Remember when I was having a hard time with classes two weeks ago? Well, the class that saved me from future headaches is a class on tourism. That's right, I get to take a class that fuels my passion for traveling. This may or may not be a good thing in the long fun financially, but that's not important right now. I love this class so much, that I feel it deserves it's own blog post.
I like this class for the obvious reason of talking about traveling the the beautiful countries that make up our world. But I also like it for other reasons. Out of all my classes it is by far the most fun and the most intellectually stimulating. The professor is funny and makes class entertaining. He also encourages class discussions, which does not happen in any of my other lectures during the week. The class literally has me on the edge of my seat and I am thoroughly enjoying the material in it. Looking back, it almost seems silly that I did not go to school for Tourism to begin with because it is something I am so passionate about. I'm confident my future will work out how it is supposed to regardless of my major.
My first assignment for the class is a paper on a country, city, or region. With this paper I have to pick three words through mind-mapping that describe my chosen destination. Then, I back up these three words through ideas and examples that I find through research. It may not sound fun to everyone, but I am genuinely looking forward to writing this paper. I'd be happy if all my classes involved writing papers on various travel destinations. I'm anxious to learn more through this class. Although it will not help me towards graduating, it will help me in accomplishing a big portion of my bucket list. Nothing excites me more than the idea of traveling the world, and this class is going to deepen my understanding of tourism. I feel so thankful to have a class that has me this exciting about school here in New Zealand.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
Six60 Concert
On Thursday night I was able to see Six60 live at a venue called The Front Room. Six60 is a New Zealand band that I was introduced to during the Bridging Cultures Program the first week I was here--which, in case you were wondering, already feels like forever ago. I fell in love with their music and have continued to listen to them since I've been in Wellington via YouTube.
My favorite song by them is "Forever," which was their encore for the evening. You can listen to it by clicking on this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JC_Z3WBkeo
I also really enjoy "Don't Forget Your Roots." You can listen to this fantastic song by checking out this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQEG9JwSyFg
"Rise Up" is the song they opened with. It can be listened to here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICPA0XM4qQ8&feature=related
The last song I recommend that you listen to is "Someone to be Around." I'm sure you already know, but click on this link and you can listen to it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAlMvXLnz0A&feature=related
Side Note: I recommend that you listen to other songs by them because they are all incredible, but these are my top 4 at the moment.
Hopefully these songs can give you an idea of how epic Thursday night was for me! Oh, and did I mention that I was right up against the stage?! I also was able to touch the lead singer, lead guitarist, and lead bassist many times throughout the show. The lead singer made eye contact with me for a whole 4 seconds at the beginning of the concert! Four seconds may not seem like a lot, but it is when you consider that fact that he was simultaneously singing directly to me, it definitely is a lot!
When I listen to music I have to be able to relate to it. Music is one of my biggest passions; it defines who I am. If a song or band makes me feel good when I listen to them, I'll forever be a fan. Six60 does this for me and I truly do relate to their music. In fact, when they sang "Forever" at the very end, the lead singer had us become quiet and he said, " Can someone, please, anybody...tell me you can feel that shit right now!?" Yep, that pretty much sums up exactly how I felt in that moment. My passion for music and listening to live music never fails to disappoint me. After a busy week with school, a concert was just what I needed.
Thankfully, I was able to enjoy the concert with two of my friends: Quinne and Sam. Beforehand we went to Burger Fuel, which is a fast food burger joint chain that is amazing! We arrived at 7:45 and there was already a line forming outside of the venue. Luckily, it didn't stop us from having an awesome place to see the band from. Originally, the concert was scheduled for Friday, but it sold out before I could get tickets. They ended up doing two shows while on their tour in Wellington which was great because I could 1) actually go and 2) get tickets for a student price. By how packed the place was, I am sure they sold out for our show too. That's how big of deal this band is here in New Zealand. The only bad part about the night was that we had to wait an hour before the opening band began and another half hour for a change over. I'd happily wait that time again. There are no words to describe this concert and I can honestly say I have never experienced a concert like this one before. Six60 is talented in every way and they sure do know how to rock out a "wicked as" concert!
Look in the bottom right of this photo and you'll see me! I think it was taken right after I got a guitar pick!
My favorite song by them is "Forever," which was their encore for the evening. You can listen to it by clicking on this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JC_Z3WBkeo
I also really enjoy "Don't Forget Your Roots." You can listen to this fantastic song by checking out this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQEG9JwSyFg
"Rise Up" is the song they opened with. It can be listened to here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICPA0XM4qQ8&feature=related
The last song I recommend that you listen to is "Someone to be Around." I'm sure you already know, but click on this link and you can listen to it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAlMvXLnz0A&feature=related
Side Note: I recommend that you listen to other songs by them because they are all incredible, but these are my top 4 at the moment.
Hopefully these songs can give you an idea of how epic Thursday night was for me! Oh, and did I mention that I was right up against the stage?! I also was able to touch the lead singer, lead guitarist, and lead bassist many times throughout the show. The lead singer made eye contact with me for a whole 4 seconds at the beginning of the concert! Four seconds may not seem like a lot, but it is when you consider that fact that he was simultaneously singing directly to me, it definitely is a lot!
When I listen to music I have to be able to relate to it. Music is one of my biggest passions; it defines who I am. If a song or band makes me feel good when I listen to them, I'll forever be a fan. Six60 does this for me and I truly do relate to their music. In fact, when they sang "Forever" at the very end, the lead singer had us become quiet and he said, " Can someone, please, anybody...tell me you can feel that shit right now!?" Yep, that pretty much sums up exactly how I felt in that moment. My passion for music and listening to live music never fails to disappoint me. After a busy week with school, a concert was just what I needed.
