty of time for me to freak out. Once there, we got strapped up and then headed out to the platform...it was so scary. I was freaking out, got really quiet, and then started projecting my anxiety into making sure that the people knew us Canterbury kids HAD to be on the 2:30 bus back because our other bus was leaving at 3:15, and if we missed it we were in trouble. The jump is set up so that each rope has a weight range, so the heaviest people went first. This meant that I was to go last, however, and that just was not possible for me and I was flipping. Once they switched cords and I'd watched most of the guys jump, I was up first. I really think they just wanted to shut me up since I was freaking out so much, but oh well, it worked ;). I sat down in this dentist/gyno looking chair and my ankles were strapped onto the bungee. Then the walk to the edge was the hardest thing ever. I was afraid my knees were going to give out. I kept telling the guy that I really didn't think I could do this, and I also told him I might pee my pants. At that, he said to make sure I pulled the black string that would allow me to sit upright so the flow didn't go down my face...funny eh? Anyways, I got to the edge, was trying not to look down, felt like throwing up, and he goes "3, 2, 1" and then I jumped!!!! It was AWESOME!!!! I can't even put it into words!!!! I was just falling it was so intense! And then I bounced back up, tried to pull the string but couldn't get it out all the way, and then i just hung there upside down looking at the water below and thinking "OH MY GOSH I REALLY JUST DID THAT" the whole time! It really helps to have people cheering you on! I finally was able to yank the black cord and sit up and enjoy the view as they brought me up. It was the most intense feeling ever! Very comparable to Joshua asking me to marry him, though slightly different :)! I still am on a high whenever I think about it and totally want to do it again!!!
Anyways, after that I didn't care if we missed the bus or not. I tried to talk to Joshua on Skype offered at the bungee place, but it didn't really work out too well. Tonya had answered and once she figured out how to work it I had to go :). Anyways, we made the bus with plenty of time to spare and then settled in for a nice long bus ride home. I met my new flatmate, Sara Young, who is awesome as well and then went to bed. What a crazy AMAZING day!!!!!!
Day 20: Bad Day :(
Today was a really awful day for me. I'm going to just sum it up by saying that I had a meltdown this morning and was ready to throw in the towel and come home. Literally. I got overwhelmed by the financial situation I'm in, the flat I'm in, the people I can't seem to relate to at all, the fact that I'm half a world away and spending money I don't have, and finally because I have NO IDEA why I am here. It all got to me today and I broke down. I even went so far as to email my program director, Jane, and ask about withdrawal fees and such. I just hit a really low point and had no desire to do anything or see or talk to anyone either...HORRIBLE feeling.
Anyways, after my freak-out, I got a call about 5 minutes later from the office telling me I could move that day. Completely out of the blue and not what I expected at all, since I was under the impression I would have to wait quite awhile and possibly not moving at all. But God works in mysterious ways I guess. I spent the next hour packing, then ran to town briefly before moving all my crap into my new (and thankfully still empty) flat. Another American girl named Sarah will be moving in tomorrow, but I am leaving for a weekend trip to Queenstown with Arcadia and won't meet her until Sunday. So hopefully, we'll see how it goes.
Another refreshing moment was when I opened my Bible to Jeremiah (which I've never read) and came across verse 17 in chapter 32. It reads "Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you!" It was definitely what I needed to get through that day, as well as Joshua's encouragement. He encouraged me that I could do this, and that I would regret it if this was the one thing I ever gave up on. He also reminded me that, once I finish here, I'm completely done with school and will have a heads up on job hunting since I'll be done before most everyone else graduating in December. Talking to him was awesome, and of course he told me everything I needed to hear. So thanks baby :).
Anyways, I do have a washer and dryer here, so I'm off to finish some much-needed laundry and then to bed. I leave tomorrow morning at 7 for Queenstown, and it's a trip I'm looking forward to! Goodnight!
Anyways, after my freak-out, I got a call about 5 minutes later from the office telling me I could move that day. Completely out of the blue and not what I expected at all, since I was under the impression I would have to wait quite awhile and possibly not moving at all. But God works in mysterious ways I guess. I spent the next hour packing, then ran to town briefly before moving all my crap into my new (and thankfully still empty) flat. Another American girl named Sarah will be moving in tomorrow, but I am leaving for a weekend trip to Queenstown with Arcadia and won't meet her until Sunday. So hopefully, we'll see how it goes.
Another refreshing moment was when I opened my Bible to Jeremiah (which I've never read) and came across verse 17 in chapter 32. It reads "Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you!" It was definitely what I needed to get through that day, as well as Joshua's encouragement. He encouraged me that I could do this, and that I would regret it if this was the one thing I ever gave up on. He also reminded me that, once I finish here, I'm completely done with school and will have a heads up on job hunting since I'll be done before most everyone else graduating in December. Talking to him was awesome, and of course he told me everything I needed to hear. So thanks baby :).
Anyways, I do have a washer and dryer here, so I'm off to finish some much-needed laundry and then to bed. I leave tomorrow morning at 7 for Queenstown, and it's a trip I'm looking forward to! Goodnight!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Day 19: PRAYING FOR PATIENCE!!!
There are four days til Ev's birthday! I have no idea what to get him, but it's going to count as both a souvenir and a birthday present bro, sorry :).
Anyways, a pretty boring day...I went to my only class at noon after skyping mom and the kids briefly. Then I ran back to my room to grab a bite to eat and then went to go get on the bus to go to my tutorial at the Arts Gallery in the city centre...unfortunately, I jumped the gun on the bus and got on the wrong one! I rode for over an hour in the completely wrong direction and got motion-sickness from reading to try to distract myself. Lovely. I finally got on the right bus and made it to the Arts Gallery, where I chatted with a Psychiatrist Professor on Sabbatical and his sister, both originally from England, but the sister lives both in England and France. He is a teacher at a college in San Diego, California. It was a fairly brief conversation, but it broke the monotony of the day and was good to have some human interaction with such an interesting man. He said he'd just been from Australia, and also visited India and rode down the Nile in Egypt. AWESOME! Anyways, I stood around staring at pictures for my tutorial, then walked down to the Central library and used their internet. Apparently, they put a limit on how much you can use, and I used all of it in about an hour. Whoops. Then I realized I was going to be way late for my tramping club meeting, so I grabbed a bite to eat at KFC (I know how American right?) and rode the bus back. I was so late that I didn't end up going to the meeting, but came back to my room hoping to settle down with a good movie and some hot tea. However, my cup is missing, one I specifically bought so I wouldn't have to share with my flatmates. Selfish, yes, but I'm beyond the point of caring. So, I'm rather irritated at that, and the fact that I still can't move! AND my new cell phone keeps telling me I have no credit even though I paid an extra $20 for credit!!! UGH!!! So, the mixture of everything negative has finally gotten to me today and I'm extremely close to the edge of a meltdown, which I have thus far held off. It's 8:45 exactly, so I'm just going to pop in a movie and let the rest of the night disappear. If you're in the mood to pray, please pray that my living situation gets moving ASAP and that I can be out of this place and somewhere that I'm actually comfortable moving around in!!! Oh, and did I mention that my flatmates have a TON of people over tonight and I have an 8 a.m.? Awesome. Ok, forgive me for complaining and being negative. Now that's all out, I'm done. But at least on here, if you don't want to read it, then don't. I can release the stress by typing it though. Ok, off to a movie and bed. Hopefully my mug will turn up soon...sweet dreams everyone! Love and miss you all!
