dobranoc and Kobe Bryant

Port Chalmers
Jenny and I decided to go on a little adventure the other day so we took a bus to Port Chalmers right outside of Dunedin about 15 min. It was a beautiful little drive and the roads reminded me of Costa Rica roads, but these actually existed and were paved. When we got there there wasn't much going on, just a little port town population 3,000ish. Jenny is great to travel with because she is flexible. I really think that is the key travel quality to have. So we checked things out then went on a walk around the cape to the other side along the coast on a little dirt road. We came to a dock with boats dotting the water and it was just so beautiful we decided to take a break. Then we walked more, found a random path up the hill/mountain and went exploring. We eventually meandered back to town for the bus, and we got some hummus (which they apparently really like here because there was about 15 different kinds), bread, and brie and picnicked at the bus stop. Alas, the bus came, we went to get on it, I guess we were slow and it somehow left us! It was weird. Anyway though there was another bus 3 hours later so we just figured things like this are bound to happen and we found a nice park nearby and sat in the grass and just talked. Jenny is reading this book about a crazy prison in La Paz Bolivia where they make cocaine and have basically their own little society going behind the walls. It was really interesting. ( Marching Powder: A true story of friendship, cocaine, and South America's Strangest Jail) It was nice to get to know her more just in general. It was hot one min and chilly the next by the water. I'm learning that weather here can be trickily like that. We ate the entire thing of cheese and got a beer at a local tavern where we were told jokingly not to get too pissed before we got on the bus. Kiwis are funny. It was all in all a good trip. The pictures don't do it justice. Which I've put up on Picasa~

Frogger Crosswalks
I've just been getting myself together more other than that. The cross walks here are the same as in Ireland. They are so funny because I swear they make a noise very similar to the frogger music and that's just ironic. Other than that I haven't noticed much else that's odd. They have switches on all the outlets which is cool. You can just switch the entire power supply of the outlet off when not in use. I think its easier than unplugging things.

Kobe Bryant
So tonight we all went out to this bar/music place where lots of students were. Everyone is getting beers and I'm walking around with a glass of Chardonnay, classy I know. It was a really cool place and later I hung out with my polish roommate Mary and her friends. We went back to her friend's apartment and on our way we stopped by McDonald's for them to get a burger, yes there is a McDonald's right up the road from me. The other American girl and I tried to tell them that McDonald's is actually arguably the worst of America's fast food nation. It was funny. Because most things are funny when its late and you are hanging out with Polish kids in New Zealand. There was a policeman at the McDonald's on account of all the drunk college kids just moving in I guess which was also entertaining. The place was quite busy for it being so late. There were these kiwis there who were obviously some of said drunk college kids and they didn't have shoes on, socks, but not shoes and they were teetering around. One made eye contact with me and said something and I honestly had absolutely no idea what he said. I mean I assume it was English but I really had no idea. He could have been speaking Polish for all I was concerned. So I was like "what?" and he said it again and I still had no idea so I was like "I'm sorry I have no idea what you just said" and he was like "you're American" and I said yes and he said something else and all I got was "do you know Kobe Bryant?", "Uh no sorry, not personally I don't", "well he is my brother!" this guy proclaimed and I was like "well then you obviously know him better than I do if he's your brother". This reply seemed to satisfy him and everyone else couldn't believe I even picked up that much of what he was saying. Oh I can't wait till all the kiwis get here. haha. I love that whole oh you're from some where or other so you must know this person thing. You'd be surprised how many times here I've said I was from Virginia and people are like "oh do you know Tim Smith or someone" and of course I don't that's just silly. Its a big place. A school maybe or even a city. There's a girl here from Kentucky and someone here sincerely asked her if Colonel Sanders was her grandfather. I thought that was great. Oh we have a KFC too, across from McDonals and down the street from the Dominos and Pizza Hut. The bar called the Baaa is right in between.


The person across the window from me moved in too it looks like and I think its a boy. I need to make friends soon so its not awkward that we can see straight into each other's rooms. Maybe we'll make a string and cup telephone. I'll update you. Oh and Mary taught me dobranoc which means goodnight in Polish. Who would of thought I would learn Polish in New Zealand? Life is funny like that.