A Quick Update.

Now's the part of my semester abroad where I remember that I am still a student, despite my ambitious travel goals that have yet to be accomplished.

I have 5 research papers due between May 13th and May 29th.

I'd rather take 5 tests than do these papers, you can study anywhere as long as you can get some quiet time at night.

I spent all weekend avoiding work and basically partying in pretty clothes at the Huia Formal Dinner and one the RA's birthday parties. Oh and my birthday was very nice too; I went out to a nice italian place in Parnell for some wine and pasta, and my friends bought me a delicious chocolate cake, a 1-kilo block of real swiss cheese, a box of tim-tams and some other amazing scrumptious delights. We went for drinks afterwards, nothing too crazy though because we knew the next night was the formal dinner.

I've already booked my reward for getting through these tough-student times: 5 days in Samoa.

Yep, June 4th-June 9th I'm hopping on a plane with eight of my friends and we're just going to hang out on the islands of western (read: not American) Samoa. On my part, I intend on using my days to study for exams (my first two tests are June 11th and 12th...ooops?) on the beach (and taking breaks to snorkel in the basically untouched waters there, of course).

When I get back, I only have a week of exams (June 11th, 12th, 15th and 18th), which is not bad at all considering the exams period goes all the way until June 29th for the semester. I'm hoping my plane ticket can be pushed back from July 5th to something a bit later (no later than the 17th, though, as my visa expires then) so I can hang with people around Auckland before doing a final catch-all tour of NZ. I still have an entire list of places I haven't been to yet and the after-exams period is basically the last chance I'll have! Scary.

I am missing home alot, but I'm sure once I get through this school-stuff, I'll be as in love with this country as I have been before *sigh*