so far behind. I haven't had computer access in my dorm and not enough time in the library to just type. The trip over was great, a layover in LA so I was put up in a 4 star hotel, then a missed connection in Fiji so I was put up in another 4 star villa thing. They lost my luggage somewhere along the line, but I got it back the day after I got to Auckland only becasue I was willing to take a trip back into the airport to pick it up.
The first afternoon was nice and sunny, after that though it got cold and rainy for a couple of days. The IES students (all americans) met the second night and talked, got to know eachother and had dinner. Then a walk back through the park to Parnell Student Village - about 20 minutes - the park, or domain as they call it is huge and the trail we took goes straight into the rainforest.
They drink a lot here. I have been pissed every night so far and there is no sign that it will abate once the semester starts. the first night I went out with two brits, and a couple kiwi girls to a bar and walked back through the domain at midnight, there were glowworms on the creek bank by the trail, it was really cool.
I keep getting turned around directionwise - the sun still rises in the east and sets in the west of course, but it arcs to the north and not the south I never realized how much I use it for navigation until it stops being where it's supposed to be. I'm worried that I'll go on a run and not be able to find the way back. On the ride back from the airport to get my bag the bus driver let me off in the middle of the city, I had no idea where I was and got completely turned around, I ended up haveing to call a cab to pick me up. I wasn't very far from where I needed to be but I didn't know which way to head and I was lugging my baggage along behind me.
I was advised to make a list of words that we don't use in the states that sounded weird since I will shortly start using them myself, by this point though, I have started using them and I don't know if I can remember all that seemed strange:
pissed - drunk
domain - park
posh - fancy
cheers - thanks
good on ya - I haven't the foggiest what this means
that's not as many as I remember thinking there would be, clearly I'm missing some.
The IES students took a trip to a Mauri Marae, or village for the weekend. It was pretty crazy, we learned how to weave flax and some of the traditional Mauri martial arts. They have a custom of welcoming strangers by touching noses together, which was really crazy. It was too rainy to kayak or snorkle but it was a good time anyway. I learned to play rugby there, which is one of the best games I've ever played, we kep getting our asses kicked by the kiwis whenever we play though.