Thankfully, I was able to enjoy the concert with two of my friends: Quinne and Sam. Beforehand we went to Burger Fuel, which is a fast food burger joint chain that is amazing! We arrived at 7:45 and there was already a line forming outside of the venue. Luckily, it didn't stop us from having an awesome place to see the band from. Originally, the concert was scheduled for Friday, but it sold out before I could get tickets. They ended up doing two shows while on their tour in Wellington which was great because I could 1) actually go and 2) get tickets for a student price. By how packed the place was, I am sure they sold out for our show too. That's how big of deal this band is here in New Zealand. The only bad part about the night was that we had to wait an hour before the opening band began and another half hour for a change over. I'd happily wait that time again. There are no words to describe this concert and I can honestly say I have never experienced a concert like this one before. Six60 is talented in every way and they sure do know how to rock out a "wicked as" concert!
Look in the bottom right of this photo and you'll see me! I think it was taken right after I got a guitar pick!
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Fresher's Trip
As I mentioned in my last post, I joined the Tramping Club at VUW. Tramping is either hiking, rock climbing, or mountaineering. They have trips every single weekend and this past weekend was their first trip of the year: Fresher's Trip. It was only $30 so I decided to go. Lucky for me, I packed a sleeping bag, hiking boots, and a backpacking pack when I left Wisconsin. Also, I have a good supply of warm clothes so I had no reason not to go. Plus, what better way to see a country this beautiful other than to actually get out and explore it by foot!
We left Friday evening around 7 and returned Sunday night at 7:30. The place we began to hike at was about an hour and a half away from Wellington. As we set up camp for the first night, I questioned what I had gotten myself into. Not only was I already cold, but this "tent" they said we would be in was more or less just a tarp on poles. So yes, I basically just slept on the ground with a tarp over me. Luckily, there are no harmful animals in New Zealand so I didn't have much to worry about; however, I got very little sleep because it was ridiculously cold the first night. I was too busy trying to figure out how to keep warm than actually sleeping. At times, I was wondering if I was indeed dreaming, or just thinking really extravagant ideas in the peacefulness of the New Zealand night.
I will not go into great detail about each day of hiking. The first day was easier because I was not sore from my brand new hiking boots or carrying my pack 10 kilometers yet. The trails were rocky, steep, slippery, narrow, covered with overgrown plants, muddy, wide, carved by the roots of the trees, flat, and beautiful--all at various times of course. There were many times I had to cross through small streams or a large river. There were large bridges at various points in the hike to cross the big parts, but the smaller parts I was on my own. Either way, it was simultaneously enjoyable and physically demanding. I learned a lot this past weekend.
Lessons from Tramping:
1. You can never have too much chocolate.
2. Everyone you meet has something to offer.
3. You never know when you're about to make a new friend.
4. Electrical tape works wonders for preventing blisters.
5. Only focus on what's directly in front of you.
6. Tramping is all about the food.
7. Water in New Zealand is safe to drink.
8. Mats under sleeping bags are a necessity.
9. Just because you don't feel the bugs biting, doesn't mean they are not biting.
10. Downhill trails can be just as challenging as uphill trails.
I'm still exhausted. I'm ridiculously sore all over my body. I'm also sick. I'm covered in bug bits. Despite all this, I had a blast this weekend and cannot wait to go on another trip to continue to see this beautiful country I am in. As much as I love to shower daily, I'd be willing to give up this luxury to enjoy the great outdoors. I can assure you that if you do not believe in God, the beauty of this country is enough to change your mind.
We left Friday evening around 7 and returned Sunday night at 7:30. The place we began to hike at was about an hour and a half away from Wellington. As we set up camp for the first night, I questioned what I had gotten myself into. Not only was I already cold, but this "tent" they said we would be in was more or less just a tarp on poles. So yes, I basically just slept on the ground with a tarp over me. Luckily, there are no harmful animals in New Zealand so I didn't have much to worry about; however, I got very little sleep because it was ridiculously cold the first night. I was too busy trying to figure out how to keep warm than actually sleeping. At times, I was wondering if I was indeed dreaming, or just thinking really extravagant ideas in the peacefulness of the New Zealand night.
I will not go into great detail about each day of hiking. The first day was easier because I was not sore from my brand new hiking boots or carrying my pack 10 kilometers yet. The trails were rocky, steep, slippery, narrow, covered with overgrown plants, muddy, wide, carved by the roots of the trees, flat, and beautiful--all at various times of course. There were many times I had to cross through small streams or a large river. There were large bridges at various points in the hike to cross the big parts, but the smaller parts I was on my own. Either way, it was simultaneously enjoyable and physically demanding. I learned a lot this past weekend.
Lessons from Tramping:
1. You can never have too much chocolate.
2. Everyone you meet has something to offer.
3. You never know when you're about to make a new friend.
4. Electrical tape works wonders for preventing blisters.
5. Only focus on what's directly in front of you.
6. Tramping is all about the food.
7. Water in New Zealand is safe to drink.
8. Mats under sleeping bags are a necessity.
9. Just because you don't feel the bugs biting, doesn't mean they are not biting.
10. Downhill trails can be just as challenging as uphill trails.
I'm still exhausted. I'm ridiculously sore all over my body. I'm also sick. I'm covered in bug bits. Despite all this, I had a blast this weekend and cannot wait to go on another trip to continue to see this beautiful country I am in. As much as I love to shower daily, I'd be willing to give up this luxury to enjoy the great outdoors. I can assure you that if you do not believe in God, the beauty of this country is enough to change your mind.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Heaps of Good News from NZ
This past week brought along a lot: nice weather, heaps of chocolate, confirmed class schedules, and new involvement. I can sum things up by saying this week was full of fun and great news.
