(In lieu of inventiveness...) Thursday 7/31/08

Just hangin around the info commons while my lunch digests a bit - can't go to the gym on an empty stomach, nor can one go right after eating...

The class issue appears to be resolved - my adviser at NU tells me it will either come back as an upper level poly sci course, or possibly as a pre-law course - the latter will be wicked, as I was also told that with that course, I could petition for the minor - that isn't too bad...just, how will I fit it on my resume haha? Either way, the course will not be in vain.

So about the gym. Finally got around to joining yesterday, and it's pretty nice. I mean, it's a gym...all the weight machines, but substantially fewer cardio machines than NU - so few that use is limited to 20 minutes (which I could have stayed on for longer, but there was a queue when my time was up). And then - it keeps popping up - that darned metric system. I could gloat and say I was jogging at 10.0 for 20 minutes straight...but that is to say 10 KPH (6 MPH)...so not so impressive. I plan on lifting today, maybe like the states the machines will be dual-labeled (the leg press upon inspection was, that will be an immense help).

At this point in the tale, I could be an arrogant American and declare that everybody else should return to pounds, but to be honest, I feel the states should come round. It is really a lot easier...the conversion process alone is a headache...
2.2 lbs per kilogram? Temperature Celsius multiplied by nine-fifths (1.8) and then 32 added? besides, who's ingenious idea was it that "32" was the freezing point. "0" just seems a more natural number to assign to that. Perhaps Mr. Farenheit (or whoever invented that stupid system) had an inferiority complex. Although -- 30.48 seems alot more impressive than 12, correct?

Tuesday 7/29/08

Auckland: 3:26 PM; Boston 11:26 PM (Monday)

Things are better on the personal front, I think. More or less I felt that I had to get over myself and realize, I chose to come down here for four months, and that I was warned about the issues that would come up.

So anyway (yeah I hate thinking about depressing things, who doesn't?)...surprise. It's raining. Again. (I was warned about that also). I'm procrastinating on going home, even though I should soon - I have a lot of reading to do, and I'm working under the assumption that poker will be happening again this evening. Even though I finished in the middle of the pack, it was because of two really bad beats, so it's not like I'm inept or something (right?).

Starting to get concerned with one of my classes, and if it will actually count for something. No one at NU has gotten back to me yet - and the add/drop deadline is Friday. Given my luck with that school and the way they usually are anyway, I'll probably find out on Monday or something that it counts for nothing. Or worse, it will count for a class that I already took. Which will, bluntly, fuck me over. It will mean that I will return to the US 4 credit hours (1 class) short of completing my undergrad degree. I've heard the nightmare stories before, so I suppose I should just say my fingers, toes, and anything else that can be, are crossed.

So other things that are taking some adjusting - the internet is slow as molasses. For example, just bought a song on iTunes, and what would take say 5 to 10 seconds at home, just took about 5 minutes. Haha...at least I won't be spending lots of money on songs this term. At least I have internet, I'd go insane without it. Maybe when we install the net at the flat - probably by the end of the week - it'll be faster. We'll see. I might try putting my US sim card in tonight and seeing if I can get broadband access like I do in the states.

I think I hit a personal low on dietary habits - my lunch consisted of salt + vinegar chips and a candy bar. The latter I haven't had in probably 5 months, and such a combination probably not since high school...oh well. Will have to work on that.

I'm bored now, so I'm out...peace

Sunday 7/27/08

Auckland: 9:13 PM; Boston: 5:13 AM

I have to say that I was had. Through all of the pre-departure orientation, reading, etcetera, etcetera…, I kept seeing about the “feelings of homesickness” and whatnot. I was convinced, CONVINCED, that they’d never happen. At all. Maybe it’s pride, the high level of self-confidence I’ve in myself, or the arrogant nature I tend to espouse in life.

