Halfway done with the semester?!

Apparently I'm halfway done with this semester. Unbelievable, completely. Next week is our mid-session/Easter break (not spring break, because it's fall down here, although all us Americans still refer to it as spring break) and then there are seven more weeks left and then finals! Although, we get a study week for finals and finals extend for a good two weeks I think. But after that comes June 30 and then I'll be heading home. It's strange to think about - it definitely doesn't feel like I've had six weeks of classes already, but I suppose that's because my schedule is just that awesome.

I'll go ahead and comment on my classes - my parents will be happy to know that I am doing all my work and it at least feels like I'm doing well. In my history class, I've had two assignments that were returned to me - I got A's on both of them. I've given two presentations so far (I mentioned the one for my history class I think - the other one was a presentation on the Maori (indigenous New Zealanders) harvest of the Sooty Shearwater (a bird that breeds in New Zealand). I didn't have any midterms this semester but when I return from break I'm going to have to start working on three papers - they're not due for a while (mid to end of May) but it's a lot easier to get big assignments done here because I don't spend so much time on doing homework. The reading load is just way less than back home. I think it's also because of the subjects I'm taking here - as an Arts student (basically, not an engineer like everyone else here) I don't have a lot of contact hours, so it leaves more time for me to just do things. For one of my assignments, I did legitimate research - it's actually probably the best piece of work I've written in a while.

Moving on, I haven't really been doing anything very exciting. All last week it was rainy and overcast so we couldn't go to the beach, not to mention it's getting colder and that is really tragic too. Of course, by colder I mean it's in the high 60s low 70s, but it's all relative. My dorm had a Harbour Cruise on Sydney's Darling Harbour, so that was really awesome. On the walk from the train station to where the boat was picking us up, we saw 10 brides. 10! It was neat though because we got to scrutinize all the dresses and decide which one we would or wouldn't wear. I didn't bring my camera that night, but luckily (I suppose) I left my purse on the boat that night and had to go back to Sydney to retrieve it so I took pictures of the harbour when I went back. I plan on spending a weekend in Sydney anyway though, so of course there will be more pictures. I also plan on spending a weekend/making trips to Canberra (the capital!), the outback, the Blue Mountains, and Melbourne (this trip is actually already planned - we're seeing cirque du soleil!). And of course, NEW ZEALAND!!!

I'm leaving tonight to go to sleep in the airport because our flight leaves at 7am tomorrow. If you aren't aware, Lord of the Rings was filmed in New Zealand, so we're going and seeing a bunch of filming sites. It's going to be so epic!! We're traveling around the North Island and the South Island and visiting a few major cities in the process. We will be spending the most time in Wellington - We're doing an 8 hour tour of places where LotR was filmed. And yours truly will be driving a 6.5 meter long motor home! On the wrong side of the road! And it's a manual! To say the least, this is going to be quite an amazing adventure. I'll copy in our itinerary, so you'll be able to look at it and think: "Lisa is in the Misty Mountains - Dear Lord I wish I was her!" (btw, I'm not bungee jumping)I plan on taking lots and lots and lots of pictures - most likely, we'll be taking them doing LotR poses too, because that's the kind of people I'm going with. :D

Well, that's about it from me for now. I won't be posting next week as I won't have internet access, but I'm taking a notebook with me to NZ so I'll make sure that I take notes about the trip and put them up back on here.

Oh, and Happy Easter everyone!

Friday April 10
Arrive and get ready to head off around 4 pm
Go to Port Waikato
Drive to Mata Mata
Saturday April 11
Hobbiton Tour (9:50 am)
Drive to Lake Talpo
Sunday April 12
Sky Diving @ Talpo 10:30 am
Taurangi for the day
Monday April 13
Taihapi – bungee jumping
Drive to Wellington/Upper Hutt
Tuesday April 14
Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt exploration
Wednesday April 15
LotR day tour
Thursday April 16
Wellington for the day
Friday April 17
830 am ferry to Picton
Mt. Sunday
Nelson
Saturday April 18
Nelson
Drive to Christchurch
Sunday April 19
Jenn leaves – noon at Christchurch airport
Mt. Cook
Monday April 20
Mt. Cook/ Misty Mountains
Tuesday April 21
Arrive at airport at noon