Wellington is an extremely windy city, but despite the random bursts of wind, Wellington was beautiful this past week. It was wonderful to see the harbor full of sailboats. New Zealand is entering into winter currently, which means the nice days will become less and less. Just like the crazy winter we've had in Wisconsin, New Zealand has had a summer full of rain. The beautiful days here are rare. Saturday was probably the nicest day that I will ever experience while in New Zealand. In honor of the hot sun, I went to the beach. I also completed my version of a Wellington initiation inspired by my roommate, Casey, of jumping of a plank along the harbor into the ocean. I would say it was about a 15 foot jump, so enough to give a person an adrenaline rush. I will admit I got scared as I inched my way away from safe land onto a plank with a beautiful ocean beneath me. I did this with my other Wisconsin friend, Ashley, and we drew quite the crowd. Since I was sort of panicking in front of all these people, someone told me to run and jump, so I did it. I figured that I couldn't stop myself if I changed my mind. It was such an awesome feeling. I'm glad I did it. And I hope I have another nice day to do it again.
I will admit, my last post was quite negative, but I did manage to get things straightened out with school. I had some other bumps which included: swapping classes more than once and worrying about the status of my financial aid and enrollment at UW-La Crosse. Even though I had difficulties, I was able to figure things out. To make a long story short, I am now taking a class on Business Tourism. It will unfortunately only transfer back as elective credits, but it will be a fun course to take while here. I'm anxious for it and feel it may end up being my most favorite course here. Don't worry, I won't be switching my major for a sixth time.
This week has also blessed me with a lot of chocolate. From ice cream, to cookies, to chocolate bars, I have dove right in to enjoying the wonderful selection of sweets this country has to over. Before I left I thought that I might lose some weight because I wouldn't be eating as much sweets. You see, the problem with this is that there are so many different types of sweets here and I am determined to try them all. Everyone hear says "heaps" instead of "a lot" or "tons." So, this week I have had heaps of chocolate. My favorite discovery has been Tim Tam's: "the most irresistible chocolate biscuit." Side note: (New Zealand word for cookie = biscuit). They are a delicious cookie that come in a variety of flavors. They are expensive, but worth every penny to me. Plus, they are currently on sale! I went to the grocery store on Wednesday and $9 of $45 bill was dedicated to chocolate. I think I have a problem.
Lastly, to top off this week I joined the Tramping Club. No, it's not what it sounds like. Tramping is hiking, rock climbing, or mountaineering. It only had a $20 joining fee and has weekend trips or daily hikes every single weekend! This is exactly how I want to see New Zealand: by foot, outside, and surrounded by beauty. It was an easy decision to make. In fact, this weekend I am attending the "Fresher's Trip." I am so anxious to leave and I am glad I came prepared with hiking boots, a sleeping bag, and a backpacking backpack. I forced these things into my suitcase so I could go on my own weekend hiking adventures. Now I have a club full of people who share my passion for hiking to enjoy New Zealand with. I am so excited about this opportunity!
Wellington is an extremely windy city, but despite the random bursts of wind, Wellington was beautiful this past week. It was wonderful to see the harbor full of sailboats. New Zealand is entering into winter currently, which means the nice days will become less and less. Just like the crazy winter we've had in Wisconsin, New Zealand has had a summer full of rain. The beautiful days here are rare. Saturday was probably the nicest day that I will ever experience while in New Zealand. In honor of the hot sun, I went to the beach. I also completed my version of a Wellington initiation inspired by my roommate, Casey, of jumping of a plank along the harbor into the ocean. I would say it was about a 15 foot jump, so enough to give a person an adrenaline rush. I will admit I got scared as I inched my way away from safe land onto a plank with a beautiful ocean beneath me. I did this with my other Wisconsin friend, Ashley, and we drew quite the crowd. Since I was sort of panicking in front of all these people, someone told me to run and jump, so I did it. I figured that I couldn't stop myself if I changed my mind. It was such an awesome feeling. I'm glad I did it. And I hope I have another nice day to do it again.
I will admit, my last post was quite negative, but I did manage to get things straightened out with school. I had some other bumps which included: swapping classes more than once and worrying about the status of my financial aid and enrollment at UW-La Crosse. Even though I had difficulties, I was able to figure things out. To make a long story short, I am now taking a class on Business Tourism. It will unfortunately only transfer back as elective credits, but it will be a fun course to take while here. I'm anxious for it and feel it may end up being my most favorite course here. Don't worry, I won't be switching my major for a sixth time.
This week has also blessed me with a lot of chocolate. From ice cream, to cookies, to chocolate bars, I have dove right in to enjoying the wonderful selection of sweets this country has to over. Before I left I thought that I might lose some weight because I wouldn't be eating as much sweets. You see, the problem with this is that there are so many different types of sweets here and I am determined to try them all. Everyone hear says "heaps" instead of "a lot" or "tons." So, this week I have had heaps of chocolate. My favorite discovery has been Tim Tam's: "the most irresistible chocolate biscuit." Side note: (New Zealand word for cookie = biscuit). They are a delicious cookie that come in a variety of flavors. They are expensive, but worth every penny to me. Plus, they are currently on sale! I went to the grocery store on Wednesday and $9 of $45 bill was dedicated to chocolate. I think I have a problem.
