The pet child of calamity!

Yes yes, I'm here. The plane ride was virtually painless. I was making my transpacific journey with Buddy and Aurora, my best friends in the way that only people making a 13.5 hour flight together can be best friends. We've lost touch but I still think of them with fond memories.

Now, for those hardcore lost fans, you won't believe who I saw at the LA airport. It was Jorge Garcia. For you less insane fans, it was Hurley. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, it was the fat dude. It was a good moment. I was in the middle of starting to really cry, for the first time, and then I saw him in his chubby, side burned, long haired, grubby clothed beauty, and my world changed. I realized that I am probably the luckiest person on earth. Because I got to see Jorge Garcia and take stalker pictures of him. But moreso because I get to go to New Zealand for 4 months. Rightio (as the Kiwis say).

So I've been here for a few days, and I've been doing everything but settling in. I keep moving and meeting new people and it's exciting and exhausting all at once. I'm a freshmen all over again, and this time it's in another country. I found out that this university is 40% international students, which I figure means that more than half the people living on campus are not from New Zealand. It's very interesting. We have a lot of French students, some Germans, some Norwegian and a Brit so far. Every night so far we gather together and drink a little and talk. The Germans are probably my favorite, although there is a great French girl that I've been hanging out with a lot. I teach her English (today I taught her 2 new words: "wallet" and "poo"), and she tries to teach me French but I'm pretty much useless at it.

I went into Christchurch today with some hip kids and we putzed aroudn the city. The botanical garden is huge and breathtaking. Everyone is so friendly. New Zealand is mostly sheep and overly helpful, kind hearted people. It's kind of shocking. I think after tomorrow I might take off to Milford Sound for a bit of tramping with a few Americans and a Frenchie. Maybe I'll throw in a German for good measure.

I'm already growing tired of the craziness. Whenever I decide I need to take some time alone I feel like I'm missing out on something, and I usually am. When will I get to settle in? Not soon enough. The kiwis get here tomorrow and all hell will break loose. I've been warned that Americans are always shocked at the behavior of a drunk kiwi farm boy, and we will have no short supply of them here.

The motto around here is "Anything more than a C is wasted drinking time." Oh goodness.

Getting pictures up will be hard for a while. My access to internet is pretty limited, and it's much slower than I'm used to. The pictures don't do this place justice anyways.

I'm a day ahead of you. In your face!

I mean, lots of love.

--New Lizzielander