Anyways, a pretty boring day...I went to my only class at noon after skyping mom and the kids briefly. Then I ran back to my room to grab a bite to eat and then went to go get on the bus to go to my tutorial at the Arts Gallery in the city centre...unfortunately, I jumped the gun on the bus and got on the wrong one! I rode for over an hour in the completely wrong direction and got motion-sickness from reading to try to distract myself. Lovely. I finally got on the right bus and made it to the Arts Gallery, where I chatted with a Psychiatrist Professor on Sabbatical and his sister, both originally from England, but the sister lives both in England and France. He is a teacher at a college in San Diego, California. It was a fairly brief conversation, but it broke the monotony of the day and was good to have some human interaction with such an interesting man. He said he'd just been from Australia, and also visited India and rode down the Nile in Egypt. AWESOME! Anyways, I stood around staring at pictures for my tutorial, then walked down to the Central library and used their internet. Apparently, they put a limit on how much you can use, and I used all of it in about an hour. Whoops. Then I realized I was going to be way late for my tramping club meeting, so I grabbed a bite to eat at KFC (I know how American right?) and rode the bus back. I was so late that I didn't end up going to the meeting, but came back to my room hoping to settle down with a good movie and some hot tea. However, my cup is missing, one I specifically bought so I wouldn't have to share with my flatmates. Selfish, yes, but I'm beyond the point of caring. So, I'm rather irritated at that, and the fact that I still can't move! AND my new cell phone keeps telling me I have no credit even though I paid an extra $20 for credit!!! UGH!!! So, the mixture of everything negative has finally gotten to me today and I'm extremely close to the edge of a meltdown, which I have thus far held off. It's 8:45 exactly, so I'm just going to pop in a movie and let the rest of the night disappear. If you're in the mood to pray, please pray that my living situation gets moving ASAP and that I can be out of this place and somewhere that I'm actually comfortable moving around in!!! Oh, and did I mention that my flatmates have a TON of people over tonight and I have an 8 a.m.? Awesome. Ok, forgive me for complaining and being negative. Now that's all out, I'm done. But at least on here, if you don't want to read it, then don't. I can release the stress by typing it though. Ok, off to a movie and bed. Hopefully my mug will turn up soon...sweet dreams everyone! Love and miss you all!
Day 18 and a half: Christchurch, Tuesday Night, 21st July
I never finished last night. So here goes now: I met my friend Daniel, and we rode a bus to the city center. Apparently I called Mom on this bus ride from my cell phone, multiple times; sorry for the roaming charges Grandpa! Anyways, I wore new flats, and it ended up being a horrible idea. I got us lost, all turned around and confused, and ended up with multiple blisters all over my feet. When we finally got to the Arts Centre (45 minutes later), we couldn't figure out how to get INTO the Great Hall!!! We spent an extra 15-20 minutes walking around and through the courtyard (the Arts Centre is a block of connected buildings with a courtyard in the middle), and we finally got in over an hour late! We got to hear the last 5 minutes or so, and then it was Intermission, haha! A plus was that we got to walk around downtown Christchurch and found it to be extremely pleasant. And, it was a warm night, only about 60 degrees. Anyways, it was the Canterbury orchestra, and it wasn't that great. Really. Oh well. After that, we rode the buses back home and I met Amber and Victoria. Amber's parents are missionaries in Nairobi, Kenya!!! I was extremely excited to find someone who shares both my passion for Africa and Christ! She's pretty and petite and studying to be a teacher, and she wants to do missionary work with her degree, which I thought was awesome, of course. Victoria is a bio major, is planning on getting her PhD (I was blown away) and then work for the government in biotechnology! CRAZY! Anyways, after that I came home and went to bed. All's well!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Day 18: Christchurch, Tuesday, 21st July
Today's a bad day so far. I had a fitful night of sleep and couldn't tell you why. I found out that I can't move into the flat I really wanted to because the other two girls now like where they are and don't want to move. I might ask if I can just move in and let people filter in around me, since I really do despise where I'm living and just want to get out. That and last night pretty much put a damper on my day today. At least it's nice out I guess (60's today). I joined a tramping club and a kayaking club, which is sweet. They're going to teach me how to kayak, which I'm excited about. I think I should be in class right now, but I'm not sure where it is or if tutorials start this week or not. If so, I missed the first one. Awesome. And I bought a sim card, but last night it said I didn't have any prepay amount on it, which is a lie since I paid $20 extra for some amount to be put on it. I think I'm going in tomorrow to complain. AND I really want to put the sim card in my phone, but forgot to unlock it when I was in America, so now I have no idea if I can even use it or not. All in all, it's a pretty crappy day.
Anywho, I've decided from now on, I'm going to avoid my apartment as much as possible. I did get to meet up with some of the guys from Arcadia, and we're all excited about this weekend. It will be good to get away and to have stuff planned for us, and to meet up with our Otago students. I'm going to try skiing I think since it's free, and some of the guys said they'd try to teach me how, which should be interesting. Maybe I'll try snowboarding first. Who knows. As for the rest of tonight, I get to go sit through two more hours of class, then grab a quick bite to eat before I go watch the orchestra play. Hopefully the day gets better as time goes on. I'll let everyone know later tonight...
Anywho, I've decided from now on, I'm going to avoid my apartment as much as possible. I did get to meet up with some of the guys from Arcadia, and we're all excited about this weekend. It will be good to get away and to have stuff planned for us, and to meet up with our Otago students. I'm going to try skiing I think since it's free, and some of the guys said they'd try to teach me how, which should be interesting. Maybe I'll try snowboarding first. Who knows. As for the rest of tonight, I get to go sit through two more hours of class, then grab a quick bite to eat before I go watch the orchestra play. Hopefully the day gets better as time goes on. I'll let everyone know later tonight...