Lastly, to top off this week I joined the Tramping Club. No, it's not what it sounds like. Tramping is hiking, rock climbing, or mountaineering. It only had a $20 joining fee and has weekend trips or daily hikes every single weekend! This is exactly how I want to see New Zealand: by foot, outside, and surrounded by beauty. It was an easy decision to make. In fact, this weekend I am attending the "Fresher's Trip." I am so anxious to leave and I am glad I came prepared with hiking boots, a sleeping bag, and a backpacking backpack. I forced these things into my suitcase so I could go on my own weekend hiking adventures. Now I have a club full of people who share my passion for hiking to enjoy New Zealand with. I am so excited about this opportunity!
Saturday, March 10, 2012
First Week of Class at VUW
I officially survived my first week of school. Not that it was hard or anything, but it definitely was not the best week I’ve ever had. School here is very different than what it is in the states. There are some things that are different here that seem to make sense like the fact that all the buildings are connected so you stay out of the wind when moving from building to building. I’d really enjoy this luxury on a cold winter day back home! It is also nice that my flat is literally five minutes away from essentially of the buildings that my classes are held. Despite these convenient factors, for the most part, I do not like how things are run here at all, but I’m biased.
Currently, I am enrolled in four papers (classes). My classes are: 1) Global History, 2) Gandhi, India, and the World, 3) Visual Perception, and 4) Discursive Social Psychology. I have each of these courses anywhere from 2 to 3 times a week in a large lecture hall. Starting next week, I have a two hour lab for each of my psychology courses and an hour long tutorial for each of my history courses. The large lectures are very different to me and I feel they will not fuel a positive learning environment for me. I love to have discussions in class and get to know my professors. Here, professors are called lecturers because that’s what they do, they lecture and that’s it. The tutorials are designed to be more discussion based; however, from my understanding they can be hit or miss depending upon the students that are in them. I was not happy to learn this week that I would be in class an additional six hours each week between tutorials and labs. Each student schedules labs and tutorials the first week of class. Back in the states, you know exactly what your schedule is right when you register. It was frustrating to make sure each tutorial and lab didn’t interfere with lecture times. I will never understand the logic of not having this all done right away when registering.
The biggest difference in classes is how they are structured. For most of my classes, I have two or three random assignments that are required throughout the semester as well as a final examination. It does not give me a lot of room to, well, slack. There are a lot of readings for each week that are recommended. However, “recommended” readings in the states = me not doing any reading. I’ve met a number of people who say that they do all of the readings and also a number of people who do not do the readings. Clearly, I agree with the people who do not do the readings much more. I am not sure how well I will adjust to all of this extra reading. It makes me miss UWL and what I am familiar with when it comes to how to be a college student. I just do not know how to do it here and I have way too many distractions that are preventing me from figuring it out. In all honesty, I have never been good at doing readings for class, but it hasn’t mattered because class covers the readings (at UWL). Here, I do not know yet if I can say the same thing. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
I also found out some somewhat bad news this week. There is a possibility that I may not graduate in May 2013 because my Discursive Social Psychology course here will not transfer back to what I was hoping it would at UWL. I have basically just enough credits left to complete that will involve 18 credit semesters and some winter or summer courses. Long story short, I am trying to take a fun class in place of it. It is a 300 level class, which involves a lot more work than a 100 or 200 level class here does. I do not want to do the extra work if it won’t help me towards graduation. My logic: I’d rather take a fun class that hopefully involves less work so I can travel around more on the weekends. I am hoping to get this all figured out first thing on Monday.
Sorry to have a somewhat negative blog post. This week has just been one full of adjusting. I am confident things will work out. My college career has gone somewhat sporadically (compared to others) due to a combination of being a state FFA officer, transferring, and switching my major. Studying abroad has been extra work and more challenging since I am doing it as a college senior. Most people do this as sophomores. Regardless, I am happy to be here and am doing what I can to make things work out in the most enjoyable way.
Currently, I am enrolled in four papers (classes). My classes are: 1) Global History, 2) Gandhi, India, and the World, 3) Visual Perception, and 4) Discursive Social Psychology. I have each of these courses anywhere from 2 to 3 times a week in a large lecture hall. Starting next week, I have a two hour lab for each of my psychology courses and an hour long tutorial for each of my history courses. The large lectures are very different to me and I feel they will not fuel a positive learning environment for me. I love to have discussions in class and get to know my professors. Here, professors are called lecturers because that’s what they do, they lecture and that’s it. The tutorials are designed to be more discussion based; however, from my understanding they can be hit or miss depending upon the students that are in them. I was not happy to learn this week that I would be in class an additional six hours each week between tutorials and labs. Each student schedules labs and tutorials the first week of class. Back in the states, you know exactly what your schedule is right when you register. It was frustrating to make sure each tutorial and lab didn’t interfere with lecture times. I will never understand the logic of not having this all done right away when registering.
