From the Clouds

Hawaii - 9:30 A.M., New Zealand - 7:30 A.M. (Wednesday, July 27)

Morena Reader!

On this beautiful morning I am lounging on a couch in my flat, listening to some Jack Johnson with the heat pump warming my body, and the beautiful sunrise warming my soul.  Since I last blogged, a few things have happened: 1) I turned 22 years old!  2) I had a fantastic birthday.  3) It snowed--HEAPS.  4) I met another person from Hawaii.  5) I continue to settle into routine.  

I think this past celebration was quite possibly one of the best birthdays I could have ever had.  Ke Akua kept me on my toes and I was surprised constantly throughout the day.  I woke up early on my birthday... about 7:00-7:30 A.M.  I ate breakfast and was blessed right away with the most beautiful sunrise!

Then, I'm not sure why, but I went downstairs to the first floor of my flat (where there is a shower/toilet and two bedrooms as well as the entrance to our flat).  I had a feeling my package from my mom had arrived, and I had been waiting for it for about two weeks.  To my surprise, it was there!  I couldn't believe it had made it precisely on my birthday!  Especially because I had woken up with no special feeling--no excitement or extreme happiness.  In fact, I felt lost.  Normally, my special day goes as planned (if I don't have anything to do): I wake up early, go to the beach (or go paddling), eat my favorite foods, relax, have an amazing home-cooked dinner with my family and closest friends, and finish off with a birthday cake and hand-made cards from the besties.  My brother typically buys a pumpkin pie and we split it--between the two of us, of course:)  So you can see I was a little clueless as to where to start.  Anyway, I went on about my day after receiving and unpacking the package (to reveal many of my favorites--warm clothes, fuzzy socks, Sapporo Ichiban shrimp-flavored saimin, miso-soup mix, guava jelly, and a cook book).  I decided a few days before I would pierce my cartilage again, so after eating two hearty breakfasts (the second was upon discovery of the package and thus, guava jelly), I went into town and pierced my cartilage ($15 + $5 for cleaner).  I then wandered around a bit until 12:30 P.M., when I met up with Danielle for lunch at OUSA.  Wednesday's are soup and bread for $3--or you can add on their amazing apple crumble for a total of $4!!!  And, let me tell you... everything tastes AMAZING.

  OUSA lunch--cheap, delicious goodness:)

Needless to say, Wednesdays have become pretty routine here.  It's set in stone that I have lunch dates with Danielle at OUSA.  This is one of the many reasons why I will come back bulbous.

After lunch I hit the gym (NOT a good idea) and then hung out at home for a few hours, relaxing, then skyping with the boyfriend until dinner:)  My flatmates, a few friends, and I went to Speight's Alehouse just past the octagon (pronounced: oct-a-gun).  We sat around talking and had a glass of beer (thanks to the guys), then continued on to have an amazing dinner.  I personally had the chicken parcels with potatoes and a salad.  It was... FANTASTIC.  Here is a description of it from the menu:

 Marinated chicken, bacon, peach and soft cheese, wrapped in golden phyllo pastry, topped with almond aioli on a bed of salad greens and crispy potatoes.

I am no food critic, so I will leave it at that (and FANTASTIC, AMAZING, GOODNESS!!!).

The guys with their huge jug (pint).
From left to right: my flatmates, Joey and Julien, and the UO Duck, Jordan

Birthday Dinner at Speight's Alehouse

From left to right: Joey, Jordan, me, Julien, Danielle, Emily, and Lena.

Following dinner, we went to Rob Roy's for some birthday ice cream!

$2.40 birthday goodness:)

Caramel cookies and cream on the top and chocolate chip cookie dough on the bottom<3

We were then going to head home when Emily said she made a birthday card for me but forgot it at home... she then asked if we could walk with her back.  Our group (minus Julien and Jordan), then made it to Great King Street, where Emily lives.  She told us she would give us a tour of her flat (which I had never seen before), and as we stepped inside, my friends (who were unable to attend due to a bone-carving class) jumped out from behind a piano, shouting "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" with a magnificent homemade cake.  It was... unbelievable.

