Events in Wonderful Welly

These past two weeks have been fairly eventful, so I figured I'd give everyone an update of what life has been like in Wellington.

On May 9th I had the pleasure of seeing two of my friends I made while traveling on the Kiwi Experience bus.  Jacqueline, from Germany, and Nora, from the Netherlands, were both in town.  I actually gave Nora a place to stay while she visited Wellington for 3 days.  It was nice to have some good company!  We met up for dinner and went to a place called Heaven Pizza.  There was an $8 student special going on for a large pizza.  That's really cheap for New Zealand so we all got our own pizzas!

Nora, Jacqueline, and I enjoying our cheap pizza!

I also had my first New Zealand movie theater experience.  I figured I would go to movies a lot here since I enjoy going to them back home.  I've always looked at them as cheap entertainment.  Well, it costs $22 to see a movie here, so I was in no hurry to go.  Once I saw previews for "The Five Year Engagement" I knew I'd finally have my movie theater experience.  My friends and I went on Tuesday night because that's when tickets are half off.  $11 for a movie?  I think I can handle that.  Plus, with the exchange rate it's about the same as what it was back home.  Obviously going to the movies isn't that much different compared to in the states, but their chairs are way more comfortable.  They also have assigned seating, which was strange.  I enjoyed the movie and recommend it to anyone who reads this that likes romantic comedies.

My friend Suzanne and I in the comfy theater seats!

On Friday, May 18th, my friends and I decided to go to a Rugby game.  I thought that all of the home games/matches were already over for the year so I leaped at the opportunity when my friend Cameron proposed that idea of going.  The Hurricanes (based out of Wellington) played the Brumbies (an Aussie team).  I cannot even begin to explain how rugby games are played.  I tried to figure it out, but to me, it just looked like they kept throwing the ball around in hopes to score.  There didn't appear to be any strategy behind it.  A score was called a "try" and I am not even sure how many points they were worth.  I thought rugby was equivalent to soccer in Europe, but the stadium was about 40% full and the whole atmosphere of being at a rugby game was not exciting.  There was no crowd participation or fun songs played to get the crowd more into the game, like what is done at a football or baseball game.  I am glad I went because attending a rugby game was something I wanted to do prior to coming to New Zealand, and I still enjoyed the experience despite the lack of an "enthusiastic" atmosphere in the stadium.  I think I'll stick with football and baseball.  The rugby game was about as exciting as a girls basketball game.  No offense to any women I know who play/played basketball, but they are not that exciting to watch.  And I even played basketball at one point!

A shot of some rugby action!

Otherwise, things in Wellington are great.  My friends and I have made an effort to try different food cuisines because everything imaginable (except good Italian) is in Wellington.  So far we've tried Thai (which was awesome), and have plans to try Indian, Morrocan, and Malaysian...maybe even Mongolian and Lebanese, too.  School is busy at the moment.  I have three weeks left of classes and three and a half weeks of finals.  In the three weeks left of school I have two research papers due and two exams.  Time is going so fast and I cannot believe I have been here for a quarter of a year already.  It's officially winter here as well so I am having to readjust to 50 degrees again.  I hope it doesn't get much colder!

My friend Kayla and I at the rugby game.

What I Miss About Home

These are the things I miss most about home.  It could also be considered a list entitled, "What I hate about New Zealand," and by that I simply just mean that New Zealand can never offer me the comfort of everything home does for me.  So for everyone who is worried that I won't be coming home...don't worry, I'll be home...and I'm on the final stretch.  In fact, I hope I never have to live anywhere besides Wisconsin again, but who knows what God has in store for me.  I've been living in Wellington, New Zealand for over 3 months now.  It is crazy how time flies and what time away from home makes a person realize.  For me, the time has shown me what makes me the person I am as well as what things I take for granted that I never expected to.

