I will admit, I purely bought an All Blacks ticket because of peer pressure.  I had never seen much rugby before, and I'm not much of a sports fan anymore.  But, I had American friends tell me I just had to see an All Blacks game, and half of my flat mates were going.  I caved and bought a ticket, and it's a good thing, because I had an amazing night!

Well, that's it folks.  I officially finished all of my lectures and have begun finals.  It's finally starting to hit me, that the semester is quickly coming to an end.  And I still have so much to do!  But before I go on any more adventures, I want to reminisce about all of my classes.  

Finally, after being in Dunedin for three and a half months, I went to the Otago Museum.  Granted, it was mostly to find an object for a group project, but I took the whole afternoon to enjoy the sights.  I didn't go to the live butterfly exhibit, though, because I promised a friend I would only go with her.  I have to admit, this has been my favorite museum to visit, because it is set up more like a gallery than a museum.

Volunteering is a wonderful thing to do.  Back in the States, I didn't always have the time in my schedule to help out around town.  Sure, I did things for the school, but it isn't the same.  Giving back to the community is a nice way to say "thanks."  It's even nicer if you love what you are volunteering to do.  I've helped out in a kindergarten classroom, back at home, which was incredible.  Here, I get to walk dogs. Once a week, for 2 hours, I volunteer at the Dunedin SPCA.  All I have to do is come in, grab a lead, poo bag, collar or harness, and excited dog!   

Saturday is one of my favorite days here in Dunedin.  It's not just because it's the weekend, but it is also when the Farmer's Market is held.  And two Saturdays ago in particular was extra special, because it was also the Cadbury Chocolate Carnival.  Almost everything around me was edible, and there was so much chocolately goodness!  

Aotearoa (ow-tee-ah-row-ah) is the Māori name for New Zealand.  It roughly translates into "the land of the long white cloud."  Just outside of Dunedin is a hilly forest area, called the Silverpeaks.  One of the peaks is Mt. Cargill, and another one is Flagstaff, which I accomplished this weekend.  It was another flat tramp, but only three of us went.  The beginning was quite similar to the Mt. Cargill adventure: we walked there and sort-of got lost and asked for directions.  But, on the way, there were wonderful views of the city, a cute house with a hobbit-hole-like shed, and weirdly shaped bushes.  Eventually, we reached the trailhead and started up on Pineapple Track (the coolest name for a trail).  

In a scarfie world!  What's a scarfie you ask?  Why, it's a student at the University of Otago in Dunedin (known for the scarves they wore that were originally blue/gold and are now random but worn by everyone to stay warm).  I've had classes for a week and a half now, and I am ready to talk about campus and my papers (classes).

Campus is beautiful.  It is also huge.  I mean, the main campus is pretty condensed, but as you reach the edges of the central area the buildings start to trail off into the city...and keep going!  So, I am constantly finding new places to explore (and get lost around), study in, and keep warm.  

I went exploring in town and found three major churches/cathedrals: The First Church of Otago, St. Paul's Cathedral, and Knox Church.  Churches are one of my favorite places to visit.  I am not religious anymore, so churches, to me, are architecture.  They are beautiful pieces of artwork that you cannot just look at, but must enter and experience.  

If you are going to read this post without any knowledge of the architectural language of churches and cathedrals, here is a slideshow describing some basics and some of the specific details I will talk about.  The floor plan is the most important. 

This was one of the most stunning trips I have ever gone on.  But, before I get to the nature bits, let me start of by saying: I love trains.  They are my favorite form of transport.  They seem to be one of the few moving objects that I do not instantly get sleepy on.  They are so old fashioned, yet high-tech.  At home, I love taking the train into the city.  In France, I loved taking the RER and the TGV.  And now, I got to take the Taieri Gorge Railway Trip.  The train went from the Dunedin train station to Pukerangi, then back again.  It was a 2 hour ride each way, but it all went far too fast.

The trip started out with the conductor saying something along the lines of, "please, no heads out the windows and keeps your arms inside."  Hahaha!  No one listened to that.  Heck, he didn't even listen to his own instructions because the ad in the local pamphlet had the conductor hanging his whole head and torso out the window!  He then went on to explain other rules, introduce other workers, and welcome all of us on board.  

So, here at the University of Otago I live in a Uniflat, which is where many international students stay.  Our flat is a big one floor apartment with 6 big bedrooms, two bathrooms, a small laundry room, a living room, a dining room, and a kitchen.  The rooms are much bigger than I expected!  The ceilings are pretty high, which means all the heat rises, so it's pretty cold.  Plus, it's winter and the flats aren't heated.  Usually, it is about 40 outside (5 in celcius) and about 30 (0 in celcius) inside.  It takes some getting used to (especially when you can see your breath) but there are a few essentials that make the cold bearable: fingerless gloves, slippers, a throw blanket, and a hot water bottle.  Add some warm meals, great conversation, and hot tea, and you have a cozy little abode that quickly warms up.