Birthday cake!!!

Thanks to Emily, Lena, Monique, Sarah L., Sarah R., and Tara!

Birthday Surprise:)

From left to right: Joey, Monique, Sarah L., Tara, me, Danielle, Lena, Emily, and Sarah R.

Emily then gave me my birthday card and I ate cake--my third dessert of the day!  Then when we got home Joey gave me two huge bars of Cadbury Milk Chocolate (easily my favorite ever)!  Of course I didn't eat it right away, what with all that sugar I had throughout the day.  But I did feel sick all night until the next morning, but let me tell you... it was WORTH the sugar hangover.

Birthday chocolates from Joey and a handmade birthday card from Emily:)

I've never had a surprise birthday celebration.  I've never had people surprise me the way they have.  And I never expected friends I made but a few weeks ago to come through and take care of me the way they have--the way my family does. It feels good knowing I have a family here in New Zealand who cares about me and  is willing to go the extra mile to make my birthday spectacular.   I felt truly humbled... and I felt as if some higher power was keeping an extra close eye on me.  Everything was perfect and more than I could have asked for.  Beautiful sunrise, a package from home, great food, amazing company, surprise birthday cakes, and handmade cards... all of it kept me on cloud nine.  I'm so, so grateful to know I have a great group of friends here I can rely on.  I am truly blessed.

In other news, it snowed heaps early this week (Sunday-Monday).  All of the locals and uni (university) students have been saying it was really unusual weather for Dunedin.  Apparently, we're pretty darn lucky!  Unfortunately, though, the icy roads postponed our curling and luging trip which was supposed to be on Sunday.  The winds cancelled paddling practice.  And then... it snowed.  So I went outside to play for a little instead:)

My flatmate, Julien, warm indoors.

My Kiwi host, Danielle, playing in the snow.

46 Queen Street Flats:)

Hail.

It may or may not look it, but taking this picture stung quite a bit.

One of four possible hills I can climb to get to my flat--Union Street

Me and my Kiwi host, Danielle, enjoying the snow.

The University of Otago and Dunedin at its finest;)

Sledding down Union Street in homemade sleds (AKA tarp).

Observing the sleigh riders.

Oh, and to backtrack a little... we went to the Farmer's Market again on Saturday.  The crepe man still wasn't there... but it was okay because this time I bought a Bacon Buttie from the Eurodog truck.  It was delicious!!!

Bacon Buttie from the Eurodog Truck!

Bacon, onions, relish, and mustard.

SO, SO GOOD!

Other than that... I went to my first fitness class at the Unipol (the Uni gym).  It was a Balance class and we did a lot of yoga and pilates exercises.  I felt so good afterwards.  The fitness classes generally run $7.50 a class, but you can purchase a fitness class for the entire semester for $60.  I'm still debating about it... I think I'm going to see if I go to another fitness class before truly investing my money in this monthly pass.  Additionally, I also registered for the upcoming bone-carving class to be taken in August!  I am really looking forward to it and I think it'll be a great opportunity to make my own pieces to take home.  They also have a Paua (abalone shell) jewelry making class; unfortunately, I have Conversational Maori during the hours of that class, so I will be unable to take it:(  But oh well.  I'll take what I can get!

I also met a lady, Mara Hosoda, who is two years older than me and from Hawaii!  Interestingly, she is a graduate from Punahou (class of 2005) and Occidental (2008).  She works and studies at the Uni and has offered to give me a tour of the campus this morning, followed by lunch at the dorm she works at (she's also an R.A.).  She has also offered to help me gather further information about the various Polynesian clubs on campus as well as volunteer opportunities.  She's given me a lot of advice about places I can go to meet other Pacific Islanders, which has been really nice.  It's really nice knowing there's someone willing to help out so much.

