First Week in NZ

The last I updated you was Wednesday of last week, so I thought it would be a good thing to update you once more.

Wednesday - After I wrote my blog, Greg took me out walking in their "backyard", which there are conveniently hiking/walking trails. We went on one named Ross Creek and it was a lovely walk. The NZ wilderness is not MUCH different then ours except that there is nothing that can kill you (except for the weather, because it changes so quickly that you could get disoriented and get lost). There isn't any poison ivy or oak either, so you can't even get a rash! So, I feel much safer when I walk in the woods alone. I'll just have my cell on me and everything will be fine! So, Greg walked me by this reservoir which is beautiful. It is surrounded by rolling hills, had ducks floating on it and well, see for yourself!

(I actually took this the next time I walked down there, but that's coming!). So, Greg and I walked this trail and it was beautiful! There was a HUGE tree right when you get on the trail. It's probably the size of an Ent. Haha! Or what I think one would look like. There is also ruins of a old house of some kind, just a small little fort or something, but it's pretty neat too! So, after our hike, Greg and I went down to the Uni and he showed me around, and I know kind of where things are now. But, I still get confused where the bus stop is...(that's another story!).The rest of Wednesday, I just lazed and put up pictures, and "Karenized" my room, so it's nice and homey now. I ate supper with Celia and Greg and watched TV and then went to bed pretty early again.


Thursday - I decided that I wanted to figure out my courses and all the things for school, because I still had no idea what was going on with any of that. So, I took the bus down to school, which is only 15 minutes (shorter than the one I have to take in St. Catharines!). So, I easily took the bus down and found my way to the international office, which I was proud of myself for! So, I signed myself in, and got all the registration details. Found out that I had to go to a different building to get a course registration form (because all students have to go to each department to get courses signed off so they are actually in the course. I think it's a very weird system!). So, I go to this new building and get in line, go up to the desk and find out that I have to wait 24 hours to get my registration finalized because I didn't get my passport approved (signed) before I sent it off. (I don't know what they couldn't have sent me something in the 4 months they had it before I got there, telling me to send another one, but they waited until I got there!). The only problem with this is that ALL Otago Students (or 'scarfies') would have to register on Friday through Tuesday, and if I had gotten my course registration sheet Thursday, I wouldn't have to stand in long lines. Unfortunately, I had to wait until the next day, so by this time it was 12:45ish, so I went back to the International Office to sign up for a campus tour (but the next one was at 2). So, I waited around for a while, and walked around campus to try and figure my own way around (still getting lost a few times). I quickly got bored of that so I decided to find where Alex lived (we had been facebooking back and forth to figure out when we could see each other, but neither of us had a cell phone to text when we weren't on our computers. I hadn't heard from her this morning so I decided just to see where she lived so I could know for next time we wanted to hang out). Just as I was going past her house, I see Alex walking towards me, so she invites me inside and shows me her house. (She's living in a student flat with 4 other international students (all American).) Anyways, we decided that we wanted to go to the beach, just to see it, so we stopped in at an ice cream store and asked directions. The friendly ice cream guy said that it was a 45 minute walk, straight down the road. So, we started walking. We stopped a few places to ask if we were still on track, and everyone said we were. so we continued walking. Finally, we see what COULD be a beach, we walked through a children's playground and up a grassy hill, and sure enough, A HUGE WHITE beach, and beautiful scenery. Take a look yourself:

So, we walk down to the beach and enjoy the amazing scenery and then decided we wanted to explore a huge cliff on the other side of the beach. It didn't look TOO far so we could easily walk there (Our feet were starting to hurt after the walk from the ice cream shop to the beach in jandals (flip flops)). The cliff was definitely farther then what we thought but we got there, and realized there was a bit of the cliff off in the water, so we decided to climb it! It was just a little out in the water so we got our feet wet (in the freezing pacific) and climbed the little rock. So, once we were done with that we walked up the grassy hill towards the cliff and found a road on top of the cliff leading right to the top. It was convenient and nice after we have had bursts of sand hitting us on the walk on the beach. So we made it to the top and it had the most marvelous view! It was actually breathtaking!! So, we decided to walk back to the street and take the bus back. On the way, we heard some guys asking where there was a bus to take as well, and actually made friends with them later. They were American who came on exchange this semester as well! It fun talking to them as we made the bus trip back to the octagon (basically the city center). Alex had to pick up some things so we parted ways with these friendly Americans and bought some things. I had already missed my bus back up to Greg and Celia's so Alex kindly invited me to sleep over at her place! (The bus only runs until 6pm on weekdays and doesn't run on weekends!). Alex has a few of her school friends down here and they were going out that night so I tagged along and met some more international students, we went to a bar named "The Bog" and it was pretty average. haha! I just had water, and after a hot day in the sun, I was pretty tired! Alex was feeling sick so we left early and decided to watch a movie at her house. I slept on her couch and hurt the entire night because I was burnt to a crisp.

Friday - I got up early at Alex's because I wanted to be ahead of the crowd at registration. I was so I quickly went through the lines and got everything signed. I then got my student ID (which I am incredibly burnt in) and went on my way to find my bus stop. Now, I am usually pretty good at directions, and because the bus had dropped me off I figured I could find it easily. But no, I managed to take the furthest route possible to my bus stop but got there JUST in time for the bus. I got back in G&C's place at around noon and did NOTHING but sleep and eat for the rest of the day. I was totally zonked.

Saturday - I really didn't do much either, slept some and just lazed. I was still so sore from my sunburn and totally exhausted. I don't think I was totally adjusted to the timezone yet!

Sunday - I went to church with G&C and it was a different experience. Not bad, just not what I'm used too. They go to a small church where people dance and shout out and fun things like that! There are not many people my age, so I might try another church, we'll see. Next Sunday, we are taking Celia to the airport because she is going to Australia for a week for work. So it will just be Greg and I that week. I went for a walk Sunday afternoon down to Ross Creek again, and that was fun! I went by myself but it was nice and relaxing! And then I just relaxed for the rest of the day.

Monday - Now onto O-week, which should be exciting! I'm going down to Alex's later today! Devon`s in now visiting me in my room (G&C's little 10 month year old girl!).

That's all for now.
Love to all!
KB