Otago Peninsula Trip!

On Thursday they took us (all the exchange students) to the Otago peninsula on a bus trip. It was a really great day and of course there were lots of pictures taken. We went to this amazing beach... it had the longest sand I think I've ever seen (we're talking in kms here). It also had assorted wildlife including seals. We then went to a *gasp* sheep farm. For the American's from big cities this was pretty fantastic. The sheep went "bahhh" the people laughed. It was pretty amusing actually to see how urban a lot of these kids are. I was less impressed at the sheep, clearly, but all in all a good experience and we got to see lots of different breeds and the wool types they produce. Then we went to the albatross colony at the tip of the peninsula. We saw freaking albatross!!!! I mean who actually sees these things apart from the National Geographic channel. They are massive, and I mean massive, and one soared right over my head and I was very worried for my life. Fortunately it decided that I was not a fish and all is well.

I'll now upload some pictures so you can see what the peninsula and the general region looks like.

Where have we sent her?

Ok... so there have been many requests for pictures. This is where you have sent me!

There are pictures of outside my flat, the botanical gardens, the university and the beach!

The first one is what I can see out the front door of my flat, and the next three are what the university (seriously!) looks like. And the beach is, well a pretty nice beach I think. That is St. Clare beach

I got sunburnt!

So yesterday I was down by the beach again with some friends and I went running in the surf (Chariots of Fire style!) and I accidentally got sunburnt.

Love Fleg.

Ok and in other news it continues to be warm here and I now am officially into Otago. I went through the ques and finally now hav a student id card and computer password and phone number. oi alllso have papahs thot oi've registaaaahed een. I dropped Molecularimmunopharmacology for Marine Ecology because it sounded like more fun. However, don't worry, dear friends I am still in Microbial Gene Expression and its Regulation and Modern Secular Bioethics. All are 300 level!

What else is new? There is this AMAZING botanical garden near my flat(ie around the corner) and it is absolutely fantastic. They have like 5 acres of rose gardens and then there are ornamental gardens and water gardens and rainforests and an avery. Its really good for running in, so I've been going there every day as well.

I've been to lots of Kiwi parties and met a fair share of the boys who are keen on teaching me ruggy as long as I promise oi won't be Cahnage. They also say Fush n Chups. I've learned most of the rules of ruggy and cricket (which is a bizzare sport) and I'm starting to feel like driving on the left side is normal.

I'll hopefully have wireless up in my flat tonight and then I'll download skype so that we can talk.

Bye for now!

I'M HERE!!!

Hey Friends!

Ok, I got here on Monday and really can't do this until next Monday- but let me just say for now that things are so amazing. Both islands are incredibly green. The north one is pretty much a rain forest and the south one isn't too far off and the scenery is absolutely fantastic. The city is like a displaced English one with huge old buildings and cathedrals etc. The university is really close and pretty as well.

Hopefully soon I'll be able to post pictures and then you can all see what I'm raving about. The flats are awesome and huge and clean. Also they have lots of Kiwis as well as other international kids- lots from USA and a few from Canada and Europe. I'm about to go to the beach and its pretty hot here.

I'll post soon, but this is the best I can do for now. Thanks for all the emails and posts on facebook, I miss you all, but this is so exciting at the same time. I wish you could experience this with me.

Surreal.

Well folks, this is it.

Its the Final Countdown!

Leaving tomorrow AM, will arrive in NZ a long time later. I fly out of Edmonton and then stop at Vancover, LA, Fiji (!), Auckland, and Wellington, before I hit Dunedin. Yes its a tour of the Pacific Rim, and yes you are all invited!

I've packed everything, and I am still heavier than my luggage. This is promising.

As for entertainment, how promising does "RNAi mediated knockdown of CSF-1 transcripts in the L cell line" sound to you? I know it'll be a barn burner- especially once I've finished writing it!

HARRY POTTER!

Welcome to the United Republic of Lame. Population: myself.

Lets put this in context. I am about to go on the trip of a lifetime to NZ, and 4 days before I learn that the last installment of the Harry Potter series will be published in July. This is apparently so exciting that I fell off the couch- no joke! Anyway, yes I am really this lame.

The Barber of Seville was exciting and I thought very well done. On a completely unrelated note I did get a large portion of hair cut off the same day and that also was (in my unbiased eyes) very well done.

In the last couple of days I got to see virtually all of my close friends both at the U of A and elsewhere. Laura, Jess (via telephone), Matt (but no Dave!), Mariclaire, Thomas, Hayley, Ben, Logan, Alastair + the stooges Kyle and Chris, Lindsay, Mary-Ellen, Rabe (!), Arabesque, Quinn, Al-Karim, Kate, Kat, Joseph and Diane (tomorrow, but I'm counting it anyway). It has been really nice and, although very time consuming, way more rewarding than having a huge going away party. *cries just a few tears*

And in other news, The Sopranos is a fantastic show!

"Barber of Seville eh? He gives good hair cuts?" - a dumb person I kid you not.

Today was quite nice, as I did basically nothing productive.

In other news, my paper is still not complete; however, I went on a fun coffee date (again very arts student of me) I had a potluck with Hayley and "our boys" Logan and Ben. The quartet is still exactly how it was before: we made fun of the usual people... did the usual choir gossip, and of course bashed a certain ex of mine- much too unimportant to name here. I don't think we will ever change.

Then, some other friends the Genetics/Anatomy crew consisting of Arabesque, Quinn, Alkarim and myself went to Rapidfire Theatre Improv, which I've never actually been to before. The quality of acting was actually what I judged to be good. This is good as I've heard Improv theatre can really be a mixed bag. I thinketh I shall go again at some point.

Today I also ran into Meghan who lived down the hall from me in first year and will be in Australia for the summer. I know that Australia and NZ are not actually the same place, but I mean how often do you get to just fly a couple hours and end up in Aussie? We've made plans, and shall attempt to see them through. She'll probably be in Brissie visiting Steve and Danielle (other friends from first year) and all year its tropical there!

Tomorrow I'm going to see my MOM and DAD for the week I really am looking foreward to going home.

Oh and this hurt. So I told my friend I was going to see the Barber of Seville. And this person says "Oh the barber of seville, eh?" I didn't know girls went to barbers... and while staring in disbelief and horror I managed to stammer something about the opera whilst he went on about salons and hair dressers. I've learned that just because they're in uni doesn't mean they are in fact "educated".

Goodnight, barber.

Oh to be normal! And a blob.

In the last day I turned into a blob. A BLOB!

I may have gone and had $1 drafts last night, and this may have been a poor decision on my part.

However, today is feeling very very good.

I met a MURSE! last night. A male nurse. He was nice, and I think that MURSE is the best word ever!

Te. He. Watch me twirl my hair! I'm so dumb! And a blob. It hurts a little.

At least we now know that the grad student thing wasn't permanent.

Real-time PCR is so hot right now.

And it is done. My project is over, and it was surprisingly anticlimatical. We repressed the leukemia gene- one small step in cancer research.

I was very artsie today. Thomas and I went to a cafe, talked philosophy and went to a bookstore. So university. I love these kind of experiences. Tonight I'll go out with some other friends for some drinks and see all my favourite TV shows. It sounds very normal and it is going to be awesome.