1. Cheap food.  If a person wants to go to a restaurant for breakfast, lunch or dinner, they can expect to pay $10, $15, or $20, respectively.  And that's on the short end.  I once paid $16 for two waffles!  I won't even get into how expensive groceries are.
2. My car.  Walking everywhere gets old pretty fast.
3. My horses.  Seriously, how in the world did I think 5 months away from them would be easy?
4. Single water faucets.  While washing my hands, I either scald them with the hot water faucet or freeze them with the cold water faucet.  It makes washing my face at night a challenge.
5. Pedestrian right away.  It is absolutely obnoxious that no car stops for you unless you're in a cross walk, which do not come in high numbers throughout the city.  Someone told me that you cannot sue in New Zealand, so why would someone ever worry about hitting a person while crossing the street?
6. My family. Self-explanatory.
7. My friends. Self-explanatory.
8. Blue Moon beer.  I also just miss cheap drinks in general.
9. A camera phone.  I've gotten used to making sure I have my camera with me at all times now.
10. The Rivoli.  I'll never take cheap movies for granted again.  It costs $22 to see a movie in theaters here in New Zealand.  Can someone say RIP OFF?!
11. A job.  I love working, and find myself bored a lot because I have an extra 20 hours given to me in a week that are normally set aside for working.
12. UWL.  I'll never take my professors for granted again.  At UWL, professors encourage a positive learning environment, class discussions, and make an effort to know you a personal basis.  I'm afraid to talk to any of my professors at Vic because they are unapproachable.
13. My bed.  It's way more comfortable and larger than my twin bed here.
14. My own living quarters.  I'll admit I am a hard person to live with because I am exceptionally clean.  I get so sick of picking up after people all the time and being the only person who cleans.  I'll be happy to not have to do that once I get home again.
15. My dog's morning wake up calls.  Waking up to a happy dog is so much better than an alarm.
16. The beauty of Wisconsin.  Yes, I have spent the last 3 months traveling all over the beautiful country of New Zealand, but nothing can ever compare to the beauty of the Coulee Region.
17. John's Bar/Downtown La Crosse.  So many wonderful memories with wonderful people have happened there...and being away from it makes me feel like it doesn't even exist anymore.  The high class of a city is not a nightlife I enjoy.
18. Courteous walkers.  I feel like I get taken out by people a lot because they don't care to share the walking space around town or through campus.  Getting "boob swiped" or getting as close as I can to a railing or building so I don't get pushed over is not something I ever thought I'd have to get used to.
19. Cheese curds.  They have never ever heard of cheese curds here.  And they haven't heard of many flavors of cheese in general.
20. Living in the country.  Cities are not for this cowgirl!
21. Service.  Okay, once again, I'll admit a flaw of mine (but only 2 per blog).  I am a service snob.  The service offered in restaurants and bars here is ridiculous.  Workers are rude, inconsiderate, and unwilling to answer questions about specials.  Overall it is just awkward to go out to dinner because I never know if I am supposed to seat myself, grab my own menu or place my order at the counter.

Tongariro National Park Road Trip

On Friday, May 4th, three of my fabulous friends I've made in New Zealand embarked on an epic journey four and a half hours north of Wellington to Tongariro National Park.  Our journey entailed renting a car.  Sounds like no big deal, right?  Wrong.  Remember, they drive on the LEFT side of the road here in New Zealand.  I said I'd be willing to drive because I really wanted to drive on the other side of the road while here, and now I can say I've done that!

Driving on the left side of the road!

Suzanne, Cameron, Ashley, and I left Wellington at 5 because a couple of us had some late classes, and we are good study abroad students who do not skip class.  Okay, in reality, we just wanted to have the car as late as possible through Saturday because we were only going to be gone overnight...and we had to have it back by 5.  Of course I'd skip class to go explore New Zealand!



Mount Rhapehu

I took one for the team and said I'd drive out of the city.  This was the one thing about driving here that worried me the most.  After going about 2 blocks away from the car rental shop, I realized that driving on the other side of the road was a piece of cake.  After not driving a car for nearly two and a half months, it felt strange to be in the driver's seat.  The biggest difference was that the blinkers are on the right side of the steering wheel versus the left.  That means that the wiper blades were controlled by a lever on the left side of the steering wheel.  That's an extremely tough habit to break so our windshield stayed exceptionally clean while driving the entire time.  Luckily the gas and brake pedals are on the same side.


Ashley, Suzanne, Cameron, and I by Taranaki Falls

At about 6:30, I had to take a breathalizer.  There were two random police officers stopping every car driving through a town.  It was strange, but I think it is great that they take the measures they do to prevent drunk driving here.  We made it to our hostel at about 9:30 on Friday night.  It was a strange place that seemed to be in a deserted location and was not well lit.  Don't worry, everything turned out fine.  Unfortunately, I had to take a shower at 5 in the morning in an a shower that was not in a heated room.  It might have been one of the worst experiences of my life, but the fun we had exploring Tongariro National Park made up for my cold shower in the cold.  It's the beginning of winter here, so it was about 30 degrees Fahrenheit that morning.


Tawhai Falls

We rose early on Saturday so we would have enough time to see the park.  We began hiking Taranaki Falls Track which began in Whakapaka Village.  We took our time and were able to be surrounded for nearly 3 hours by natural beauty.  We had sights where we could see for miles and miles.  We also were able to see Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Ruapehu throughout most of our hike.  Then of course, we were able to see Taranaki Falls.  I'm not sure how many of my friends back home are huge Lord of the Rings fans, but the sights I got to see this past weekend are ones that would have looked very familiar to you.


Mount Ngauruhoe

We finished our first hike around 9:30.  Our next mission was to get gas because it was not something I paid much attention to on the way up.  We were going to eat at a cafe at the base of Mount Ruapehu, which meant that having a full tank of gas was a priority.  Gas is 2.19 a liter, and 3.6 liters make a gallon.  Needless to say, I am glad there was 4 of us to split the costs.  After refueling, we did one last hike to see some more gorgeous waterfalls on Tawhai Walk.  We left by 12 to get back to Wellington in time, making some fun road stops along the way which included a giant carrot and a giant rain boot.  We also stopped at some scenic lookouts.  This road trip may have been short, but it is one that was filled with memories with incredible people that will be lifelong friends for me.

