So if you have been following this blog you might have realized I lack a certain level of blogging prowess, like adding pictures. I also lack any real dedication to this blog well because I am lazy and I think other people can do it better. So I decided to share those blogs with you, the ones of my friends who I follow better than I write my own. Enjoy!..
My dearest Emma Holmes is studying in Leiden for the semester and her blog is here: http://travelsbyemmag.blogspot.com
Julie T Ives is studying in Cork Ireland and is enjoying lots and lots of greenery from the place where my ancestors hail read here: http://greenhillsandguinness.blogspot.com
Nellybelly Koch is in studying in Denmark, where she's seeing some really cool stuff as a architecture major: http://gotmytowel.blogspot.com
Tricky Trevor Crawford, a fellow Saint Michaelian is studying in Otago with me and has been on most of my adventures his blog is pretty cool: http://trevgoesunder.blogspot.com
And ofcourse there is my best friend and big brother figure, Dane Weister, whose blog is what mine would look like if I actually was able to use any type of technology without it going poorly: http://daneweister.blogspot.com
Enjoy!!
PS Just copy and paste, I couldn't get the hyperlink to work. Weird.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Girl's Week!
Okay, so Olivia and I have decided to live life to the fullest and live everyday like it’s our last. While last week that entailed a tattoo for Olivia and Bungy jumping for me, this week it has meant something quite different.
Girl’s Week.
That’s right, the boys have rented a camper van (hence forth known as Bertha, the man beast that she is and all) for two weeks to travel the West Coast, and in response we shall skip our last week of class and travel the East side of the South Island.
Enter Wilma, our two door, white, miniature car. She only has four gears and she has no CD player. We were worried when we got her. But she proved herself as an Amazonian woman by taking hills like a trooper and with the quick purchase of a Ipod connecter we were set.
Now, the boys needed to be in Christchurch on Tuesday by 4 to pick up Bertha. Obviously they could not arrange their own transport so they hopped into the back of Wilma. After waiting two hours for Davis, he and Michael sat in the back chanting “overtake” and comment on Liv’s driving. It was generally stressful for all. After some southern charm from Davis, he extended the pickup til 5, and we eventually got them there. They were under appreciative. Boys if you are reading this, time to buy us dinner (not Fish and Chips).
Moving on, after we kicked them out of the car, the fun actually began. Cue Olivia being de-stressed and relaxing music, which Michael gets credit for. Drove from Christchurch to Akaroa to spend the night and see some beautiful sunsets.
Wake up in Akaroa, liv’s made breakfast and has collected about 200 leaflets. She is the perfect wife, we are now basically a married couple. Onto to information center (a most handy place featured in almost all New Zealand major towns) to book a dolphin cruise. Arrive to the dolphin cruise, we are the youngest people there by atleast 40 years. Annoying older Americans to be had by all. Came to the realization I am now a Kiwi because I hate American tourists. Actually I hate all tourists, but still America, socks and sandals needs to stop. Now.
Moving on, sea birds, penguins (old news by now) and a 90 foot cave. Then we got to the good stuff, we saw Hector’s dolphins, lots of them! For those who haven’t been on this tour or ever even heard of Hector’s dolphins, they are the world’s smallest ocean dolphin and are the cutest things around. Their dorsal fin is shaped like mickey mouse’s ear. They hung around the boat, it was sunny, the Irish captain said it was the best encounter he had had in months. You are welcome America tourists.
After docking we had a lovely meal of bread for lunch in a seaside café, we then decided to skip the giant’s museum because it was intimidating ie up a hill, we get enough of that in Dunedin thank you. Especially since the sculptures were probably twice the size of Liv and I. Onto Okain’s Bay for the Maori and colonial museum. Yup.
Then we hopped into Wilma, put on some of John’s CDs (the boys only payment for us bringing them to Christchurch) and went onward.
We ended up driving through Christchurch again, and onto Kaikora. Stayed overnight in Kaikora in an adorable hostel with some real uncomfortable beds. Kaikora is a place where whale watching and seal swimming can be had. We however skipped that since it was cloudy and swimming with wild animals is sort of intimidating.
Since we ended up leaving Kaikora around nine, we had a full day of opportunities ahead of us. We of course drove until we hit the Marlborough region and stopped at the first winery we saw. We ended up hitting a total of 8. Which are the following: Montana, Lawson’s Dry Hills, Wither Hills, Highfield, Mahi, Seresin Estate, Huia, and No. 1 Family Estate. Do the Marlborough Wine Tour. Go to Lawson’s Dry Hills and ask for Sue, drink the Guertz and the Dessert Riesiling. We had Wither Hills for lunch, which was reasonable but Highfield had a better menu. When at Highfield climb the tower and look at 360 degree view. Finish it off with No.1 Family Estate, who only does sparkling wine then go directly to the chocolate factory which gives free samples. Happiness will be found.
After our extensive wine tour, we drove onward to Picton. After experiencing some questionable public toilets we then decided the ferry to Wellington was exceptionally overpriced we also decided Picton was a pointless place, so we got coffee and left. Onward to the Queen Charlotte Drive, a most beautiful, scenic route to Havelock which eventually gets us to Nelson. We got sidetracked and ended up driving around the Sounds and saw some beautiful water, hills, tress, and cow combinations. After realizing it was getting late we drove onward and hit Havelock. Found a hostel and crashed after a quick meal of pasta and of course, some organic, Marlborough wine newly purchased.
Woke up bright and early again for some toast sans butter and chocolate milk for breakfast. After a productive morning of driving and pulling over at green sings, put there to mark cool things by the Department of Conservation we headed onward to Nelson. Upon arriving we went to a camera shop and learned yes, Olivia’s camera the only one with us for the week was unfix-able and that black dot would be in all pictures. Awesome, but we would not be stopped. Got a delicious lunch, decided to forgo the mask parade and headed on.
Our next stop was yet another green DOC sign, this time for Kaiteriteri Beach. BEST STOP EVER. We sat on the beach and appreciated the beauty the world had to offer. Pictures to follow! After that we made the decision to skip the boat to Abel Tasmen, with the stipulation we would come back and kayak it soon. Plus it was a solid 200 dollars. Yeah no thanks.
Moving on to yet another green sign as we drove as north as humanly possible on the coast of the South Island we hit Pupu Springs. Beautiful. Again pictures were taken as well as timed photographs, sort of awkward.
After which we had a fabulous night at the Innlet, which has a compost toilet as well as ‘the Web’ which is this net trampoline thing above a stream. Liv and I started early. It’s Saturday at this point, by the way, since I know I had definitely lost track of time. We drove even more north with our eventual goal being Farewell Spit, the northern most point of the South Island and a really BIG sand-dune. However on the way we got very sidetracked by Wharariki Beach. Pictures do more justice than I can, but we walked over some green hills, saw baby seals swimming in a river and hit the coolest beach ever!
After that we ventured to Farewell spit, which is very impressive in pictures and guided tours but not so much when you can’t actually get into the nature reserve. But we had great scones and can technically say we have been to the northern tip of the South Island so that is pretty cool!
After that it was just one long drive downward. We retraced our steps all the back to past Kaiteriteri beach until we could turn off and drive inward instead of along the coast. We then drove for a solid six hours (in which I fell asleep in the car for the first and only time during the trip). Eventually we made it to our last destination, Hamner Springs.
After rolling into town and basically collapsing out of the car, we went to the Springs, which are natural sulfur pools and REALLY hot, and booked massages and an unlimited pass for the next day. After accomplishing this very important task, we went out for a lovely dinner and befriended some “hen” parties.
The next morning we awoke, got a lovely breakfast and soaked all day long. After a few hours we got amazing massages that were definitely the very best way to end our girls week. We then returned to trusty Wilma and returned to Dunedin. As soon as we got home it started raining. Clearly we should have stayed on Girl’s week!
Girl’s Week.
That’s right, the boys have rented a camper van (hence forth known as Bertha, the man beast that she is and all) for two weeks to travel the West Coast, and in response we shall skip our last week of class and travel the East side of the South Island.
Enter Wilma, our two door, white, miniature car. She only has four gears and she has no CD player. We were worried when we got her. But she proved herself as an Amazonian woman by taking hills like a trooper and with the quick purchase of a Ipod connecter we were set.
Now, the boys needed to be in Christchurch on Tuesday by 4 to pick up Bertha. Obviously they could not arrange their own transport so they hopped into the back of Wilma. After waiting two hours for Davis, he and Michael sat in the back chanting “overtake” and comment on Liv’s driving. It was generally stressful for all. After some southern charm from Davis, he extended the pickup til 5, and we eventually got them there. They were under appreciative. Boys if you are reading this, time to buy us dinner (not Fish and Chips).
Moving on, after we kicked them out of the car, the fun actually began. Cue Olivia being de-stressed and relaxing music, which Michael gets credit for. Drove from Christchurch to Akaroa to spend the night and see some beautiful sunsets.
