First day: owned

So my first day of class did not go as planned. I guess I'm trying hard to fit in with the natives, but there's definitely some differences.

Such as:
(mind you it was 52 degrees oustide today and raining)

1. everyone wheres flip-flops or is barefoot
Me: Big brown shoes

2. everyone is in shorts and a tank, usually of some surf brand of clothing
Me: I wore a lumber jack patterned shirt and a huge rain coat...all of which were brown

3. no one drinks soda
me: I'm dying for a diet pepsi

4. everyone eats tomato sauce (which taste like tomato soup gone wrong)
me: I need ketchup

5. there's baked beans and spaghetti for breakfast
me: I don't think so.

6. Everyone listens to mid 90's music still, including backsteet boys and Sugar Ray.
me: no

PLUS SIDE OF THIS COUNTRY: IT LOVES CHOCOLATE

ME: YESSSSSSSSSS


Even worse, they don't warn classes of future labs and field trips. I now have a lab on late Friday afternoon, and a field trip the entire second half of my mid semester break.

I actually was pretty pumped for the soils class. The field trip is going to be traveling down south in the middle of this private conservation area to survey wetlands soils and gas exchange. wetlands and gas? That's totally my thing.

However, that would be my only time to travel....so I'll have to drop it :(

On a happier note, I bought a bike yesterday!!!



One problem: I have no car to pick it up.

So I guess my first week has consisted of some minor set backs, but I'm sure everything will work out.

Embarrasing story of the week:
My school's recreation center provides free fitness classes, including boxing, yoga, pump Jam, and Step.

So Kathleen and I decided to attended the step class. Our instructor looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime, and had the energy of Rich Simmons. We were the youngest people in there by about 20 years, and apparently everyone knew the step dance except for us.

Sore thumb indeed.

Friends Forever

In Rotorua, we went to Rainbow Springs, which is a zoo for native animals.

As we were strolling up the side walk, this donkey came trotting down a hill to greet us.

And this is what happened when we began to walk away. Don't mind my laughs and crackles in the background...

Photos

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicki-in-newzealand


HOORAH

First Week Recap

I am on campus!!!! Our trip was amazing!

Our first two nights were in Raglan, like a mentioned before. Beautiful beaches!

After Raglan, we headed over to ontrahanga to cave tube! This was the only day it rained out of the entire week traveling, and we luckily, we were underground.

They took us in the middle of farms to enter the cave. I was about to have a heart attack the whole drive there. ALL the roads in New Zealand curve tightly around huge mountains. And of course, the kiwis bust some major butt to on these roads. But I'm alive.

The cave was unbelievable. We were either walking chest deep in water, swimming and chillin down the cave stream in tubes! the majority of the caves are populated with the famous glow worms, which are actually maggits in the larva stage. The actually adults are GIGANTIC crickets with 8 inch spider like legs. And! There was eels swimming in the water! gross gross gross. I kept thinking about the screaching eels from "Princess Bride." It wasn't very comforting.



Anyways! After squeezing into doggy door sized tunnels and jumping off a 7 foot drop off in the cave stream, we made our way out of the caves and into the sub tropical forest, WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL! It's mostly populated with ferns, palm trees (which I think are called cabbage tress) and conifers.



OK! After that, we made our way to Rotorua, which is the city of gas! Literally, the whole area smelled like someone was constantly farting. We started off our day visiting a living Maori village, which was located on a hot spring/geysers area. There, we ate an authentic Maori meal, consisting our cabbage, yams, potatoes, and carrots. They actually utilize the thermal energy for all purposes, including bathing and cooking. So! they place a bag of vegetables directly into the hot spring to cook meals! Apparently the sulfuric compounds and minerals brings out the taste...i think it had a dash of fart seasoning....but still good.

Next, we took a sky lift to the top of the mountain to over look the city, and then "lugged" down the mountain twice. Basically, it's a go-cart propelled by gravity. Very fun!


THEN! we went to the Rainbow Springs, which had a plethora of native wildlife. Most of the animals there seemed to enjoy the company of humans. In particular, a donkey was extremely grateful for the company and didn't want us to leave. He was bit of a cry baby about it....I have videos to post later.

Finally, we got mud paths! The mud in Rotorua is notorious for its healing powers. And after carry our back pack all day, it felt pretty damn good.


We left the city at around midnight to arrive in the Tongoriro, the home of Mt. Doom! We decided to do the 19.4 km (12.05 miles) track climb to the top of this mountain. The only problem was that we didn't arrive at our hostel until 2 AM, and we had to hop on the bus to the base of the volcano at 7 AM. but! 7 hours later, we tracked all 12.05 miles!

So here I am! On campus! I'll fill in those details later.

Mental Note: The E's are pronounced as I's...I had a huge misunderstanding when this tour guide was telling me he was a "trickin guide." meaning track guide for trails....buuuuttt I didn't know that. So naturally, I was like asking him what kind of magic tricks he performed.

I'm so cool.

surfing

Surfing is officially chequed off my list. I was able to get up multiple times and no jellyfish were attached to my butt! I can't wait to post these pictures. The shoreline was surrounded by green mountians were a bit of a mist on the caps. I felt like I was in a post cards. Needless to say, this is still unreal.

These bus schedules are getting messy, but we're attempting to leave for waitimo tomorrow and do a 5 hour cave rafting tour.

http://www.waitomo.com/caving-adventure.aspx


Side note: I missed a spot on my face when I was applying sunscreen. I now have a perfect triangle next to my eye ball. cute.

sun is 10 times stronger here than the US!

byee!!!!

Kia ora!


It's mid afternoon Wednesday! I'm relaxing in my hostel that overlooks the ocean. It's awesome here. We ran into a a few snags in the begginning. The plane ride wasn't bad at all. We got off the plane at 4:30 AM, and attempted to chill in Auckland before heading to Raglan. However we ended taking the wrong bus which ran through the poorest neighborhod of the city. But besides that, everything has gone wonderfully. I'm not sure if we looks confused, but we had over 10 people ask us if we needed direction in the first few hours. Even the bus drivers took time to explain everything. We're just shocked about how friendly everyone is.

Last night, we took a walk along the shore and the tide was down. Literally, we were walking on millions of sea shells and star fish. AND THERE"S JELLY FISH!!!!

but today, we're taking surf lessons, and then taking a casual bike ride in town and then heading to the pub.

I could live in this town forever. Everything is clean, everyone is bare foot.


More to come later, I gotta surf!

This is a test.

It works!