Final Farewells

The Monday after we returned from the Kepler track I had my last Neurophysiology lecture and lab. It was a fun lab on the senses of taste, hearing, and the vestibular system.  Later that night Arcadia had the Farewell dinner for everyone.  The dinner was at an amazing Italian restaurant, that I wish I could go to again but it is fairly expensive.  At the dinner the winners of the photo competition were announced.  Guess who one the best picture for the people category and overall best pictures, that's right! This lady, right here currently in the corner of the library.  For winning, there were some prizes.  I received a nifty certificate and a laminated copy of my picture as well as a business card holder with a kiwi on it.  For winning the overall competition I got a sweatshirt! The sweatshirt says Sweet As (a very common saying here) and I will be wearing it all the time when I come home.  At the end of the dinner we also got "goodie bags" with a postcard from 'Mama' Jane and Dee (the student staff member) and an Arcadianz shirt.  So many new souvenirs for me to bring back! Do I have room for it all in my suitcase? - NOPE!

My Winning Photo! - taken at Moeraki Boulders

Tuesday in Dunedin a rare occurrence happened, it snowed! In Dunedin it gets fairly cold in the winter, but because of the low elevation there is little snow.  It was strange to wake up to snow falling at the end of May, but I love snow so I had fun.  It was funny to see how little prepared people are for snow as students were slipping and sliding on the sidewalks in their converse sneakers.  My friend also said that the university was trying to clear a pathway with a snowblower.  Throughout the day is changed from snow to rain to snow to hail! Yes there was a hail storm in the afternoon that brought back to memories of the one I experienced in Mexico on my mission trip. That night some friends and I braced the slushy streets and went to the Baaa Bar for trivia.  It was funk but as always we didn't do too great because of our lack of New Zealand pop-culture knowledge.

Friday was my last day of classes here in New Zealand, I was actually a little sad because 1. I did not want to deal with finals and 2. reality hits that you really do not have much time left.  However to celebrate the end of classes we had a movie night, that turned out to be another girls' night.  We ordered some dominos and made some banoffee pie and then watched Gladiator and Sydney White, and a little bit of Hercules.  Saturday, the first day of June I started to study for my finals.   Then that night there was a rugby game, that I did not go to, but I helped my friends get ready to go and met up with them after the game. my friend Cat found some abandoned Highlanders flags, so I now have one to decorate my room with next year! A couple of my friends just celebrated their birthdays, so we went out to an Indian Restaurant on the 7th, I couldn't go out with them after because I had a final the next day, but the food was delicious.

That is pretty much all that has happened in the last couple weeks. I have done a lot of studying and have finished 2 of my finals, so only 2 more to go, but they are not until the 18th and 19th.