Author: Jesse Carpenter

Wrapping up week two in New Zealand. We’re watching the Olympics in the house and all three of us are cheering for different countries, which is fun. School all this week has been normal. I’m pretty sure it’s a lot easier. The homework isn’t that hard, but it’s only been the first week. I don’t really have any fun anecdotes/interesting experiences to share, so here are some pictures.

Obviously going to dedicate an entire shopping day to this store.

 

I’m drinking spiced chocolate chai tea made with fair trade ingredients and soy milk which is the most annoying/delicious drink ever. And I went to an international student barbecue and met a girl from Canada. We had the same accent which was cool. Goooo North America!

 

My school is very colorful. The walls look like a physical representation of the 90’s.

 

Hanging out by the ocean. I guess technically it’s a bay.

 

 

Making friends with/getting rabies from stray cats.

 

Buying everyone souvenirs from here.

 

A cool Turkish café that I’m sitting in right now. 

 

This laser tag arena is two houses down from my house and I think it is the most gaudy building I have ever seen, but obviously given the opportunity I would totally go.

 

This café is on the other side of the laser tag arena and I love it. Hurray for chicken salad rolls.

 

A really cool flower. The petals are really thick. I don’t know what it is but I’m obsessed with it.

 

Went for a run and had to stop to take a picture of this cool park (just kidding I was super exhausted and wanted an excuse to stop).

 

 

A LLAMA?! HE’S SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD! 

 

Today I went to school for an orientation/meet and greet type of thing. There were about 15 other International students there, most from Germany. William Colenso College has a large international department, which is cool. I’m told that there are eight students coming from Brazil. Brazil’s government has recently started paying for thousands of students to travel and study abroad in preparation for the Olympics in 2016. By that time, Brazil will have several translators and volunteers readily available. Isn’t that a brilliant plan? Where ya at, Obama?

The school has eight or so different buildings on a fairly large campus. The campus is filled with weird and interesting plants and flowers and strange cacti. The buildings are all painted purple, yellow, red, and blue. I like to think that it’s an ode to Portugal. The Man (that one is for you, Dana).

After school I went to the beach. The beach I live next to is very rocky, but I mean, I’m not about to complain. Hawke’s Bay is huge. In North Dakota, it looks like the land never ends. In Napier, it looks like the sea never ends. Standing in the prairie and standing on the beach have the weird power of making you realize how small you really are. It’s very humbling.

Quick: think of all of the places where you don’t want birds or bare feet. I bet the first thing you thought was, “Well Jack, I suppose I don’t want birds or bare feet in places where food is sold, like a grocery store.” Hey, me too! But too bad. Because shoes are not required in grocery stores. Birds, apparently, are required. There are birds everywhere. There are birds in the produce aisle. Gross, right? That’s what I thought. Until I realized that produce grows in trees. And birds live in trees. I guess I never put that together. (But I mean, it still weirds me out when birds are around food.)

Here are a few other pictures from my time here so far. The photo featured at the top of this blog is me sitting on top of a cliff (Te Mata Peak). I am literally less than 12 inches from the edge and a 500+ foot drop. It was thrilling/terrifying and I hated/loved it.

Fresh sushi less than a 10 minute walk from my house? Yes please.

 

I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to try these. It’s deep fried macaroni and cheese, so I don’t understand how that could be bad.

 

Te moana (the ocean)

 

Walking to school. I feel like I’m on vacation.

 

Water lilies on a koi pond. This entire country is like one giant Instagram photo.

 

Some flora.

 

Bonding with Vicki’s 19 year old cat, Salem. She’s fun. We’re tight.

 

A few clarifications: I do not know how to blog. I generally write in short, direct paragraphs. I’m not going to be writing nauseating clichés like, “This trip helped me discover who I was!” or, “I’m really living life to the fullest!” However, I would like to thank you for being interested enough in me to subject yourself to my ramblings. You’re the best.

After 38 total hours of travel, I have finally arrived in Napier (NAY-pyur). The town is so amazing. It’s coastal, I live like 2 seconds from a beach. The weather is amazing, the people are friendly.

Right now, I’m sitting in my room with the windows open. The neighbors are playing some Arctic Monkeys, and I’m jamming. It’s like they knew I was coming.

Everything is so green here. It’s like the Garden of Eden or something, but with less sin-creating and more gender equality. Also there isn’t any talking serpents. Other than that, it’s pretty much the same.

I shopped and toured the city today, and after some intense observation, I can tell you that Rat Tails are definitely a thing. Also, people walk around barefoot all the time. The town is very beach resort-y. There are open shops and restaurants everywhere. Everyone is friendly and talkative. No one is wearing a collared shirt. I love it.

I register for classes on the 28^th, and school starts on February 3^rd. I’m going to William Colenso College during my high school abroad program in New Zealand. College=secondary school, it isn’t like a university.

Thanks for reading.

Here’s the view from the kitchen. I love all of the super tall trees.