This isn’t to say I’m clawing the walls looking to go back stateside. (I did however, wake my poor friend Missy up at 8 AM Friday [Boston time] and talked her ear off for about 30 minutes – Thanks, it meant a lot by the way, if you’re reading this) I guess it’s more I just forgot how hard it is meeting people, and forcing myself to be out there. Don’t get me wrong, I’m plenty social, but at the end of the night, many nights, it really feels like instead of bonding with people that I’ll hang out with in the future, it’s more I just happened to be in the same room doing the same thing as the others, and everybody parts and returns to their separate lives.

Maybe it’s me, I suppose I haven’t exerted that much effort in meeting people – aside from my roommates and the other person from NU, I know maybe three people’s names with some degree of certainty. Of those three I have one number, and I’m hesitant to contact them that often for I don’t want to appear a nag or needy. Perhaps everybody is in the same boat. Who knows, I certainly don’t.

Apparently missed the chance to join student groups at a discount through last Friday (apparently unlike NU the fee is not built in). The discount wasn’t something to sneeze at either - $30 for the ski and snowboard club (versus $50 normally). Maybe I’ll join Monday…a $20 ‘stupidity tax.’

Today being the 27^th…the “mid-semester break” is September 1^st – 13^th: anyone who is a college student reading this knows how quickly time flies once classes and work really kick off, which it’s supposed to this coming week. So I have to really start researching where I might want to travel during the break, which brings up another sore point – I absolutely hate the idea of travelling alone. For the most part, I just won’t. I can so see the following scenario: I book a week in, say, Fiji. Probably around ~$1,000 for it. Going alone, I’ll be bored by the end of the first day. Oh well, I’ll figure that out later this week.

Friday 7/25/08

Auckland 11:57 AM; Boston 7:57 PM (Thursday)

Yeah, I didn't get any work done last night. So I came down to campus a few hours early, got it all done this morning :-). The pub quiz wasn't as good as I expected - apparently the RAs at Parnell Student Village (where I live) arranged to have a PSV-only quiz, and it was all music - everyone reading this knows how excellent my music skills are...right? I don't know. Went down with three of my roommates and one of their friends - the five of us I think came in third from last. I was assured that the normal pub quizzes are better - so I guess a second visit next week will be in order.

Anyway, tonight is the themed flat night. We haven't decided on a theme. Something tells me we're not going to. Oh well. I'll get some beer at the bodega near our apartment on the way home, just in case.

No internet at the apartment yet - I've been keeping this thing in a Word document and then posting online when I get to campus - today is actually the first time I'm posting directly. Possibly will get it next week - I'm frankly in no hurry, I can do what I have to online on campus...like this blog. And listening to Boston radio, I now have a vague idea what's happening on planet earth.

Thursday 7/24/08

Auckland: 4:02 PM; Boston 12:02 AM

The irony…on probably the most beautiful day since I’ve been here, I’m stuck in reading for class tomorrow and Monday (obviously I want my weekend to be free and clear, who knows what will happen). I’m not kidding about the weather, it’s the first day that it hasn’t rained once – to contrast, yesterday I was walking around downtown Auckland for about an hour, I think I had to go back and forth from sunglasses to umbrella probably four or five times, over the span of about 10 blocks. Apparently rain is the telltale sign of winter. Even though it’s not too enjoyable, at least Aucklanders don’t have winters like the Northeast US!

Tonight is pub quiz night, which I think will be a lot of fun – though probably won’t do too well if it’s all New Zealand-type knowledge (rugby, geography, etc.). We’ll see. Friday is apparently a “Themed Flat Crawl,” where those who want in have to decorate the place and/or themselves, and it’s some form of competition. No, I don’t know what we’re doing yet.

Other than that, classes started Monday, and as of this morning I had finally had at least of all my four classes. I thought of the adage “save the best for last,” as my history course (“paper” as they say here) rocks. Hollywood’s America. Some sacrifice in that I have to leave here around 7:20 (lecture starts at 8, and this morning I left at 7:35 and barely made it), and that there are also weekly movies on Tuesday night at 5. Still, the course reminded me why I chose to be a history major in the first place.

