I have officially made it to Dunedin, New Zealand and let me tell you about the journey here.
To begin with, your girl was in a rush on the way out to the airport. I have and may always be a last-minute person. As I was finishing packing (3 hours to my flight), I realized that my suitcase was well overweight. Who knew that winter clothes could weigh so much? At this point, there was no time to decrease the weight of my luggage so we were out of the house. On the way to the airport, I realized that my mother never finished braiding my cornrows that I had prepared for her to complete in my last week at home. She braids better than me so she had to be the one to do them.
After checking in my overweight luggage and while dreading the moment I had to bid farewell to my mother, I asked her to braid up a few cornrows in my hair. It was dawning on me. I was leaving for a LONG time. No more home cooked meals or siblings to tease for FOUR months. I also realized that I was underdressed for the weather that was awaiting me, but there was no time to make a change.
Eventually, I said goodbye to my mother and got onto my plane. My flight had two legs. The first was 13 hours to Auckland and the second was about 2 hours to Dunedin. It was really, really cold on the plane. I was highly unprepared. It’s very hard to leave 75 degree weather in a huge coat and a bunch of layers. Oh, I forgot to mention, my mother didn’t finish braiding my cornrows so I had one more cornrow to do on the plane to complete the hairstyle.
I was very tired on these flights, but I was lucky to have not been sat next to anyone so I was able to lay down for a little bit. The food wasn’t the best, but I’m not complaining. I enjoyed my two meals. Dinner and breakfast. Don’t get me started on the entertainment. I listened to a variety of music on the plane. I don’t recall if I watched any movies. I was super tired.
During my layover in Auckland, I had to pick all my luggage from the baggage claim and then head over to the domestic terminal to check in for my flight to Dunedin. My overweight bag really showed me who’s boss in this short journey across the airport. Luckily, I sobbed *wink wink* my way into not paying for the heavyweight baggage fee. From there, it was smooth sailing.
We arrived in Dunedin and the airport runway was lined with cows. It was a very beautiful sight of the countryside. It was a very small airport and I could easily identify the other students who were returning after their school break or for study abroad. There is a shuttle that you can pay $20 NZD to catch a ride from the airport to the University. You have to book for it in advance. That was something I didn’t do because I was very unprepared. Luckily, the airport staff assisted me and got me a spot on a shuttle that was soon about to leave.
Riding in the shuttle was an eye opener. Kiwi people (that’s what you call New Zealand natives) drive on the left side of the road and there seems to be a lot of European influence in this part of the country. Upon arrival, you can hear so many different kinds of accents. Our shuttle driver has a Scottish/Australian/New Zealand accent mix. As you can already imagine, I found it difficult to comprehend what he was saying.
So far, New Zealand doesn’t feel too bad. It’s just super cold and windy. I am settling into the new environment. My flat (that’s what they call student houses here) looks similar to a cabin. None of my flatmates have arrived yet so I am the only one here. I’ll keep you all updated. I’m tired.
See you soon!
DU Abroad 