School is in Session!

So, I don't have any wonderful photos to post...sorry!  Today, I officially became a college student again attending my first classes (Biological Physics, Cellular and Molecular Biology, and Human Body Systems 1).  Yes...just as thrilling as you might imagine they would be.  At least I have the company of 500 of my fellow students in EACH class to keep me company in my misery!  In my Biology class I had the great fortune of sitting next to a bright eyed energetic blond Kiwi who eagerly asked me how I was "finding" college (this would be their equivalent of how's it going).  I quickly realized that she thought, like her, this was my first time in college...you know being right out of high school just like her.  Quickly becoming my new BFF off that assumption alone, I didn't have the heart to tell her this is my second degree...first one having finished 10 years ago.  I should probably mention she would be the first person to mistaken me for a traditional Freshman.  So, I just smiled and said that I was finding it good so far.
Needless to say, whilst my fellow freshman were off enjoying their evenings of an "easy" week, I spent my night trying to remember things like...how do you find the angle of a triangle using tangent again...and good lord, how do you find tangent!?!  It's been too long since I've even muttered those words let alone recalled the equations!  And, I don't suppose the correct answer to the question: if you throw a cricket ball up in the air at 30m/s how far will it go...is...I don't know but I'm guessing several guys in sweater vest will run after it!  I love that their problems involve cricket balls!  Cracked me up.  So, I'll try to do something more fun soon...but if not, I'll take pictures of my lecture halls and the library since clearly I have some catching up to do.

Taieri Gorge

Today was a big orientation day for international students...filled with lecture hall fun, life sucking financial aide discussions, AND Dunedin's infamous train ride that takes you on a journey through the rugged and spectacular Taieri River Gorge.  We got to go across wrought iron viaducts and through tunnels carved by hand more than 100 years ago.  The entire train was filled with international students and stopped at a VERY small town called Middlemarch.  Here we all fell out to a full BBQ lunch (surprisingly good!) and then hopped back on for the journey home.  The views were ridiculous, and not captured in these photos.  Plus, between the moving train, the moving sheep, and the slow American... many Kodak moments were tragically missed.  The severity of the mountains were in and of themselves fantastically disorienting.  So much so...this blogger is still a little dizzy from hanging out the window...just to see the mountain tops!  I only picked a couple of the photos I took, because eventually they start looking the same.  I loved that I was hours on a train with so much landscape that still seems untouched by people... very cool! 

For those of you who care...the yellow star is where I went:

 Inside of the railway car:

Taieri River Gorge:

 

Signal Hill Lookout

Signal Hill is a road just north of our flat with a VERY impressive hill.  If you ignore the voices in your head that say, "forget this mess...turn around and GO HOME!" this hill leads to a lookout that is amazing.  It shows all of downtown Dunedin on the edge of Otago harbor, and then the ocean on the other side of the peninsula.  It's breathtaking, and you feel like your on top of the world.  Today was my second time up Signal Hill Road (I convinced Mark to join me).  Still sore from recent stupidity at my local student gym, I wasn't as gung-ho about running up this crazy hill (I was more enthusiastic the first time).  Still feeling like I'd just done 10 miles of sprints, I reached the lookout...huffing and puffing (never mind the man darting past me like I was standing still).  Here's a glimpse of what I saw...

This actually was on the way up Signal Hill Road

Signal Hill Lookout

Just in case you don't believe I was actually there!

Mark and I have been trying all the local stores just to see who has what.  Have you ever actually seen a "Hot Cross Bun"??  It's not just a song...such a thing does exist.  Mark assures me that this is a normal thing, but let me tell ya...not in Alabama it's not!  Too funny! Sorry it's a little blurry.  The lady at the bakery was giving me funny looks (can't imagine why), so I hurried.

 

A Little Bit of History

Dunedin is a Scottish settlement from way back when (not to be mistaken for the days of yore and that of yesteryear).  Dunedin is the Gaelic name for Edinburgh (Scotland's capital).  The architecture and city streets mark a fine resemblance to that of any good Scottish city.  So, it came as no big surprised when we ended up smack in the middle of a Scottish Festival of sorts.  Actually, I think it was more of a battle of the bands...because you could hear the screaming cats for MILES!!  At least this is how one coffee vendor described the sound coming from the MANY MANY bag pipes.  Having never seen a "Pipe Band" competition...or really even just a pipe band in general, I was intrigued.  So as far as I could tell this is how it goes.  First the band marches into the designated area...

Then they do their thing...

Here's one of the judges.  I feel like maybe they didn't have Ray-Ban's way back when, in the days of yore, nor yesteryear...but who am I to say...

Then the band marches out...

For the most part the bands were comprised of younger people, but the sidelines were littered with an older crowd in full gear!

And lets not forget the ever so famous Scottish tradition of having a pint in your hand

while wearing a kilt... 

Neither of us were sporting our kilts, as they were both at the cleaners...permanently! 

Big Scottish fun for all!

Running in NZ

Ok, one more short blog...my run today was just spectacular!  And by that I mean the view more than my efforts...though let me just say, holy blessed hills!!  At one point I was running downhill sideways to keep from falling over.  I often carry my ipod touch with me when I run for map purposes mostly since I get lost EVERY TIME, but also to take photos.  Unfortunately, they aren't high quality photos, and don't show how breathtaking it all is.  But, it's better than nothing!

This was not the type of hill I was referring to.  This one I could run up and not die.  But the skies are that blue today and the street are that clean!  Love it.

St. Clair, Otago

St. Clair is a place just south of where we are in Dunedin.  It's known as one of the better surfing beaches in the area.  I am told this is in part due to the slightly warmer waters.  Not having yet put a toe in the ocean, I have little to base this on...this is still the case.  In Dunedin, the sun was high and wonderfully warming.  In St. Clair...the air coming off the ocean was not so much.  Mark braved the cold waters and reported that indeed, I would not be pleased if I stepped in.  I was, however, amazed how many people braved the waters and seemed to enjoy themselves.  It's my belief that they eventually went numb!
So, I was content to sit on a bench and just look out over the waters, and of course...take a couple of photos!

First, for those of you who aren't sure where in NZ we are...look for the star at the bottom:

It's not quite as tropical as the North Island, but you wont hear any complaints from me!

One surfer and one ocean kayak.  Both of these I hope to do, but maybe in warmer weather.

I love this... it's the shark warning bell!!

Maybe next time there will be a photo of us IN the water.  But I hear the ocean never feels THAT warm...so maybe just of Mark in the water and me in the sand.

Street Markets

Today in Dunedin was market day, at least it was for us.  We visited our first farmers market where we were pleasantly overwhelmed with food, smells, and the great energy these markets always seem to bring.

Fruit and veggie stand.

Stuck in the far corner was this group of guys playing a variety of instruments (some I recognize and others that are new to me...not sure their original intended use was to make music)... and singing.  They were surprisingly good.



This market was located next to the train station here in town...aka the prettiest station this blogger has ever seen...

Me in the grass in the gardens outside the Railway Station

With our bags full of goodies, we were off to our next street fair, more along the lines of an arts and crafts market.  This drew the largest crowds with countless vendors selling food, flowers, arts/crafts, clothing, and many performers.  I normally don't like crowds, but I couldn't help but wander my way through the thick of it to see everything I could.  Here are a few things I saw...

I didn't realize that costums are a welcome part of these markets!  Next time I'm wearing my fairy princess dress too!!!

What an awesome day!