While talking to Mara yesterday, I realized I don't know what activities I want to do, where I want to meet people, or what kinds of people I'm hoping to meet.  I've just been wandering around, looking at the options and trying to figure things out from there.  Granted, it's not the most efficient process, but I like to think I'm keeping my options open.  Yet, I still feel as if I'm not taking advantage of all of the opportunities in front of me.  I have been thinking of joining the Uni's Tramping (Hiking) Club because I think it would be a great chance to see a different side of Dunedin.  I've also joined the International Christian Fellowship Club, but have not heard much from them... (excluding a dinner they had on my birthday which I could not attend).  So I have mostly been exploring without any true direction, which can, occasionally, be frustrating.  But I am not losing hope yet!  There is a Bollywood Dance Workshop for the Indian Students' Association that I am thinking about attending.  I think it could be heaps of fun--or mostly embarrassing.  But my goal is to keep myself outside of my comfort zone as much as possible.  NOTE: This excludes anything that could potentially result in panic attacks or death.

On the opposing side of this desire to explore more and try new things is my need to settle down and focus more on my studies.  I often feel I'm running around like a chicken with its head cut off.  I have not been paying as much attention to my studies as I should... but this will change.  No worries, dear reader.

Well, that's about all I have for you.  I was hoping I would have fantastic tales of my luging/curling experience, but that will have to wait until a later date... when the event is rescheduled:)

I hope you all are having a beautiful, blessed day!

Kia Ora<3

Open Arms

Hawaii - 10:30 P.M., New Zealand - 8:30 P.M. (Tuesday, July 19)

Good Evening, Dear Reader!

I have completed my first day of my second week of classes.  So far, everything is still manageable.  I am constantly learning--I feel as if I am learning something new every minute of every day.  It's exciting and sometimes terrifying to feel my thoughts about the world being challenged so frequently.

The other night my Kiwi Host, Danielle (she's from Scotland!) and I had a very good talk about the Maori population as well as New Zealand views towards things such as unions between same-sex couples (they permit civil unions).  From what I understand, many Maori suffer from chronic health issues such as high cholesterol and blood pressure and are often living in low-income circumstances.  However, these issues are often associated with each other.  Maori often do not make as much income as their Caucasian counterparts, which leads to poor health choices (i.e., fast food or unhealthy food options) which in turn lead to chronic health issues.  What particularly interests me is how similar these issues among the Maori population are to minority (including but not limited to African Americans, Latino Americans, and Polynesian families) in the United States.  Learning about these prevalent issues among this population is making me question my future in counseling while drawing my interests towards program development to assist our Polynesian populations in developing healthier lifestyles.  By creating programs that teach parents to make healthier choices, we could pave the way for better outcomes for future generations.  Additionally, the development of programs that emphasize academic strengths in minority youth will lead to better opportunities for minority groups to become successful.  So I'm definitely learning more about myself and questioning where my future will take me.

Ignoring my little rant about health science issues... This past weekend was heaps of fun!  On Friday I explored the Otago Museum (which is right across the street from campus) with my friend, Lena.  These are but a few of the amazing artifacts and objects they have collected.

Maori war canoe:)

Rangi (the Sky father) and Papa (the Earth mother) in embrace.

My favorite:)

Aren't these carvings amazing?

Carvings in a whale tooth.

A perforated Moa egg.

Alligator.  Or crocodile?  Whatever.

Angry sea lion.

Moa.  An extinct and flightless bird.

Paua (abalone).  So beautiful.  I will buy some paua jewelry before returning back to Hawaii!

A glass canoe.  Imagine that!

Glass paddles too.

Glass basket.

Mind you, they also have many other objects... one of my favorites was a sculpture of Aphrodite or an actual mummy with the remains of a 30-40 year old woman.  They also have an animal attic where they have a huge array of animals!  It's amazing!!!

