woah its been a long time
lets see it has been about hmmm i don't know how its been since i updated this thing. everyday i check my friends page but I just never want to write. Well since I have a giant test tmr, this seems like a great time. As many of you know, I have been in New Zealand since February. This is the best thing I have ever done in my life. The people I have met and the places I have been in this short time span have made this journey of self discovery and debauchery amazing.
So school for me is pretty hard, it involves no work until the final exams, when they count for 50 or 60 percent of your grade, its out of hand. Many people seem to like this, but unfortunately I hate it more than anything. I can not fit that much info in my head at once, so obviously I am procrastinating as we speak. But anyways, when I entered this country I had the highest expectations of what it would do for me, and it has exceeded them definitely. I will say that for the first few months I did not miss home at all. I did miss my friends a lot, but I was open to the fact that I was on my own not totally because I have friends here, but for the first time in a couple years I made a huge step to go all the way around the world and try to make it on my own socially, if that makes sense. It does to me. As the alcohol flowed the friends followed, and I have made some of the greatest friends ships here. I love everyone and will miss them all greatly. I will miss being in close proximity to all my friends. I live two floors above britt and dan, which is great, they are out of hand. My roommates are amazing, living in my own apartment is great as well. The fact that I can walk out of my flat and walk to class is probably the greatest thing, I have not been able to do that since 2005, and when i was at UMD I never went to class. The fact that I get to live like a college student again is the best. At home I live under my parents roof which isnt that bad, but its annoying. I take a train, two subways, and a bus to get to school. From there I run around to try to get to work life was so hectic. It has been relaxing only having to go to school. I know that I wasted a lot of money in my early college career and I regret that so badly. If I could do that all over again so I could live like many of my friends who are still in school it would be phenomenal.
Whilst being in New Zealand I have learned that the beer here is shit, but god dam we drink a lot of it. Alcohol in general is so expensive here so I will not miss paying high prices for shit beer. But even though things are expensive over here, you can get a car for real cheap so britt, nick, and I bought an 89 mitsubishi galant, it is grey, it smokes a lot, it makes a loud clicking sound when turning, the fan belt makes a whining sound, but we love OLD SMOKEY(that is his name). So we take our car and travel around as much as we can. This island is so small you can drive from the east coast to the west coast in three hours give or take. But we have take n our glorious car down south as far as Milford Sound, and as far north as Golden Bay. Every place we go my mind explodes because of the scenery, I have driven on the same road 3 or 4 times and been to a bunch of the same places in this country but it doesn't matter, it is just so beautiful. I don't think that I will be able to handle not seeing the mountains everyday, even if its just the port hills I still love it. The city of christchurch is goofy, you can drive ten minutes out of the center of the city and there will be sheep and farms. I LOVE IT SO MUCH! In the beginning we played outside or went climbing a lot, I feel as if we have slowed down our outside time. Even though we really haven't, and we play in new ways.
The other day I shaved my beard that I had been growing for just about two months(i have a sweet as fu man chu now). But my friend nick was like you are not the same person I met when we got here. When we arrived I had long hair and a silly facial, now I have real short hair and goofy facial hair. This statement he made is totally not true, I am still the same person just a different style, but I almost feel like he was correct too. This trip has made me more independent, I have had to do many things on my own. I planned this whole trip here on my own, and worked my ass off to save for it. Now I am reaping the benefits of that hard work. I just feel like I have grown up a bit, I am still the same jackass who will fart and burp and laugh at dumb jokes and what not. But I feel as though I can now make it on my own which is a good thing being 23. Oh yeah I also turned 23 whilst in this country, that was fun. But I must say I was telling people who old I was and they looked at me like I was an old man even though its not at all. But the kids here are 20 or just turned 21 and there is no problem with that all don't get my wrong but it felt weird to have people make that face when I said I was 23 ha its not like i am 27 COME ON! I almost feel like I finally know how to balance fun and school. Sort of even though school is much harder here, but I feel like it will help me a lot in the long run.
Everyday I am surrounded by people who love to hike, climb, be outside, are smart, earth conscious, and live by the seat of their pants and just roll with whatever happens. It is amazing, I have said that word so many times but everything really is. We have fun, we play hard, and when it comes down to it we get our shit done. I am thankful for everyone that I have met during this experience, they have all touched my life and made it better. The semester is coming to close and its almost time to go home, but I just want to stay or have everyone come home with me. the thought that I will not see all of them everyday is awful. What I really want is to go home for a little, and make my friends and family come back with me. This weekend we had a huge bash up in this town called Hamner springs, its in the mountains. we got two houses for probably I dont know 40 plus people. It was a shit show. Friday night was a theme party of famous couples. My friend Dan and I went as MARIO AND LUIGI, it was probably the best thing ever. We were absolutely ridiculous all night and drank so much. But so didn't everyone else(Britt i know you will hate this sentence). Saturday we sat around and then went in hot springs in the snow, and had a snowball fight. IT WAS NUTS, when does that ever happen? only in new zealand.