Wake up in Akaroa, liv’s made breakfast and has collected about 200 leaflets. She is the perfect wife, we are now basically a married couple. Onto to information center (a most handy place featured in almost all New Zealand major towns) to book a dolphin cruise. Arrive to the dolphin cruise, we are the youngest people there by atleast 40 years. Annoying older Americans to be had by all. Came to the realization I am now a Kiwi because I hate American tourists. Actually I hate all tourists, but still America, socks and sandals needs to stop. Now.
Moving on, sea birds, penguins (old news by now) and a 90 foot cave. Then we got to the good stuff, we saw Hector’s dolphins, lots of them! For those who haven’t been on this tour or ever even heard of Hector’s dolphins, they are the world’s smallest ocean dolphin and are the cutest things around. Their dorsal fin is shaped like mickey mouse’s ear. They hung around the boat, it was sunny, the Irish captain said it was the best encounter he had had in months. You are welcome America tourists.
After docking we had a lovely meal of bread for lunch in a seaside café, we then decided to skip the giant’s museum because it was intimidating ie up a hill, we get enough of that in Dunedin thank you. Especially since the sculptures were probably twice the size of Liv and I. Onto Okain’s Bay for the Maori and colonial museum. Yup.
Then we hopped into Wilma, put on some of John’s CDs (the boys only payment for us bringing them to Christchurch) and went onward.
We ended up driving through Christchurch again, and onto Kaikora. Stayed overnight in Kaikora in an adorable hostel with some real uncomfortable beds. Kaikora is a place where whale watching and seal swimming can be had. We however skipped that since it was cloudy and swimming with wild animals is sort of intimidating.
Since we ended up leaving Kaikora around nine, we had a full day of opportunities ahead of us. We of course drove until we hit the Marlborough region and stopped at the first winery we saw. We ended up hitting a total of 8. Which are the following: Montana, Lawson’s Dry Hills, Wither Hills, Highfield, Mahi, Seresin Estate, Huia, and No. 1 Family Estate. Do the Marlborough Wine Tour. Go to Lawson’s Dry Hills and ask for Sue, drink the Guertz and the Dessert Riesiling. We had Wither Hills for lunch, which was reasonable but Highfield had a better menu. When at Highfield climb the tower and look at 360 degree view. Finish it off with No.1 Family Estate, who only does sparkling wine then go directly to the chocolate factory which gives free samples. Happiness will be found.
After our extensive wine tour, we drove onward to Picton. After experiencing some questionable public toilets we then decided the ferry to Wellington was exceptionally overpriced we also decided Picton was a pointless place, so we got coffee and left. Onward to the Queen Charlotte Drive, a most beautiful, scenic route to Havelock which eventually gets us to Nelson. We got sidetracked and ended up driving around the Sounds and saw some beautiful water, hills, tress, and cow combinations. After realizing it was getting late we drove onward and hit Havelock. Found a hostel and crashed after a quick meal of pasta and of course, some organic, Marlborough wine newly purchased.
Woke up bright and early again for some toast sans butter and chocolate milk for breakfast. After a productive morning of driving and pulling over at green sings, put there to mark cool things by the Department of Conservation we headed onward to Nelson. Upon arriving we went to a camera shop and learned yes, Olivia’s camera the only one with us for the week was unfix-able and that black dot would be in all pictures. Awesome, but we would not be stopped. Got a delicious lunch, decided to forgo the mask parade and headed on.
Our next stop was yet another green DOC sign, this time for Kaiteriteri Beach. BEST STOP EVER. We sat on the beach and appreciated the beauty the world had to offer. Pictures to follow! After that we made the decision to skip the boat to Abel Tasmen, with the stipulation we would come back and kayak it soon. Plus it was a solid 200 dollars. Yeah no thanks.
Moving on to yet another green sign as we drove as north as humanly possible on the coast of the South Island we hit Pupu Springs. Beautiful. Again pictures were taken as well as timed photographs, sort of awkward.
After which we had a fabulous night at the Innlet, which has a compost toilet as well as ‘the Web’ which is this net trampoline thing above a stream. Liv and I started early. It’s Saturday at this point, by the way, since I know I had definitely lost track of time. We drove even more north with our eventual goal being Farewell Spit, the northern most point of the South Island and a really BIG sand-dune. However on the way we got very sidetracked by Wharariki Beach. Pictures do more justice than I can, but we walked over some green hills, saw baby seals swimming in a river and hit the coolest beach ever!
After that we ventured to Farewell spit, which is very impressive in pictures and guided tours but not so much when you can’t actually get into the nature reserve. But we had great scones and can technically say we have been to the northern tip of the South Island so that is pretty cool!
After that it was just one long drive downward. We retraced our steps all the back to past Kaiteriteri beach until we could turn off and drive inward instead of along the coast. We then drove for a solid six hours (in which I fell asleep in the car for the first and only time during the trip). Eventually we made it to our last destination, Hamner Springs.
After rolling into town and basically collapsing out of the car, we went to the Springs, which are natural sulfur pools and REALLY hot, and booked massages and an unlimited pass for the next day. After accomplishing this very important task, we went out for a lovely dinner and befriended some “hen” parties.
The next morning we awoke, got a lovely breakfast and soaked all day long. After a few hours we got amazing massages that were definitely the very best way to end our girls week. We then returned to trusty Wilma and returned to Dunedin. As soon as we got home it started raining. Clearly we should have stayed on Girl’s week!
The big jump!
October 9th - 10th
Ah, Queenstown, the adventure capital of New Zealand. While New Zealand is of course cited as the adventure capital of the world. So Queenstown must be great right? Yeah. IT’S EXACTLY RIGHT.
Sometimes you just have nothing planned for the weekend and you and your friends think well what do we want to do that we have yet to accomplish. Dane, Meg, Michelle and I asked ourselves this question on Friday and came up with one answer, the Nevis. Which entailed one thing a trip to Queenstown.
After finagling the boys into action on Saturday morning for the farmer’s market Dane, John, Meg and I traveled to the car rental place with discount voucher in hand to rent a car. After dealing with a slightly inept sales guy we got a brand new Toyota, that went very fast for 68 dollars for the weekend. Sweet as.
Caravan time! Boy’s car = Trevor, Dane, JBo and Greg. Girl’s car = Megan, Louise, Michelle and I. We had the newer car, we passed them/made them eat our dust while mooning them at every possible location. Yes. Moving on since no one likes a bragger.
Arrive in Queenstown, book bungying for the next day? Completed in the first 5 minutes, the bank account was not happy. Next on the list, find a hostel, XBase with an adjoining bar and a 8 person room? Perfect. Dinner? The famous Ferg Burger, along with some Speight’s to wash it down. Again perfect. Not going to weigh in on the Velvet Burger (of Dunedin) vs. the Ferg debate but I have one comment. Velvet, look into toasting your buns, all jokes aside. After dinner, the 8 of us had a lovely night exploring Queenstown and all it had to offer. Queenstown night life is definitely a must-do.
Next morning, wake up to… rain. Awesome, I’m about to jump 134 meters and it’s raining. Also being told I would fall faster than the rain drops did not make the situation any less stressful. Walked to AJ Hackett Bungy and watched the video of people doing the Nevis. Again not something to calm my fears. After boarding a bus and a 45 minute ride we arrived, at the top of a gorge. I am now no longer speaking I am so nervous. On the bright side it has stopped raining. After that it was a harness on, a weigh in, strapped onto a gondola and a ride over to a hanging platform that separated me from certain death, aka a bungy jump. Dane goes, loves it. Meg goes, screams but loves it. Michelle goes, almost falls off but goes for it. My turn. It is now of course beautifully sunny.
Scariest moment of my entire life. I almost have no other words for it, I have definitely never been truly scared until that moment. I’ll let the video do the rest of the explaining, but know that yes I was actually asking what I was supposed to hold onto, while bungy jumping. Yet another Brittany New Zealand moment that proves my infinite genius.
Needless to say, I do indeed survive. Since you know AJ Hackett has a 100% success rate and all I really should have been worried. Moving on. Dane, Meg and Michelle do it again, I watch. Once in a lifetime is enough for me.
After getting the video, pictures and t-shirt it is back on the bus and back to Queenstown. After a lovely meal of enchiladas and margaritas, at the ONLY Mexican restaurant in New Zealand, it’s back into the car and back to Dunedin. I sleep the entire way. The entire time I have dreams of jumping off random objects, imagine that!
Ps, I jumped on 10/10/10 pretty cool!
Ah, Queenstown, the adventure capital of New Zealand. While New Zealand is of course cited as the adventure capital of the world. So Queenstown must be great right? Yeah. IT’S EXACTLY RIGHT.
Sometimes you just have nothing planned for the weekend and you and your friends think well what do we want to do that we have yet to accomplish. Dane, Meg, Michelle and I asked ourselves this question on Friday and came up with one answer, the Nevis. Which entailed one thing a trip to Queenstown.
After finagling the boys into action on Saturday morning for the farmer’s market Dane, John, Meg and I traveled to the car rental place with discount voucher in hand to rent a car. After dealing with a slightly inept sales guy we got a brand new Toyota, that went very fast for 68 dollars for the weekend. Sweet as.