The biggest difference in classes is how they are structured. For most of my classes, I have two or three random assignments that are required throughout the semester as well as a final examination. It does not give me a lot of room to, well, slack. There are a lot of readings for each week that are recommended. However, “recommended” readings in the states = me not doing any reading. I’ve met a number of people who say that they do all of the readings and also a number of people who do not do the readings. Clearly, I agree with the people who do not do the readings much more. I am not sure how well I will adjust to all of this extra reading. It makes me miss UWL and what I am familiar with when it comes to how to be a college student. I just do not know how to do it here and I have way too many distractions that are preventing me from figuring it out. In all honesty, I have never been good at doing readings for class, but it hasn’t mattered because class covers the readings (at UWL). Here, I do not know yet if I can say the same thing. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
I also found out some somewhat bad news this week. There is a possibility that I may not graduate in May 2013 because my Discursive Social Psychology course here will not transfer back to what I was hoping it would at UWL. I have basically just enough credits left to complete that will involve 18 credit semesters and some winter or summer courses. Long story short, I am trying to take a fun class in place of it. It is a 300 level class, which involves a lot more work than a 100 or 200 level class here does. I do not want to do the extra work if it won’t help me towards graduation. My logic: I’d rather take a fun class that hopefully involves less work so I can travel around more on the weekends. I am hoping to get this all figured out first thing on Monday.
Sorry to have a somewhat negative blog post. This week has just been one full of adjusting. I am confident things will work out. My college career has gone somewhat sporadically (compared to others) due to a combination of being a state FFA officer, transferring, and switching my major. Studying abroad has been extra work and more challenging since I am doing it as a college senior. Most people do this as sophomores. Regardless, I am happy to be here and am doing what I can to make things work out in the most enjoyable way.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Farmer's Market and Newtown Music Festival
This past Sunday was by far the best day I have had in New Zealand. It may not seem like all that exciting of a day, but a lot of things were put into perspective for me. This realization that I had has helped me adjust much more quickly to life in a big city and in a foreign country.
I got up relatively early to go to a local Farmer's Market. There are two that I know of around Wellington and one is only about 5 minutes away from my flat. The other is 30 minutes, and I learned through others who went there that it has more to offer. I'll remember that for next Sunday. This market was incredible. It had every fruit and vegetable imaginable all for a really good price. I got a week's plus supply of apples, oranges, bananas, eggs, lettuce, green beans and onions for only $10! This amazing deal has helped me tremendously in terms of adjusting to the cost of food here. This past week I've been extremely uncomfortable with the fact that food is as much as it is. Knowing that I have this option every week has put me at ease because I will be able to get my essentials for cheap. The market that is 30 minutes from my flat supposedly has breads, meats, and cheeses in addition to fruits and vegetables.
At 1 p.m., I met up with Ocean, my buddy through the International Buddy Program on campus. Her friend Raj drove us and her friend Millie to Newtown for an annual music festival. I may be overly excited, but this festival was simply a blast! There were tons of booths to purchase decorations, jewelry, clothes, hats, etc. There were also tons of places to buy food, and not just any food--ethnic food. I had my very first Crepe with Nutella on it. Basically the best thing I've ever ate in a long time, and I've decided I've been missing out. The day was filled with sweets--I ate a lot of chocolate and licorice that Raj bought for us to munch on while we walked around. We spent a good part of our day drinking Cider (an apple flavored beer) at a bar outside listening to live music. There were 4 or 5 stages with live bands throughout the festival. I met three people that are working on The Hobbit. It was sweet as, and I feel really lucky that I got to share the day with the people I did.
Ocean and Millie even worked a nut stand for a guy. I was going to help to say that I did work in New Zealand, but I wanted to see the festival. It amazes me that this man trusted strangers to work his booth, with all his money, will he took a 15 minute lunch break. Everyone here seems to be friendly. In fact, when we were at Monterey (the bar we drank at), we joined three people at a table. When we asked if we could join them, a man said, "Of course, we are all friends here." That sums up the hospitality of this country quite well: everyone is friends.
It may have seemed like just an ordinary day, but it was the first day that I have felt at home since I left. I'm happy here, and I'm glad I am here. It took some time to adjust, but now I find myself taking each little moment that I have to thank God for allowing me to be here, in this absolutely beautiful city that's a part of a gorgeous country.
I got up relatively early to go to a local Farmer's Market. There are two that I know of around Wellington and one is only about 5 minutes away from my flat. The other is 30 minutes, and I learned through others who went there that it has more to offer. I'll remember that for next Sunday. This market was incredible. It had every fruit and vegetable imaginable all for a really good price. I got a week's plus supply of apples, oranges, bananas, eggs, lettuce, green beans and onions for only $10! This amazing deal has helped me tremendously in terms of adjusting to the cost of food here. This past week I've been extremely uncomfortable with the fact that food is as much as it is. Knowing that I have this option every week has put me at ease because I will be able to get my essentials for cheap. The market that is 30 minutes from my flat supposedly has breads, meats, and cheeses in addition to fruits and vegetables.
At 1 p.m., I met up with Ocean, my buddy through the International Buddy Program on campus. Her friend Raj drove us and her friend Millie to Newtown for an annual music festival. I may be overly excited, but this festival was simply a blast! There were tons of booths to purchase decorations, jewelry, clothes, hats, etc. There were also tons of places to buy food, and not just any food--ethnic food. I had my very first Crepe with Nutella on it. Basically the best thing I've ever ate in a long time, and I've decided I've been missing out. The day was filled with sweets--I ate a lot of chocolate and licorice that Raj bought for us to munch on while we walked around. We spent a good part of our day drinking Cider (an apple flavored beer) at a bar outside listening to live music. There were 4 or 5 stages with live bands throughout the festival. I met three people that are working on The Hobbit. It was sweet as, and I feel really lucky that I got to share the day with the people I did.
