March 3: First day of class, The Sisters Aberg plan a trip, When’s my birthday?

I guess I haven’t written for a while because I feel like I’ve landed. I feel like I came home. I have a bed, a mini fridge, a bookshelf and the internet; I have a map on the wall outlining my adventure and there’s mad amounts of brochures, tickets and paper that I’ve tacked up to the wall inviting me to various orientations, information that I need to know before class, textbook lists, timetables, bus schedules, concert lists, take-out menus, campus maps. These are the things I would be doing if I were home: buying groceries, working out, meeting friends. I have a normal, every day life, I’ve got some routines, and when you have routines you don’t think about writing them down.

That’s not to say there aren’t a few important things to note that have happened this week. Or last week. Today, for example, was the first day of classes. More importantly, it’s also my birthday, but more on that later.

“Uni”:

Note: a ‘class’ as it’s called in the states, which refers to a whole bunch of people being taught by somebody in a classroom, is not called that in NZed. What we call ‘class’ they call ‘paper,’ so when I refer to how many paper’s I’m taking, I’m not talking about how many assignments I have to write for the next semester. They also don’t use quotation marks properly, opting instead for the up-and-down apostrophe to denote a quote: ‘like this.’

The four papers I’m taking this semester are Media studies, New Zealand literature, Maori politics and public policy, and Politics and the media. Media studies is the only class that won’t go towards the credits I need to earn back home to get the degree, but I figured it might be worth it. What smarts is that I have to take an Academic English proficiency test to take it. Shoot.

I also visited the student magazine office and introduced myself to the editor-in-chief, Dan, the books review editor, Sam, and one of the writers, Natalie. A good group of people. Dan sent me home with a box full of all of last years issues, and some from other years that he quite liked. The articles are fun enough to read, but the best thing about them is surely the cover art. With no set design for the front page layout, they’re free to design it however they want; some issues look like art-house fare, others look like comic book covers, some look like the front of the economist, others look exactly like guide books, others look like girlie mags.

Tripsville:

My sister sarah and I are in the middle of planning her trip over her in April. It turns out that she’ll be able to come visit me then, and I’m looking up trips and planning itineraries for a smaller trip around the south island. We thought she wouldn’t be able to make it, but we worked our schedules out such that she’ll be able to visit. And I can’t wait.

Birfday:

So a New Zealand March 3rd is an American March 2nd, right? So, isn’t my birthday in New Zealand going to be March 4th?

“Who the hell cares,” said Leandre. “We’re taking you out for pizza and beer.”

“Word,” I said.

So a group of about 7 people took me out for some good ol’ good times. We enjoyed ourselves heartily, and then went home at a reasonable hour, it being a Monday night. Thanks to M&D by the way for sending that pink cake recipe. I promise, I’ll let you know as soon as I make it...Heck, as soon as I figure out a way to make it.

I did get a few things for myself: a lambskin rug, which everyone should own, a cute brown dress, and some new kicks. Thanks everybody for the uber thoughtful e-mails and facebook and myspace message. And Matty, thanks again so much for the wonderful present. (This guy! I just love this guy!)

Much love to you guys. And I’ll be better about posting more often. I’ll work it into the routine.

Ems.