Friday night I headed into town with my friend, Emily, and watched HARRY POTTER.  Oh my god.  I thought it was absolutely amazing.  And it made my night.  It was so great!

On Saturday I went to the Farmer's Market at the Railway Station.  It's the perfect place for buying spinach ($2.50 per bag), ciabatta ($.80 each), salad mix ($4), and apples ($2 per kg).  Oh, I can't forget the delicious food!  Last time I had a delicious crepe.  Unfortunately, the crepe guy won't be there for another two weeks.  So I invested my money in a delicious waffle.  It must be noted that waffles are thinner than those found in the states, but just as delicious!!!

Enjoying my chocolate & cream waffle from the Farmer's Market:)

I also admit I invested my money in a little container of pesto.  And boy am I stretching it out!  I've found it's the perfect spread for sandwiches.  Thus, my lunches have consisted of pesto, ham, spinach, and mozzarella on toasted wheat bread.  It's FANTASTIC.  Try it.

My friends and I then caught the bus ($3.20) to St. Clair's beach... it was windy but absolutely beautiful and worth it!

St. Clair's Beach

Dunedin, New Zealand

Exploring St. Clair's Beach while admiring the wind, waves, and wonderful sunshine!

In good company:)
From left to right: Amandine, me, Anni, Lena, Emily, and Sarah.

I love successful jumping pictures!

Warming up after the beach walk with some hot chocolate.

I then, unsuccessfully, cooked some hash brown with bacon on top for my Kiwi Host.  I also made a spinach and garlic omelet, and settled in to watch a movie.

Sunday is supposed to be paddling day... however, I've been having spells of homesickness on occasion, so instead I went for an early morning run then headed into town where I did some exploring, borrowed some  movies from the library, and did a bit of shopping.  That night I went out to watch Transformers with Danielle and my flatmate, Joey.

On Monday I booked my campervan!!!  I am so excited for my boyfriend's visit to New Zealand.  It'll give us the chance to spend time together and to explore the country!  There is so much I want to see and do... I can't wait!  I still have to do loads of research, but so far, Queenstown and Nelson are on my list of places to go:)

So that's what I've been up to lately.  I think as life slows down and settles into routine, I begin to fall deeper into being homesick.  Right about now, I would be warm, in my bed, and would adopt shorts, t-shirts, and slippers on a regular basis.  I would eat homemade food I am unable to enjoy during the school year, and would be blessed with the opportunity to paddle my heart out four-five times a week.  But right now, I am unable to enjoy my favorite things.  And as my birthday draws nearer, I become even more homesick.  I've never spent a birthday without my family... and my favorite birthday activity is a homemade meal with all of my favorite dishes.  But luckily, I have kind flatmates who are joining me for a birthday dinner.

I think what has been getting to me recently is also the feeling of not fitting in.  Last week I felt as if I stuck out like a sore thumb.  I was wondering where all of the other Polynesian students were.  During the club and societies sign-up day, I spoke with a young lady from the Indian Club booth.  She was probably just trying to get me to join her club (which I did), but she said, "Where are you from?  You are so pretty!"  When I told her I'm from Hawaii, she proceeded to tell me, "Oh, that makes sense.  You don't look like anyone here!"  It was very flattering and surprising to hear!  But tonight, I attended a dinner for the Pacific Island Centre.  I had the opportunity to meet several young women studying at the University of Otago--one from Christchurch, one from Auckland, and one from the Soloman Islands.  It was really cool being in that environment.  I'm hoping to take part in more of their events in the future.  I look forward to learning more about other Polynesian cultures.

More than ever, I feel humbled.  I think this journey has allowed me to start off with a blank slate of sorts, and has helped me to figure out who I am and what's important to me.  I am learning to meet new people--not judging, but rather, taking people as they are.  I am learning to be an open book.  However, I am also learning that I won't have similar views as everyone else and I am taking that in.  I am being challenged; I have been offended and I am trying to figure out ways to manage my feelings around that.  But more importantly, I am growing as a person.  My struggles and triumphs here are building me into a better person and I know things will only continue to get better.