Caravan time! Boy’s car = Trevor, Dane, JBo and Greg. Girl’s car = Megan, Louise, Michelle and I. We had the newer car, we passed them/made them eat our dust while mooning them at every possible location. Yes. Moving on since no one likes a bragger.
Arrive in Queenstown, book bungying for the next day? Completed in the first 5 minutes, the bank account was not happy. Next on the list, find a hostel, XBase with an adjoining bar and a 8 person room? Perfect. Dinner? The famous Ferg Burger, along with some Speight’s to wash it down. Again perfect. Not going to weigh in on the Velvet Burger (of Dunedin) vs. the Ferg debate but I have one comment. Velvet, look into toasting your buns, all jokes aside. After dinner, the 8 of us had a lovely night exploring Queenstown and all it had to offer. Queenstown night life is definitely a must-do.
Next morning, wake up to… rain. Awesome, I’m about to jump 134 meters and it’s raining. Also being told I would fall faster than the rain drops did not make the situation any less stressful. Walked to AJ Hackett Bungy and watched the video of people doing the Nevis. Again not something to calm my fears. After boarding a bus and a 45 minute ride we arrived, at the top of a gorge. I am now no longer speaking I am so nervous. On the bright side it has stopped raining. After that it was a harness on, a weigh in, strapped onto a gondola and a ride over to a hanging platform that separated me from certain death, aka a bungy jump. Dane goes, loves it. Meg goes, screams but loves it. Michelle goes, almost falls off but goes for it. My turn. It is now of course beautifully sunny.
Scariest moment of my entire life. I almost have no other words for it, I have definitely never been truly scared until that moment. I’ll let the video do the rest of the explaining, but know that yes I was actually asking what I was supposed to hold onto, while bungy jumping. Yet another Brittany New Zealand moment that proves my infinite genius.
Needless to say, I do indeed survive. Since you know AJ Hackett has a 100% success rate and all I really should have been worried. Moving on. Dane, Meg and Michelle do it again, I watch. Once in a lifetime is enough for me.
After getting the video, pictures and t-shirt it is back on the bus and back to Queenstown. After a lovely meal of enchiladas and margaritas, at the ONLY Mexican restaurant in New Zealand, it’s back into the car and back to Dunedin. I sleep the entire way. The entire time I have dreams of jumping off random objects, imagine that!
Ps, I jumped on 10/10/10 pretty cool!
Mt. Cook!
October 1st to 3rd!
Sometimes in life (meaning my life in New Zealand) I have found it is just necessary to have a good wander. We decided last weekend was a good time for that type of wander. Wander entails renting a car, driving somewhere, camping, cooking, drinking, fire, exploring and general tramping through life.
And that’s basically what we did. Gabe aka Chief rented a car, and Sesno, Allie, Michael, John, Dane, Meg and I piled in it. We left Dunedin on Friday with basically no plan but eventually to make it to Mount Cook. Mount Cook is the highest peak in New Zealand.
So drive we did, up the east coast, hitting a very interestingly entitled Shag Point and thru the middle over some farmlands (so rare in New Zealand) and onward to the west coast. After some quick stops for stretching, chili ingredients, beer and the all important toilet, we eventually made it to our destination. Lake Tekaepo (take – a – poo) I wish I could pretend that’s not what the boys called it all weekend. After deciding we were not paying 15 dollars a person to camp in a campsite we drove until no one was around. Parked the car and set up camp. Dinner was, chili, it barely fit into the big pot we had, it was delicious! John and Chief braved the elements and slept outside while the other 6 of us got nice and cozy in a 4 person tent.
In the morning we awoke to something even more beautiful than we were expecting. I got to watch the sun rise over the mountains behind us while being able to turn in the opposite direction to look over Lake Takepo framed by more mountains behind it. There are no words to describe how beautiful and at peace with the world I felt in that moment.
After everyone else woke up we rallied, and headed off to Mt. Cook. After stopping along the way for a forging of a river and beer for breakfast we got to the Sir. Edmund Hilary visitor center. Sir Edmund wasn’t there, although he did train for Everest by climbing Mt. Cook, a lot. As expected Mt. Cook is covered in snow during this part of the year so we opted to take the track that just has some great views of Mt. Cook instead.
That track also has a never-ending giant staircase and snow as well. As we traveled up it every time we were just about to stop we hit a beautiful view or an awesome cliff face and just had to take it all in. As we continued to go up we casually lost people along the way. Basically we would find an awesome place to just sit and be and someone would stay there. We lost John first, then Michael, then me. Allie, Sesno, Dane, Meg and Gabe apparently climbed trough some awesome snow banks but didn’t make it to the end of the track. Oh well, t’was beautiful regardless.
After climbing down and picking up people along the way, it was time to walk back. After facing the dilemma of where to sleep again we decided the same campsite as the night before was the place to be. This time, we added a campfire and the world was infinitely better, although dinner was slightly less impressive (being cold pasta and veggies and all). This time we ALL piled into the 4 person tent and got really, REALLY cozy. Michael snores, hilarity ensued.
Wake up, drive back, weekend ended. But not before some icing and hilarious sing-a-longs in the car. New Zealand is beautiful place and sometimes when you awake from a car nap it just hits you like never before. Peace, love and everything in between <3
Sometimes in life (meaning my life in New Zealand) I have found it is just necessary to have a good wander. We decided last weekend was a good time for that type of wander. Wander entails renting a car, driving somewhere, camping, cooking, drinking, fire, exploring and general tramping through life.
And that’s basically what we did. Gabe aka Chief rented a car, and Sesno, Allie, Michael, John, Dane, Meg and I piled in it. We left Dunedin on Friday with basically no plan but eventually to make it to Mount Cook. Mount Cook is the highest peak in New Zealand.
So drive we did, up the east coast, hitting a very interestingly entitled Shag Point and thru the middle over some farmlands (so rare in New Zealand) and onward to the west coast. After some quick stops for stretching, chili ingredients, beer and the all important toilet, we eventually made it to our destination. Lake Tekaepo (take – a – poo) I wish I could pretend that’s not what the boys called it all weekend. After deciding we were not paying 15 dollars a person to camp in a campsite we drove until no one was around. Parked the car and set up camp. Dinner was, chili, it barely fit into the big pot we had, it was delicious! John and Chief braved the elements and slept outside while the other 6 of us got nice and cozy in a 4 person tent.
In the morning we awoke to something even more beautiful than we were expecting. I got to watch the sun rise over the mountains behind us while being able to turn in the opposite direction to look over Lake Takepo framed by more mountains behind it. There are no words to describe how beautiful and at peace with the world I felt in that moment.
After everyone else woke up we rallied, and headed off to Mt. Cook. After stopping along the way for a forging of a river and beer for breakfast we got to the Sir. Edmund Hilary visitor center. Sir Edmund wasn’t there, although he did train for Everest by climbing Mt. Cook, a lot. As expected Mt. Cook is covered in snow during this part of the year so we opted to take the track that just has some great views of Mt. Cook instead.
That track also has a never-ending giant staircase and snow as well. As we traveled up it every time we were just about to stop we hit a beautiful view or an awesome cliff face and just had to take it all in. As we continued to go up we casually lost people along the way. Basically we would find an awesome place to just sit and be and someone would stay there. We lost John first, then Michael, then me. Allie, Sesno, Dane, Meg and Gabe apparently climbed trough some awesome snow banks but didn’t make it to the end of the track. Oh well, t’was beautiful regardless.
After climbing down and picking up people along the way, it was time to walk back. After facing the dilemma of where to sleep again we decided the same campsite as the night before was the place to be. This time, we added a campfire and the world was infinitely better, although dinner was slightly less impressive (being cold pasta and veggies and all). This time we ALL piled into the 4 person tent and got really, REALLY cozy. Michael snores, hilarity ensued.
Wake up, drive back, weekend ended. But not before some icing and hilarious sing-a-longs in the car. New Zealand is beautiful place and sometimes when you awake from a car nap it just hits you like never before. Peace, love and everything in between <3
Friday, August 13, 2010
Updates!
I have been the absolute worst at updating this thing lately. Unlike Dane who is completely and totally on top of everything with his blogging as well as pictures. I solemnly swear to be better.
Lots has been accomplished in the distant lands south of Oz (Australia). After a hard night of karaoke last night the karaoke machine as proved victorious and I have lost my voice. I sound like a munchkin from the literal land of Oz. Oh well.
Because we are in New Zealand and all the flatmates and I decided it was time to watch all three Lord of a Rings, in the span of three days. It was awesome, the entire complex came and snuggled in the living room. Lots of popcorn and ice cream were consumed.
Still waiting for the recipes from Kevin that I have asked for a thousand times, not like he procrastinates or anything. He's lucky I miss him or I would be a little more angry.
I'm going to go back and finish all the blogs I have started aka titled right now, so take a gander at what has come before.
<3
Lots has been accomplished in the distant lands south of Oz (Australia). After a hard night of karaoke last night the karaoke machine as proved victorious and I have lost my voice. I sound like a munchkin from the literal land of Oz. Oh well.