The other three classes…I enjoy Legal Methods, but it’s going to be difficult. Apparently, in this country, a law degree is attained as an undergrad, not postgraduate as in the states. So, therefore, I am taking what would be akin to a first-year law school class. Fun. Art History I really don’t know how I’ll survive, the lecturer isn’t that engaging, nor is the material. But considering the horror stories I’ve heard about NU not honoring credits overseas, I’m very hesitant to switch any of my classes. But it’s still better than Introduction to Logic. The material drives me insane, attempting to do it – I feel like I’m in grade school again, oh well. Easy A. Further aggravating was that the class location changed, and unlike NU, there is no notice posted at the old site – had I not gone up to obtain a coursepack that was being handed out, I would’ve sat through I think it was Intro to Geology or something random. Apparently one is supposed to learn that it moves through osmosis or whatever (in my case I opted to go back to the computer lab and look online), I was so annoyed about it that yes, I ended up skipping lecture. A record for me – I usually make it through to midterms before skipping haha.

Getting up at 6:30 this morning in the pitch black wore me down, I need a nap. Or something of that sort.

Saturday 7/19/08 (Day 7)

Auckland: 7:57 PM; Boston 3:57 AM

So it’s official. I’ve been in New Zealand for one week. Not too bad I must say, my roommates (flatmates as they say here…) are friendly, social people. There has been a substantial amount of down time, which has led to spurts of boredom at times. Nothing like homesickness or that – though don’t get me wrong, I do miss all back in Boston and Vermont. Although I’d have to say today has been the worst day of all the days I’ve been here, because I’m sick, in a different way – I have a very bad cold. Most likely caught it on the plane or in VT right before I left: I was coughing a bunch on the way to Logan, but I thought that it was just a reaction to the air conditioning in the car, and to be honest, the cold-like symptoms really came on somewhat instantly; I went to bed after a night out Thursday (more on that in a bit) feeling fine, then I woke Friday feeling horrendous. Oh well. At least I’ll get through it (hopefully) this weekend – since the locals are still on mid-year break, the scene hasn’t really gotten underway, or so I’m told. Apparently next week will be parties or some form of get-together almost every night.

In contrast, Thursday has to have been the surprise highlight of the week. After a very bad first experience with the Auckland club scene on Wednesday – the place (called Margaritas) was jam-packed with drunk (and probably high) 18 and 19 year olds (and plenty of under 18s with fake IDs I’m sure), and pretty much sucked. Thursday was the official “Bar Night” as part of the orientation at the University, and when I saw the place was on Queen St (the main road in Center City), I figured it would be as horrid as the prior night. Understandably, I was on the fence right up until I arrived. Though, I’m very glad I went down: it was a much better time than Margaritas. Met a group of girls (and one guy, I wasn’t completely discriminatory) from around Boston, and also ran into another girl I had met at the first orientation session Monday, and had made a complete ass of myself around – at that point, I was still in the “honeymoon” phase of being in NZ, so I said something about how I wanted to emigrate because this country was so amazing, etc. – to be honest that was one of my famous spoken before thought out lines, though I do like NZ.

Enough rambling for tonight, I’m going to watch a movie I think and work on my 3 liter bottle of Orange Juice, and pass out early-ish. Classes start Monday, hopefully I’ll be better for them.

Tuesday 7/15

Auckland: 5:10 PM; Boston 1:04 AM

Today was the first day of orientation, nothing special there, papers and books and listening to people talk. Dreary day, wanted to go for a run through the Domain, but the overcast sky and the freezing cold air (maybe 45ish?) was a fairly strong deterrent.

Yesterday was interesting, saw the main parts of campus for the first time, and it’s a very nice campus. I’m also going to get a good cardio workout going to and from: not only is it 20 minutes away, but it’s 20 minutes straight up and down hills – the most challenging part (although not too challenging) is on the way back, about ½ my walk is up a moderately steep path, probably about a 200’ ascent over at most two-tenths of a mile.

