slightly OT, but still fic-based

[standing.livejournal.com]

this is going to be a sort of weird post, but i know a lot of you like writing about the guys in wellington so i thought you might be interested.

i studied abroad in wellington last spring (feb-june 2005) - absolutely because of rings, why bother lying? lol - so if anyone ever wanted to chat about it, ask questions or whatever, feel free to comment here or at my journal, or send me an email at standing@graffiti.net about whatever you like. slang, people, bars, clubs, rugby, street names, shopping, brands of water, airNZ versus qantas, hostel info, public transport, etc. i saw a lot of new zealand, traveled a great deal and got to spend two weeks in australia as well, so i can tell you quite a bit.

i've also started posting pictures in my personal journal, standing. there's only one set, and it's of a road trip i took up the east coast of the north island, but it's a good idea of what the north island country is like. i'll probably do an entry of the city next, because i miss it so much.

anyway, weird, yes, but i figured i would offer up some ideas to you ambitious writers ;)

Comments

[laurelcrowned.livejournal.com]

actually, i'm seriously considering studying abroad in new zealand in a couple of years, so don't mind if i poke around your journal and checking it out!


...was it totally amazing?

[standing.livejournal.com]

um it is all i think about. i wish i had stayed an entire year, i wish i had never left, i want to go back and live there forever. it was the greatest thing i will ever do with my life.

my journals are really boring, acrossthe_sea was the one i kept while i was in nz .. a lot of it is whiny or boring because i did most of my good writing on paper. i only ever wrote online when i wanted to update my family, or talk about missing home because that is what they wanted to hear :)

anyway if you go to new zealand i HIGHLY reccommend wellington. i was all over that country and wellington was the best, hands down, even compared to auckland. auckland was way too american for me; wellington has an amazing vibe and is so friendly. it's young and superhip and so easy to get around if you don't mind hills.

the only thing i would caution you against is the school system. i hated it because i am used to small schools and knowing professors - vic uni is huge, 20,000 students, big classrooms, very impersonal. even disliking school there, i would have stayed if i had the cash. something to think about.

if you are looking for a program, go through australearn.org. they do basically all the legwork for you, set you up, get you down there early for tons of crazy fun and orientation to the country with other american students, and then get you to your uni. they were awesome.

i'm sorry can you tell i still live nz? ugh getting the chance to talk about it all over again .. the family was over it as soon as they knew i was happy to be home ;)

[(Anonymous)]

ahhh!

that sounds fantastic. i was thinking auckland, just because it's... auckland, but wellington would be better. i love friendly places.

so you got to travel a lot? i want to travel all around new zealand. i want to meet every kiwi there. lol, maybe not EVERY kiwi...

uh, big schools. :/ was it worth it, the bad school experience for the excellent wellington one?

thanks so much for the link! i won't be able to go for a couple years, first i have to, you know, get into college, but it's great to look thorugh.

talk awway! i like to hear it.

[laurelcrowned.livejournal.com]

oh, that was me forgetting to log in.

[standing.livejournal.com]

i DEFINITELY recommend going, despite the misery of the school system. it really stunk, but school was about .. hmmmm .. 10% of my focus down there? LOL. i spent little to no time studying and i skipped class all the time (you will learn quickly that you don't need to be there - yay online powerpoint lectures ;) - in the states i am a complete nerd, the straight-a study type, but it was all out the window as soon as i was down there and felt all that freedom and opportunity.

i brought about $3k spending money with me, transferred another $500 from home during my last month, and came home with 93 cents O_o most of it was spent on traveling - i took two HUGE two-week trips, one to the south island and one up to australia. it was fucking so worth it. if you go down, hook yourself up with some american travel buddies and go to it .. meeting kiwis was awesome but i was there to see the country .. and really, how many americans are out SEEING THE COUNTRY? lol you need people to go with you.

HOSTELS ARE AWESOME. USE BBH BACKPACKERS. $12-$22 per night, clean friendly small accommodating places to stay. often they were families renting out extra rooms or second houses. these people made you fresh bread and coffee in the morning, gave you rides where you needed to go, and were accessible by the main bus routes around NZ.

obviously you have to go!! start saving and i promise you will love it. i don't know any of us americans that didn't :)

[laurelcrowned.livejournal.com]

ohh man, it sounds wonderful!!

thanks so much.

hostels! i love the idea of backpacking throughout the place, just a little. sounds great.

oh, how was the food? haha, of course.

[varity.livejournal.com]

*envies* *envies like WOAH*

[emily-112.livejournal.com]

WOW, it seems like you had an amazing time! Im totaly jealous! If I had enough money I would get on a plane this second but I dont, oh well.

Thanks for posting those photos, it looks beautiful and I dont think I've ever seen grass that green!

[standing.livejournal.com]

hey i'm glad you enjoyed looking at them, even if they are my nerdy friends and myself >D

if you keep an eye out, i will be doing another post - most likely the city, which i miss a great deal. i'll come back to this thread and just post the link if you want ;)