Because we are in New Zealand and all the flatmates and I decided it was time to watch all three Lord of a Rings, in the span of three days. It was awesome, the entire complex came and snuggled in the living room. Lots of popcorn and ice cream were consumed.
Still waiting for the recipes from Kevin that I have asked for a thousand times, not like he procrastinates or anything. He's lucky I miss him or I would be a little more angry.
I'm going to go back and finish all the blogs I have started aka titled right now, so take a gander at what has come before.
<3
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Christchurch
Okay, so although my adventures thus far have taken me outside Dunedin, I have never entered another city since orientation and Auckland. So since we are trying to be true Kiwis and support the only true sport (rugby) we decided to travel to Christchurch for the All Black's vs. Wallabies (AUS).
Getting to Christchurch saw the usual friday pattern of travel. Pack quickly, rally the troops, run to the bus stop and get going. But this time it was just Megan and I, since most other people had rented cars and such. So we board the bus. Megan was asleep before we got outside the city limits. I however was not as lucky and got to experience almost a full 6 hours of music of the bus drivers choice. Which was trashy 80's and 90's. Such as "who let the dogs out" and "let's get it started". Just going to throw it out there, these musical creations have a time and place, but that does not include a 6 hour bus ride.
So we arrived in Christchurch and it was then time to hunt down some food and our friends. Found Hannah, Adrian, Anti and Andrew at an amazing Indian restuarant and totally splurged for some DELICIOUS food. Then we found Danekins and hopped in the car to visit our fellow Saint Mike's kids living in Christchurch and attending Canterbury University for the semester, Peter and Alessandra. Fun fact, Canterbury is a solid 20 minute drive out of town. Found them, hung out, jumped another bus then hit the town. Hilarity ensued.
Got to the hostel late, woke up to find out the other kids in our room were actually Otago students and friends of friends. Small world! Spent the day exploring Christchurch, found a great second hand shop that was HUGE, then hunted down our tickets at the stadium to avoid doing it later. After returning to the hostel and collecting all our friends in the kitchen, tailgating began and we bundled up and tattooed up for the All Black's game.
After walking to the stadium, we found our seats and experienced our first real New Zealand sporting event. The All Black's dominated and after a low scoring but highly defensive game we found our way back to the city center for more exploring. After another night like the shenanigans of before we found more Otago kids, and took over the city.
Come 8AM and Meg and I needed to be on our bus home. One word, painful. Luckily though we did not have the crazy bus driver again although we did still have our All Black ferns on our faces. Six hours later and a weekend was gone, although we did have face tattoos to wash off and a whole new aspect of New Zealand culture absorbed!
Getting to Christchurch saw the usual friday pattern of travel. Pack quickly, rally the troops, run to the bus stop and get going. But this time it was just Megan and I, since most other people had rented cars and such. So we board the bus. Megan was asleep before we got outside the city limits. I however was not as lucky and got to experience almost a full 6 hours of music of the bus drivers choice. Which was trashy 80's and 90's. Such as "who let the dogs out" and "let's get it started". Just going to throw it out there, these musical creations have a time and place, but that does not include a 6 hour bus ride.
So we arrived in Christchurch and it was then time to hunt down some food and our friends. Found Hannah, Adrian, Anti and Andrew at an amazing Indian restuarant and totally splurged for some DELICIOUS food. Then we found Danekins and hopped in the car to visit our fellow Saint Mike's kids living in Christchurch and attending Canterbury University for the semester, Peter and Alessandra. Fun fact, Canterbury is a solid 20 minute drive out of town. Found them, hung out, jumped another bus then hit the town. Hilarity ensued.
Got to the hostel late, woke up to find out the other kids in our room were actually Otago students and friends of friends. Small world! Spent the day exploring Christchurch, found a great second hand shop that was HUGE, then hunted down our tickets at the stadium to avoid doing it later. After returning to the hostel and collecting all our friends in the kitchen, tailgating began and we bundled up and tattooed up for the All Black's game.
After walking to the stadium, we found our seats and experienced our first real New Zealand sporting event. The All Black's dominated and after a low scoring but highly defensive game we found our way back to the city center for more exploring. After another night like the shenanigans of before we found more Otago kids, and took over the city.
Come 8AM and Meg and I needed to be on our bus home. One word, painful. Luckily though we did not have the crazy bus driver again although we did still have our All Black ferns on our faces. Six hours later and a weekend was gone, although we did have face tattoos to wash off and a whole new aspect of New Zealand culture absorbed!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Catlins
So this weekend saw the first of many a camping trip in New Zeeeeeland. On a bright and sunny Friday afternoon we piled twenty five people into two 5 seater cars and a 10 people van. I sat on the floor, it wasn't exactly "safe" but it was fun!
We arrived at our camp site on Purakaunui Bay around 630ish so it was already going dark. While some of us set up the tents, the "men" went and did manly thing. Aka collected branches and made fire. They felt very "manly" aka I'm surprised no one caught on fire.
Hot dogs, rice and veggies, and cookies were consumed. Olivia saw her first shooting star, she was VERY excited. We watched the moon rise all the way from beneath the water to high in the sky. Walked the beach in the dark. Sat around the camp fire, bonded and made new friends. Passed out with a small animal crawling on the other side of the tent. Thank god I realized Olivia left the tent flap open before it was too late.
Woke in the morning to John's wolf blanket and Michael's cranky face. It was raining. People were unhappy. It stopped raining, the sun shined and a rope swing was found. People were happy again. Explored the bay, met some sea lions, forged a river. After sufficient exploring Jethro aka the alpha-male/only kiwi on the trip/tour guide rounded up the troops and we started our trip to explore the peninsula.
Waterfalls were found
beautifully reflective lakes seen
more waterfalls were found, waterfalls were swam
rare penguins and petrified trees were spotted
3 Hour car ride home, John's second time on the "right" side of the road. Scary. But we survived, and headed to pizza hut for dinner.
Cannot wait for more of this type of adventures.
We arrived at our camp site on Purakaunui Bay around 630ish so it was already going dark. While some of us set up the tents, the "men" went and did manly thing. Aka collected branches and made fire. They felt very "manly" aka I'm surprised no one caught on fire.
Hot dogs, rice and veggies, and cookies were consumed. Olivia saw her first shooting star, she was VERY excited. We watched the moon rise all the way from beneath the water to high in the sky. Walked the beach in the dark. Sat around the camp fire, bonded and made new friends. Passed out with a small animal crawling on the other side of the tent. Thank god I realized Olivia left the tent flap open before it was too late.
Woke in the morning to John's wolf blanket and Michael's cranky face. It was raining. People were unhappy. It stopped raining, the sun shined and a rope swing was found. People were happy again. Explored the bay, met some sea lions, forged a river. After sufficient exploring Jethro aka the alpha-male/only kiwi on the trip/tour guide rounded up the troops and we started our trip to explore the peninsula.
Waterfalls were found
beautifully reflective lakes seen
more waterfalls were found, waterfalls were swam
rare penguins and petrified trees were spotted
3 Hour car ride home, John's second time on the "right" side of the road. Scary. But we survived, and headed to pizza hut for dinner.
Cannot wait for more of this type of adventures.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Naseby
IFSA Butler may or may not be the greatest study abroad company to ever exist. On top of making getting here easy, putting on an amazing orientation and getting us some sweet diggs they have provided yet again. IFSA Butler is one of the few companies that provides some really choice (notice the use of New Zealand slang) outings during the semester.
And our first just occurred, which was AMAZING!
Gerald, my boy aka our wicked cool bus driver, and Guy (our kiwi student services coordinator) met us bright and early for an entire day of fun filled adventure. After a drive (which I mostly slept through) we came to one of the largest working gold mines in New Zealand. Which would have been really cool if it wasn't 830 in the morning and I had just been awoken from my nap. But regardless, it was still really cool to watch some people move dirt around. Yeah.
THEN we went to an abandoned mine, which was way cooler. It was from the old mining days (back when the rush first began in the 19th century) and Gerald, who knows everything about everything, explained how miners used to drag huge rocks up this hill using only horses then break them up and then wait for the rain to come so they could pan it. Talk about dedication. We also got to walk into an abandoned mine which definitely just reiterated the fact that I will never ever work as a minor. WAY too claustrophobic.
Then we drove up the coast heading to Naseby, stopping to get some bomb pumpkin soup for lunch. THEN WE WENT TO NASEBY!
Why so excited you ask? Well let me tell you, because we went curling and ice luging. Now some may not appreciate the greatness of curling as a sport but it is probably the most underrated sport I have ever encountered. I was weirdly obsessed with it during the last Olympics and this was a small dream come true. I did not dominate, but I did learn that it is a game of intense strategy, concentration and trash talking.
Then we went Ice Luging, that's right the sport that killed someone in the last Olympics I participated in. Sort of. I mean Olympic luggers (sp?) reach fast speeds that can whip you out of the little car thing. I went down the track steering myself into walls every five seconds and wearing a helmet that had apparently belonged to a small child named Jake. But it was still a ton of fun being yelled at by an eastern European man, it's part of the real experience and all.
