Aroha

(Hongi--sharing breath--traditional Maori greeting)
Good Morning, everyone!
So I'm in a pretty good mood today, wanna know why!? SUN!!!

Yes, the sun has officially come out. No, there's no blue skies, nor warm breezes, but there's a bright sun poking out and it immediately made me feel thousands of times better.

I wrote my Philosophy paper on Homeopathy, and even though it's not fantastic, it's not too too bad. Dickie was a gem and edited it for me, and he's a super tough critic. I'm really excited that I'm done, so I'll print it out today after class and hand it in a day early. Yes, I'm an eager beaver, or as they say here in Kiwi-a-go-go Land:
"Jesus, you're keen"

Yes. I. Am!

I woke up this morning super early and got my shizzle together to work on my Maori Art History Paper. There are two essay prompts that we can pick from or we can make one ourselves. So, of course, being keen, I chose my own essay prompt. Identity as a Medium in Maori Toi and how that compares to all Art. Can Identity be a medium in Non-Maori Art? I say yes! Haha, we'll see how this goes.

So I marched happily, squinting in the sunlight, through the soggy campus, dodging the wormies on the footpath...It was at 10ish when everyone was in class already and there were just the few stragglers racing on their skateboards. Ok, I found my mecca. I love libraries in general, but the Maori Library, Macmillan Brown, is amazing. The technology is really lame, I'm typing on an old school keyboard that's extra clicky (sorry people around me). You can't take out any books, which is also kind of lame, but the resources are slim. It's beautiful in here. I wish I had my camera to take pictures. It has kind of an old school-house vibe mixed with a whare (Maori meeting house). There are exposed wooden rafters and beautiful art work everywhere.

Oh, so for my paper I'm using examples of Maori Identity within the art. Like in Ta Moko (tattoos), contemporary paintings from Maori and non-Maori, and other art (sculptures, weaving, etc)...I was looking in this beautiful book about Pacific Island tattoos and I came across probably the most gorgeous human in the entire world. I'm trying to find a picture of her and these ridiculous tattoos on her belly/legs, but no such luck. Take my word for it. Crazy. Don't worry, everyone, I'm not getting Moko anywhere. First of all, no spanks! Second of all, I'm not Maori and I'd be a gigantic poser. Third of all, I'd like to live to see my 21st b-day and I'm not sure my mom would be kosher with black lips and a moustache-tattoo :)
I don't need Moko to show that I'm strong, passionate, interesting..."I wear mine on the inside" (Stupid quote from a Maori movie...no judging)

Anyway, I've been super duper mopey for the past couple of weeks. Just a lot going on. Unnecessary drama and sadness. But! When I come to Mac. Brown, I just get swept up in the Maori art of Robyn Kahukiwa and David Pearce and I get in the zone. Gotta finish my work!

I've also been thinking about my Junior/Senior Honors Project. I really want to do something about Maori Karakia, or prayers, because they're just so interesting. I stumbled upon a book here entitled, "Grace" about Maori Prayers and how they have changed post-colonization. How can I use Maori poems/songs/prayers and not have it be so narrow? I wish Mass. was closer to Native American Reservations so I could do some comparisons. I guess I'll just exhaust my resources here in my study break before I leave and then check out what Boston has to offer. Hmm...Just brainstorming!

Anyway, I have to run to class now. Three hours in the stacks of Mac. Brown might be a little excessive.

Kisses to everyone, and I'll be home SO soon. 28 days (EEEEK!)
Classes end on Thursday for me. After my three exams back to back to back. Now, that's just cruel. After that, I'm going to try to convince people to rent a car with me because I haven't been to the West Coast yet. I want to do the Pancake Rocks, Cave Rafting, Split Apple Rock, Maybe Franz Josef if I can find someone who hasn't done it...(Boo.)
Yeah, so the North Island was a no-go apparently. I'll explain later. Super Boo. Whatever.

Then I'm going to Dunedin on the 19th for an All Blacks game. The tickets are sold out, but I think I'm going to just watch it in a Pub nearby. Can't wait!

Send me good vibes for this coming up week. It's the calm before the epic storm on Thursday. ::Just Breathe::

I'm sending all my Aroha to you all right now and keep sending sunshine my way!

<3 G

HOW?!

HOW IS IT STILL RAINING!?


So this post will be quite short. I have to write two papers, but I just wanted to express my exasperation. How in the CRAP can it still be raining? God must be really sad right now. But, the duckies are loving it, and the birdies are happy because of all the worms out. Yuck.

I apologize in advance if I dont really post much in the next week. This is what my schedule looks like:
June 1st: Philosophy Paper due on Homeopathy (not JFK, no thank you)
June 3rd: Maori Art History Debate @10am
Maori History Exam @2pm
Maori Language Exam @5pm
June 4th: Maori Art History Paper due on Multimedia

If I come home completely gray, you'll know why.