Day 17: Christchurch, Monday, 20th July
Hello. So, today's been another up-and-down day. I woke up extremely early, laid in bed and was lazy, checked Skype and the internet, then actually started moving for the day. Around 11:30 I went to Riccarton Mall where I bought a sim card so I actually have a means of communicating with the people around me, found some leggings (yes Morgan I gave in) and made the decision that I'm no longer going to the mall here. It makes me want to spend money, and I don't have that so I'm not going there anymore. Unless it's to meet Amy or something. Anyways, I wasn't able to move into the new flat today either, so I came back and Skyped with Joshua for a little while. I got to see Marqui too, which was really good cuz I haven't seen a single one of my friends since I've been here, besides the pictures I have up that don't count since they're not real-time. I got to talk to Joshua a little more before I had to leave for class, which was extremely boring and hard for me to stay awake in. After that, I came home and ate some leftover spaghetti, and I just remembered that I had leftover pizza at Daniel's from last night and was going to eat that for dinner. Maybe tomorrow?! Anyways, I watched Love Actually tonight, and it made me happy. I just got explaining to the girls how the first scene makes me think of coming home. I can't wait to step off that plane and into the airport, greeted by friends and family that I've desperately missed! It will be so good to get to see Joshua in the flesh, and hug him and everyone else, and getting to REALLY see people will be great as well, instead of through the computer. The movie made me realize that some people are separated from their families and friends for even longer periods of time, or for different circumstances than I'm in now. I guess some are just braver than I am; I at least came to a city where I knew two people. Many of the kids I've talked to also left behind boyfriends and girlfriends and came here knowing noone at all. I guess I just realize that it could be worse; I am making friends and I am finding stuff to do. I've decided to join a gym here too, which will also take up time with different classes and such. Anyways, I'm off to bed now and am excited for tomorrow. It's Club Day on campus here, which is kind of similar to Quad Day at U of I. There will be lots of free stuff and clubs to join up for, which will help me to fill my time slots (which is much needed). I am definitely joining the "tramping" (hiking) club here, and will see about any others offered tomorrow. It'll be a good way to get to explore the South Island with others, and I think a couple of the guys from Arcadia are joining it as well. Then, tomorrow night, I think I'm going to see the Canterbury Orchestra play, which I'm excited about as well. So, I'm expecting tomorrow to be a good, long day, that will keep me occupied and my mind off how far away I am. Until then, goodnight and cheers! Miss you all!
Oh, and please continue to pray for venue options for Amy and Joe's church. And Joshua, it's the other pronunciation you asked me about, not the one I told you. I asked this weekend :).
Oh, and please continue to pray for venue options for Amy and Joe's church. And Joshua, it's the other pronunciation you asked me about, not the one I told you. I asked this weekend :).
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Day 16: Christchurch, Sunday, 19th July
Today was a great day! I woke up at 7, but got to go back to sleep until 9. Then I got ready for church and rode with Amy and Joe to a small community church not far from where they live. It was extremely interesting; not as charismatic as last week, however it was intensely interactive. The sermon was on love and we read Ephesians 3, focusing on verse 18. We were all given separate pieces of paper with 4 pictures on each; one being the ocean, to represent width; another being a long road in a desert, representing length; another Mt. Everest, height; and the last was the Grand Canyon, depth. We were given a few minutes to meditate on which picture or aspect of God's love affected us the most, and then everyone who chose the specific picture mentioned stood up and someone in the group prayed. It was interactive, and it was really small. I don't like being in front of groups anyways, so I felt awkward standing. It was an interesting service and not really something I would expect in the States. I know sometimes churches have little skits before the sermon, but this was right in the middle. I guess I wouldn't say that I didn't like it, but I wouldn't say that I did either. I think I would have to go again to see what another sermon would be like. But this was a more Scripture based sermon than last week, instead of personal stories.
Anyways, after church Amy made us pumpkin soup, which was surprisingly very good, and grilled cheese. We had a hilarious lunch because Amy and Joe are simply crazy and hysterical. I laughed a lot, which was good. We kinda got into a deeper discussion towards the end, which was me telling them about home and stuff, and then Amy brought me back to Ilam. I checked in on my friend Daniel and we decided to go to the beach around 3:30. We ran into two of his friends and they joined us on our way: Sarah and Amber. The beach was a lot of fun and definitely gorgeous, but we were only on a short stretch of it in Sumner. We caught the bus back home and were going to go to Spags, a pizza restaurant near Ilam. We picked up three other people; Max (a mutual friend) and my two friends Nikki and Jamie. Amber and Sarah decided they didn't want to spend money, but the rest of us went and Daniel and I split a pizza and Cajun wedges while catching up with everyone and just hanging out. It was fun, and now I'm home typing this up, getting ready to do some D-time to pray for Amy and Joe's church. They find out this week about the only two options they have left for a venue. So, if you find some time this week, please pray for them. K, that's all for today. I miss home, and everyone there, but am looking forward to next weekend and my trip to Queenstown! Yay! Cheers!
Anyways, after church Amy made us pumpkin soup, which was surprisingly very good, and grilled cheese. We had a hilarious lunch because Amy and Joe are simply crazy and hysterical. I laughed a lot, which was good. We kinda got into a deeper discussion towards the end, which was me telling them about home and stuff, and then Amy brought me back to Ilam. I checked in on my friend Daniel and we decided to go to the beach around 3:30. We ran into two of his friends and they joined us on our way: Sarah and Amber. The beach was a lot of fun and definitely gorgeous, but we were only on a short stretch of it in Sumner. We caught the bus back home and were going to go to Spags, a pizza restaurant near Ilam. We picked up three other people; Max (a mutual friend) and my two friends Nikki and Jamie. Amber and Sarah decided they didn't want to spend money, but the rest of us went and Daniel and I split a pizza and Cajun wedges while catching up with everyone and just hanging out. It was fun, and now I'm home typing this up, getting ready to do some D-time to pray for Amy and Joe's church. They find out this week about the only two options they have left for a venue. So, if you find some time this week, please pray for them. K, that's all for today. I miss home, and everyone there, but am looking forward to next weekend and my trip to Queenstown! Yay! Cheers!
Day 15: Christchurch, Saturday, 18th July
Well, today I was woken up at around 5 a.m. by someone in my family calling me on Skype. However, I didn't answer and they thankfully hung up. Then, I was woken up at 6 a.m. by Joshua...I did answer this time ;). We talked for a few hours, then I pretty much laid in bed and read the rest of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. It was a rough go of it at first, but once I got into it I really liked it. Dickens is a very long-winded writer, so that's hard to follow sometimes. But the story was a good one, and I can honestly say that I love it. There were hints throughout the tale that allowed you to guess, or figure out, some parts, but it was still really good even though I had an idea of what was to come.
