"Ozone Layer"

Kiaora, my fellow pakeha!

Today was our second day of Orienteering (goofy, isn't it!?). I kind of know my way around campus, which is right across from my dorms, and I'm getting into a good groove.

Yesterday I finally went into the centre of city with my buds and we got oriented (orienteered?) in ChCh...It was very, very overcast so the picture quality was iffy, but bear with me. I finally finally finally got to see the city I've been dreaming about for 123 days. It was really funny walking around with my friends because they had no idea about HOW much research I actually did..."Oh, the life-size chess set should be around here.....and YEAH! there's the Starbucks in the old bank..." Kind of embarrassing.

ChCh is unlike any city in any country I've been to. It's very small and there are definitely no huge sky scrapers. If we were to be kicking around at night and needed a "north star" (which obviously doesn't exist in these skies, but I'll get into that later...) we'd look for the cathedral and not a building like the Pru. There is a lot of ::cough:: adult-focused entertainment, so walking around looking for a nice bar or restaurant is bombarded with avoiding neon stairways of "Massage!!!" parlors or "Calendar Girls!!!"...Sketch.

Oh! Also, they LOVE cowboy motifs. There were a ton of Dirty Harry posters and an "Old West Saloon" with Drew Barrymore's face on the side of the building. Again, don't ask.

I love ChCh tho, I'm getting totally enamored with this city and even the outskirts. The Ilam area we're in is like a mix between Valparaiso in Chile and Nantucket. Goofy, I know, but imagine this. Adorable ranch-like houses with beautiful flowers and huge fences so you have to be a creeper and peek around, which, don't judge, there was a lot of. And the atmosphere of the houses was sustainability first: solar panels, 5 different receptacles for trash, taking advantage of the sun and lack thereof, and bikes bikes bikes! I should just do a blog post on NZ's obsession with the 3 R's: REDUCE! REUSE! RECYCLE!!!

Ok, here are some pics from last night:

Reminds me of Gringotts...yes, it would.

No comment necessary :)

The Chalice

The Cathedral

And today was the most beautiful day in ChCh in weeks apparently. It was definitely the first time I had seen hours and hours of uninterrupted sun! Super exciting. So after orientation, a ton of us immediately went to the beach. I put on my bikini, lathered up (yes, dad, I promise I lathered up!) and took a 40 min bus ride through the city to the beach. On the way there, our Kiwi friend advised us about the hole in the ozone layer. Apparently there's a HUGE hole in the ozone layer right above the North Island and therefore the sun in NZ is crazy strong. Good thing I brought my SPF 50! By the time we got to the beach, we were all freezing. Definitely over zealous on the sun being out. We forgot about the fact that it was only 55 ish... We got to the beach and the boys, being boys, dove right into the beautiful water. Remember my New Years Resolution was to be brave, so I followed right in! Haha and immediately got out. BRRRRRRRRR! Yes, Boston is freezing so this should be heaven, but eep, it was cold! My little nail beds were blue. No gracias. So my friend Kelsie and I just lounged in our sweatshirts and buried our legs in the warm sand. We bought Diet Cokes (which taste funky) and ice cream. I got my first Kiwi fruit icecream. Oh! Little side note: I told our Kiwi friend that I had "kiwi icecream" today and he goes, "no...that doesnt exist. kiwis are endangered" And after minutes of confusion on both parts we realized I had meant the fruit and he had meant the adorable flightless bird. Never making that mistake again :)

Anyway, so the boys found some Kiwis to play American Beach Football with and the natives were a little confused so to retaliate they "taught" the Americans cricket. Now, THAT, was entertaining.... I wont even try to explain what I learned today. All I saw was two sticks and a lot of running back and forth. Oh, and a smushed baseball bat.

Here are some beautiful pictures of Sumner Beach. PS. When I'm a successful professor, I'm going to have a winter/summer house on these cliffs. Just an FYI :)

My future vacation home!

Cricket lesson

So even with my excessive lathering I still came home with a peeenk face. Grrrrr....I'll work on it, I promise. Damn you "OZONE LAYER."

OH! So random fact about Kiwis: Apparently if you're attracted to someone, you dont approach them. Period. Guys will NOT approach a girl they find attractive and neither will the girls. The boys dance in a circle by themselves and the girls dance in a circle by themselves. One has to wonder: How do they keep the population up? Are Kiwibirds and Kiwipeepz both endangering themselves? Dance together, people!

Hmm...How am I supposed to meet cute Kiwi boys if they'd freak out if I said hi... :(

Keep ya posted on that one.

Another update? Apparently April is a HORRIBLE time to go to Fiji b/c its peak cyclone season...also keep you posted on any potential trip to Fiji-land.

I'm gonna go moisturize my lobster face :) (kidding, Daddy!) ...kind of :-\

xoxo