Wow I'm busy

Sorry everyone i've been swamped as of the last couple weeks. I've been traveling hanging out with friends and trying as many new things as i possible can! Classes started last week and they seem pretty intense. My Psych class so far is all about the brains and all this complex stuff, more biology then theories of psychology, a bit dull and a bit over my head, but the lab, aka tutorials here, was far more interesting and more based off theories and the like. My Human geography class is dull dull dull but again the tutorial slightly makes up for it and certainly helps clarify things. The maori class has been interesting and fun overall but I've only had it a few times and the same goes for the antarctic studies. Overall i would say i enjoy my classes thus far but they quite a bit more demanding then classes back home at least as far as time goes. My geog class for example is 4 times a week plus a two hour lab, luckily though he got rid of the fourth day so we could do his readings, blahhhhhhhhhh, but it's still three times a week plus as stated before a two hour tutorial. The grading is really interesting here too. all my classes are based basically on three grades. Usually a tutorial grade, one big essay, and the final exam, and then perhaps there will be another test if there is no tutorial for the class. So like for my Geog Class the grading breaks down as 30% for the lab, 20% for the essay an 50% for the finals. I kinda appreciate skipping all that bull shit busy work we do back home and just concentrating on tests, it's nice. Last week i also went out and took dance lessons. It was an absolute riot!!! i definitely plan on doing them again this Thursday. I learned a few basic steps to modern jive, merengue and salsa, and will continue to learn more with each lesson i go to. I also tried to learn to play rugby but the guy i was supposed to meet up with showed up late so we're in the process of rescheduling when i can learn to play. As you saw from the pictures i also went downtown last week and explored the cathedral and went to the science alive museum. Both were a ton of fun! Then Sunday my friend Luke and I went out and checked out Sumner beach and took an absolutely beautiful hike called Taylor's mistake along a cliff line. It was so awesome as you can tell by the pictures. Tonight is one of my friends birthdays so we plan on throwing her a small shindig but now it's time to make my staple meal grilled cheese. I'll give more updates soon.
Cheers!

P.S. Mom if you're worrying all I'm eating is Grilled Cheese and Peanut butter and jelly you should be. Haha, i'm just joking me and three other guys have started making dinner together regularly, we've done quesadillas, spaghetti and sausage, cordon bleu and stir fry, and tacos. So no frets!

Ok new updates are coming soon seriously
But here are the pictures from my hike this weekend!
Taylors Mistake

More to come...

Pictures of Downtown Christchurch
Check out downtown Christchurch, It's pretty radical! i'll have more life updates soon!

My Address, My Photos

Ok the moment you've all been waiting for my address, well here it is:
For standard mail:
Garrett Warrilow
flat 22 room 31
Ilam Village
PO box 6362
Christchurch

For Courier Mail (parcel):
Garrett Warrilow
Flat 22 Room 31
Ilam Village
Homestead Lane
Ilam
Christchurch

I also have started using photobucket which puts my photos in a nice little slideshow for you, it's pretty flash if you ask me (trying to get up to speed with their slang). Here's the link for my orientation pictures: Click here for Orientation Picks
and here is the link for my most recent adventure to Dunedin and the All Blacks game
Click Here for Dunedin Pictures
Let me know if they work for you guys please so i can try and fix it asap, hopefully everything is sweet as (more slang for good)
cheers

P.S. i also have a cell phone here and a land line phone let me know if anyone actually wants those numbers i can't see where you would, we should really skype if you want to hear my voice :)

I'm back after a weekend in Dunedin!

Wow i just had one of the most incredible weekends of my life!
I headed down with 4 people to Dunedin, about a 5 hours drive south, to see the All Blacks, New Zealand's rugby team, take on South Africa. I didn't have a ticket when i headed down there, but i really didn't care, i wanted to see Dunedin anyways. We stayed with one of my friend's friends in her flat it was really nice and she was nice enough to show us around town too. After a first night there we decided to go to the All Blacks store downtown, so of course we could buy some swag. I bought a few things and while i was checking out the lady asked me if i had tickets, i of course said no but a few of my friends did. The next thing i knew a man comes up to me and tells me he has an extra ticket and would sell it to me for $50, that was like 50-75 dollars less than everyone else i knew had paid for theirs so i of course jumped on it. The game was a ton of fun! I didn't know what the hell was going on and we lost but it was fun none the less! Oh little weird note, everyone pees in public here. I walked out of the stadium and there was like 10 guys all lined up and girls in the bushes all just peeing in the grass. And it was more than just at sporting events people seem to be ok with doing it anywhere. Ok more on the trip. The drive was absolutely beautiful, just sooo gorgeous the whole way. The first day we got there we went to a place called sand fly bay to see the penguins come up onto shore for the night. We only saw two but we also saw sea lions just lounging about on the beach, they were so cool. I don't have pictures of the penguins because it scares them but i do have a few of the sea lions check them out. I mean the beach was gorgeous without the wildlife but that was certainly a bonus. We also stopped on a beach on the way down to see some boulders of some sort. The beach was again absolutely gorgeous! While we were there we also go to see some mini horses being walked by there owner, they were pretty cool too. The next morning after our first night we went down to tunnel beach. Gosh i had more words to describe it but it was amazing, just amazing. you walk down to a trail and come to an area of absolute cliffs, then the trail continues on to a small tunnel supposedly dug and chiseled away by a farmer in the 1800's to give his daughter a beach who the first time out ended up drowning. You follow this tunnel down and end up down at the beach, which i suppose you could have already figured, surrounded by cliffs and walls of rocks all around. It was incredible. That night was the game night and then out to the bars, which were a riot as always. Then today we woke up got dressed and hit the road on our way back home.
Ugh, classes start tomorrow, guess the party is semi over. I'll let you know how they go. Ok that's it for the most part for now. I don't have any sheep jokes but I'm working on it. Cheers

It's been a crazy few days, cont.