Anyways, I also tried to move into my new flat or find out if I could, but I'll have to wait til Monday. I got back on and Skyped Joshua for another few hours, in which he found this page and became my only member/follower. So, since he's pretty much the only one reading this, there will be more shout outs to him from now on. So babe, you can no longer be mad at me for not mentioning you at all, besides the few times I talk to you.
After that, I met Amy at Coffee Culture at the Palms (a mall) and journaled and chatted with her. After the rugby game was over (which Joe was watching), we went back to their place and played Mario Kart on the Wii. It was extremely fun, although I did more horrible with the second round rather than the first, which was frustrating. But, I did place 2nd once, which was awesome since I've only played this game one other time against Diggle, whom I smoked. After that Amy basically went to bed, Joe did some internet errands, and I watched a New Zealand movie that I can't remember the title of anymore...something with "Indian" in it. I fell asleep through some of it, woke up in time to see the ending, and then headed to bed. Tomorrow consists of church and lunch, and who knows after that...G'night!
Anyways, I also tried to move into my new flat or find out if I could, but I'll have to wait til Monday. I got back on and Skyped Joshua for another few hours, in which he found this page and became my only member/follower. So, since he's pretty much the only one reading this, there will be more shout outs to him from now on. So babe, you can no longer be mad at me for not mentioning you at all, besides the few times I talk to you.
After that, I met Amy at Coffee Culture at the Palms (a mall) and journaled and chatted with her. After the rugby game was over (which Joe was watching), we went back to their place and played Mario Kart on the Wii. It was extremely fun, although I did more horrible with the second round rather than the first, which was frustrating. But, I did place 2nd once, which was awesome since I've only played this game one other time against Diggle, whom I smoked. After that Amy basically went to bed, Joe did some internet errands, and I watched a New Zealand movie that I can't remember the title of anymore...something with "Indian" in it. I fell asleep through some of it, woke up in time to see the ending, and then headed to bed. Tomorrow consists of church and lunch, and who knows after that...G'night!
Day 14: Christchurch, Friday, 17th July
I can't really remember what I did on this day, so please bear with me. I know I ran in the morning, and then sent a letter, and then went to see about moving, saw my new flat (hopefully) and was told I might be able to move in later today. However, that didn't work out, but the new flat is cleaner, which is a relief, has yet to be lived in, has a washer and dryer in it, and an oven, and individual landline phones in each room. It's also a better setup and I'm excited to get to move in, hopefully sometime next week. I talked to Tonya briefly on Skype, and my mom I think, and of course Joshua. I was going to go out to a dinner that night with Operation Friendship, which is an organization here that tries to set up international students with Kiwi families to help with the adjustment of studying overseas. I had a headache though, so I opted out for the night. I know I stayed up fairly later than I had expected, but I can't recall what I was doing...I read my Bible for a bit, and I think I got into Dickens. I also made myself some spaghetti and sat around with my flatmates before they started their party. All in all, it was an extremely boring day and I didn't do much but pass the time. Maybe tomorrow will be more exciting? Oh, and I did go to the library briefly and read a little for school. K, that's about it I think...on to tomorrow!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Happy Days...
Day 13: Christchurch, Thursday, 16th July
HI!!! Today’s a good day . I ran this morning, sent a letter, and then talked to the office about changing flats. I don’t like to complain, but if I’m only going to be here for 4 months, I really don’t want to spend it sitting in my room because I’m too disgusted to look at the kitchen. And it’s gotten gross again. I’m such a people pleaser and hate saying anything, and I don’t like being the loner who sits in my room during parties and don’t want to cramp my flatmates’ styles. So, I’ve decided to try to get into a different flat, with hopefully all girls and at least clean, neat people, as well as people that don’t party all the time. First of all, I’m not about to go out and get crunk, and secondly, I’m in NEW ZEALAND! I don’t want to waste my money on alcohol; I want to spend it traveling and buying souvenirs for all you guys back home! So, we’ll see how it goes and if I can move or not; hopefully I’ll know by tomorrow. Other than that, I skyped Kate and Colton today, and it was really good to actually see and hear them. I got to watch them just be goofy and hang out at home, and they were both vying for my attention on the webcam, which was really funny too. It was good to get that sense of home again. After that, I went with my two new friends, Nikki and Jamie, to Count-Down (the grocery store) to grab a few things, and now I’m off to philosophy class. I’ll tell you more about my two new friends later, but I’m really happy I’ve met them, and if they read this, I hope they don’t get freaked out and run the other direction. It’s just that I’ve struggled this week, and then I met them, so it’s not been as bad finding other people my age and who live a very similar lifestyle. Anyways, after class I’ll probably just make some dinner and then head to the library or bookstore to buy a few books before I call it a night. Hopefully I’ll get to go hiking this weekend possibly, so we’ll see. Miss you all! Love you!
Day 12: Christchurch, Wednesday, 15th July
Hey all! Today was a pretty chill day. I went to one class, and then sat in the library on the computer for awhile, messed around with my class schedule again and got it to where I have no class on Fridays and only one class on Monday at 5, so it’s basically like I have a four day weekend EVERY weekend! I’m excited to get to do stuff! I think I’m going to take a bus to Dunedin soon and visit my friends down there. I also want to go to Wellington one weekend, and I want to watch an All Blacks (rugby team) game. We’ll see how travel goes once I get the stupid financial aid figured out. That’s another thing I could use prayer for. The U of I financial aid office sucks and has completely screwed me, and they’re supposed to resubmit my new budget so I get more help, but they haven’t done that yet. It’s all very frustrating and hard to deal with, especially since I’m half-a-world away and trying to figure it out through my mom and e-mail. Plus, I may not need the loan I signed up for, and even if I do, I can’t get it since I’m technically attending a university that doesn’t cooperate or have an agreement with US Bank, which is where my loan’s through. Ah well. Anyways, after chilling in the library, I went back to my flat, at dinner, and then caught a bus to the movie theater. The theaters here are very different. There is a lot more space between rows, so it’s easier to get out and in. Also, there is assigned seating, which is nice too, at least for premieres because you don’t have to worry about getting seats next to each other. Other than that, I thought the movie was ok. Nothing to brag about. I was disappointed personally; they cut a lot of stuff out and added a lot of stuff and I didn’t really appreciate that. Especially with how much danger Harry was actually in, I thought they should have included that and put more emphasis on that. And we didn’t find out about Voldemort’s mother either, like we did in the books. I felt like it would have explained things better about the horcruxes. Plus, the love thing was just a little over-the-top. I guess I just wanted more action…which means the next two films should be AWESOME. Anyways, after that I came home and went to bed. I live an exciting life, I know .
