I made it!

After 2 days of pirating Internet from various stores in Auckland, I have Finally purchased a "T-stick" which is a type of wireless broadband Internet. Supposedly, it covers 97% of New Zealand but ill be sure to put that to the test.

The past few days have been an absolute whirlwind. Traveling here from Boston seemed to take an eternity, not only because it was over 28 hours of flights and layovers, but because TIME WAS ACTUALLY REWINDING AS I WAS FLYING, which was just plain FRUSTRATING. The flights from Boston to Dallas and Dallas to Los Angeles were complete hell. During which I actually contemplated buying a ticket home and cutting my losses before the 13 hour flight over the Pacific ocean. But after meeting with a handful of kids from my program, and commiserating with them about how much we had already been through I had decided that New Zealand would be worth the temporary discomfort. The flight on Quantas Airways from LAX to Auckland was a DREAM. We were served 2 meals, had unlimited movies to watch and a blanket. Needless to say after 15 hours of dealing with American Airlines the smiling Aussie faces and free in-flight drinks were a sight for sore eyes. The views (though minimal at 5000 feet) were spectacular from the plane. While it was only ocean and sky, the stars were so clear and bright. I had a nice long conversation with the man next to me about sustainability and beer, and slept until we landed.

We touched down at about 10:30 am New Zealand time and gathered our bags, went through a short and fairly layed back customs process and met up with our program leaders Jeff and Kevin. Walking outside the first thing i notice is how GOOD this place smells. Its a mixture of flowers, fresh cut grass, sea water and barbecue sauce and it just screams summer here.

We returned to the place where I will call home for the next 6 months, The Unilodge. Its a sort of dorm/community center/apartment complex. I was given my FIRST single in all of my college history. We all had a tapas lunch as a group (curdiosy of the program leaders) and walked around some as a group to go shopping for our apartments. Which is when i found out that things here are EXPENSIVE. Luckily, the dollar is fairly strong here, about .75 to the New Zealand dollar.

I spent the night drinking beer and bonding, swapping sex stories, laughing and occasionally having moments where I realized that I actually did make it here, and that it will be my reality for the next 6 months. Today is the first day of classes, though i don't have my first one until tonight and i am excited. I had forgotten that this trip would actually require some schooling and work but with 2 classes a semester, it should all be fairly manageable. I'm also debating buying a bike here, thought the roads are EXTREMELY hilly. I guess i ll just have to come home with ripped calves.

Saturday a company called GOOT (Get Out of Town) is sponsoring a bus tour for our program. I'm piss and shit excited to actually see a bit more of this place and also to go to the beach and work away this marshmallow complexion.

I am satisfied, I am happy, I'm still a bit freaked out but I'm ready for this whole experience. I can't wait to meet locals, hike the land, eat the food and live like a kiwi if only for a little while.

ps: I'm sorry for the lack of pictures. The internet here is INCREDIBLY SLOW and it is not that i haven't got pictures to post, its just that i don't have 3 hours to wait for them to upload. Soon though, i promise.