Monday, February 11, 2013

Getting Down in Dunedin

Well....I AM FINALLY HERE. I'm in Dunedin. I've moved into my flat.  But it still doesn't feel real! Maybe classes will have to start before it sinks in that I am here for 5 months.  I moved in two days ago, Sunday, and I immediately meet Rasmus (I think that is how you spell it, from Sweden), and he was the only one living here at the moment. Later at night  Ellie (USA), moved in, who was on a different abroad program.  Then the next day Kelsey(USA) moved in. Everyone has been very nice so far.  I have yet to meet my kiwi hosts, but they should be here in a few days.  The flat is amazing, and my room is even better! My room is a pretty good size and has a double bed, and best of all......it has a little balcony!



Sunday night, I went to meet up with the group form Arcadia for dinner and a short tour of the city so we could find the mall and grocery store.  Some friends and I went to the store to get stuff for breakfast and also toiletries. I went over next door to my friend Janessa's flat (no one was home in mine) and talked a little and then I went to bed.

The next day, Monday, was full of walking and exploring.  Janessa and I left our flats at about 9:30am (I still wake up a little too early from jet lag) and headed out to do some errands, which wouldn't take as long if we knew where we were going. We never got lost per se, we always knew how to get back home, we just couldn't find the K-mart we were looking for. I think we know our way around a lot better now because of that. On monday afternoon Arcadia had an info session with the international office and then a tour of campus.  After that I went back to the flat and made my first dinner there. Pasta and broccoli with tomato sauce (so complicated, right?).  After dinner my flatmates all went out, so I went next door to Janessa's flat and met her 2 new flatmates, Juan and Kelley, who just arrived from America.  They seem very nice as well.

Then today, Tuesday, I got up a 7am to get ready for a meeting at the bank at 9am to set up an account.  The account didn't take very long to set up so Janessa and I went to find the post office to send off our 18+ card forms (so we don't need to carry around our passports). Finding the post office was a little difficult and we had to ask a friend from Arcadia who we saw on campus.  We went back to our flats for lunch and then Janessa, Juan, and Kelley and I went out to meet a friend from Arcadia, Colyer, and went to the Botanical Gardens and walked around there for a while. Then we went to a few stores and the Grocery store. I bought some things for dinner tonight  and well....it will be an experiment.

Tomorrow we are going to try to go to the St. Clair beach, if the weather is good enough (it was a little cold today 16C = 40s in F) and if we can figure out the bus system.

P.S. I have not been taking my camera around with me lately for I do not want to be that annoying tourist. But the Botanical Gardens are beautiful and close by so I'll be sure to bring my camera the next time I go.

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