Day 11: Christchurch, Tuesday, 14th July
So, today was a day of ups and downs. I got up balling my eyes out, but sobered up for class. Then, my first class was pretty lame so I’m going to try to switch it, but my second I’m with Peter, one of the guys from Arcadia. So that makes me happy. Both of my morning classes are based on studying Pacific cultures, but since they’re so alike, I’m ok with dropping the first one, since there’s only 4 of us in that class anyways. I also made a friend, Nikki, so I’m excited about that as well. I’m thinking we’ll get along well together; she said she’s not much of a partier either, so that’s already a benefit. She’s in my PACS101 class, and we are going to play volleyball together for Ilam, our apartment complex. I had a break between classes from 1-4, so I skyped Joshua at a more reasonable time for him, and then went to my Art History class again, and a Philosophy class titled “God, Mind, and Freedom.” It’s going to be extremely intense I think, and definitely challenging, but it’s interesting and will stretch the mind. Anyways, all in all it was a good day; definitely better than yesterday. I’m off to make some dinner and then read for awhile before heading to bed. Harry Potter starts tomorrow…get stoked!
Day 10: Christchurch, Monday, 13th July
Today started the first day of classes…and I only had one. It’s an Art History class, titled “Kiwi Icons.” It’s semi-interesting, long-winded though. It only lasts an hour however, so it should be ok. We have a tutorial on Wednesdays where we get to go explore the art museum at the city center, all expenses (transport) paid, so that’s really nice. Um, not much else happened today. I went into the city center to walk around the shops again and found a coat (more ski wear gear) for $99 NZD, although it was originally priced at $569 NZD. So that was a steal. I finished my application and fee for my 18+ card, which is basically my New Zealand form of ID. That way, I don’t have to carry around my passport and risk losing it. I also ate at this little café that’s just starting out; they had a deal for a slice of cake and coffee, so I ate in there, read a little, and then left to walk around the city some more. I went into some of the bigger shops and just tried to get acquainted with the city better. I got lost, sort of, on the way back, but I just went too far north is all. After class I came back home, skyped with Joshua, and then went to bed. However, I was woken up in the night several times by my flatmates. I think I’m going to try to switch flats…not that I completely dislike my flatmates, but they’ve already lived together for a semester and have a set relationship with one another I feel like, and I’m just miserable. Plus, the place is getting gross again, and I refuse to clean it. So hopefully I can get on with some other people a little better…Pray God gives me patience and strength, cause I’m really struggling right now with being here and not knowing anyone or finding anyone that’s remotely like me at all. It’s getting harder for me, not easier, and therefore harder for me to keep a brave face. So please pray for me, and that God will show me what the crap I’m doing here because I don’t have a clue anymore.
HI!!! Today’s a good day . I ran this morning, sent a letter, and then talked to the office about changing flats. I don’t like to complain, but if I’m only going to be here for 4 months, I really don’t want to spend it sitting in my room because I’m too disgusted to look at the kitchen. And it’s gotten gross again. I’m such a people pleaser and hate saying anything, and I don’t like being the loner who sits in my room during parties and don’t want to cramp my flatmates’ styles. So, I’ve decided to try to get into a different flat, with hopefully all girls and at least clean, neat people, as well as people that don’t party all the time. First of all, I’m not about to go out and get crunk, and secondly, I’m in NEW ZEALAND! I don’t want to waste my money on alcohol; I want to spend it traveling and buying souvenirs for all you guys back home! So, we’ll see how it goes and if I can move or not; hopefully I’ll know by tomorrow. Other than that, I skyped Kate and Colton today, and it was really good to actually see and hear them. I got to watch them just be goofy and hang out at home, and they were both vying for my attention on the webcam, which was really funny too. It was good to get that sense of home again. After that, I went with my two new friends, Nikki and Jamie, to Count-Down (the grocery store) to grab a few things, and now I’m off to philosophy class. I’ll tell you more about my two new friends later, but I’m really happy I’ve met them, and if they read this, I hope they don’t get freaked out and run the other direction. It’s just that I’ve struggled this week, and then I met them, so it’s not been as bad finding other people my age and who live a very similar lifestyle. Anyways, after class I’ll probably just make some dinner and then head to the library or bookstore to buy a few books before I call it a night. Hopefully I’ll get to go hiking this weekend possibly, so we’ll see. Miss you all! Love you!
Day 12: Christchurch, Wednesday, 15th July
Hey all! Today was a pretty chill day. I went to one class, and then sat in the library on the computer for awhile, messed around with my class schedule again and got it to where I have no class on Fridays and only one class on Monday at 5, so it’s basically like I have a four day weekend EVERY weekend! I’m excited to get to do stuff! I think I’m going to take a bus to Dunedin soon and visit my friends down there. I also want to go to Wellington one weekend, and I want to watch an All Blacks (rugby team) game. We’ll see how travel goes once I get the stupid financial aid figured out. That’s another thing I could use prayer for. The U of I financial aid office sucks and has completely screwed me, and they’re supposed to resubmit my new budget so I get more help, but they haven’t done that yet. It’s all very frustrating and hard to deal with, especially since I’m half-a-world away and trying to figure it out through my mom and e-mail. Plus, I may not need the loan I signed up for, and even if I do, I can’t get it since I’m technically attending a university that doesn’t cooperate or have an agreement with US Bank, which is where my loan’s through. Ah well. Anyways, after chilling in the library, I went back to my flat, at dinner, and then caught a bus to the movie theater. The theaters here are very different. There is a lot more space between rows, so it’s easier to get out and in. Also, there is assigned seating, which is nice too, at least for premieres because you don’t have to worry about getting seats next to each other. Other than that, I thought the movie was ok. Nothing to brag about. I was disappointed personally; they cut a lot of stuff out and added a lot of stuff and I didn’t really appreciate that. Especially with how much danger Harry was actually in, I thought they should have included that and put more emphasis on that. And we didn’t find out about Voldemort’s mother either, like we did in the books. I felt like it would have explained things better about the horcruxes. Plus, the love thing was just a little over-the-top. I guess I just wanted more action…which means the next two films should be AWESOME. Anyways, after that I came home and went to bed. I live an exciting life, I know .
