I arrived in Auckland on February 1st. It took a plane from LAX to Fiji, another plane from Fiji to Auckland Airport, a bus from Auckland Airport to Auckland University, and an approximately 1.5 mile walk uphill in the hot humid weather (during which I got terribly lost) to reach my destination--Grafton Residence Hall--for the UC orientation. The first thing I did was collapse in bed, go on my computer, contact the parents, and start facebooking. I obviously hadn't slept in over 24 hours, despite taking ambien on the plane. My initial impressions of New Zealand were high--everyone (the guy who told me which bus to take at the airport, the bus driver, the random people in the street whom I asked for directions, etc.) were extremely friendly and eager to help.
Rather than being frightening, being in a country in which no one knew me was extremeley relaxing. It was a really pleasant feeling to be so far away from the drama and hassles back home--drama in the apartment (obnoxious roommates, no peace and quiet, no privacy), waking up at the crack of dawn for work at HSS everyday, oh yeah, and that strange 2-week fling with that dental student, Jeff Diamond, that ended with me sobbing on Natalie's shoulder. That's not to say that the month of January was a complete disaster. It was one of the craziest and most eventful months of my life--I worked part time at UCLA while not taking classes (a college kid's dream), got asked out by a dental student (finally!!!), dated 3 guys, 2 of which were named Jeff and one of which was my supervisor at work, wound up drunk when I least expected it (for example, on the beach at night in the middle of the week with Jeff D.), had a 3-day hangover (or maybe that was food poisoning), etc.
After facebook chatting with Richard, my supervisor at work and second guy I dated in January, and telling him that he would be my Valentine, I took a shower and went to bed. I woke up the next morning early for breakfast. I met a bunch of UC EAP kids, including a girl named Mimi who was also studying at Otago for the entire year of 2011, like myself. I went with her to get a cell phone in Auckland. Auckland reminded me of London with less people. Lots of parks, English-speaking people, Americanized. Mimi, some guy named Paul, and I went to get a pay as you go cell phone. Then I walked around the Auckland University campus, which was pretty small, compared to UCLA, but much more green. That night, I ate dinner, bought a bottle of wine and got drunk with the other EAPers in the recreation room in Grafton.
The next morning marked the first day of actual orientation. It wasn't too exciting.
