Videos!

Hello all (or just the three people who are reading this)! I heard from a few parents that they enjoyed when I posted that video of the hot pools and I totally agree that videos are more fun to look at then pictures, especially when it's so hard to capture all the beautiful things I've been seeing in just one frame. So I thought I'd throw up some videos I took on past trips you've already read about, just as a fun change of pace :)

Abel Tasman National Park: sunrise from the Awaroa Hut

Abel Tasman National Park: water taxi ride back from Totaranui Campground

Marlborough sounds: view from the top of Mt. Stokes

North of Kaikoura: pretty country on a random excursion to Sawcut Gorge

Kaikoura: view from the summit of Mt. Fyffe (so cool!)

Hanmer Springs: view from the summit of Mt. Isobel

Mt. Cook National Park: view of Tasman Glacier and Lake

That's all for now but I'm definitely planning on taking more videos in the future! And just for fun I'll also share one of the few other travel videos I have, this one from Switzerland:

I'm here!

I was met with this awesome sunrise on my flight in. I’m here! Let this new adventure begin.

As expected, it’s beautiful, the people are friendly, and I think I’m really going to like the college. Also as expected, it’s going to take some time to get adjusted to being here, and the first few days have been weird. I’m very much looking forward to having friends, knowing how things like the bus and the heater in my room work, and generally having a routine and starting to feel at home here. I have a week before class starts, which is nice, but I’ll be ready to spend more time on campus because it sounds like there will be a lot more going on then (expect pictures of campus then). In the meantime I start orientation and similar things tomorrow, so at least I’ll get to interact with some more people!

My journey here was pretty smooth and actually much less tiring than I was expecting (it helps that the time difference is only 5 hours). I got picked up from the airport here in Christchurch with a revolting amount of luggage by a friendly taxi driver (surprise! they drive on the left!) and saw a bit of the city on my way in. Christchurch is the second largest city in New Zealand and known for being very classically British, but the college is in the suburbs about three miles from downtown so I haven’t seen much yet.

I’m living in student apartments right across from campus and they’re really nice and modern. Most international students live here, and I was afraid I’d end up with all Americans because that was the case with the last girl who studied here from my school, but it turns out all 4 of my flatmates are actually from New Zealand (henceforth called the proper term, Kiwis). That was a very pleasant surprise because I’m much more interested in meeting Kiwis than other international students, especially Americans, and I’m not sure how hard a goal that will be. They’ve all already been really friendly and welcoming, telling me how to get to the grocery store and inviting me to watch a movie with them.

Enough rambling, here are some pictures of where I’m living!

The yellow building is where I’m living; there are about a dozen of ones in different colors total with some nice courtyards in between. We’re a block away from campus—the road is the street between my apartment and campus—and the whole area is nice and green with modern architecture and a river running through.

I have my own room and it’s quite nice. Only complaint right now is that the heaters are solar powered (so cool) but my room gets no sun so it’s freezing!

Just finished decorating, and since most of the people reading this are probably pictured, thought you might like to see! I hadn’t really thought much about being homesick before I left but I’m definitely feeling that way; I’m already thinking about how great it will to be home and see everyone I love again and appreciate Seattle more than I have been.