32 Corrin Street August 20, 2009

First of all, I apologize for my extreme delay in posts. I would happily like to blame it on being too busy, but the truth is… I’m lazy. It’s a sad characteristic really, but the truth nonetheless. Anyway onto more important matters….

I have a home! That’s right… I have an official New Zealand address. 32 Corrin Street, Melville, Hamilton to be exact.

While it’s not extremely close to school, I couldn’t have asked for a better place. Plus, the walking has been good for the thunder thighs, you know what I’m sayin’… mmhhhmm. But seriously, my flatmates have been a huge help in guiding me around town, giving me lifts, giving me driving lessons, and taking me on adventures.

Another unexpected but new experience has been the cooking arrangements. For the past three years, it’s been all for one. As many can identify with, this meant lots of KD, sidekicks pasta, and the occasional perogies. But here, it’s one for all, which is a new and welcome experience. While I’m not an excellent cook, and I’m sure they can vouch for that, I’m at least learning and that’s what counts.

Anyway… I’m happy to have a roof over my head, a bed to sleep in (a big thanks to the Graham family for that one), and food on the table.

And as a final note, please be very jealous of my orange and grapefruit trees in the backyard, along with hammock that I plan to take full advantage of when the weather warms up, thanks!  :D

When It Rains… It Pours July 18, 2009

My first New Zealand rain experience. I title it: Getting caught in the rain without an umbrella, raincoat, or hood.

Please disregard the hideous self-portrait…

And We’re Off! July 18, 2009

*Disclaimer: This post was written about a week ago but it helps to have the Internet to publish it.

Goodbye Canada… Hello New Zealand. That’s right folks, I’m finally here! My week leading up to departure was very busy – stampede, farewell BBQ, and of course packing. When Friday came, I had extremely mixed emotions. While it goes without saying that excitement was amongst those, sadness seemed to be the overwhelming feeling. Leaving behind my amazing parents, a sister that I will indeed miss, and a boyfriend whom I love very much – or right and I can’t forget the dog – was pretty hard. The airport goodbye was definitely tearful but I guess that just goes to show the character of the people I’m leaving behind.

On to the plane ride shall we. My first flight to Vancouver was unfortunately delayed about an hour or so, leaving us stranded on the plane. But luckily I had a good three hour cushion before my next flight to Auckland. In the end the Auckland flight was an hour early so all’s well that ends well. For a thirteen hour flight, it was pretty decent. Good food, good entertainment, the only thing that brought me down was the lack of sleep I managed to get.

And finally, after another two hour bus ride from Auckland to Hamilton, I arrived at the YWCA – by this time it’s about 6 a.m. and my inner-clock is totally screwed up. After more tears, a phone call home, and sleeping almost 16 hours, I finally felt a little more settled.

Hamilton city is a bit smaller and a lot colder than I thought, but very beautiful. There are lush trees and gardens around every corner, despite the winter weather. I enrolled at Wintec and thank goodness for Internet at the school – although blocking facebook is not cool people.

The next step in my adventure, finding a place to stay. While there is a bus system in Hamilton, it is not the easiest, nor the cheapest thing around. It’s hard to find places around the Wintec area but my search will go on. Until next time… Cheers!

It’s Here!!! June 22, 2009

It’s finally here! I felt like a six year-old on Christmas morning. Not even considering taking my time, I ripped open the envelope and there it was. My Student Visa. It feels like such a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. Did I ever hit the point of complete panic? No. But I’m not going to lie and pretend the possibility of it not coming on time hadn’t crossed my mind. But alas, there’s no need to worry. It’s here and it’s really starting to feel real….

 

Source

 

Now that that’s taken care of, I guess it’s time to paint the fence, go to the bank, unpack all the moving boxes, re-pack for NZ…. and the list goes on. 

 

Cheers for now!

T-minus ONE MONTH…. June 10, 2009

Whoever is pushing the fast forward button on the time remote… PLEASE STOP!! I can’t believe that in just one month from today I’ll be getting on a plane to New Zealand. Many people have been asking lately, “Are you getting exciting?” Don’t get me wrong, I am! I think this is going to be a fantastic experience and above all, will help me settle into my own skin. But with that said, the nerves have also been kicking in lately…

First, there’s the Student Visa Application that JUST WENT IN . Yes, this terrifies me slightly. If it doesn’t come back in time – or worse, doesn’t come back approved – I’ll lose my plane ticket, have to re-buy one, and then change all my dates. Yikes. 

Second, I’ve really noticed lately how much my family helps me out. I know this very statement is a reason I need to travel on my own, but it’s still making me a little nervous. I’m so used to calling up my dad, discussing my problem, and having him tell me what to do, if not take care of it for me. Now fast forward to a month from now… I won’t have this luxury. I have faith in myself that I can survive on my own, but it will definitely be a challenge. 

And finally third, as I look at my crazy calendar, I slowly realize that time with the BF is dwindling. Without spilling my guts to the interwebs, this makes me sad and at the same time, makes me realize what I have… and what I will really miss…

Okay, on to the happy. I finally got a new camera! After some research, I decided I wanted to stick with the Canon family, and I did. I bought the Canon Powershot SD 1100 with 8.0 MP and a 3x zoom. So far it’s treated me well and I can’t wait to capture all that is NZ. 

Just a little update on the one month mark, cheers!

Hello World! May 26, 2009

Hello world! I’m finally making my debut on this crazy little thing called the interweb. And what finally got me here you ask… a little trip to New Zealand that I will be embarking on in July. I’ll be in my fourth year of journalism and continuing my education at WINTEC in a little student-city called Hamilton. Mount Royal has been a great place to study but I couldn’t have picked a sweeter place to finish off my courses. 

As for preparations, here’s a short rundown of what I’ve done so far and what I still need to accomplish…    

     Done:

• application completed
• accepted by MRC
• buy plane ticket
• fill out acceptance form for WINTEC

    To Do:

• finish student VISA application
• find a ‘flat’ ( learning new terms already )
• gather funding
• get tourist VISA for Australia
• put together a first aid kit
• buy new camera
• pack

It’s a little overwhelming, and I’m sure there are many things missing from the latter list, but it’ll all come together in due time. 

Cheers for now!