I hope my blogs (this blog in particular) do not sway your thoughts, dear reader.  Despite my occasional homesickness and frustrations, I always feel blessed.  Each day I feel lucky and know this is worth it.  I am discovering who I am here.  And I am building up on my beliefs, personality, and faith.

Thank you for following me.  It means the world to know you take the time out of your busy days and weeks to read my thoughts about and along this adventure.  I am so grateful for all that you are and all that you do.

I will write again soon.  And you can guarantee I will have pictures:)

Tena Koe

Hawaii - 6:00 P.M., New Zealand - 4:00 P.M. (Friday, July 15)

Good afternoon!

Since my last update, I have finally started classes!  Luckily, my schedule is as follows:

Monday - No class
Tuesday - 12 P.M. Maori Society, 1 P.M. Cultural and Self Identity Sociology, 5 P.M. Introduction to Conversational Maori
Wednesday - No class
Thursday - 12 P.M. Maori Society, 1 P.M. Cultural and Self Identity Sociology, 5 P.M. Introduction to Conversational Maori
Friday - 11 A.M. Intro to Conversational Maori Tutorial, 12 P.M. Cultural and Self Identity Sociology Tutorial

So far I am really enjoying my courses.  My favorite is tied between Intro to Conversational Maori and Maori Society.  Both instructors are fabulous and all of them have great humor.  Our first real lecture for Maori Society consisted of covering the stories of the "creation" (based on Maori culture, of course).  And the story is truly fascinating.  Basically, two atua (often classified as gods but more accurately are considered as the ancestors of Maori)--Rangi (the Sky father) and Papa (the Earth mother)--were created by Io (a presence and energy which existed prior to everything and created everything).  Rangi and Papa became lovers and clung to each other very closely.  Eventually they had children who were between them--trapped in darkness. Their children wanted to escape the darkness and so the sons tried to separate their parents.  They were unable to do so until Tane (atua of forests) tried and pushed his father far away.  This led to the creation of te ao marama (the world of light).  Papa was so heartbroken at the separation from her lover, so Tane clothed her in greenery and forests.  One brother, Tawhiri (atua of the winds), was similarly upset about the separation of his parents.  Thus, he fled to the sky to be with  his father. He eventually attacked his brothers, creating storms and fierce winds, trying to destroy them.  Only one brother stood up to him--Tu (atua of humans).  However, Tu lost to Tawhiri, and punished his brothers for not helping him by eating them.  He consumed his brother, Tangaroa's (atua of the sea) descendants: the marine life and amphibians.  He ate the youngest brother's who were protected by their mother (by being pushed into her Earth), Rongo (atua of kumara and all cultivated foods) and Haumie (atua of the aruhe and all wild, uncultivated foods).  And he ate the birds and beasts of the forests.  This act was about taking away power; this is why humans are able to control and destroy their environments; why they are able to eat plants, animals, and fish.  However, we are unable to control one thing: the weather.  Maori believe this is because Tu was unable to beat Tawhiri.

During this separation of Rangi and Papa, Papa was pregnant with another child.  This child was still in the womb during the war between his brothers; Papa turned over while trying to protect her youngest and so, Ru (atua of earthquakes and volcanoes) was never born.  He was very upset that his brothers did not wait until he was born; this is the reason for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

As for the creation of man, story says that Tane molded the first man, Tikiahua, to personify his penis.  He molded the first woman, Hine-hau-one, from his mother's shape.  Tane then became the first man to walk the earth.  He married Hine-hau-one and they had children.  After the birth of their daughter, Hine-ti-tama, he married her and had children.  Curious about who her father is, she asked her husband, Tane, one day.  Ashamed, he told her he was her father.  She was mortified and in her shame she became Hine-nui-te-po (Goddess of the Night).  She told Tane he could have their children in the world of light and she would greet them in death (the world of night).  This is the reason why we die.

