You First...

This is another image from my spring break trip to the South Island (seems like only yesterday... or 2 months ago...what?). I took this somewhere between Franz Joseph and Makarora. Though it's beautiful, the West Coast is barely populated because of its ruggedness (yea, I want to see you trying to make it down to that beach...). I was reminded of this photo because my parents are coming to visit on the 21st, but only have two weeks to hit the best spots in New Zealand. You see, I haven't planned a trip since I've been here, I've just pointed at a map and headed in the correct direction (thank goodness for isites!). However, now I have to be a giver of advice and it have become more complicated than I anticipated. Apparently my subjective opinion is acting as an invisibility cloak over reality. Where is my enthusiasm from my arrival back in Auckland after an amazing two weeks in the South Island? I wanted to show my parents everything then, yet now I find myself being overly critical and selective. Yikes! (did studying change me that much!?!) I think my issue is that I want to be outdoors, tramping, taking photos, and letting the earth calm my soul before I just back into the excessive culture that is the states. Yet my parents are more keen on seeing everything possible (who can blame them though, this country is amazing).

My solution: come back to New Zealand after graduation with a friend who wants to live out of a campervan for a bit and do some real tramping and camping... any takers? please?

PS: I'm free! Exams are over! Time to let off the steam built up from cabin fever! However, I had a "poetic" moment (as Ben C. put it) yesterday when I took my last exam (for my favourite class, Politics and Media) in the same lecture hall that we had International Student Orientation in... I began and ended my sweet as semester at Auckland Uni in the same room... choice, bro.

Also, I'm very much looking forward to this documentary (and I don't say that often): Anne Perry - Interiors

No Worries

Continuing with the animal theme... these are some pretty chill seals outside of Kaikoura. If I had a wall of water coming at me I don't think I'd be scratching me ear (maybe that's just me). At any rate, I was delightfully and gently woken up today by the WSA fire alarm (sarcasm heavily intended). Note to whoever: when a fire alarm goes off, "fire alarm activated, stand by for further assistance," is probably not the best automated advice to give over the intercom. Something along the lines of, "fire alarm activated, get your butt outside," might do the trick.

Oh well, these made me feel better for having to wake up so early: Graphs of Favourite Songs

Critter

Today over skype I asked my mom what she type of photo she wanted to see today. She had a choice of a landscape, animal, or person. She chose animal, next she had a choice of a bird, seal, or crab. I guess you already figured out which one she chose. It's chilly and cloudy in Auckland today, making it easier to study... yet reminiscing of an adventurous spring break with Ben in Abel Tasman and a certain song that is completely stuck in my head are making it a bit hard to keep my head down. Here's a link so you can enjoy "My Delirium" too: You Tube. 1 exam and 2 days to go... :)

Stradbroke Shade

The rest of my Stradbroke Island posts had a double "S," so I thought this one should too.

Hard to Resist

I was feeling a bit nostalgic last night while looking for an image to post today, so I peaked back into my orientation folder (we spent time the first 3 days overcoming jet lag and shock in Shakespear Regional Park). It's hard to believe that my semester at the University of Auckland will be complete in 2 exams and 4 days, and I'll be departing the land of the long white cloud in 27 days. This is when I ask myself, "wtf?" Where did all of the time go? I loved glancing at a few of the photos from the first days in New Zealand because I remember taking them and being so overwhelmed about standing on land all the way around the world (on the edge of the world as I've learned New Zealanders view it) with completely new people and knowing I was going to be here for what seemed like an extremely long time. Now I'm sitting here wondering, what the hell was I thinking? 5 months is an extremely minuscule amount of time. Thinking about everything that I still want to do is making it harder and harder to get myself into the land of hardcovers and silence (aka the library). I never actually knew what studying was until I came to AU and met some kiwis, they motivated me for a bit when classes got out, but I'm quickly losing steam; the 21 year-old American in me is saying, "who cares about studying when spring is upon us?" (Is this perhaps why we're called "lazy Americans"?) In addition, this video is highly distracting: They Just Turned Life Into A Musical

The Clock Tower

I promise the building itself isn't crooked... If you couldn't tell by my lack of updates, exams have started. 2 down and 2 to go so far. I took this image from Albert Park, the best place to take a break from the library when it's sunny. Sadly though, it's been cloudy/rainy over the past few days. Anyway, my updates will be sporadic until December 4th or so. My last exam is on Wednesday and on the 21st, my parents are coming to visit! I'm really excited to start traveling again and to see my parents, but I'll be less than enthusiastic when I have to leave the friends I've made here.

On a much more positive note, here is the like to Joey L, a 19 year old photographer who is better than most people twice his age: http://www.joeyl.com Enjoy!

Fitting Together

I couldn't decide which photo I wanted to post today, but then I saw how much was going on in this image and I knew I had to post it. The tetris costumes, the zombie taking a picture of the witch, the guy looking at the man riding away, etc. This was actually taken the day before Halloween during a study break in Albert Park. Out of nowhere, hoards of masked figures road up to the center of the park on their bikes. Needless to say, it provided to quite the entertainment. Other than this incident though, I didn't see that many costumes out and about in Auckland :( It made me appreciate the go-all-out celebrations on Halloween in the States. How was your Halloween?

Look at this beautiful and inspiring photo blog: http://someoneoncetoldme.com