Devonport/Orientation Week!

Sorry for the lack of posting, it has been quite a busy week! All the people on our floor have moved in and I have already made some great friends. Our dorm had an orientation week with a ton of activities to get everyone to mingle and get to know each other. Two of my friends Chelsea and Michael from NZ live on my floor are VERY social and try to get everyone involved in the events... so Anthony (friend from Loyola) and I were convinced to do quiz night last Monday. We got pretty much our entire floor to join our team against the other floors, and I got to meet everyone, including two girls from Malaysia and other Kiwis. We didn't win but it was definitely worth it, and good to break away from the Loyola group a bit.

Tuesday a group of us from Loyola took a ferry to Devonport, which is like a little Mystic/Newport kind of Island. Lots of shops and beaches, and fun to walk around. We found a hill and decided to hike up it thinking it was a volcano... but then we realized it wasn't, but it was still an accomplishment. Nice view from the top too! Then we found the real volcano... which we may kayak to sometime soon and then hike up (about a 3 hour hike we hear). We relaxed on the beach a bit and really just enjoyed being outside on a lovely day. Found a little bit of seaglass but it is not as done as I'd like! (mom would make me throw it back...)

<--- volcano!

Wednesday was such a fun day! We started with a walk through campus getting a bunch of free gear clubs were handing out, got some free jandals! (their word for sandals, it's very catchy). Then our dorm had a big capture the flag/sponge game competition in the domain between all the floors. My floor is very enthusiastic about everything so we got all decked out in green gear (our floor color) and painted our faces green... a bunch of people even dyed their hair green. haha so much fun. We were all running around like crazy on the domain, I don't think anyone ever actually won but it was so much fun. The sponge game we played was kind of like dodgeball, but with wet sponges you had to throw at people. At the end everyone just ran around dumping buckets of water on people and sponges all over the place, of course I got completely drenched. But, it is hot here, so it was wonderful. The thing I've realized about the weather is that it never really gets too hot temperature-wise, but the sun makes it feel like its 90 degrees every day. My tan is coming along slowly... haha That night one of our friends/RA Bryn took us all to a fun place called Carpark and hooked us up with some free pizza. Great night!

<-- 8th floor!

Thursday was pretty low key, until we had international student pub night that evening organized by our University. The theme was "bad taste" so we all just looked ridiculously, trying to win prizes they were giving out. Unfortunately, we didn't win... All the bars/clubs here all we do is dance the entire time so every night out is so much fun and we usually meet other people and bond with Loyola too.

Fridayyyy Hester invited us all to her house for a barbeque/party, which somehow turned into a toga party, which was just crazy. The whole day began with us walking down Queen street (half people in togas) taking an hour bus, then walking another half hour because we got off at a different stop. People were honking and laughing at us the whole way hahaha. We eventually made it. By the end of the night it turned into a jam sesh with guitar/singing and somehow I ended up playing the piano that everyone was singing to for a good hour haha so a very fun night with Loyola'ers! Everyone woke up at 7AM and left for the bus, extremely tired.

We also booked trips for the next two weeks!!!! This coming weekend we are going canyoning, which is like jumping off waterfalls/sliding down rocks/other epic things. And then Sunday we're bungy jumping off of the Auckland bridge!!! ahhh we have some spectators coming who will be sure to take pictures... Then the following week we signed up for surf lessons on a black sand beach, and a boat cruise/tour of an Island with a reallly cool guide!!! It's going to be incredible, and we got everything for really good deals because we are Uni students (thats what they call the University of Auckland students). More updates to come on those adventures!