Where I Am

I am 7900 miles from Dallas, TX, and 7400 miles from Eugene, OR, in Dunedin, New Zealand, a small college town remarkably similar to Eugene.

How the Local's Stay Warm

The high temperature today was a whopping 0 degrees Celsius. Wearing my onesie, pj bottoms, long sleeve shirt, sweater, pants, wool socks and moccasins I sought help to stay warm. I found a small group of locals downstairs in my living room already educating some of fellow study abroad students to the art of warmth. They have many strategies. We played cards, we flipped coins, we slapped the tables, made faces, invented nicknames, screamed, laughed and danced. Now, warm and cozy down to my toes and a little dizzy from the wonder of it, I'm ready to go to bed.

Post One: Hello Dunedin

I awoke that first morning just as the final descent into Dunedin began. We came from the West, flying low over the Southern Alps as the sun rose imbuing it's pink glow on the stark white peaks. We landed in the middle of a sheep field with a convenient strip of concrete running the length of it. The adventure started beautifully, dreamlike. It continued all day from meeting my first flatmate, Louise, and walking around the city buying the essentials for life: a phone, pillows, food. That night was the first night of orientation week before school started and there was a special event for study abroad students at South Bar. It was the first time we all met each other. The dream state ended and a new kind of un-reality kicked in.

Through the whirlwind of the last few days I have met my other two flatmates. Louise is from Paris, Katy from North Carolina (Tar Heel), and Jono is the Kiwi host. Should be interesting.