Maori use these legends to make sense of their world and explain their relationships with various aspects of their world.  It's truly remarkable to have this amazing view into their world.  I am, as always, so humbled by this class and all I have already learned.

In my Conversational Maori class, we went over the pronunciation of their vowels (a, e, i, o, u -- both long and short vowel sounds which are defined by the presence of a macron) and consonants (h, k, m, n, w, p, r, t, ng, wh).  We also learned: Tena Koe (te-nah-co-eh).  With the presence of the appropriate macrons over the "e" and "a", it means "hello", "thanks", and "goodbye".  I'm really excited to learn more in this class and to dive deeper into the Maori culture and language.

That's all for now.  Sorry for the lack of pictures.  I will make up for it in my next post... I promise!

Cheers!

Don't Carry It All

Hawaii - 3:00 P.M., New Zealand - 1:00 P.M. (Monday, 11 July)

I am lucky.  I am truly blessed.  I wake up nearly every morning to the sun blaring through my window (if I get up after 7 A.M.), dress in jeans, heavy jackets, eat a hearty breakfast, and explore Dunedin, New Zealand.  This is the life.

Yesterday morning I walked down to the Otago Harbor for the first time.  I was supposed to meet one of the ladies involved with Fire in Ice Outrigger Canoe Club and potentially practice with them.  However, due to a cold I acquired earlier this week, I was heading down there just to watch them paddle and meet real Kiwis.  The harbor is, to say the least, breath-taking.  It raised my spirits and made me feel at peace with the world once again.  The water overlooks the other side of the Otago coast, where there are marvelous hills stretching towards the heavens.  There are houses at the foot of the hills, lining the other side of the harbor.  And it is so.peaceful.there.  I walked out to this little path that continues into the harbor and sat there for at least half an hour, soaking it in.

After meeting with Vivienne, a woman from Fire in Ice, I went on a walk with her and three other women who also paddle for that club.  I've learned over the past week that in New Zealand, it is not called "Hoe Wa'a", but rather "Waka Ama".  Additionally, not all of their canoes have a tail similar to the tails from our canoes.  Hopefully, I can provide a better picture in the future.  But until then, this will have to suffice.

Other than exploring the harbor, I have done several other activities since my last update.  The University of Otago's International Office arranged a train trip to the Taieri Gorge this week, which was fantastic.  Apparently the train in Dunedin does not run except for these tourist trips to the gorge.  But the view completely blew my mind.

New Zealand Sheep!

The day of our train ride was actually my first day being sick so the ride back was a little unbearable.  But overall, I think it was a win!  They also fed us afterwards... and let me say, Kiwis know how to throw down a barbeque!  The food was delicious!  And they eat a lot of their meats on bread--regular slices of bread.  It works and it satisfies my carb cravings:)

Oh... and conveniently enough, the Cadbury Chocolate Factory was a street over so, naturally, we went to check that out!

A few of my friends from across the states!
From left to right: Emily, Sarah, Tara, me, Monique, and Lena

Cadbury chocolate (in addition to the cheap, fresh, readily available, and amazingly delicious bread) will be the reason why I come back fat.  Just so you all know.

In addition to satisfying my taste buds, I also went to get my library card this past week!  Their system is pretty neat.  The library card and book rentals are generally free; however, you have to pay for movie and CD rentals.  It generally runs about $6 for three movie rentals and $3 for three CD rentals.  I've also found a pretty good deal on movies at the theater.  Rialto Cinemas in Dunedin has a Student Star Card for $20 which comes with two free movie vouchers and $9.50 tickets on all films for the rest of 2011.  Seeing as I will be watching Harry Potter and still need to see Pirates of the Caribbean, I'm thinking this is probably going to be worth it!