Day 11: Christchurch, Tuesday, 14th July
So, today was a day of ups and downs. I got up balling my eyes out, but sobered up for class. Then, my first class was pretty lame so I’m going to try to switch it, but my second I’m with Peter, one of the guys from Arcadia. So that makes me happy. Both of my morning classes are based on studying Pacific cultures, but since they’re so alike, I’m ok with dropping the first one, since there’s only 4 of us in that class anyways. I also made a friend, Nikki, so I’m excited about that as well. I’m thinking we’ll get along well together; she said she’s not much of a partier either, so that’s already a benefit. She’s in my PACS101 class, and we are going to play volleyball together for Ilam, our apartment complex. I had a break between classes from 1-4, so I skyped Joshua at a more reasonable time for him, and then went to my Art History class again, and a Philosophy class titled “God, Mind, and Freedom.” It’s going to be extremely intense I think, and definitely challenging, but it’s interesting and will stretch the mind. Anyways, all in all it was a good day; definitely better than yesterday. I’m off to make some dinner and then read for awhile before heading to bed. Harry Potter starts tomorrow…get stoked!
Day 10: Christchurch, Monday, 13th July
Today started the first day of classes…and I only had one. It’s an Art History class, titled “Kiwi Icons.” It’s semi-interesting, long-winded though. It only lasts an hour however, so it should be ok. We have a tutorial on Wednesdays where we get to go explore the art museum at the city center, all expenses (transport) paid, so that’s really nice. Um, not much else happened today. I went into the city center to walk around the shops again and found a coat (more ski wear gear) for $99 NZD, although it was originally priced at $569 NZD. So that was a steal. I finished my application and fee for my 18+ card, which is basically my New Zealand form of ID. That way, I don’t have to carry around my passport and risk losing it. I also ate at this little café that’s just starting out; they had a deal for a slice of cake and coffee, so I ate in there, read a little, and then left to walk around the city some more. I went into some of the bigger shops and just tried to get acquainted with the city better. I got lost, sort of, on the way back, but I just went too far north is all. After class I came back home, skyped with Joshua, and then went to bed. However, I was woken up in the night several times by my flatmates. I think I’m going to try to switch flats…not that I completely dislike my flatmates, but they’ve already lived together for a semester and have a set relationship with one another I feel like, and I’m just miserable. Plus, the place is getting gross again, and I refuse to clean it. So hopefully I can get on with some other people a little better…Pray God gives me patience and strength, cause I’m really struggling right now with being here and not knowing anyone or finding anyone that’s remotely like me at all. It’s getting harder for me, not easier, and therefore harder for me to keep a brave face. So please pray for me, and that God will show me what the crap I’m doing here because I don’t have a clue anymore.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Arcadia!
So, Anne wants to know about my program. Here goes: I am with Arcadia, which is a great study abroad program and they have programs all over the world. I start classes tomorrow, Monday, the 13th. I am taking four classes that have nothing to do with finance :). One is a Maori Studies class without a title currently because it's a "Special Topic." Another is "God, Mind, and Freedom" and is a philosophy class that I'm sure is going to challenge me spiritually and emotionally as I may possibly be the only believer in the class...we'll see. I'm trying to change another of my classes to be "Religion on Violence - Myths, Rituals, and History 100". It sounds interesting, which is why I chose it. And the last is "Peopling the Pacific," a sociology class about the indigenous tribes of the Pacific Islands. I'm excited to get to take these classes because they all sound extremely interesting. And I'm excited to have something else to do and another way to meet people here.
To continue on with my program, I will be going on a weekend excursion to Queenstown, a tourist city here on South Island. I think we get to go skiing and other stuff, and I've never been so I'm pumped. We also meet up with our fellow Otago students for that, so it will be good times. I think I'm going to try to grab-a-seat online to Otago (Dunedin) soon after that. I'll stay (hopefully) with Katie...............I should probably let her know :). Cheers!
To continue on with my program, I will be going on a weekend excursion to Queenstown, a tourist city here on South Island. I think we get to go skiing and other stuff, and I've never been so I'm pumped. We also meet up with our fellow Otago students for that, so it will be good times. I think I'm going to try to grab-a-seat online to Otago (Dunedin) soon after that. I'll stay (hopefully) with Katie...............I should probably let her know :). Cheers!
Kia Ora again!
Day 9: Christchurch, Sunday, 12th July
This morning I woke up and got ready for church. I went with Amy and Joe to Grace church down near the city center (I think). It was an interesting service; it reminded me of a place like Vineyard in Champaign. Amy and Joe’s friends, Tony and Kelsey and then Candace and Jarred, made some interesting comments that I agree with. It seemed like the main message was that, if you had someone sick or you yourself were sick, or you knew of someone who was “unsaved,” it was because you weren’t praying hard enough or fasting long enough. Someone also commented on the worship; it was mostly just two songs played over and over again. I really like worship and would have preferred more variety, as did some of the people I was with. The sermon was on David and Goliath, and I noticed that the first half of the sermon, he wasn’t even preaching on anything from the Bible. Instead, it was all about his dreams that he believes were from God, telling him that the church was going to be facing a Goliath in the near future. The sermon was good though and very focused on DOING, not just sitting. It was really interesting though. I don’t think it’s a church that I would attend regularly, but it was definitely one that could have made it back in the States. I guess it’s one of the big (albeit few) churches here, and a lot of churches around here are similar to it. I guess we’ll see what next weekend holds. Anyways, after that we all went to an international market near the city center. We had a cheap meal that was delicious. It was similar to a gyro, but mine was made with chicken instead of lamb, although lamb was an option. It was hard to eat but very tasty. They also had other little places for food that reminded me of a carnival. Next week I may try Thai food, or stick to Chinese. After grabbing some hot chocolate/coffee, Joe and Amy and their friends dropped me off as they headed to Dunedin for the next few days…
The weather has been relatively nice since I’ve been in Christchurch; at least it’s not really rained. Yesterday was rather chilly, as is today, but the sun’s been shining, so that’s encouraging. Today I think I’m going to spend some time in the Word and time praying. I’m excited for classes to start tomorrow, but anxious to see how they’ll go. I guess we’ll see!
