A Beginner's Opinion of Otago (3 week update)

 I decided to come to New Zealand on a whim.

If you want the whole and honest truth, outside of the formal Facebook approach, I knew this was a difficult program to try for. On a whim, I did it anyways. The mild sense that I wouldn't get it is what made me shoot the arrow into the dark. As I was filling out that application, I started to get excited, seeing all the cool features this country had.

That is months-old information though. As we can see, I made it here, and I've done two or so updates for the family and friends who had been anticipating this trip of mine. Can I share with y'all something that entails how my mind works? None of it feels real, like ever. The acceptance into this program didn't feel real (even though I cried very real tears to family over the phone). The wait, once it got down to the last few weeks, didn't feel real. The entire day that I spent in airports and flying over the Pacific oceans.. that too. So, can you predict what I was about to say about actually being here? 

The first night I was here was quite rough. I made it to Dunedin airport, a place I describe as "Ohio, but make it across the world, and still include cows." At the last minute or so (90 seconds to be exact), my uber account got deactivated, and a shuttle driver invited me to have one of the last spaces in his caravan on a whim ("whim/whimsy" is my favorite word recently). He gave me 90 seconds to check my standing for transportation-- as soon as I couldn't get ahold of Uber, I left my NZD$100 ride to the wind and just hopped in. Herman was quite the driver. I tell everyone about the girl that got dropped off down a considerable hill from wherever she was meant to be...because the van couldn't make it up. I always think of that girl. Aside from that, we were whipping around corners, nearly rear-ending cars in our braking, and avoiding construction zones like champs-- this shuttle was where I got my first actual glimpse of the coastal city that is Dunedin (which has over 30 beaches...)

Dunedin is a city of rolling hills which overlook the vast Pacific ocean--coastal houses dotting the landscape, tucked into tropical vegetation along curving roadways that gradually lower into laid-back beach towns. These beach towns seem to lay on the outskirts of where I actually am, in North Dunedin, in which there is a fancier, cleaner Pittsburgh-esque (minus the bad parts and the harsh people) central of shops galore, much of which is owned by the University of Otago. Thrift stores, vintage collection stores, glorious Meridian Mall, hole in the wall restaurants, tattoo parlors, beauty salons, etc. etc...The main star of this city's collective, aside from the strip on which Meridian Mall rests, is a place called The Octagon. Per its namesake, it is a portion of the city in which shops, bars, and restaurants rest in an octagon-shaped central area. Right outside of it is a beautiful railroad station which matches the 19th-early-20th century gothic style that the Clocktower of Dunedin's Otago Uni campus has. Gothic architecture has to be one of the most extravagant forms which I have seen in person, and Dunedin has blessed me with that experience. 

On my arrival to Otago, I went to bed the first night without realizing I had not relayed any contact to my parents about actually making it to Dunedin (the airport did me dirty). After 30+ hours in airports and on flights (15 hrs from Houston to Auckland, 11 in Auckland airport..), the most I had energy to do was make my bed with the sheets provided and knock out. The next day, when contact was established and I finally had wifi (remember, no data out here for me until I got my phone plan), my brain calmed down and I processed where I was. It feels like those first days had a routine: wake up, panic about something, then go on about my day. The first couple of days I was alone, so I explored what was around me in that same manner. In these first excursions, I realized I live right behind Dunedin's famous Clocktower (which, given that it was still summer here, had a ton of tourists cycling around it in the sunshine, optimal for their photos-- me too!). I also realized that this campus was big..very, very big. 

Thankfully, all of my classes were placed relatively close to my flat, so no early-morning pilgrimages on my end. I pretty much lucked out with my flat-- a little house on the quiet end of town (NOT Castle Street), purple hydrangeas-lookalikes up its walkway, tucked behind proper trees and bushes for privacy. Our back porch overlooks some roofs, with an encompassing, unobscured view of Dunedin's rolling hills in the distance. Perfect place to privately sunbathe, read, and hang clothes without fear of them getting stolen. I live with four other international girls, and they've been very sweet, very good flatmates.

I spent my first week before classes shopping and buying myself beauty treatments. The reason being, it's cheaper out here. I got my first full mani-pedi, full body massage, lash extensions, a keratin treatment, and clothes to blend in. People dress different out here-- they dress like they're set to go shopping in the city every day. Their baseline for an outfit still consists of jeans, styled graphic sweaters-hoodies, basic colors, or blouses. Not pajamas, not very distressed clothing. I'll do an entry on it sometime. The excitement of shopping wore off once classes began. The first two-three days were terrifying-- a sense of hope only kicked in on the fourth day, the last full day of classes before my three day weekend. Friday I am class-free, so I had that sense of freedom that lightened any further fear I had been feeling about conquering them. My classes are as follows:

Earth Evolution and Plate Tectonics (advanced geology)

Advanced Spanish I

Maori Society

In practice, all of them have been kind with their workloads-- contrary to Juniata, where it feels as though you get a quarter semester's work in the first week if you are a STEM-poe student. My main realization in this, is that it falls on us to upkeep our comprehension of the studies, all the way to the end of finals. Not only do I have to reverse my adaptation from a non-grading system, but I also have to program my brain's own productivity schedule so that it's in scholar-mode of its own accord. I have faith I'll get adjusted to it.

I think my favorite place on campus has been the Auahi Ora Cafe and the Central Library. As for the Central Library- I've never seen one so large in my life. I feel as though every college library should have that mystic feeling. However, they don't store my geology books in there, so if I'd like to spend a day exploring its contents, it'd be out of the range of my own subject matter. Which is fine. The Cafe is one that I've basically spent every day at for the last two weeks, between my classes. The food is really good for it being a mini cafe to chill out in. My remark on the food out here, generally: there is so much Asian food, which is totally understandable considering the proximity to Asian countries. Singapore Airlines, so I've heard, thrives within the islands. The Pork Spring Rolls were a recent venture which ended up being good. I have so much I can say about the diet out here that it should be its own entry. However, I will note: No sweet coffee with 3 different creamers, with complex flavors-- out here, the preference is flat white. I like it. It's like a very foamy, smooth cappucino. 

The one thing I want above else at the moment is to figure out the bus system. I feel like it is my main hope in actually seeing the sites I dreamt of in my application to come here. Exploring the ranges of Dunedin have been nice, but to hop on a train or a bus and disappear for a day would be much better than hiding in the confines of the university. There is limited time, as it is now fall here, but I'm sure I'll stack up on plenty of layers to adventure in the cold anyways.

This encompasses all of my beginning remarks of Dunedin. I'll do entries as the time goes on, detailing the places I see or visit, or general class updates to help better clarify the education system as I learn it myself. I hope this can provide someone other than me some good insight into what lifestyle I'm adapting to-- something to read over coffee, something to just check in on me, whatever you want it to be. 

All the best,

Meg