Ocean and Millie even worked a nut stand for a guy. I was going to help to say that I did work in New Zealand, but I wanted to see the festival. It amazes me that this man trusted strangers to work his booth, with all his money, will he took a 15 minute lunch break. Everyone here seems to be friendly. In fact, when we were at Monterey (the bar we drank at), we joined three people at a table. When we asked if we could join them, a man said, "Of course, we are all friends here." That sums up the hospitality of this country quite well: everyone is friends.
It may have seemed like just an ordinary day, but it was the first day that I have felt at home since I left. I'm happy here, and I'm glad I am here. It took some time to adjust, but now I find myself taking each little moment that I have to thank God for allowing me to be here, in this absolutely beautiful city that's a part of a gorgeous country.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Adjusting to Wellington
Although New Zealand is in a completely different part of the world, there are still a lot of similarities between back home and here. However, there have been a number of differences that I have been trying to get used to. I haven’t become frustrated with anything yet, but I usually find it entertaining. Here’s some of the biggest differences I have made note of or that have started to stand out.
School Differences
1. Kiwi's call school or college “Uni.” I have been around many people who have asked questions like “When does uni start” or “What uni are you going to.” It really does make quite a bit of sense if you think about it considering most college campuses back home are called universities and not college.
2. Classes are known as papers. This has been tough to get used to because people will ask me about something relating to papers and I automatically have a sudden moment of panic thinking I should be writing a paper.
3. Credits are called points. I haven’t figured out the logic behind it yet because “papers” that I have each week that meet less or worth more points which is just the opposite of the way things are in Wisconsin.
4. Each week, I have tutorials outside of my “papers.” These are small group sessions with older uni students where there is more discussion compared to lectures.
5. I have to read a lot here, apparently. Classes are just beginning so I am unsure what the work load will be, but every Kiwi I have met have said they actually read, whereas back home, I do not read.
Daily Interactions
1. Back home, when something is cool, we say “cool” or “sweet” or “awesome.” Here they say “sweet as” or “cool as.” This has been one of my most favorite parts of being in New Zealand.
2. They talk extremely fast. This sums it up pretty well and I am annoyed by how much I have had to ask someone to repeat themselves. They also talk much quieter. I’m catching on quick luckily and everyone here thinks I have a “sweet as” accent.
3. They have a playful way of harassing Australians, or Aussie’s. There appears to be a big rivalry.
4. Everyone here is friends. While at a bar on Sunday, we joined another table because they had room at it. That would never happen back in the US.
5. Some people greet friends with a hug and kiss on the cheek. This could mean nothing or something so you can imagine my confusion if I am ever in this predicament.
6. No one gets worked up about anything, everyone I’ve met has been very relaxed, always looking to have fun, and slightly on the crazy side in terms of wanting to make things more exciting or thrilling.
7. When eating at a café or grabbing coffee (which the coffee and café selection here is huge), you do not clear your dishes. You just leave them on the table.
8. Different word choices:
-reckon=think
-jobs=chores
-barbie=barbeque
-sandals=jandals
-after thank you, they say “It’s alright”
-bro=good friend or brother
-Kiwi’s=citizen of New Zealand
-trolley=shopping cart
-Wellywood=Wellington
-park=parking spot
-bin or rubbish bin=trash can
Differences in Infrastructure/Money/Tax/Sports
1. They drive on the other side of the road. This is so confusing, and I always have to look right first when crossing the street. There are a lot of one way streets in Wellington which has made crossing the street a little safer to me.
2. They also walk on the left side of the street, which is taking some getting used to. It makes sense because we walk on the right back home.
3. They use a lot of round-a-bouts. I haven’t seen too many stop signs since I have been in New Zealand.
4. Metrics is used here. I am still adjusting to a temperature scale, defining distance in terms of kilometers, and measuring out groceries in terms of grams or kilograms. Luckily, the ghetto phone I got has a conversion setting on it.
5. Tax is included and rounding is used when purchasing goods or items. If my grocery bill came to $58.73, I would pay $58.70. If something says it is $4, like a coffee for example, you pay $4.
6. One dollar bills are not used here. Rather, there are $2 and $1 coins. The smallest coin is a 10 cent piece.
7. Tipping is not a custom here. However, I recently learned that if you tip a bartender, they may make your drinks stronger or slip you a free drink at some point in the night.
8. The country is not politically correct in any way. For example, many things are provocative in nature. When going on tours, the tour guides have cracked a lot of sexual jokes. You do not see this back home, and many people would consider it inappropriate.
9. Back home, the world stops on Sunday’s for football. Here, well, Rugby trumps everything. The All Blacks just won the Rugby World Cup, so it is an even bigger deal here.
Other Differences
1. Walking is a way of life here. I have often walked 30 minutes to go grocery shopping and the beach is 45 minutes from where I live. I suppose that’s typical of a big city.
2. When Kiwi’s go out, they dress up. Girls wear dresses and guys often wear ties. Open-toed shoes are not acceptable and bouncers are able to not allow you in due to what you are wearing.
3. In general, people dress up way more than they do back home.
4. The bars close when everyone in them decides to go home, which is often at 4 or 5 in the morning.
5. Some airports do not have any sort of security measure. This speaks volume as to how peaceful of a country I am in.
6. There are two buttons on toilets: 1 is for less water usage and 2 is for more water usage (I'm sure you all can figure the rest out).
7. The outlets here need to be turned on to be used; there's an actual switch on them.
School Differences
1. Kiwi's call school or college “Uni.” I have been around many people who have asked questions like “When does uni start” or “What uni are you going to.” It really does make quite a bit of sense if you think about it considering most college campuses back home are called universities and not college.