Dear New Zealand,
This is NOT fun.
Love,
Gracie

PS.
STOP THE EFF RAINING!

I'm Lame As. Heaps Lame.

I am a big, fat, smelly loser!!!!

Sorry everyone for not posting in umpteen years. I'm uber lame, I know. It's been crazy busy and then not-so busy, but I've just been reluctant to post. I usually feel inspiration to post when I have an epic picture-taking adventure.

So! What's new with me? ... Rain.
It's been raining for millennia now. Honestly, how can there still be water in the clouds? Don't they get tired? I'm sure sick of the weather. AND it doesn't help that all my lovebugs back home keep bragging about breaking out the jandals and throwing on sundresses and planting the garden. Grr. Here I am with perpetually soaking wet sockies and a constant chill up my spine because, oh right, NZ doesn't heat their houses. Awesome.


Rain rain go away


I have been doing some sweet as Kiwi things. Last week a whole bunch of us went to a Rugby match between the Canterbury Crusaders and the South Africa (?) Brumbies. Anyone, what the poop is a Brumbie?
It was an amazing game, really. Dickie, Blake, Cody and I got PRIME seating two rows behind the end zone (or Rugby equivalent) and we got to see so much carnage. It was absolutely awesome. First of all, the entrance to the Crusader's locker room was a Castle and right before the match started, there were these Knights/Crusaders on horseback who did a lap around the pitch. It was hilarious. Imagine trying to explain why the mascot of the Red Sox is Wally the Green Monster. Almost as bizarre as having a body of water as a mascot in high school, Lets go Spy Ponders!!...wait what?

Any time the Crusaders scored a try (touchdown) there were these HUGE flames that erupted all around the field. Dickie and I had a really good time with those. Ok, don't get me wrong, I love love love football. Mom always said that Football was like watching the Gladiators...but Rugby, jeez, that's truly barbaric and they're literally Gladiators. These giant men running full speed at each other without pads, without "face mask! unnecessary roughness!", and if they start bleeding, some medic guy will come out with a STAPLER and staple their face back together. Yuck? Yes. Awesome? Absolutely.

Whenever there's a throw-in thingy the team will hoist someone up in the air to catch the ball and the other team does the same. That was intense. Watching a 6'6'' dude lift another 6'6'' guy into the air while they're playing monkey in the middle with the other team. Jesus.


Scrum!

Super foggy.


FIREEE!


More fog.



Eek!

So yeah the rugby game was awesome. It felt soo good to be in a stadium. I love it! I can't wait to go to a Sox game!!!!

This past weekend was really mopey and annoying. Not only am I super homesick, but I have 2 papers to write this week due June 1st. In my head if I start to do things that are due in June it means that June is close, which means that I'm leaving soon. Which freaks me out. Have I done everything I want to do? When will I come back? Will people remember me here?
...I have to come back. There's no way to wrap my head around "never coming back..." So I HAVE to come back.
It's a bittersweet few weeks here. Oof, so conflicted.

Anyway! I had a really shitty week last week and I just needed to get out into the fresh air. Even if it was pouring, I needed to get out. I think someone heard my prayers because my sweet girl friends invited me on a picnic in the Port Hills of ChCh. The plan was to hike up to Castle Rock, have an adorable picnic and then leisurely walk down to Lyttleton and enjoy the cute little town. Luckily we had a beautiful sunny day. It was even kind of warm when we started walking. But, alas, once we got to the top it did, indeed, get windy and cloudy. Oh well! It was still nice to walk up there.

When we first started walking there was a stray sheepie who was bleeting for help. Kimbrey and I tried to corner it so it could jump over the fence but he wasn't too keen on getting close to us. Poor lil' dude. I hope he got over.
Anyway, we hiked up to Castle Rock and it only took us about 35 minutes tops. It was really nice, but all of us felt a tad out of shape. Kelsey and I realized that we hadn't been hiking since Nelson Lakes. Oh well. We sat and had a picnic and enjoyed some much-needed girl talk. Ah the healing powers of gossip :)










Lyttleton Harbor

Kia Ora, Pacific Ocean

Then we walked down Bridle Path to Lyttleton for a great cup of coffee at my Dad and my favorite coffee place in ChCh. Lyttleton Coffee Co!!! They have the best desserts for chocoholics :)












Thankfully it was a beautiful day for us until we all got back to our flats. Then it got kinda rainy.
Sunday I vowed to be productive and start writing my papers, but instead I...did laundry, went grocery shopping, painted my nails, took a shower, hung out with friends, watched 2 movies, and a season of The Office. Oh and wrote a vague outline of my JFK paper. Ooh, any insight? I have to write a paper on the conspiracy theory of the JFK Assassination. Blargh. Let you know how that goes :-\

Ok, that's enough for now. Feel caught up in the wonderful life of Kiwi Gracie?

...I need an adventure...none of this writing essays bologna.


PS.

STILL POURING!