Then after a drive through some beautiful scenery that has never made me realize more that I am actually in Middle Earth we returned to Dunedin and some awesome pizza. Sweet as.
And our first just occurred, which was AMAZING!
Gerald, my boy aka our wicked cool bus driver, and Guy (our kiwi student services coordinator) met us bright and early for an entire day of fun filled adventure. After a drive (which I mostly slept through) we came to one of the largest working gold mines in New Zealand. Which would have been really cool if it wasn't 830 in the morning and I had just been awoken from my nap. But regardless, it was still really cool to watch some people move dirt around. Yeah.
THEN we went to an abandoned mine, which was way cooler. It was from the old mining days (back when the rush first began in the 19th century) and Gerald, who knows everything about everything, explained how miners used to drag huge rocks up this hill using only horses then break them up and then wait for the rain to come so they could pan it. Talk about dedication. We also got to walk into an abandoned mine which definitely just reiterated the fact that I will never ever work as a minor. WAY too claustrophobic.
Then we drove up the coast heading to Naseby, stopping to get some bomb pumpkin soup for lunch. THEN WE WENT TO NASEBY!
Why so excited you ask? Well let me tell you, because we went curling and ice luging. Now some may not appreciate the greatness of curling as a sport but it is probably the most underrated sport I have ever encountered. I was weirdly obsessed with it during the last Olympics and this was a small dream come true. I did not dominate, but I did learn that it is a game of intense strategy, concentration and trash talking.
Then we went Ice Luging, that's right the sport that killed someone in the last Olympics I participated in. Sort of. I mean Olympic luggers (sp?) reach fast speeds that can whip you out of the little car thing. I went down the track steering myself into walls every five seconds and wearing a helmet that had apparently belonged to a small child named Jake. But it was still a ton of fun being yelled at by an eastern European man, it's part of the real experience and all.
Then after a drive through some beautiful scenery that has never made me realize more that I am actually in Middle Earth we returned to Dunedin and some awesome pizza. Sweet as.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Differences
So clearly being in a different country and all one would expect differences, but since New Zealand speaks English and has its roots in England just as America does one would also think, well it can't be that different right. WRONG. This place is majorly different. And I'm not talking about the fact that they speak a completely different kind of English over here, oh no. There are more drastic differences than just that.
To begin, their version of "English". You think American college students have hard slang to understand? See if you can identify the following. Togs, Dosh, Jandals, Choice, and Sweet as
Another major difference that would definitely dishearten the person that hasn't spent some very cold nights in Vermont, there is no central heating in student flats. Let me say it again, there is NO central heating in ANY of the flats. And no insulation either. You want to know what that means to staying warm? Space heaters, extra blankets and LOTS of layers. I now know I will never complain again about being hot because Saint Mike's keeps the heaters in the dorms somewhere near tropical.
They drive on the left side of the road, which is fine because I won't be driving BUT it is very confusing when crossing the street. The whole "right, left, right" saying taught to kids in America for rules when crossing the street, try "left, right, left"
There's way to many to list, but more later!
To begin, their version of "English". You think American college students have hard slang to understand? See if you can identify the following. Togs, Dosh, Jandals, Choice, and Sweet as
Another major difference that would definitely dishearten the person that hasn't spent some very cold nights in Vermont, there is no central heating in student flats. Let me say it again, there is NO central heating in ANY of the flats. And no insulation either. You want to know what that means to staying warm? Space heaters, extra blankets and LOTS of layers. I now know I will never complain again about being hot because Saint Mike's keeps the heaters in the dorms somewhere near tropical.
They drive on the left side of the road, which is fine because I won't be driving BUT it is very confusing when crossing the street. The whole "right, left, right" saying taught to kids in America for rules when crossing the street, try "left, right, left"
There's way to many to list, but more later!
Monday, July 12, 2010
UNI
Although it may seem like I only came here to explore New Zealand and meet great people, there is another reason for my travel to NZ. New Zealand's oldest university, one of the southern most universities in the world, the University of Otago. Or as the locals (and our british friends) call it "Uni".
First of all the place is huge. I'm talking 20,000 people, HUGE. Before all the students arrived the city of Dunedin was a ghost town, but now there are so many students and people here that it hardly seems like the same place. One huge difference is the sheer volume of building and space that the uni takes up. It is also the largest employer in Dunedin.
The students put American college students to shame. Nicknamed scarfies for the scarves that we all have to wear when it gets cold. They are notorious for interestingly enough burning couches. But that's banned now, but secretly still happens. Can't wait to experience that one. The drinking age is 18 and it shows. To experience the "real" scarfie culture one would have to be on Castle Street at about 2AM during orientation. One word, riot.
The classes are also drastically different, sorta. My religion class, Love and Heroism: Religions of South India is about 8 people in a class setting that reminds me of Saint Mike's. However, my Maori Society class is in a lecture hall that seats 550 people. That's more than my graduating class at Saint Mike's, every time I enter that room I imagine that is what it will be like when I walk the stage a graduation. SCARY. Students also are not required to attend class. There is no attendance policy. It's a whole new level of student responsibility that I am sure will prove harmful for some internationals, mainly the boys. ALSO, a A/A- is anywhere from a 100 to an 80. AN 80! Talk about different expectations.
Speaking of uni, I have reading for class and I am trying (ish) to get that done. More soon!!
First of all the place is huge. I'm talking 20,000 people, HUGE. Before all the students arrived the city of Dunedin was a ghost town, but now there are so many students and people here that it hardly seems like the same place. One huge difference is the sheer volume of building and space that the uni takes up. It is also the largest employer in Dunedin.
The students put American college students to shame. Nicknamed scarfies for the scarves that we all have to wear when it gets cold. They are notorious for interestingly enough burning couches. But that's banned now, but secretly still happens. Can't wait to experience that one. The drinking age is 18 and it shows. To experience the "real" scarfie culture one would have to be on Castle Street at about 2AM during orientation. One word, riot.
The classes are also drastically different, sorta. My religion class, Love and Heroism: Religions of South India is about 8 people in a class setting that reminds me of Saint Mike's. However, my Maori Society class is in a lecture hall that seats 550 people. That's more than my graduating class at Saint Mike's, every time I enter that room I imagine that is what it will be like when I walk the stage a graduation. SCARY. Students also are not required to attend class. There is no attendance policy. It's a whole new level of student responsibility that I am sure will prove harmful for some internationals, mainly the boys. ALSO, a A/A- is anywhere from a 100 to an 80. AN 80! Talk about different expectations.
Speaking of uni, I have reading for class and I am trying (ish) to get that done. More soon!!
Friday, July 2, 2010
DUNEDIN
Hostels = Internet for 6dollars an hour.
Hence the lack of postings and responses to emails, sawry!!
Moving on. Dunedin is absolutely beautiful. Its set up similarly to the Scottish city of Edinburgh which if I had ever been there would probably be much more interesting. After orientation in Auckland we stayed in a hostel for a few days and just got to explore the city. The Octagon is the center of the city and it has amazing restaurants, clubs and stores. We all learned very quickly it is much more efficient to shop at the grocery store and make huge dinners together so we did that while we are in the hostel. While exploring the city we entered the University for the first time and it is amazingly beautiful. If I had my camera cord I could share it with you. More when that happens!
Hence the lack of postings and responses to emails, sawry!!
Moving on. Dunedin is absolutely beautiful. Its set up similarly to the Scottish city of Edinburgh which if I had ever been there would probably be much more interesting. After orientation in Auckland we stayed in a hostel for a few days and just got to explore the city. The Octagon is the center of the city and it has amazing restaurants, clubs and stores. We all learned very quickly it is much more efficient to shop at the grocery store and make huge dinners together so we did that while we are in the hostel. While exploring the city we entered the University for the first time and it is amazingly beautiful. If I had my camera cord I could share it with you. More when that happens!
Orientation
IFSA Butler was definitely the way to go when traveling anywhere, especially if its New Zealand. Not only are the staff very knowledgeable but they make everything fun. Not in the corny freshman orientation way but the enjoyable way! After picking us up at the airport it is a whirlwind of activity for a few days to get everyone over the jet lag.
We went kayaking, hiking, swam in natural hot springs, played rugby and cricket, went rock climbing, and so many other things that I can't even remember. The amazing IFSA-Butler staff also taught us ...
The definite highlights were the Marae and the Villa Maria Winery, which were both on our last day of orientation. The Marae is the traditional meeting house of a Maori people of New Zealand. It was a great honor and an eye opening experience to spend the night there. Kiwis are welcoming in general but being inducted into something so ancient and beautiful was truly an honor.
Wine tasting, well that was just awesome. No description needed!
After that we jumped on the plane to Dunedin!
We went kayaking, hiking, swam in natural hot springs, played rugby and cricket, went rock climbing, and so many other things that I can't even remember. The amazing IFSA-Butler staff also taught us ...
The definite highlights were the Marae and the Villa Maria Winery, which were both on our last day of orientation. The Marae is the traditional meeting house of a Maori people of New Zealand. It was a great honor and an eye opening experience to spend the night there. Kiwis are welcoming in general but being inducted into something so ancient and beautiful was truly an honor.