Day 8: Christchurch, Saturday 11th, July
So I found out that here, the date comes before the month, so I’m trying to change my usual way of dating things to follow Kiwi style instead. Not too much happened today; I talked to Joshua on skype again, which was nice, and then went running. After that I went to the library and tried to check out Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to read before the movie on Wednesday, but didn’t get the chance. So instead, I researched how much it would cost me to travel to Fiji and stay in a hostel; it’s still a lot, so I don’t know if I’ll do it. I’ll probably go to Sydney instead, and get a souvenir for Syd to bring home with her awesome name on it . Anyways, after I left the library, I caught the bus to Riccarton mall and walked around the shops there. I was going to buy some gloves and such, ended up buying a raincoat, and then returned it before I left…oops. I decided it was too thin, and if I was going to spend $100 NZD on a coat then it better be a thicker one that I can start wearing now, rather than have to wait til right before I leave. After a long time walking and browsing, I made it back home to make myself some spaghetti and then watch Harry Potter movies til I fell asleep…only to be woken up multiple times by loud music, my flatmate getting locked out (I think), and someone throwing a computer from a third floor balcony. After 2:30, things settled down and I was able to finally fall back asleep …
This morning I woke up and got ready for church. I went with Amy and Joe to Grace church down near the city center (I think). It was an interesting service; it reminded me of a place like Vineyard in Champaign. Amy and Joe’s friends, Tony and Kelsey and then Candace and Jarred, made some interesting comments that I agree with. It seemed like the main message was that, if you had someone sick or you yourself were sick, or you knew of someone who was “unsaved,” it was because you weren’t praying hard enough or fasting long enough. Someone also commented on the worship; it was mostly just two songs played over and over again. I really like worship and would have preferred more variety, as did some of the people I was with. The sermon was on David and Goliath, and I noticed that the first half of the sermon, he wasn’t even preaching on anything from the Bible. Instead, it was all about his dreams that he believes were from God, telling him that the church was going to be facing a Goliath in the near future. The sermon was good though and very focused on DOING, not just sitting. It was really interesting though. I don’t think it’s a church that I would attend regularly, but it was definitely one that could have made it back in the States. I guess it’s one of the big (albeit few) churches here, and a lot of churches around here are similar to it. I guess we’ll see what next weekend holds. Anyways, after that we all went to an international market near the city center. We had a cheap meal that was delicious. It was similar to a gyro, but mine was made with chicken instead of lamb, although lamb was an option. It was hard to eat but very tasty. They also had other little places for food that reminded me of a carnival. Next week I may try Thai food, or stick to Chinese. After grabbing some hot chocolate/coffee, Joe and Amy and their friends dropped me off as they headed to Dunedin for the next few days…
The weather has been relatively nice since I’ve been in Christchurch; at least it’s not really rained. Yesterday was rather chilly, as is today, but the sun’s been shining, so that’s encouraging. Today I think I’m going to spend some time in the Word and time praying. I’m excited for classes to start tomorrow, but anxious to see how they’ll go. I guess we’ll see!
Day 8: Christchurch, Saturday 11th, July
So I found out that here, the date comes before the month, so I’m trying to change my usual way of dating things to follow Kiwi style instead. Not too much happened today; I talked to Joshua on skype again, which was nice, and then went running. After that I went to the library and tried to check out Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to read before the movie on Wednesday, but didn’t get the chance. So instead, I researched how much it would cost me to travel to Fiji and stay in a hostel; it’s still a lot, so I don’t know if I’ll do it. I’ll probably go to Sydney instead, and get a souvenir for Syd to bring home with her awesome name on it . Anyways, after I left the library, I caught the bus to Riccarton mall and walked around the shops there. I was going to buy some gloves and such, ended up buying a raincoat, and then returned it before I left…oops. I decided it was too thin, and if I was going to spend $100 NZD on a coat then it better be a thicker one that I can start wearing now, rather than have to wait til right before I leave. After a long time walking and browsing, I made it back home to make myself some spaghetti and then watch Harry Potter movies til I fell asleep…only to be woken up multiple times by loud music, my flatmate getting locked out (I think), and someone throwing a computer from a third floor balcony. After 2:30, things settled down and I was able to finally fall back asleep …
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Kia Ora!!!
Kia Ora and welcome to my travel blog!
Kia Ora means “Greetings” basically in Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand. I decided to start an online journal of my New Zealand trip. I figured it would help me to remember all the amazing stuff I’ll get to do and will help the time to fly by faster during any down-time. Enjoy!
Day 1: Orientation in Auckland Saturday, July 4th
We got into Auckland around 6 a.m. After we collected our bags and all our people, we got on buses and rode to the Kiwi International Hotel near downtown Auckland. We were assigned roommates and rooms for the night. My roommate’s name was Katie, and she and I clicked really well. After we had time to shower and call home, we had tea-time with muffins and then walked around Auckland. We are in a group of about 50 students, going to three different universities (uni’s) in New Zealand. So we had the Otago group, the Victoria (Vic) group, and my group of Canterbury students, of which I was the only girl. A lot of the time they split us up to make it easier, and the Canterbury and Vic students were together since there were so many Otago kids. However, the weather was rainy and cold, so we didn’t get split up on this day at all. After walking around downtown and grabbing lunch, we hopped on buses and walked around an old WWII site and dormant volcanoes. It was tiring, but still beautiful and semi-interesting. After that, we went up in the SkyTower at Auckland where we ran into the National Junior 19-and-under Basketball team. It was cool to see other Americans, and we were able to talk to them and hang out with them, which we would not have gotten to do in the States. After seeing some people “jump” of the building, we went out for pizza, and then Katie and I went to bed around 7:30.
Day 2: Orientation in Rotorua Sunday, July 5th
We all woke up between 8 and 8:30 and headed downstairs for breakfast (breakkie). We then got on a bus and drove to Rotorua, which was about 3 hours away. On the way we stopped in Hobbitown, around the area where they filmed Lord of the Rings. They still have the Shire that was used on the set around and take tour buses out there, which some of us will hopefully get to do while here. I had an American favorite for lunch; Subway. It tasted pretty much the same. On the drive to Rotorua, the landscape was breathtaking. Some of the students said it looked just like Ireland, with rolling hills and sheep making small, white dots all over. It was semi-cloudy and absolutely beautiful to watch. On the trip there, we also got a run-down about New Zealand, its politics, and our separate schools, and information about “tramping” (hiking). It was fun but we were definitely filled to the brim with info. Outside of Rotorua, we stopped and watched the Agrodome farm show, which was really cool actually. They brought out all the different types of sheep and explained what each one’s main purpose is. They sheared a sheep while we were there too, in about 2 minutes flat. Then the sheep dogs come out, and they actually use two separate types. One is used to bark and notify the farmer where the sheep are, while the other uses his eye/glare to round them up. It’s quite funny to watch. Afterwards, we got to see some of the puppies and hold the baby lambs. I even got to feed one with a bottle!
We also stopped at Rainbow Springs, which is a little national park where we saw trout, kiwi, and tuatara (the oldest known reptile on Earth).
