Orientation

21 February- ...

Right. So after figuring out classes and a flat I had to figure out what the heck to do with myself. The student association here runs a two week long beginning-of-the-year festival called "Orientation" which pretty much involves lots of concerts and parties and who knows what. I didn't do a whole lot of that (concerts are pretty expensive and I had other stuff to do anyway) but I was definitely busy.

23 February began with a orientation presentation for internationals at the uni. This was essentially useless, but we did get to see a performance by the Maori Studies department, and the mayor of the city sang some kind of welcome song for us while dressed in ceremonial robes. He urged us to spend all we wanted while we were here, and to invite as many big-spending friends and relatives as we could find.

This was also Clubs day at the Clubs and Societies building... so much to sign up for! I don't remember all the things I checked out but what I've gotten into are the Harriers (aka. Cross-Country)/Multisport Club, which has club runs on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and some speed work sessions on Tuesdays; the Tramping Club which has meetings on Mondays and Fridays at lunchtime and all kinds of crazy trips pretty much every weekend; and Students for Environmental Action which meets Monday evenings and is a better way to meet a small bunch of real Kiwis.

I also found out about the $3 lunches available every weekday from the Hare Krishnas. Nothing too special, but its a good price for a lot of food, they don't preach at you but are incredibly nice, and for $4 you can bring tupperware and get all you want! (this is NZ dollars, which used to mean it was less than US, but the rate keeps getting worse. I think you guys need to work on the trade deficit or something.) Another thing I've discovered, sometimes they put out leftovers when they're done so thats snack or dinner for free! Oh yes, and I also bought a box of organic Tibetan tea. It's not bad. The stuff I could do that I haven't had time for includes Ceroc or tango lessons, and yoga.

24 February:
Next day was a bus trip out to the peninsula for internationals, where we saw some amazing views, an infinitesimal fraction of the country's endless sheep supply, penguins, seals, beaches, and a Maori community's church. Pictures soon (hopefully). This was awesome!