The BEST sign I've ever seen

Mocking the giant boot

I wish I could bring this home to my horses

Somes Island

There is a tiny island that is about a 25 minute ferry ride away from the Wellington harbor.  This island is called Somes Island, and it's an area I really wanted to go because it sounded interesting.  It is one of three islands in the Wellington harbor.  Originally, there was a scheduled overnight trip with the Tramping Club, but it was taken off the schedule.  Luckily for me, the Victoria International Exchange Club, which I am also a part of, organized a ferry ride and guided tour on Saturday, April 28th.  I figured it would be a great opportunity to meet new people and see this island that has sparked my curiousity.

Why is it so fascinating you ask?  Originally, the Maori people used the island as a place to retreat to during times of war.  But that's not what fascinated me so much.  This island was used as a quarantine location for both human and animal immigrants.  Sadly, it is the only place many people reached when trying to arrive in New Zealand during the 20th century.  Honestly, it felt quite morbid to be on the island knowing what it was formerly used for.

A few friends of mine decided to go.  My friend Jacquie, who is from Canada wanted to go, and Hillary, a girl from New Hampshire that I met through AustraLearn had planned to go. as well.  It was nice to have people along that I knew.  We had to be at the ferry dock at 9:30 on Satruday.  We were greeted with rain that morning, but luckily it stopped and we had a lovely morning on the island.

The island is used in a different way now.  In fact, when we arrived we had to take extra biosecutiry measures.  There are no predators on the island because the island is also home to some lizards and birds that are dwindling in numbers.  Fortunately, no one had any rodents in any of their belongings so we were good to go!  It was interesting to have to thoroughly clean my hiking boots and check through my bag and pockets for anything that might prove to be a threat to the natural habitat of Somes Island. 

We ended up only spending about three hours on the island.  About an hour and a half was a guided tour and we were able to see a Cook Strait giant weta (see above) and a Tuatara lizard.  We were lucky to see these animals.  There is also a flock of sheep that calls the island home, but they weren't too friendly.  We were also lucky enough to see some seals, but did not spot any penguins that also inhabit that island.  The rest of the time on the island was spent exploring, taking in the sights, and eating lunch.  We headed back early because the weather was looking unpromising.  I enjoyed seeing the island, but it definitely is not something I consider a "must see" while in Wellington or New Zealand.  I just found the history of the island to be particularly interesting, and I could have learned that without actually visitint the island.

Kiwi's Love NZ!

In the two and a half months I've been in NZ, I've learned that Kiwi's really love their country.  I think that this is a wonderful thing.  I also love their country, but on a larger scale, I love our world.  It's full of impeccable beauty that I want generations after generations to enjoy.  For anyone who knows me or has gone shopping with me, you know that I often turn down plastic bags (especially if I am only buying a few things) and tell the cashier, "I'm all about saving the world, one plastic bag at a time."  Needless to say, seeing people who love their country as much as Kiwi's do definitely brings a smile to my face.  I feel the same way they do.

I've already hit on some of the things that are done in this country to preserve NZ in previous blogs, but in case you've forgotten, here's a little refresher. 

1. All toilets are equipped with a "light" load and "heavy" load button to save water.
2. Power outlets need to be turned on to operate which conserves a lot of energy.
3. Most drinks are sold in glass bottles, eliminating plastic.
4. Many grocery stores charge for plastic bags, which encourages people to buy reusable bags just for grocery shopping.
5. Recycling here is a pretty big deal.  They even recycle cardboard!  I will admit, I do not even recycle cardboard, and I am not sure I know anyone who does.

Recently, I've learned that Kiwi's want to preserve their country's natural beauty in terms of the incredible views it has to offer.  While traveling around the south island over break, our bus driver informed us that people cannot build houses in places that ruin a view.  While driving through the mountains, we never saw houses.  I think that this is a really cool thing.  In the USA, if people want to buy land for the "right" price, most likely the seller could care less what they end up doing with the land.

I have noticed that there is not a lot of litter here.  People are not allowed the throw cigarette butts on the ground.  I know people are not supposed to do this in the USA either, but it is not as strongly enforced as it is here.  While tramping, every one made an extra effort to remove all litter and I often saw the leaders of our group picking up trash they found along the way.  It's the little things that the citizens of NZ do on a daily basis to keep their country as perfect, pure, and natural as possible that make a difference.

The last big thing I have noticed is that natural bush is "worked around."  For example, while hiking, if a trail is made and a big tree is in the way, the trail goes around the tree instead of the tree being chopped down.  The native bush is also used as landscape.  Many of our hostels that we stayed at over break had native bush used as landscape as a way to decorate, whereas we often create our own in the states.  Everything here shows NZ's natural beauty.

It's these little differences that matter.  The Kiwi's are doing so much to keep their country pure.  I know many people feel that one person cannot make a difference, but they can.  Buy reusable grocery bags, unplug outlets, do not use as much water, and recycle.  Even if you can afford to leave things plugged in or take a long shower, try not do these things everyday.  If more people put in an effort to save their country, our world would be a better place.  I hope that if you read this blog post, you begin doing the little things.  Your contribution will matter and keep our world and our country a better place for future generations to come.  We need to care.  If you do not care, why should anyone else care?