Wine tasting, well that was just awesome. No description needed!
After that we jumped on the plane to Dunedin!
32 Hours of Travel
So as the title implies it took about 32 hours of straight travel to get to New Zealand. Our flight left Boston at 630 in the morning, and Dane got some beautiful pictures of the sunrise over Logan which will be uploading soon. Also met up with some Mike's kids at the terminal, a Mr. Michael Jablonski and Mr. Gregory Bejian.
After a 6 hr flight to LAX, during which we picked up two more IFSA-Butler kids and two more SMCers we had an adventure in LAX. Which consisted of America losing to Ghana, overpriced cheeseburgers, seeing Ice Cube and his family and waiting 13 hours for our flight out. We also set up camp in the airport, all taking naps and getting yelled at by security for racing the luggage carts. Notice Mike protecting everyone's stuff with his eyelids closed:
The flight over was very long. VERY LONG. 13 Hours long. And I couldn't sleep. Which was painful. I watched two movies, ate a lot of food, did way too many Soduko puzzles and listened to everything I had on my Ipod. Arriving in NZ was lovely, a very nice Australian man next to me switched seats so I could be at the window when we came into Auckland. It was 6 in the morning, I had skipped June 27th. Hope I didn't miss anything too special.
After a 6 hr flight to LAX, during which we picked up two more IFSA-Butler kids and two more SMCers we had an adventure in LAX. Which consisted of America losing to Ghana, overpriced cheeseburgers, seeing Ice Cube and his family and waiting 13 hours for our flight out. We also set up camp in the airport, all taking naps and getting yelled at by security for racing the luggage carts. Notice Mike protecting everyone's stuff with his eyelids closed:
The flight over was very long. VERY LONG. 13 Hours long. And I couldn't sleep. Which was painful. I watched two movies, ate a lot of food, did way too many Soduko puzzles and listened to everything I had on my Ipod. Arriving in NZ was lovely, a very nice Australian man next to me switched seats so I could be at the window when we came into Auckland. It was 6 in the morning, I had skipped June 27th. Hope I didn't miss anything too special.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
It's Time... Almost
Okay, I am a terrible blogger. My last post was April 20something. But I had to survive finals, pack up 227 Purtill, drive home to Boston, and work 40 hour weeks at Jake's. On top of all of that I had to fit an entire summer of activities into less than 2 months. I went to a Dave Matthews concert, I went sailing in CT, I saw most of my friends, and for a few days I made my last trip home (to my other home) to Burlington to say my final goodbyes.
It's weird to think that I will not be returning to Burlington until at least the end of November. It's my other home. I live, breathe, am Saint Michael's College. I bleed gold and purple. But I am taking one very long hiatus and venturing half-way across the world. That's right, it is time for me to study abroad! Dunedin, New Zealand here I come!
So before this post this blog was intended to be read by incoming students, but to since I am no longer a Saint Mike's blogger, all previous posts before this can be ignored.
This blog is for my family and friends who I wish I could pack into my suitcase and bring with me on my adventure. Since I can't however, this is a way for my over loving family and bad at returning phone call friends know what I am up to. I miss you all already even though I am in my room surrounded by half packed suitcases and lists of things I still have to do. It is Wednesday, June 23rd 2010.. and I can't wait for my adventure that is life to begin anew in New Zealand, the place where the sun rises first in the morning and where the seasons are backwards.
So before this post this blog was intended to be read by incoming students, but to since I am no longer a Saint Mike's blogger, all previous posts before this can be ignored.
This blog is for my family and friends who I wish I could pack into my suitcase and bring with me on my adventure. Since I can't however, this is a way for my over loving family and bad at returning phone call friends know what I am up to. I miss you all already even though I am in my room surrounded by half packed suitcases and lists of things I still have to do. It is Wednesday, June 23rd 2010.. and I can't wait for my adventure that is life to begin anew in New Zealand, the place where the sun rises first in the morning and where the seasons are backwards.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Surviving the End of the Year
Now, there is one time every semester that students have never been more cranky, hyped up on coffee, and crying themselves to sleep at night from computer malfunctions and pure exhaustion. That's right people, the word that strikes fear into the heart of many, FINALS. Now as I write this I have already finished my Drawing portfolio and a 9 page take-home sociology final with definitions, short responses and essay. What I have left are a 15 page take-home to complete by next Wednesday, a Philosophy of Religion exam on Tuesday and my Italian final on Thursday.
I am one of the lucky students whose remaining work and finals are pretty spaced out and easy to manage time-wise. But most students have experienced the horror of realizing you have a Biology exam on the same day as your Statistics exam. So for those of you who are trembling at the thought of impending doom that is finals, here is some quick advice.
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. I have seen more people freak out about an exam and then come out not only alive but saying that it "wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." Chances are you know much more about your exams than you realize, so keep that in mind. You stressing your exams is only going to make it worse. Do not start hyperventilating 2 weeks before your exam. It is not helping anything. Stay calm. Be logical. Don't waste your time on things you know. And remember to breathe through the stress. (Practice this now, I am a personal fan of the in and out of the nose, but its whatever works for you)
Pace yourself. Guess what, the easiest way of surviving finals is to NOT CRAM. Yes I am aware I sound like your mom. I (and she) are correct though, biologically it takes time for your brain to accumulate information and it can only learn so much in one day. Do a little bit every day leading up to your exam or due date and by the time you get there you will be amazed how much you have actually accomplished.
Sleep. No one likes Zombies, they are scary. You going three days without sleep and staying in the library until last class is not healthy. Your body needs sleep, needs time to recharge. Plus, lack of sleep means a crash later and I have seen too many of my friends crash BEFORE they intended to, like say at their final. I do not mean to be scary, it just frustrates me when the world thinks they are Edward Cullen and don't need sleep. You do need sleep by the way.
Breaks. If you need a break, take it. It is that simple. If you are having a writers block, can't look at your engineering problems anymore or simply cannot read another word of Italian, just go. You will not accomplish anything staring at a computer or page but not being able to see it. Take a walk outside, go to the gym, watch a favorite tv show, eat an apple (more natural energy boosters than a cup of coffee), shower, do something for you.
Get in the zone. Most importantly when dealing with anything that has to do with finals or the end of the year is to know what works for you. I work best on the second floor of the library, in the afternoons while listening to Pandora, alone. Some people need the basement cubicles and complete silence. I have friends that have to go to Starbucks religiously to be able to focus. Just know what works and do it. If you can't do work with your best friend next to you, tell her to go away. If you are a facebook addict, turn on your Internet connection. Just know and do what works best for you to get your work done.
In short, breathe, pace yourself, sleep, take breaks and do what works for you. Don't be afraid, there are 2000 other students at Saint Mike's that feel your pain and know what you are going through. And 500ish seniors that have had 8 semesters of this, and are now graduating happy and alive. Good luck, I'll be in the library if you need me :-)
I am one of the lucky students whose remaining work and finals are pretty spaced out and easy to manage time-wise. But most students have experienced the horror of realizing you have a Biology exam on the same day as your Statistics exam. So for those of you who are trembling at the thought of impending doom that is finals, here is some quick advice.
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. I have seen more people freak out about an exam and then come out not only alive but saying that it "wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." Chances are you know much more about your exams than you realize, so keep that in mind. You stressing your exams is only going to make it worse. Do not start hyperventilating 2 weeks before your exam. It is not helping anything. Stay calm. Be logical. Don't waste your time on things you know. And remember to breathe through the stress. (Practice this now, I am a personal fan of the in and out of the nose, but its whatever works for you)
Pace yourself. Guess what, the easiest way of surviving finals is to NOT CRAM. Yes I am aware I sound like your mom. I (and she) are correct though, biologically it takes time for your brain to accumulate information and it can only learn so much in one day. Do a little bit every day leading up to your exam or due date and by the time you get there you will be amazed how much you have actually accomplished.
Sleep. No one likes Zombies, they are scary. You going three days without sleep and staying in the library until last class is not healthy. Your body needs sleep, needs time to recharge. Plus, lack of sleep means a crash later and I have seen too many of my friends crash BEFORE they intended to, like say at their final. I do not mean to be scary, it just frustrates me when the world thinks they are Edward Cullen and don't need sleep. You do need sleep by the way.
Breaks. If you need a break, take it. It is that simple. If you are having a writers block, can't look at your engineering problems anymore or simply cannot read another word of Italian, just go. You will not accomplish anything staring at a computer or page but not being able to see it. Take a walk outside, go to the gym, watch a favorite tv show, eat an apple (more natural energy boosters than a cup of coffee), shower, do something for you.
Get in the zone. Most importantly when dealing with anything that has to do with finals or the end of the year is to know what works for you. I work best on the second floor of the library, in the afternoons while listening to Pandora, alone. Some people need the basement cubicles and complete silence. I have friends that have to go to Starbucks religiously to be able to focus. Just know what works and do it. If you can't do work with your best friend next to you, tell her to go away. If you are a facebook addict, turn on your Internet connection. Just know and do what works best for you to get your work done.
