It’s been brought to my attention that my writing here has made it seem like life is just one big party. My reaction goes like this: So? What’s wrong with that? I was asked, “Shouldn’t you mention that you do homework? That you go to class? That you aren’t just partying all the time?”
“But why?” I replied. “Who wants to read about what I learned in class today? Who wants to know that I even had to go to class today?” I know that the whole point of this little jump over the sea is to study in another country. I have four classes that will all transfer back. I’m in class four days per week for a few hours each day. Wednesday is my long day, with three classes totaling four hours. This week I attended eight out of nine class meetings. That was an exciting story, eh? Yes, I came here to be in school, and maybe making it look like all I do is party is making people at home jealous and/or worried. But another big goal of mine was to experience what it’s like to live in another country. I always felt that I would enjoy living in another country. I love meeting people and learning new cultures. I love becoming acculturated and starting to understand the way people raised in an entirely different way than I was view the world. Sure you get used to the accents and the colloquialisms quickly, but understanding how a culture so different from my own moves and works and thinks takes more time. So yeah, I’m going to school, but I’m also reveling in this chance to live out a dream I always had.
My little brother studied abroad in undergrad, and he’s started mentioning how hard it was for him to come home. He says that studying abroad, even though you know it has a definite end, provides this sense of freedom, this feeling of possibility that is extinguished when you go home to your normal life. And I know those feelings are coming. I fear that I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to get back the level of happiness and carefree fun that I’ve been so fortunate to roll around in here. But for now? There’s a sparrow dive-bombing a big black cat outside my window in the space between my building and the building next to me. The shades of blue on its back are like a painting, stark against the cream stucco exterior of the next building. Tonight I’m going to a kiwi friend’s 30th birthday party at our favorite bar. Jess and I are starting to plan our south island trip for when the semester ends. For now I’m living like life is just one big party. Last weekend the party was on Waiheke Island, a quick 40-minute ferry ride from Auckland.
The view of Auckland and Rangitoto Island from Waiheke:
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