Settling In

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Kia Ora!

I have now been in Wellington for just about a week and it has flown by. I am not sure if it is because a new place is always fun and adventurous or because I have now experienced many close encounters with natural disasters. In just the first week I have felt an earthquake, had a Tsunami warning, and a twister warning that actually wrecked the town 20 minutes from here. New Zealand loves its natural disasters! (Mom do not worry I am fine)

With all of those things aside this first week has been so much fun and I have yet to have a dull moment or even some downtime, which has been good, otherwise I would probably be super home sick.

The beginning of the week was somewhat boring since it was orientation, which is never fun no matter where the school is located. However, the end of the week me and some friends spent a lot of our time exploring. We tried to go hiking one day and it started pouring so we found ourselves trapped in the Wellington museum, which turned out to be one of the COOLEST places. There was a colossal squid and a whole exhibit on the fault line that Wellington lies on... On Friday it was finally beautiful outside and we finally got to go hike Mt. Victoria ( which is where they filmed part of the first lord of the rings). The outlook at the top was so pretty and we could see for miles. Sunday we found out there is a farmers market at the waterfront every weekend so we ventured down, it was one of the biggest farmers market I have been too. The produce bins just kept going and going and going.

As for the night life here it is a lot different from home. We do not go out until 11 and that is too a house party. Around 2am everyone heads down town into the city and goes to a bar, usually one that had live music. Once the live music ends around 3 or 4 they head to the clubs and finally go back home around 6 or 7 (something I probably won't get use too).

Also in August Wellington is the host of "Visa on a Plate" which is a food and wine festival. On August 5 and 6 there are all day beer tasting in the Rugby stadium where one can try over 200 New Zealand/ Australian beers. Tickets are $40 and I really wanted to go, however I have been trying to find ways to budget so that I can have a kick-butt spring break I have volunteered at one of the sessions and get to go to the other one for free. That is right I get to be a beer girl!!!!

Hope all is well back in the States.

P.S. I am glad to hear the I am no longer the only one in the family with an amusing christening story (heard Henleys involved a bowl).

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