2. Classes are known as papers. This has been tough to get used to because people will ask me about something relating to papers and I automatically have a sudden moment of panic thinking I should be writing a paper.
3. Credits are called points. I haven’t figured out the logic behind it yet because “papers” that I have each week that meet less or worth more points which is just the opposite of the way things are in Wisconsin.
4. Each week, I have tutorials outside of my “papers.” These are small group sessions with older uni students where there is more discussion compared to lectures.
5. I have to read a lot here, apparently. Classes are just beginning so I am unsure what the work load will be, but every Kiwi I have met have said they actually read, whereas back home, I do not read.
Daily Interactions
1. Back home, when something is cool, we say “cool” or “sweet” or “awesome.” Here they say “sweet as” or “cool as.” This has been one of my most favorite parts of being in New Zealand.
2. They talk extremely fast. This sums it up pretty well and I am annoyed by how much I have had to ask someone to repeat themselves. They also talk much quieter. I’m catching on quick luckily and everyone here thinks I have a “sweet as” accent.
3. They have a playful way of harassing Australians, or Aussie’s. There appears to be a big rivalry.
4. Everyone here is friends. While at a bar on Sunday, we joined another table because they had room at it. That would never happen back in the US.
5. Some people greet friends with a hug and kiss on the cheek. This could mean nothing or something so you can imagine my confusion if I am ever in this predicament.
6. No one gets worked up about anything, everyone I’ve met has been very relaxed, always looking to have fun, and slightly on the crazy side in terms of wanting to make things more exciting or thrilling.
7. When eating at a café or grabbing coffee (which the coffee and café selection here is huge), you do not clear your dishes. You just leave them on the table.
8. Different word choices:
-reckon=think
-jobs=chores
-barbie=barbeque
-sandals=jandals
-after thank you, they say “It’s alright”
-bro=good friend or brother
-Kiwi’s=citizen of New Zealand
-trolley=shopping cart
-Wellywood=Wellington
-park=parking spot
-bin or rubbish bin=trash can
Differences in Infrastructure/Money/Tax/Sports
1. They drive on the other side of the road. This is so confusing, and I always have to look right first when crossing the street. There are a lot of one way streets in Wellington which has made crossing the street a little safer to me.
2. They also walk on the left side of the street, which is taking some getting used to. It makes sense because we walk on the right back home.
3. They use a lot of round-a-bouts. I haven’t seen too many stop signs since I have been in New Zealand.
4. Metrics is used here. I am still adjusting to a temperature scale, defining distance in terms of kilometers, and measuring out groceries in terms of grams or kilograms. Luckily, the ghetto phone I got has a conversion setting on it.
5. Tax is included and rounding is used when purchasing goods or items. If my grocery bill came to $58.73, I would pay $58.70. If something says it is $4, like a coffee for example, you pay $4.
6. One dollar bills are not used here. Rather, there are $2 and $1 coins. The smallest coin is a 10 cent piece.
7. Tipping is not a custom here. However, I recently learned that if you tip a bartender, they may make your drinks stronger or slip you a free drink at some point in the night.
8. The country is not politically correct in any way. For example, many things are provocative in nature. When going on tours, the tour guides have cracked a lot of sexual jokes. You do not see this back home, and many people would consider it inappropriate.
9. Back home, the world stops on Sunday’s for football. Here, well, Rugby trumps everything. The All Blacks just won the Rugby World Cup, so it is an even bigger deal here.
Other Differences
1. Walking is a way of life here. I have often walked 30 minutes to go grocery shopping and the beach is 45 minutes from where I live. I suppose that’s typical of a big city.
2. When Kiwi’s go out, they dress up. Girls wear dresses and guys often wear ties. Open-toed shoes are not acceptable and bouncers are able to not allow you in due to what you are wearing.
3. In general, people dress up way more than they do back home.
4. The bars close when everyone in them decides to go home, which is often at 4 or 5 in the morning.
5. Some airports do not have any sort of security measure. This speaks volume as to how peaceful of a country I am in.
6. There are two buttons on toilets: 1 is for less water usage and 2 is for more water usage (I'm sure you all can figure the rest out).
7. The outlets here need to be turned on to be used; there's an actual switch on them.
Friday, March 2, 2012
First Week in Wellington
I arrived in Wellington on Sunday afternoon. It was a waiting game at the airport for my shuttle, but it was well worth the wait. I arrived at my flat around 4 and met two of my three roommates right away. Casey is from Arkansas and Dan is from Pennsylvania. So far, they have been great and I'm looking forward to getting to know them more. My last roommate arrived later Monday evening. His name is Zane and he's from New York. I haven't talked to him as much as I have talked to Casey and Dan, but he is very friendly and excited to be here.
A lot of the people I met during the BCP last week were jealous when I told them that I'd be living in Wai-te-ata. Supposedly they are the best international student accommodations offered through Victoria. Since being here for only a few days, I can see why people were so jealous. I have also learned that I am also in the best flat because it has the best view. It's incredible to walk by my living room every morning and see a sunrise and every evening to see the city all lit up. I feel blessed and I know I will already miss that view when I leave in July. Also, to make things even better, I live right next to the campus gym and right next to the campus where all of my classes will be. Can life possibly get any better for me here?
Wellington is a beautiful city and there is so much to do here. I have spent this week becoming acquainted with the city. I have already discovered some cool shops and delicious cafes; it feels as though I already have my favorite places to eat and shop. Everything here is steep, and when I say steep, I think steep is an understatement. I think I am going to have calves and buns of steel by the time I head home to the states. I am debating if I even need to join the gym since I have over 100 stairs to climb from my level of the city to the bottom level of the city. There are various staircases that can be taken into the city, or very steep hills that aren't fun to walk up or down.