The architecture is…different. The newer buildings are like any other modern structure, with lots of glass and a real transparent feeling to them. On the other hand, the older buildings look like I could have been in the French Quarter or the Caribbean (especially those surrounded by palm trees) – very loud colors (example: the History department was a bright yellow). I’ll get down there probably by Sunday, but this time with the camera.

Registering for classes was a little hectic; according to the other NU student here, she was led to believe that we were behind the 8-ball and that the international office was fairly annoyed about it. I wasn’t too worried really, although I would’ve preferred to register for at least the 100-level classes online before getting here, it didn’t happen. Oh well. Especially since they appeared to be lectures with “unlimited” capacity. After stopping at the international advisors office, easily registered for an Art History class and an Intro to Logic class. History was a little more difficult – and I learned that the problem of administrative shuffle is not exclusive to NU.

From the international office I had to go to the Arts Student Center (vis a vis the College of Arts and Sciences Office), and find out who in the History Department I could speak to about what courses offered research papers. From there I was sent to the department and after waiting about 20 minutes outside an office, it turns out the person was now down the hall (and had been there for about 5 years according to the professor who now was in the space). Not that that mattered, she wasn’t even there. Luck was on my side though, as not only was the professor whose office I loitered outside of willing and able to help, she actually taught the perfect course for me and signed the paper I needed allowing me to take the course.

All in all, I have my four classes. And with the exception of one, I am 100% sure they will count back at Northeastern. The fourth one I intend to email the correct department and make sure it will count, probably tomorrow when I’ve down time on campus.

Day 4 – Sunday 7/13

Auckland: 10:04 PM; Boston: 6:04 AM

Many things that I still need to get used to here, of which they range in importance and therefore order in which I will focus on. On the lesser end, the fact that Sunday is just beginning for you all where it is ending for me (as noted above). Also, it is kind of weird that I am putting on long-sleeves, jeans, and jackets on July 13^th…and that I can see my breath at various points during the day. Then again, for being the middle of winter, it’s pretty nice to see palm trees and green grass. As I was describing to one of my suitemates, they could always have daytime highs reach 32 if lucky and 6 feet of snow—wait, that is actually 0 and approximately 2 meters—on the ground; that reminds me of how bad my knowledge of the metric system is, and how essentially I need to learn it – fast. The supermarket this afternoon was a good example: my approach I’ve decided is going to be honesty and humor (humour?); I went to the deli counter and just said that I had arrived from the U.S. and therefore my metric skills were horrible, what is half a kilo of sliced ham? I figured that a kilo was greater than a pound – unless the NZ economy had gone into utter freefall overnight (on a Saturday, nonetheless…), one could expect a lot of meat for $14 (a kilo of ham). I was better reminded when I got to the cheeses, and saw a large block of cheddar which was 1 kilogram – in the states, that same size would be around 2 pounds.

As soon we get internet access in the apartment, I’ll look for a more accurate conversion. No big deal – I’ve realized for all the time I spend(t) on the web, how much of it was really superfluous. I went to an internet café this afternoon with two of my suitemates, checked my email for the first time since Wednesday night in VT (all of it was spam and stuff like the daily headlines from the New York Times), looked at Facebook for about 30 seconds, and then read some of the papers from the states – all in all, I was done with what I wanted to do online in about 30 minutes. I will concede, part of my quickness was that the computer I happened to be on must have been loaded with spam or other crap because it keep freezing. I just went out to the “café” part of the internet café and bought a cappuccino.

I think I’ll be getting plenty of exercise while I’m here – the rest of the campus (which I’ve yet to see) is about 20 minutes away, and the main shopping district where I get my coffees and internet (for now) is about 10 - 20 minutes away depending on what I want. Also, Auckland’s main park – Auckland Domain – is right outside my window: I want to go for a run through there just to check it out.

