A Day Exploring Campus

This morning, I had every intention of sleeping really late. But, I woke up at around 3:00 AM wide awake. So, I sat up, sent a few emails, iMessaged my sisters, and then tried my best to go back to sleep. At around 7:00, I decided to get up and start my day. Campus is already quiet enough since the semester hasn't started yet, and it was even quieter early in the morning. I decided to try out a cafe that is about 10 minutes away from my dorm called Cafe Options. (Sounds real fancy, doesn't it?) It was delicious and had some great options, hence the name. I had a poached egg on toast and a bacon and cheese scone for $5 NZD, which translates to about $3.40 USD. (Pretty good deal, right?) I've never had a poached egg before, and even though I usually like my eggs "well-done," it was pretty good, and the scone was amazing! I plan on eating breakfast there again tomorrow, unless it's easier to go to the dining hall before my international orientation sessions begin. The lady that works there is named Jo (Or maybe Joan. I'm still getting used to the accents here.), and she was very friendly. She was very interested in where I was from, what the weather is like back home, how long I'll be staying in New Zealand, etc. We talked for about 15 minutes, and she asked if would be back. (Of course! With good food this cheap, I'll be back often.) I've actually surprised myself these past few days at how easily I can make friends and strike up conversations with strangers. It's a good habit to have, though. It also helps that the Kiwi people just love to talk to Americans. 




After I ate breakfast, I decided that I would explore campus a little and try to get my bearings before classes begin. The campus here is beautiful! There are ponds and streams everywhere, along with winding paths between what looks like tropical jungles. The plant life is very different from what we have back home. Even in the winter, there are palm trees and tropical plants everywhere. 









Camellia flower

I explored campus for a while, then I decided to go into the city to do a little more exploring. Massey University students get to use the city buses for free, so getting to downtown Palmy is a breeze. I walked around town a little, going in and out of stores and small shopping centers. I found the church I'm planning on visiting on Sunday. It's called Harvest Baptist Church, and it's about a 20 minute walk from the bus station downtown. 

I still haven't met any of my roommates, and I'm beginning to think that no one else is living in my flat yet. Since international orientation starts tomorrow, hopefully they'll show up soon. At orientation, I'll be attending various sessions to get me accustomed to going to school in another country. They'll feed us (yay!) and, all international students will be taken to the Massey Farm to see a sheep shearing and herd dog demonstration. I'm pretty excited about it, and I can't wait to meet even more people! 



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