It has been tough to accept the differences of prices of basically everything compared to the USA. For example, the cheapest I have seen shampoo has been about $6, mascara is $20-25, and food is at least double what it is back home. For example, my cereal costs me about $6 for a box. Luckily, this week is O-week (orientation week) and I have been able to get a lot of free food at events around campus, including two ice cream cones most importantly. On Sunday's there is a huge farmer's market. From what I hear I can get my week's supply of fruits, veggies, breads, and cheeses for about $20 to $30. I had to brave the grocery stores this week since I didn't arrive on time. Plus, a local bakery drops off day-old bread on campus every Wednesday and Friday. The longer I am here, the more comfortable I am getting and the less worried I am about the cost of living because of all of these random deals I keep hearing about. There is also a way to have groceries delivered which is supposedly much cheaper and convenient to not have to carry them 30 minutes up hills back to my flat each time.
As I mentioned, this week is O-week. I had an international student orientation on Tuesday where I was able to learn about different things the campus has to offer and register for my classes. NZ is about 5 years behind the USA in terms of internet (or so I hear) so I had to wait in line for 2 hours to register for classes. It wasn't too bad, but I felt bad for the people who had to enter in class’s student after student. It is crazy to think that I am officially a student here at the Victoria University of Wellington.
When planning to study abroad, I was focused on making this journey in my life a simple one. I spent a week and a half without my cell phone and loved the lack of stress that came with it. Since arriving in Wellington, I noticed how basically everyone had a cell phone. Despite not wanting to purchase one, I decided to get a pre-paid phone because it is hard to communicate with people without one. I spent a lot of my first couple days here on Facebook waiting to hear back from people to coordinate plans. The phone reminds me of the phone I got in 7th grade, and I haven't had to charge it once in the 4 days I've had it--I still have a full battery! It will be nice to have so I can easily make plans with people as well as feel a little safer when I'm out and about.
I start classes on Monday. Currently there is a severe weather warning due to heavy rain and 50+ mph winds. I do not think I will end up doing a ton this weekend because of the weather which saddens me. I'm looking forward to starting my classes and will post another blog in about a week to talk about how classes are going for me.
A lot of the people I met during the BCP last week were jealous when I told them that I'd be living in Wai-te-ata. Supposedly they are the best international student accommodations offered through Victoria. Since being here for only a few days, I can see why people were so jealous. I have also learned that I am also in the best flat because it has the best view. It's incredible to walk by my living room every morning and see a sunrise and every evening to see the city all lit up. I feel blessed and I know I will already miss that view when I leave in July. Also, to make things even better, I live right next to the campus gym and right next to the campus where all of my classes will be. Can life possibly get any better for me here?
Wellington is a beautiful city and there is so much to do here. I have spent this week becoming acquainted with the city. I have already discovered some cool shops and delicious cafes; it feels as though I already have my favorite places to eat and shop. Everything here is steep, and when I say steep, I think steep is an understatement. I think I am going to have calves and buns of steel by the time I head home to the states. I am debating if I even need to join the gym since I have over 100 stairs to climb from my level of the city to the bottom level of the city. There are various staircases that can be taken into the city, or very steep hills that aren't fun to walk up or down.
It has been tough to accept the differences of prices of basically everything compared to the USA. For example, the cheapest I have seen shampoo has been about $6, mascara is $20-25, and food is at least double what it is back home. For example, my cereal costs me about $6 for a box. Luckily, this week is O-week (orientation week) and I have been able to get a lot of free food at events around campus, including two ice cream cones most importantly. On Sunday's there is a huge farmer's market. From what I hear I can get my week's supply of fruits, veggies, breads, and cheeses for about $20 to $30. I had to brave the grocery stores this week since I didn't arrive on time. Plus, a local bakery drops off day-old bread on campus every Wednesday and Friday. The longer I am here, the more comfortable I am getting and the less worried I am about the cost of living because of all of these random deals I keep hearing about. There is also a way to have groceries delivered which is supposedly much cheaper and convenient to not have to carry them 30 minutes up hills back to my flat each time.
As I mentioned, this week is O-week. I had an international student orientation on Tuesday where I was able to learn about different things the campus has to offer and register for my classes. NZ is about 5 years behind the USA in terms of internet (or so I hear) so I had to wait in line for 2 hours to register for classes. It wasn't too bad, but I felt bad for the people who had to enter in class’s student after student. It is crazy to think that I am officially a student here at the Victoria University of Wellington.
When planning to study abroad, I was focused on making this journey in my life a simple one. I spent a week and a half without my cell phone and loved the lack of stress that came with it. Since arriving in Wellington, I noticed how basically everyone had a cell phone. Despite not wanting to purchase one, I decided to get a pre-paid phone because it is hard to communicate with people without one. I spent a lot of my first couple days here on Facebook waiting to hear back from people to coordinate plans. The phone reminds me of the phone I got in 7th grade, and I haven't had to charge it once in the 4 days I've had it--I still have a full battery! It will be nice to have so I can easily make plans with people as well as feel a little safer when I'm out and about.
I start classes on Monday. Currently there is a severe weather warning due to heavy rain and 50+ mph winds. I do not think I will end up doing a ton this weekend because of the weather which saddens me. I'm looking forward to starting my classes and will post another blog in about a week to talk about how classes are going for me.
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