Fish and Chips!

The first week of classes was a bit nerve wracking, trying yo make friends, and get my classes established. I started off going to 6 classes before I narrowed it down to the 4 I'm allowed to take. I'm in Sensors and Actuators, Control Systems (which I think is easier to do here than it would be at UBC), Project Management (a graduate level class), and Cities and Urbanism (a class that I've wanted to take since 2nd year!). I really hope they all transfer! I tried to get preapproval, but apparently I didn't use the right channels, so I'm still waiting on course approvals...

Oweek was entertaining, there were lots of activities, and music/food in the quad. I tried to win some free Stitka stuff (a brand from Vancouver Island), but all I got was a discount coupon :(    A group of us from Parnell went to the Oweek concert, and I left early to go meet up with Christa, a friend I met on Contiki who is from Vancouver! We went and enjoyed some live music at a Brewery down on Customs Street.

I also had another friend from my Contiki tour, Katie, come and stay with me. She took me out to an extravagant delicious dinner at Igaçu (a restaurant down on Parnell Rise which has since defaulted on their lease). She walked with me to class the next day, and then we parted ways. But after my class , I decided to walk down yo check out the waterfront, and happened to walk through the park where she was sleeping on the grass! So we wandered down queen street together till she had to leave to catch her plane.

Now, if you're wondering about the title, its because I started this post sitting in a couch in iSpace (international students lounge) waiting on a free fish and chips lunch (or as the kiwis say: fush n chups).  Im now outside the business school sitting in the sun, same as Colin did when he was here to greet me after class. I really miss him, worse than I did before he came, but that's to be expected I suppose.

Oh well, I've got errands to run, so I'm off!

Laura

Back to the Begining

When I finished my Contiki, I returned to Auckland via Christchurch. The 2 days I spent there were somewhat nerve racking given that the region still experiences earthquakes from time to time. I hung out with Anita (from my tour) and she and I split the cab to the airport when we left.  At this point I had already received the offer of accommodation from the UoA, and was debating whether or not to take it.  When I arrived back in Auckland on the sunday morning, I decided to check out the Parnell Student Village (the Hall I was accepted into), and found the place quite nice (from the far side of the fence).

Monday I accepted the offer at by signing my life away at the Uni, and ventured to Parnell (we call the village PSV).  The process was very informal; when I arrived to check the place out, I was let in by one of the coodinators, and he randomly chose a room for me, handed me a key and gave me the addresses I need for mail/packages - all without checking my name on any list! I guess it would have been pretty obvious right away if I was lying...  I met a few people on campus who lived in PSV and mentioned a BBQ, so I forfeit my night in the hostel to get my stuff and move into my new place right away. The BBQ was fun, there was free food and volleyball!


There are 98 people that live in PSV - 3 RAs and the rest students. ~98% of them are American which is rather frustrating when you're on exchange expecting to live with local or international students from all over. Don't get me wrong, I really like alot of the people that I live with, and I have made really good friends, but it's not the international experience that I was expecting.

Here are a couple pictures I took on a trip out to Mission Bay (one of the east coast beaches!) Enjoy!

Hello again!

So, its been a really long time since I've written anything here.  I'm sorry about that. Honestly, I didn't think anyone was reading, so I didn't see the value, but now I wish I had. It's my journal, my own recount and memoir if everything I've done, and of course, I've botched it by not keeping up. I'm going to try to recollect a good amount of what I've done, but there's no guarantee that it's all be here. Oh well. I guess I make do.

Random van that I saw! It's awesome! ------>

I'll start with today.  I jumped off the Auckland Harbour Bridge this morning, and now I'm on a mission. Ive ventured out of Parnell (which is a feat you'll come to understand) and I'm on my way up to One The Hill (this has nothing to do with the American TV series...) It smells like horses, which is odd given that im in the middle of.the city....but there is a paddock of sorts next to me. (and perhaps not so odd in a country that has more sheep than people) Up a massive stair case I go, then pause for some wildberry and honey ice cream, and around the hill (aka volcano) I go to get to the path that goes to the top.

It's sheep! I've made it to the top of One Tree Hill now. The view is phenomenal. (see pic!) This is a tribute to the waitangi treaty that was signed to bring the Maori under British rule. (one that wasn't particularly good for the Maori, kinda like the Canadian treaties....)  Its quite a hike to get up here, and the Sun is starting to head towards the water. It also looks like rain off to the west, but I can see both coasts! It's a really cool sight. I can see the War Memorial Museum that's right near my flat. The hike down will be sore on my poor feet and indeed that have kept me moving fir.the better part if the last 3 hours.


Alright. Lets go find the bus.