So I've been doing tons of bargain shopping and trying to figure out ways to get things cheaper.  For example: Otago has a mini farmer's market Monday-Friday from 10AM-5PM, which sells cheap produce!  I've been able to get bananas, apples, and mandarin for about $5.  And I can't get that just anywhere for that kind of price!  Additionally, every Saturday there is a Farmer's Market at the Dunedin Railway Station.  There is TONS of food there!  Fish, meat, bread, fruits, vegetables, wine, Eurodogs, pastries, crepes, waffles, etc.  It is definitely a win!

However, although I continue to maintain a positive outlook on this experience, I do have my moments where all I want to do is go home.  I am, after all, E.T. for a reason (long story involving my childhood trips to a beach house where, after the first day, I wanted to go home).  I miss the warmth, my family, friends, boyfriend, paddling, and food.  I miss the hikes, wearing shorts and t-shirts, and feeling confident and happy with who I am.  The two weeks I spent at home are finally hitting me and I often find myself, particularly at night, wishing I stayed home.  But I continue to feel as if this experience is amazing for me.  I know I am becoming stronger each and every day.  The independence I feel makes me feel stronger.  And, ultimately, I feel the strength in my relationship with particular people as well.  My relationship with my boyfriend, friends, and family members continues to get stronger and better.  And I know my relationship with and faith in myself is only improving.

After my first or second day in Dunedin (when I was bargain shopping), I found a $1 bracelet (being sold for charity purposes).  The one I picked out says, "believe" on a charm.  I wear it every day and it serves as a constant reminder of everything I am and everything I am doing.  Because I know in my heart, that this is everything I need.

This journey is helping me to learn more about the world, the people, and myself.  I have been thrown into a vortex of people with both common and different values and interests.  I don't particularly enjoy going to pubs or parties, so this is about figuring out what defines me as an individual.  What is it that I like to do?  Who am I?  What is important to me?  My friend Emily and I made pizzas one night, watched a movie, and went to listen to some live music.  It was nice and it felt as if it was okay to not party, drink, and give in to the hype.  It felt good to know there are people like me out there.  And it felt even better to find them.  So I'm constantly learning here.  Some days I feel as if I don't know who I am; other days, I feel good about everything I'm doing.

Also... I feel for the International students at OSU.  I feel so lost here and so out of the loop, it's insane.  Today, I went to campus to pick up some fruit and tried to print a few things.  After sending it to the printer, I went to the printer to pick up my documents.  Come to find out you need to scan your student ID card... AFTER you put money on it.  So I went to the Print Shop to put money on my card and pick up a packet for one of my classes.  I don't know how she asked me, but basically she wanted to know if I was going to pay with a card or cash.  I'm sure I looked like the most stupid broad on the face of the earth.  Anyway, after paying for everything, I went back to the printer and scanned my card, only to not find my printing job.  So, there was that.  I felt lost on campus (which is amusing since I've walked the campus nearly every day since I've arrived in Dunedin), especially with all of the students roaming around, and felt humbled by the campus.  Like I said... this is a truly humbling experience!  But I'm hoping once I start classes tomorrow I will get a better handle on what to expect, where to go, and how to go about my business.  Especially since I'm planning on living on campus throughout the day!

Oh, I also stopped by the Pacific Island Centre, which provides student support as well as activities for Pacific Islander students.  I'm really excited to meet other Pacific Islanders and get to know their culture.  They will be having a dinner and information session sometime next week... I'm really looking forward to it!

That's pretty much all I've been up to lately.  I just may update tomorrow about classes and how petrified I am about failing 100-level courses at my new university.  Kidding!

Anyway, I hope, wherever you may be, that you are having a blessed and beautiful day.  And that the sun shining on me has been shining on you as well, warming your heart.  Know you are always in my thoughts, my loved ones, and I carry you with me every day!  You provide the strength I need to wake up and put a smile on my face every day.  And I am always so grateful for all of your support.  Love you guys!