Hello from New Zealand!
Well, precisely one week has passed since I arrived, and wow, what fun and intrigue. If your up for it, allow me to give you some insight into this climactic experience. So I left on February 1st, Sunday night. Katherine (my sister) and I had spent the afternoon relaxing and chatting at a spa (her going-away present to me!) My parents picked us up and drove us to the insanity of LAX where we had dinner and said our good-byes. Yes, I got a bit teary-eyed after they left. It was kind of an overwhelming feeling. I was embarking on this huge adventure that I knew absolutely nothing about, and there wasn’t anyone to share this experience with, as I am accustomed to. I was truly on my own. Our plane was delayed an hour and a half. Not only that but I offered to trade my seat from the front of the plane to the very last row of the plane so a lady could sit with her two kids. It was pretty steamy back there. But I took my melatonin (cheers to Pat!) and I slept most of the 10 hour flight. We arrived in Fiji and walked out in the foreign, humid air. From the air, Fiji looks like a smattering of gorgeous green hilly islands. Mind you, this was my first time being south of the equator, and I was pretty ecstatic at this fact. Inside the airport, we were greeted by a foursome of colorfully dressed Fijians playing small guitars and singing with amazing harmony songs incorporating the phrase “Bula- bula” or rather, “greetings! Hello! May it go well with you!” My next flight took off in an hour. I was partnered seating-wise with a girl slightly older than me who was going to see her parents for the first time in two years after being with the Peace-Corps on the most remote island they work with. She told me all about how it is to live on next to nothing and how much her world-view had changed. I loved hearing about it!

Flying over New Zealand got me really riled up. For the past what-seems-like-a-decade, I’d been pouring over maps of New Zealand, and now I was seeing it with my very own eyes! The northern part shot out with many forests and little wooded islands (there actually IS an island called Little Wooded Island :o) and finally the city of Auckland, which appeared to be 10 times larger than I’d anticipated. I was greeted with a nice, comfortable feeling upon landing- that this was my home for the next 10 months. After getting through the 2-hour custom line, I was met by Ivan O’Reilly, the head of UCEAP (University of California Education Abroad Program) New Zealand. A couple of guys from the UC’s were with him too. We hopped in a van and headed to Grafton Hall, a 45 minute drive from the airport, where all the UC students studying abroad in New Zealand would have orientation. The first few hours of being in Auckland were fun… probably the most enchanting and memorable time for me! First of all, Kiwi’s drive on the opposite side of the road, like the English system. So that was quite peculiar to me. Driving to the hall, we got to see a lot of residential area among the really small rolling hills of Auckland. But this did not deprive this city from all the GREEN!!! Dude! They have the funkiest trees, bushes, and flowers you ever did see. And its all over the place. Also, Auckland has a few prominent flat-top hills that stand above the rest, giving the city a bit of character. While sitting in the van, the driver was answering the two other guys and my millions of questions. We arrived a Grafton Hall, a dormitory belonging to the University of Auckland but about a 15 minute walk to campus, and unpacked. I’m on the 8th (top) floor so I have a great view. As soon as I was unpacked I was ready to explore!! After all, that’s probably one the greatest driving reasons for my being here.

I ran out of the hall so fast! And went the wrong way that I had intended to, as I was headed to the bank. I asked a couple of Kiwi’s for directions and they answered in their delightful accent (that I still can’t get over!) and finally made my way around a bit of downtown. On the way back I ran into this huge beautiful park called the Auckland Domain. This week I’ve had the privilege to run around and explore it and find all these cool paths with little creeks and different kinds of vegetation. It’s about a 5 minute walk from campus so that’s a plus! That night I had dinner with about 10 other UC students who’d arrived and thus began the rest of the week’s deluge of UC kid minglings and explorations. We spent that night and the next day walking up and down Queen Street (a main shopping street with lots of entertainment. It even has a McDonalds, Wendy’s, Burger King and Subway… heh), checking out the university, and experiencing the unpredictable Auckland weather of rain and sunshine all within a few hours of each other. There are no mountains protecting Auckland so whatever weather system is on its way is the one we get. Thursday orientation started. (Btw- did I tell you I arrived in Auckland on Tuesday? I skipped Februrary 2nd! No Groundhog’s Day for me! What does that say for my winter? )

Every morning through Sunday morning, all the UC students (48 all together) met with university personnel from New Zealand for insight to the culture, geography, climate, and academic life of New Zealand. This was a lot of information. Some of it was quite comical though, especially in comparing Kiwi language to American language. While we go to the bathroom, they go to the ‘toilet’ or the ‘loo.’ There classes are called ‘papers.’ It’s a neat challenge to begin thinking in a new language.

Saturday we took a ferry to the island of Tiri Tiri Waitangi, a protected island about an hour from Auckland. We walked up the island through the forest to see the plant and bird life, ate lunch at the top by the lighthouse and then had four hours to do whatever we wanted. I took a hike with 3 other girls around the eastern side of the island and… man! I felt like I was in the jungle or something. I can’t get over how different the vegetation is. (see pictures). Afterward, we laid out on the beach and soaked up the UV 11 sunrays. Yes! You have to wear suntan lotion nonstop here in the summer. Thankfully I only got slightly burned and am picking up a nice tan that’s three years overdue… heh…

On top of all this orientation stuff I’ve been grappling to find my own place and get my car. Tonight I am meeting with three different flatting (housing) options. It’s challenging. There’s a lot to take into account living on your own and being wary of finances and making the most responsible and efficient choice, especially when you don’t know anyone and have no mode of transportation (in a big city at that!). I’ve called my parents at least once everyday, it seems, for guidance. Also, the UC leaders are also friendly and helpful… I have grown a deep respect for the program, their organization, purpose and all. I let off on a sweet note. It’s my birthday today (I’m 21!), yet orientation ended yesterday and lots of people left for their own universities (of which there are 7 in NZ). However, some hung around for another day, and last night, they surprised me with a bucket of Hoki Poki ice cream (the famous NZ ice cream) with 21 candles in it!! They also gave me a key chain with a big fat kiwi bird on it, a big diet coke, and bubbles. Could they not pin me down any better?? One of the girls who is staying in Auckland, Angela, is taking me out for a drink (I’m getting a mudslide cuz that’s the only alcohol I’ve ever tasted and liked- cuz you can’t taste the alcohol! Heh) I’m so thankful and blessed to have been surrounded by such thoughtful, and kind people. I’ve only known them for a week and they did that for me. We sat around and chatted for the remainder of the night- and at midnite they bellowed a countdown.

Alright… I’m off to lunch. Take care!

Things you should know:
New Zealand is currently three hours behind California time, but a day ahead. So if it is 4 p.m. for y’all on the 24th, it is 1 p.m. for NZ on the 25th.
New Zealand has no Mexican food or bagels or girl scout cookies. Now you know what to send me. ;o) jk
Floors in a building are labeled Ground, 1, 2, 3, etc. as compared to the US where they start at 1 and go up.
Trails in NZ are labeled for the time it takes to walk the path, not by distance. I.e. 15 mins. Vs .7 miles.
All the calories on food are labeled in kilojoules. I’m still debating whether I like not knowing the conversion. There are some definite spelling changes: center- centre, ton- tonne, program- programme, finalized- finalised.
Auckland is the same number of degrees from the equator as Santa Cruz and the southernmost part of NZ is the same as Seattle.