We drove home today to the backdrop of the snow covered southern alps it was absolutely stunning, I love this country so much. It will always be a part of me.(oh yeah I got a tattoo of the island on my upper arm). I should probably try to study now, for those of you that actually read I love you.
things i will miss so much:
-my friends
-old smokey
-Insane road trips
-the open container law
-being able to drink in cars
-getting beer at 3am
-the mountains
-the sea
-the Kiwi's
-learning ridiculous kiwi slang(CHUNDER= to throw up)
-rock climb on amazing limestone
-CASTLE HILL
-Ilam Village
-eating a staple diet of pasta, capsicum, sauce, rice, beans, and a shit ton of cheese
-SESAMEALS and Cheese everyday
-JUST JUICE
-seeing beautiful things and people everyday
-the fact that reggae is everywhere you go here
-and anything else that has not come to mind too
So school for me is pretty hard, it involves no work until the final exams, when they count for 50 or 60 percent of your grade, its out of hand. Many people seem to like this, but unfortunately I hate it more than anything. I can not fit that much info in my head at once, so obviously I am procrastinating as we speak. But anyways, when I entered this country I had the highest expectations of what it would do for me, and it has exceeded them definitely. I will say that for the first few months I did not miss home at all. I did miss my friends a lot, but I was open to the fact that I was on my own not totally because I have friends here, but for the first time in a couple years I made a huge step to go all the way around the world and try to make it on my own socially, if that makes sense. It does to me. As the alcohol flowed the friends followed, and I have made some of the greatest friends ships here. I love everyone and will miss them all greatly. I will miss being in close proximity to all my friends. I live two floors above britt and dan, which is great, they are out of hand. My roommates are amazing, living in my own apartment is great as well. The fact that I can walk out of my flat and walk to class is probably the greatest thing, I have not been able to do that since 2005, and when i was at UMD I never went to class. The fact that I get to live like a college student again is the best. At home I live under my parents roof which isnt that bad, but its annoying. I take a train, two subways, and a bus to get to school. From there I run around to try to get to work life was so hectic. It has been relaxing only having to go to school. I know that I wasted a lot of money in my early college career and I regret that so badly. If I could do that all over again so I could live like many of my friends who are still in school it would be phenomenal.
Whilst being in New Zealand I have learned that the beer here is shit, but god dam we drink a lot of it. Alcohol in general is so expensive here so I will not miss paying high prices for shit beer. But even though things are expensive over here, you can get a car for real cheap so britt, nick, and I bought an 89 mitsubishi galant, it is grey, it smokes a lot, it makes a loud clicking sound when turning, the fan belt makes a whining sound, but we love OLD SMOKEY(that is his name). So we take our car and travel around as much as we can. This island is so small you can drive from the east coast to the west coast in three hours give or take. But we have take n our glorious car down south as far as Milford Sound, and as far north as Golden Bay. Every place we go my mind explodes because of the scenery, I have driven on the same road 3 or 4 times and been to a bunch of the same places in this country but it doesn't matter, it is just so beautiful. I don't think that I will be able to handle not seeing the mountains everyday, even if its just the port hills I still love it. The city of christchurch is goofy, you can drive ten minutes out of the center of the city and there will be sheep and farms. I LOVE IT SO MUCH! In the beginning we played outside or went climbing a lot, I feel as if we have slowed down our outside time. Even though we really haven't, and we play in new ways.
The other day I shaved my beard that I had been growing for just about two months(i have a sweet as fu man chu now). But my friend nick was like you are not the same person I met when we got here. When we arrived I had long hair and a silly facial, now I have real short hair and goofy facial hair. This statement he made is totally not true, I am still the same person just a different style, but I almost feel like he was correct too. This trip has made me more independent, I have had to do many things on my own. I planned this whole trip here on my own, and worked my ass off to save for it. Now I am reaping the benefits of that hard work. I just feel like I have grown up a bit, I am still the same jackass who will fart and burp and laugh at dumb jokes and what not. But I feel as though I can now make it on my own which is a good thing being 23. Oh yeah I also turned 23 whilst in this country, that was fun. But I must say I was telling people who old I was and they looked at me like I was an old man even though its not at all. But the kids here are 20 or just turned 21 and there is no problem with that all don't get my wrong but it felt weird to have people make that face when I said I was 23 ha its not like i am 27 COME ON! I almost feel like I finally know how to balance fun and school. Sort of even though school is much harder here, but I feel like it will help me a lot in the long run.
Everyday I am surrounded by people who love to hike, climb, be outside, are smart, earth conscious, and live by the seat of their pants and just roll with whatever happens. It is amazing, I have said that word so many times but everything really is. We have fun, we play hard, and when it comes down to it we get our shit done. I am thankful for everyone that I have met during this experience, they have all touched my life and made it better. The semester is coming to close and its almost time to go home, but I just want to stay or have everyone come home with me. the thought that I will not see all of them everyday is awful. What I really want is to go home for a little, and make my friends and family come back with me. This weekend we had a huge bash up in this town called Hamner springs, its in the mountains. we got two houses for probably I dont know 40 plus people. It was a shit show. Friday night was a theme party of famous couples. My friend Dan and I went as MARIO AND LUIGI, it was probably the best thing ever. We were absolutely ridiculous all night and drank so much. But so didn't everyone else(Britt i know you will hate this sentence). Saturday we sat around and then went in hot springs in the snow, and had a snowball fight. IT WAS NUTS, when does that ever happen? only in new zealand.
We drove home today to the backdrop of the snow covered southern alps it was absolutely stunning, I love this country so much. It will always be a part of me.(oh yeah I got a tattoo of the island on my upper arm). I should probably try to study now, for those of you that actually read I love you.
things i will miss so much:
-my friends
-old smokey
-Insane road trips
-the open container law
-being able to drink in cars
-getting beer at 3am
-the mountains
-the sea
-the Kiwi's
-learning ridiculous kiwi slang(CHUNDER= to throw up)
-rock climb on amazing limestone
-CASTLE HILL
-Ilam Village
-eating a staple diet of pasta, capsicum, sauce, rice, beans, and a shit ton of cheese
-SESAMEALS and Cheese everyday
-JUST JUICE
-seeing beautiful things and people everyday
-the fact that reggae is everywhere you go here
-and anything else that has not come to mind too