In short, breathe, pace yourself, sleep, take breaks and do what works for you. Don't be afraid, there are 2000 other students at Saint Mike's that feel your pain and know what you are going through. And 500ish seniors that have had 8 semesters of this, and are now graduating happy and alive. Good luck, I'll be in the library if you need me :-)
Friday, April 9, 2010
Burlington
Burlington
It's parents weekend at Saint Mike's and that means two things. Every one's room has to be cleaned so that their mom doesn't reprimand them. And that Saint Mikes is crawling with parents that want to take their kids, their roommates and friends out to every meal conceivable. Which I benefited from greatly and got me thinking. How does Burlington play a role in life at Saint Mikes and what is Burlington like?
The number one best thing about Burlington is that it is so close. Its about a 20 minute bus ride to the bus stop downtown that is directly on Church Street. And since our Knight Card works as a bus pass and with the bus running every 20 minutes past campus that basically means we can get to Burlington whenever we please. The Knight Card also can work as a debit card for students at tons of off campus locations and those include many places in Burlington! So as a student at Saint Mike's Burlington is an escape, a fun playground or a place to pick up the necessities.
Church Street- The hub of the city of Burlington itself, Church street is a melting pot of college students, old hippies and huge dogs. During the warmer months there are street vendors and hundreds of people meandering enjoying eachother's company. In the colder months Christmas lights give those bleak, grey December days a touch of sparkle. Walking Church street one is likely to run into a vibrant shimmering community of people, interesting shopping, and tons of musicians. Its hard to describe because it is somewhere that needs to be expierenced.
Restaurants- While Vermont itself is famous for its locally grown, organic food, there no other place that this can be experienced more perfectly and in more different ways than Burlington. Most of the restaurants get some if not all their food from local farms and the quality comes through in their food. Want to make a good impression on a date? Three Tomatoes. Looking for a great place to celebrate a birthday? American Flatbreads. A quick yet delicious burrito? Bolocco. My secret obsession aka crepes? The Skinny Pancake. I could go on but I think I am getting my point across, Burlington has some great food.
Champlain- Now I grew up a 7-mile stretch of beach so I am always weary of any lake for the main reason that it is not an ocean. But I have come to love Champlain and not just because it reminds me of home because it is a large body of water. I love it in the fall during the first few weeks of school when one can go to North beach and actually jump off the cliffs and go into the water without getting instant hypothermia. I love it in winter when the water reflects the Adirondacks so well its hard to tell where sky ends and water begins. I love spring when there are little kids learning to ride their bikes on the bike path on the first nice day. I love it in summer when it seems like every person that lives in Burlington descends on the beach.
Learning Opportunities- Burlington means something a little different for many Saint Mike's student than for other people. Many classes, usually in the Social Science Liberal Studies Requirements (Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science, etc.), have service requirements to the class. My first introduction was with Professor Delaney's Introduction to Anthropology class last semester. We were asked to do two hours a week in a classroom or youth center that was culturally different from our own. Burlington and the surrounding communities have a high percentage of refugees within communities so it is not a hard thing to do. I started volunteering at King Street Youth Center's Teen Futures Program. I tutored teenagers ranging from 6Th to 12Th grade with anything they might need help with. After they finished their homework, they usually beat me in basketball for the remaining time. Now, I happened to love working with the kids so I continued to do it past my required time but some students choose not to. Regardless, Burlington as a city presents the unique possibility for students to be engaged in their community. Beyond shopping and eating, Burlington allows students to give back to the community through service learning for classes or through MOVE or many other ways.
It's parents weekend at Saint Mike's and that means two things. Every one's room has to be cleaned so that their mom doesn't reprimand them. And that Saint Mikes is crawling with parents that want to take their kids, their roommates and friends out to every meal conceivable. Which I benefited from greatly and got me thinking. How does Burlington play a role in life at Saint Mikes and what is Burlington like?
The number one best thing about Burlington is that it is so close. Its about a 20 minute bus ride to the bus stop downtown that is directly on Church Street. And since our Knight Card works as a bus pass and with the bus running every 20 minutes past campus that basically means we can get to Burlington whenever we please. The Knight Card also can work as a debit card for students at tons of off campus locations and those include many places in Burlington! So as a student at Saint Mike's Burlington is an escape, a fun playground or a place to pick up the necessities.
Church Street- The hub of the city of Burlington itself, Church street is a melting pot of college students, old hippies and huge dogs. During the warmer months there are street vendors and hundreds of people meandering enjoying eachother's company. In the colder months Christmas lights give those bleak, grey December days a touch of sparkle. Walking Church street one is likely to run into a vibrant shimmering community of people, interesting shopping, and tons of musicians. Its hard to describe because it is somewhere that needs to be expierenced.
Restaurants- While Vermont itself is famous for its locally grown, organic food, there no other place that this can be experienced more perfectly and in more different ways than Burlington. Most of the restaurants get some if not all their food from local farms and the quality comes through in their food. Want to make a good impression on a date? Three Tomatoes. Looking for a great place to celebrate a birthday? American Flatbreads. A quick yet delicious burrito? Bolocco. My secret obsession aka crepes? The Skinny Pancake. I could go on but I think I am getting my point across, Burlington has some great food.
Champlain- Now I grew up a 7-mile stretch of beach so I am always weary of any lake for the main reason that it is not an ocean. But I have come to love Champlain and not just because it reminds me of home because it is a large body of water. I love it in the fall during the first few weeks of school when one can go to North beach and actually jump off the cliffs and go into the water without getting instant hypothermia. I love it in winter when the water reflects the Adirondacks so well its hard to tell where sky ends and water begins. I love spring when there are little kids learning to ride their bikes on the bike path on the first nice day. I love it in summer when it seems like every person that lives in Burlington descends on the beach.
Learning Opportunities- Burlington means something a little different for many Saint Mike's student than for other people. Many classes, usually in the Social Science Liberal Studies Requirements (Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science, etc.), have service requirements to the class. My first introduction was with Professor Delaney's Introduction to Anthropology class last semester. We were asked to do two hours a week in a classroom or youth center that was culturally different from our own. Burlington and the surrounding communities have a high percentage of refugees within communities so it is not a hard thing to do. I started volunteering at King Street Youth Center's Teen Futures Program. I tutored teenagers ranging from 6Th to 12Th grade with anything they might need help with. After they finished their homework, they usually beat me in basketball for the remaining time. Now, I happened to love working with the kids so I continued to do it past my required time but some students choose not to. Regardless, Burlington as a city presents the unique possibility for students to be engaged in their community. Beyond shopping and eating, Burlington allows students to give back to the community through service learning for classes or through MOVE or many other ways.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Spring at Saint Mikes
Survival Guide for Spring
While I love every season equally and try very hard not to discriminate, even I have been known to choose a favorite. And right now, I have two words to describe my life, Spring Oriented. Spring at Saint Mike's is everything the admission brochures make it out to be, and I am not just saying that. Purple and yellow flowers compliments of grounds, greener than green grass in the quad with first-years sitting on it, Frisbee games which start out small but get VERY large. Everything about spring at Saint Mikes makes me convinced nothing could be better (except maybe when it snows but that's a different story).
Since I love spring so much while packing I realized there are a few spring essentials every Saint Mike's student must have.
North Beach - Unknown to most incoming first-years students our CCTA bus passes not only get students into Burlington but also on the entire CCTA bus line. Which means among other fun places to take it, a student can hypothetically jump on the #2 bus, go from Saint Mike's to Burlington and grab the #7 from Burlington right to North Beach. While this allows for the perfect mode of transportation to the beach, growing up on a beach has taught me a few of the essentials for a perfect beach day. Towel, Sunscreen, Bathing suit, Flip Flops, Sweat shirt. Towel, I am not talking using the towel you use every day to take a regular shower, get a beach towel, they are made for the purpose and it will save a trip to the laundry room.
Sunscreen, No I am not your mother but I have seen some really bad sunburns (and sun poisoning on myself) and trust me, its preventable in SO MANY WAYS. USE SUNSCREEN, IT DOESN'T DO HARM.
Bathing suit, its a no brainer, you need one at a beach even if you decide the water is too cold to dive straight in. It is a beach, a bathing suit is necessary.
Flip-flops, one word, Shoobies (hint: Rocket Power) enough said.
Sweatshirt, after the full day in the sun and water of Champlain you will experience the third element of Champlain, wind. You will need a sweatshirt. Trust me.
Quad - The brochure does not lie, students do indeed lie in the grass in quad and in front of the library at Saint Mike's. And guess what, we do it all the time! Vermont winters make us all crave the sun so we utilize it as much as possible when we get it. While some people abuse the privilege and skip class to enjoy the weather, in between classes and the afternoons are good enough for me. Essentials for this most awesome of ways to spend warm afternoons? Designated grass blanket, portable speakers, outdoor sports equipment and if really ambitious and get a tailgating grill.