We finally arrived in Rotorua and had a 2 hour break for dinner after checking into another hotel (the Sudima Hotel), which was on a lake, and being assigned different roommates. I went with a big group of people and we all ended up in this little German or Swedish bar. I had something I couldn’t pronounce right, but it was three pieces of toast topped with ham and eggs…delicious. After dinner, we all went to the Polynesian Spa which was right next to our hotel and soaked in natural hot springs. All of Rotorua actually smells like rotten eggs because of the natural sulfur found in the water there. The natural springs were/are actually believed to have healing powers, and we got to soak in them til 11. After that, it was off to bed after another long day!
Day 3: Orientation in Rotorua Monday, July 6th
After a huge breakkie, we drove to Waiotapu, which is a national geothermal park. We saw the Lady Knox geyser erupt, looked at some boiling mud pools (which reminded me of The Land Before Time), and then toured the park. It was pretty and laid back, but it also smelled awful. We got a lunch break, and then went zorbing, which was by far the most fun ever! Basically, you and one other person climb into this huge plastic, hamster ball, they throw in some warm water, and then they push you down a hill. It was AWESOME! And, the only other place on Earth where they have one is in Tennessee, America. I am going again for sure. You just laugh the entire way down, and are thrown in these completely ridiculous and awkward positions but can’t move. It’s so fun. Anyways, after that we had a few hours to chill, and then went to the Tamaki Maori Village for a traditional Maori welcome. Our bus chose a chief (who was chosen because it was his birthday), and we were given the name “Tribe of the Four Winds” since we’re from all over America. On the way there, our bus driver, Aotura (which means “love” in Maori), forgot to put on her lights, so we drove for about 10 minutes without them on. Upon arrival, we all waited outside the village while the warriors came and “checked us out” to make sure we weren’t enemies. They did their traditional dance known as the “Kaka” and then we were welcomed into the village by the old women in the tribe, who sang for us. We got to walk around and ask questions, take pictures, etc. Before they served us a traditional dinner, they performed some ritual dances and songs, which were all amazing. They used traditional musical instruments only as well. We then had dinner, and Paul (our Chief) was made a birthday cake. On the ride home, Aotura encouraged us all to sing for her, since her tribe sang for us, and it was a mixture of Disney songs to Grease to Sweet Caroline. It was a fun time. Then I went out with a big group of people to a local bar known as the Lava Bar. I hung out with people, watched a rugby game (sort of), and then walked home with Katie around 1:30. We went straight to bed after that.
Day 4: Final Day of Orientation and Arrival in Christchurch Tuesday, July 7th
I had time to “sleep in” this morning finally, but the Otago students left really early, so I woke up to say goodbye. Then I went for a run around Lake Rotorua, which was beautiful and something I could do every morning if I lived there. The sun was just coming up as I started my run, and the scenery was gorgeous. After that I went and had another large breakkie with most of the Vic students and my Canterbury boys. I then repacked and we flew out of Rotorua around noon after saying goodbye to our Vic friends. On the plane, we flew over the Southern Alps, and I was completely in awe. Christchurch is literally between the beach and the mountains, and the joke is that it’s the only flat city in New Zealand. We got our keys and headed up to our flats by about 3:30. I walked into mine and went to go explore, only to be immensely disappointed. There were old dishes in the sink, hair all over the bathroom, and the place was generally a pigsty. I was disgusted, so I called Amy to come get me haha. She picked me up around 7 and we went and ate at a little café and then chilled at her place and caught up. I went to bed around 11.
Day 5: Christchurch Wednesday, July 8th
I woke up at Amy’s around 6 and couldn’t go back to sleep. Her and I then drove to a grocery store, and I did my first shop in Christchurch, which was ridiculously expensive. I spent around $120 American dollars, which is $200 NZD. Anyways, we rushed back to my apartment, where I threw everything in the door and then ran to find the Science building for my international orientation. It was extremely boring and everything I’d already heard. We did get free food though, and I’ve had a free meal every single day since I’ve been in New Zealand, which is awesome. After that, I came back to my apartment and cleaned, hard core. It was disgusting and there was no way I was going to be able to live with it as dirty as it was. I stopped to eat dinner and talk to Joshua on Skype, and then cleaned again after he got off. It took me over 5 hours to get it presentable…I won’t even say the horrific things I found in the fridge. But trust me, Strat is NOTHING compared to this place. So Stratties, if you read this, don’t complain. I promise you, it’s not that bad. I really have never had to clean a place so disgusting in my entire life. Yuck. Anyways, after I was done it was 11:30, so I took a much needed shower and then fell asleep. I was woken up throughout the night by loud techno music blaring from the floor below me, so I didn’t get good sleep.
Day 6: Christchurch Thursday, July 9th
Today I went to registration at 10, got my Canterbury card, ate a free lunch, and then went with Daniel (a friend in my program) to downtown Christchurch. We rode the bus system and got our Metro cards, and then walked around for 2 hours. The city is beautiful, but I definitely got lost. Daniel had to ride back to register at 2, but I wasn’t done yet, so I stayed and got all disoriented. I rode the wrong bus in the completely wrong direction, and this old man with a THICK accent helped me out. He was Scottish too, so his accent was unbelievably hard to understand. However, after listening to him talk for awhile, I figured it out (thankfully), and he told me about his grandkids and nephew, etc. He was really sweet. I was supposed to try to find my way to the mall, but after I got back to the city center I just rode the bus home. I stopped at a K-mart (which everyone here loves I guess) and picked up a few more things I needed for the flat, and then skyped Joshua again. At around 8, I was beyond exhausted, and it gets dark here around 5, so I fell asleep. I was woken up again by loud music, but put played music on my phone to drown it out.
Day 7: Christchurch Friday, July 10th
Today Joshua skyped me at 5:30 a.m. my time, so I woke up to talk to him. We talked for 4 hours, and it was great. Skype is so amazing. I got to talk to John and Tonya too, which was fun. After that convo, I went running around Ilam (which is the suburb where my apartment complex, Ilam apartments, is). I got totally turned around and ended up running completely around the Uni, which took me 45 minutes to get back. So at least I got some exercise! The setup of the city is so different than what I’m used to. Everything is organized around the city center, so it goes out in circles, like Rome. But then each “suburb” is organized the same way, so the circles overlap and make weird, curvy rows and such. Oh well. I’ll figure it out eventually. Anyways, after my run I got free food again and then downloaded a program that’s supposed to allow me to watch TV and movies whenever I want, without using my internet. I haven’t figured it out yet, but oh well. Then I had some quiet time, and then started this thing, which I’ve been doing for awhile now. I’m going to organize my pictures, and open an account somehow online to put everything up. K, that’s all for today I think. Goodnight!
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