I'm here!

Its pouring/windy this morning here today, so I guess I'll start this thing after all.

I really want it to stop raining soon, as I've been up since 7am due to the odd sort of jetlag I got from going 18 hours ahead in 24 hours, and I want to get some of the essentials I need, like food  to cook and shampoo, etc. They're also tearing apart the street below my window so sleeping past 8:30 will be kind of tough regardless.

Anyways, the flight here wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. The only scary part was that I got to JFK at 9:30, scanned my passport and thee screen told me MY FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED. Apparently the travel agent my parents used told us it was an 11:30 flight but actually put me on the 8:30. I got onto the 11:30 no problem though.  Getting around LAX wasn't too bad, as I ran into two Australian businessmen that were making the same transfer and we navigated the parking garage-crossover between terminals together. And that was all I've ever seen of California haha.

The Auckland flight was chock-full of exchange students, mostly part of either IES or Australearn programs and they all told me how grateful they were for the program making the application/preparation process easy for them, that they'd never have known the steps and paperwork necessary without help...OH REALLY?? I know its over, and that I made it through successfully but yeah, it was one of the most frustrating processes I've gone through, worse than applying to college, both times. 

I made it through the flight with the aid of sleeping pills, a good dinner and breakfast and 6 episodes of "The Mighty Boosh". The latter was an absurd BBC production, but I kinda loved it; the first episode featured a creepy song about eels and another a trip through a character's body to defeat the Voodooo Jazz Virus. Will definitely look it up online if this rain doesn't let up soon.

Got to the airport and couldn't find my ride, as he had none of the identifying characteristics they sent me, but rather a sign that said "IES". These two off-duty taxi/bus drivers were really helpful though and wandered around to find the group while I sat with my luggage. We drove through the pretty suburbs as all the kids were walking to school in their uniforms, it was kinda cute.

When I got to the dorm, all I wanted was a shower or a nap so I quickly disappeared upstairs once I got my key. Once I got cleaned up and unpacked, I was too anxious to get outside to sleep, so I figured I'd go get some of the things I needed. The receptionists here are also supernice, btw, and around 24 hours, so I asked them where a supermarket was. Once outside though, I realized it was only around noon and I was starving, so I picked up a piece of bacon, egg and cheese pie and walked into the Auckland Domain just down the road. The gardens there are really pretty, and more tropical than I expected. It was so nice to be out in a skirt and sandals, listening to the insects, soaking up the sun and smelling flowers in February, so I just kept wandering about the park til I got to Parnell Rd, the boutique-shopping area of Auckland. Auckland is a much smaller place than I expected, actually, so I decided  to keep exploring til I got tired/found a food store. I found a NZ-mac-store equivalent, looked around a bookstore and decided to walk towards the harbor. I also found Foodtown and an Asian grocer, but decided I'd rather not walk up the hill through the University with all my food in tow. I'm hoping to walk back down there today at some point...

On the way back, I walked through the campus of the University, which has some really pretty buildings and lush greenery. Checked in with the International Office, and they do indeed have an ID card for me, I just left my visa in my room so I couldn't pick it up...but I'm definitely in the system here, yay!

Between the University and my dorm, there's alot of convenience stores and coffee shops, so thats good too for when I start going to classes in a week. The bridge I have to take across the motorway, although under construction, has nice views of the harbor and Rangitoto, an old volcano in the harbor.

I got back, cooked myself a can of soup and then got hit with the exhaustion of not sleeping on the planes very much and the fact that 8pm here = 2am  at home, so I promptly passed out at 9pm...I'm awesome.

I haven't met too many people yet, but I'm kind of enjoying just doing things on my own because I know I'll soon have to do things on a schedule and meet others once the International and Huia Residence Orientations start up on Monday. Today I've only braved the storm for coffee and a pastry at the Asian bakery across the street, which also sells cheap meat pies...I'm pretty excited for this, even if its super unhealthy.

As for the next few days, I might try to catch a ferry over to Devonport for a Food, Wine and Music festival if its nice out; the dorm is also having a meet-up to go to the symphony concert in the Domain tomorrow night. 

Hopefully I'll get my errands done later today so I can do as I please tomorrow...

And that has been your report from tomorrow in the Southern Hemisphere.

I hope you're all enjoying the wintertime :-)