Designated grass blanket, yes I realize it may seem silly but trust me, you will not want all your friends sitting on your comforter when you realize they are not going to respect the no shoes on the blanket rule. So get a cheap blanket or use one that you needed in the depths of winter or steal one from your parents and use that instead. Much less hussle and there won't be grass and mud clumps covering your bed!
Portable speakers, everyone loves music and why not have it be a soundtrack to your beautiful spring day. If you are lucky your roommate has portable speakers that use batteries. If not, computers work great (and that way you are lucky enough to have your whole music library). If you are really lucky one of the many musicians or bands we have on campus will be practicing outside and then there is no outside music required.
Outdoor sports equipment, in the simplest terms, Frisbees, wiffleball bats and balls, bikes, scooters, footballs, soccer balls, rugby balls, tricycles. Anything and everything that you can use to have fun. Grab your friends, challenge the floor beneath you, and play!
Grill, maybe a little bit out of the budget, BUT Saint Mike's Residence Life is usually nice enough to grill outside during the end of the semester. Cheeseburgers, Hot Dogs, Veggieburgers and dogs, Free food. No need to explain what is to enjoy there.
The Bad Days - Even though Saint Mike's is the best, happiest place on the earth (except maybe Disney World), there are those days when you look out your window and see one thing. Grey. Notorious for quick changes in the weather, do not fret, just remember to keep the essentials for those rainy, grey days.
Raincoat, the brighter and more colorful the better. Mine is teal blue and it always brightens my day when I see an array of rainbow color coats walking towards the Academic buildings. Keep in mind it should be long enough to cover all of your mid-section and that a hood is a must.
Rain boots, this may be more geared toward the ladies out there, but a nice pair of waterproof boots are essential to brave the rivers that pop up next to sidewalks in spring. I myself prefer the up to the knee, patterned kind that allow me to let my inner 5 year old out and allow me to trudge straight thru puddles instead of going around them.
Weather report, as I said before Vermont's weather changes very very rapidly. This morning I woke up, it was grey but dry. Then the skies opened up sometime during my first class and it torrential down poured for 4 hours. Luckily the weather had semi-cleared up again before I had my tour. And this afternoon it was beautiful although muddy. This is a very typical day. Check the weather report every morning. Avoid catastrophe.
Regardless, enjoy spring. Make the best of the rain and trust that in an hour it will be 75 degrees and sunny. Have a great day!
While I love every season equally and try very hard not to discriminate, even I have been known to choose a favorite. And right now, I have two words to describe my life, Spring Oriented. Spring at Saint Mike's is everything the admission brochures make it out to be, and I am not just saying that. Purple and yellow flowers compliments of grounds, greener than green grass in the quad with first-years sitting on it, Frisbee games which start out small but get VERY large. Everything about spring at Saint Mikes makes me convinced nothing could be better (except maybe when it snows but that's a different story).
Since I love spring so much while packing I realized there are a few spring essentials every Saint Mike's student must have.
North Beach - Unknown to most incoming first-years students our CCTA bus passes not only get students into Burlington but also on the entire CCTA bus line. Which means among other fun places to take it, a student can hypothetically jump on the #2 bus, go from Saint Mike's to Burlington and grab the #7 from Burlington right to North Beach. While this allows for the perfect mode of transportation to the beach, growing up on a beach has taught me a few of the essentials for a perfect beach day. Towel, Sunscreen, Bathing suit, Flip Flops, Sweat shirt. Towel, I am not talking using the towel you use every day to take a regular shower, get a beach towel, they are made for the purpose and it will save a trip to the laundry room.
Sunscreen, No I am not your mother but I have seen some really bad sunburns (and sun poisoning on myself) and trust me, its preventable in SO MANY WAYS. USE SUNSCREEN, IT DOESN'T DO HARM.
Bathing suit, its a no brainer, you need one at a beach even if you decide the water is too cold to dive straight in. It is a beach, a bathing suit is necessary.
Flip-flops, one word, Shoobies (hint: Rocket Power) enough said.
Sweatshirt, after the full day in the sun and water of Champlain you will experience the third element of Champlain, wind. You will need a sweatshirt. Trust me.
Quad - The brochure does not lie, students do indeed lie in the grass in quad and in front of the library at Saint Mike's. And guess what, we do it all the time! Vermont winters make us all crave the sun so we utilize it as much as possible when we get it. While some people abuse the privilege and skip class to enjoy the weather, in between classes and the afternoons are good enough for me. Essentials for this most awesome of ways to spend warm afternoons? Designated grass blanket, portable speakers, outdoor sports equipment and if really ambitious and get a tailgating grill.
Designated grass blanket, yes I realize it may seem silly but trust me, you will not want all your friends sitting on your comforter when you realize they are not going to respect the no shoes on the blanket rule. So get a cheap blanket or use one that you needed in the depths of winter or steal one from your parents and use that instead. Much less hussle and there won't be grass and mud clumps covering your bed!
Portable speakers, everyone loves music and why not have it be a soundtrack to your beautiful spring day. If you are lucky your roommate has portable speakers that use batteries. If not, computers work great (and that way you are lucky enough to have your whole music library). If you are really lucky one of the many musicians or bands we have on campus will be practicing outside and then there is no outside music required.
Outdoor sports equipment, in the simplest terms, Frisbees, wiffleball bats and balls, bikes, scooters, footballs, soccer balls, rugby balls, tricycles. Anything and everything that you can use to have fun. Grab your friends, challenge the floor beneath you, and play!
Grill, maybe a little bit out of the budget, BUT Saint Mike's Residence Life is usually nice enough to grill outside during the end of the semester. Cheeseburgers, Hot Dogs, Veggieburgers and dogs, Free food. No need to explain what is to enjoy there.
The Bad Days - Even though Saint Mike's is the best, happiest place on the earth (except maybe Disney World), there are those days when you look out your window and see one thing. Grey. Notorious for quick changes in the weather, do not fret, just remember to keep the essentials for those rainy, grey days.
Raincoat, the brighter and more colorful the better. Mine is teal blue and it always brightens my day when I see an array of rainbow color coats walking towards the Academic buildings. Keep in mind it should be long enough to cover all of your mid-section and that a hood is a must.
Rain boots, this may be more geared toward the ladies out there, but a nice pair of waterproof boots are essential to brave the rivers that pop up next to sidewalks in spring. I myself prefer the up to the knee, patterned kind that allow me to let my inner 5 year old out and allow me to trudge straight thru puddles instead of going around them.
Weather report, as I said before Vermont's weather changes very very rapidly. This morning I woke up, it was grey but dry. Then the skies opened up sometime during my first class and it torrential down poured for 4 hours. Luckily the weather had semi-cleared up again before I had my tour. And this afternoon it was beautiful although muddy. This is a very typical day. Check the weather report every morning. Avoid catastrophe.
Regardless, enjoy spring. Make the best of the rain and trust that in an hour it will be 75 degrees and sunny. Have a great day!
About Me!
Hi Everyone, I'm Brittany! Well Brittany Richardson member of the class of 2012 at Saint Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont to be exact. Being a member of the graduating class of 2012 means that at this moment I am one of the lovely sophomores roaming campus. Not for long though, since next semester I will be jetsetting off to Dunedin, New Zealand to attend the University of Otago for a semester! Before that I will be returning home which is the lovely town of Hull, MA (also known as the town where Nantasket Beach is located).
But while I am still on campus for the reminder of the semester I am a Senator for my class, a member of Programming Committee (Who is excited for the Third Eye Blind concert happening on April 16th!!), staff on Yearbook also known as the Hilltop, a Wilderness Instructor, a Tour Guide, and a member of Founder's Society. Apart from filling all the possible free hours of my day doing those activities, I also major in Religious Studies with a minor (someday maybe a double major) in Anthropology.
Although it may not seem like it, I am really a calm, glass half-full type person. I love relaxing on the beach, shredding the gnar (a.k.a. I like skiing), reading outside in the sun and running. I am the oldest of 5 siblings and as a result am the ultimate mom figure, although if you ask my siblings that they probably will say I am just their cranky older sister who dislikes being the shortest in the family (I am 5 feet, my 11 year old brother is as tall as I am). Apart from all that I am just a normal, out going, loud, smiley, know everyone, say hello to everyone type person.
But while I am still on campus for the reminder of the semester I am a Senator for my class, a member of Programming Committee (Who is excited for the Third Eye Blind concert happening on April 16th!!), staff on Yearbook also known as the Hilltop, a Wilderness Instructor, a Tour Guide, and a member of Founder's Society. Apart from filling all the possible free hours of my day doing those activities, I also major in Religious Studies with a minor (someday maybe a double major) in Anthropology.
Although it may not seem like it, I am really a calm, glass half-full type person. I love relaxing on the beach, shredding the gnar (a.k.a. I like skiing), reading outside in the sun and running. I am the oldest of 5 siblings and as a result am the ultimate mom figure, although if you ask my siblings that they probably will say I am just their cranky older sister who dislikes being the shortest in the family (I am 5 feet, my 11 year old brother is as tall as I am). Apart from all that I am just a normal, out going, loud, smiley, know everyone, say hello to everyone type person.
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