Ok so yeah Rotorua rocked! I had a ton of fun, for the most part everyone is really nice and I've got along with them. There was only one other person from Michigan on my trip and she to central, boooo, but she is very nice. Otherwise I've met people from just about everywhere across the united states. And now that I'm here at my Uni I've met people from all over the world. To start look at my roommates. I have one working on her masters from Canada, whose name i was told but can't recall. Then there is a guy named swahala maybe, i can't really remember and he was from Tuvalu a teeny tiny little island northwest-ish of Fiji. And then there is Bob from Samoa. We are still expecting one more roommate, we'll see what kind of diversity they'll bring. I registered for classes today, I'm taking an antarctic studies class, a psych class on cognition, a class on Maori society, and human geography. My schedule seems pretty cool except for the fact that i have antarctic studies at 8am Tuesdays and Fridays, blah. Hmm what else is going on... I went grocery shopping on my own for the first time, and discovered they don't have American cheese here!!!! shit my plan for grilled cheese daily is screwed. So i went for this cheese called tasty, yes the type is tasty, it makes a pretty decent grilled cheese, overall i'm satisfied and will be more than able to deal with it as an american cheese substitute. Ok any questions just leave me a comment and i'll answer away.

It's been a crazy few days

Shit, i had this all written out but my computer restarted while i was sleeping so i guess I'll rewrite it all. I've been extremely busy lately it's been nuts, but an absolute blast. Since the last time i wrote i can't believe how much I've done. The next day i went luging, not on ice but instead on cement tracks it was a riot. The next day i went to Waitomo and went caving. We started by doing something like a 60 meter repel down into it, it was sooo fun. I also went to the traditional hangi dinner where we saw the hoka performed an ancient Maori war dance. Oh man i also saw a sheep get sheared as well as an angora rabbit getting sheared. That's what the pictures are of in the album below, just to let you guys know. I have also been to the bar for my first time...and second time...and third time haha. I have to admit i got a little giddy the first time i got to buy beer as well, i know it's a little embarrassing but i thought i might as well be honest about it. But man oh man beer is not cheap here. The best deal I've been able to find so far is 18 beers for $20, it sure makes me miss the old 30 for $15. But so far the beer is good here, and I've even started to drink a bit of dark beer, it's starting to kinda grow on me. ok there is more to say but i have to run again! i'll get you all caught up soon

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2001342&l=7c2d7&id=1260990029
Here's my photos thus far check it out! ill be updating my life soon!

I'M HERE!!!!

Whoa! I'm here i can't believe it! So far it's beautiful and I'm having fun. But let's backtrack a bit to the start of it all.
My day started off fine enough my flight from detroit was on time and went smoothly, no one sat next to me so i had a bit of room to spread out...it was really nice for a 45 minute flight. However, the happy tune changed shortly after stepping off my flight in chicago...I looked to the big board only to find my next flight was already delayed an hour, well by the time it actually took off it was more like an hour and a half. Then once i got on I was in the aisle sitting next to the two asian people. The man sitting beside me didn't put the arm rest down between us making it very awkward the whole time, of which 90% of the time the little man slept anyways. Not only was that uncomfortable but the guy in front of my kept adjusting his seat directly into my knees, needless to say i was unhappy. It was 4 hours of misery. Then, when i got to LA i had to find another terminal which was supposed to just be across the parking lot according to this very pleasant lady at the help desk, but in reality it was across a busy street and then down the road a ways. But no frets I found it and made it to my flight with no problems. And this flight was great! All sorts of movies to choose from and tv shows, a monitor to myself put directly in the back of the seat in front of me (which by the way was occupied by a very odorous smelly obese man). The lady who sat next to me was very motherly and extremely pleasant to talk to. She was very supportive of me and extremely helpful. Oh, and the guy from take home chef was totally on my flight, he flew coach too! It was amazing and funny, i don't think anyone but me and the lady next to me knew him though cause no one was bothering him.
My flight from LA to Auckland wasn't bad at all, it seemed short and was pretty comfortable and very well serviced. I slept for a few hours with the aid of a benadryl. However, not everything was so great, i proceeded to baggage claim...NO BAGS! shit! Luckily, i wasn't the only one, in fact everyone who flew with me from Chicago didn't have theres as well. Of course that only makes me feel better and didn't really help my situation. I filed my report and moved on, i went through customs no problem and managed to find my Orientation leaders, who directed me to a bus that took me to where i am now in Rotorua. The drive was very pleasant although a bit cramped. The country is absolutely beautiful! So far there has always been mountains or beautiful hill sides to see either in the distance or right in my face, and as thought, plenty of sheep. However we did go through dairy country so there was plenty of cows to see as well. Everyone in my group seems nice enough but it's all so awkward, i kinda wish i had done this with a friend, but i'm enjoying my alone time as well. Maybe i should just go get a beer so i can relax and then it won't be awkward at all, or at least i won't notice haha. I'm staying in this teeny tiny little hostel room with a guy from de paw university, not de paul, de paw. And they have tracked down my luggage, it should be back to me tomorrow sometime, so thats a relief, good thing i packed my carry-on for just such a disaster so i'll be fine til then. Ok well i got to run, i'm sorry this was probably all over the place and could use some heavy editing, but alas, i'm running out of time and it will have to wait til another day. Hopefully i got my main points across...chicago sucks, baggage lost, New Zealand beautiful, overall happy, that's about it. I'll keep you posted as often as i can get internet over the next couple days, but it's not cheap so we'll see.