I think my jogs – at least for now – are going to be without any musical accompaniment, such distractions will cause me to get run-down much easier, and I’m having a hard enough time without the iPod. First, New Zealand drives on the left, so when I approach a crosswalk, I automatically look left then right (or just being in Boston I don’t bother sometimes). Two problems there: one as stated (left side driving), I have to start looking right then left. Second problem – although cars are supposed to yield to pedestrians (as my native suitemate said when I asked), no signs are posted stating this, and apparently, pedestrians actually wait for the all clear or when a car stops for them, not the other way around (pedestrians enters crosswalk at reasonable point and cars stop). The exception to this is some crosswalks every few blocks (not only along intersecting roads) have lights and signals that when a pedestrian pushes the button, the light turns red, and a green walking man comes up for me. For my last thought, I will probably continue to look like a moron when I cross: the signal noise (which I can’t describe, I’ll have to just bring my camera along sometime and try to record it), causes me to smirk in an attempt to hold in outright laughter.

Day…2? 3?

I guess technically it’s day three; I left Logan at 5 PM Thursday…LAX at 8:30 PM (11:30 Boston) and left at 11:30ish (2:30 AM Friday) – though we taxied for what seemed to be forever. Somewhere near Fiji we crossed the International Date Line and aside from being some made up line on a map, it was 5:30 AM Saturday when we landed in Fiji. So in other words, although it was 6 hours to LAX, 3 hours waiting there, and then 10 hours to Fiji (18 hours total), the calendar argued that it had been just over 36. Hmmph.

Surprisingly no jet lag – though I may be speaking too soon. Probably will be fine though – passed out for a good 6 hours en route to Fiji, and that was probably around 3 AM in Boston – both aspects my body are quite accustomed to. Today might be challenging, since I effectively woke at 5:30 AM Auckland time – probably will (not) be an early night. Since I have no food or anything to cook with, it will definitely be an out night – and a chance to meet whomever I’m living with and near perhaps.

Day 1 – So this is what the Midwest looks like…

Boston: 7:12 PM; Los Angeles: 4:12 PM; Auckland: 11:12 AM (Friday)

Not that I’m surprised or anything. Square farms as far as the eye can see – which is fairly far on a clear day at 36,000 feet. The occasional town appears as if God himself threw it down like a splattered paintball from the heavens. I suppose such views are a reward for the work that went into actually getting here – the paperwork, emails, meetings, etc. Didn’t actually really start packing until the night before the departing flight – typical guy habits – and of course, couldn’t miss out on $2.50 Margarita Night at the Mexican restaurant in my hometown of Montpelier, Vermont; ironically the majority of my consumption was a local amber ale topped off with one Margarita at the end.

It’s going to be quite the change heading “down under.” Of course, the weather will be somewhat a shock, being mid-winter there and all. Perhaps a welcome change, summer finally started to rear its ugly head – northwestern New England style. That means highs in the mid and upper 80s with humidity that one could take a knife and cut blocks out of. Having that annoying Windows Vista and all, I was able to place one those weather ‘widgets’ on my desktop, and keying in Auckland, I happened to see that the weather hasn’t been getting much above 50 and nighttime bottomed out in the upper 30s.

What else can I say I’m looking forward to? Well one of the first things I will have to accomplish is finding out what the local brew is like – I’m guessing descending from British roots, perhaps there will be some very good IPAs and Bitters – neither of which I can espouse to being my top picks – but beer is beer I suppose. (Natty and similar brews notwithstanding)

It will be neat to find a ski area and perhaps take a few runs in July. I did read about the presence of some areas, including one just a few hours away from Auckland. I figure being volcanic islands, the mountains will be impressive and actually give me a good run for the money (pun intended? You be the judge :-))

Wow, twenty minutes later – still more square farms for infinity. Wake me up when we reach the Rockies.