New Zealand Update 09/04

Quite a bit has happened since our last post, and we feel like we've learned a lot about New Zealand already. One interesting fact that we've learned is that people walk around the city barefoot...all the time. They walk the city sidewalks and streets, into shops, and into restaurants and bars without any shoes. It isn't an overwhelming number, but it is very noticeable. What is even stranger is that being in a university town some parts of the city are quite littered with glass and other remnants of college life, but it doesn't seem to matter as people walk barefoot regardless. It is just one of those peculiar features of New Zealand I guess.

Last Monday, the 27th, we began our first full week in Dunedin with an invite to a dinner party hosted by one of my fellow grad students, Lucy. We had a vegetarian lasagna, a bit of wine, and a great time getting to know Lucy, her German boyfriend Freddy (we have met a lot of Germans here in New Zealand), and Paul, another grad student who recently began at Otago. I also had a meeting Monday afternoon with the two advisors for my project, Heather and Zach. Both of them are excited for me to get started, and seem like they are going to be really easy to work with.

Jess and I with the harbor in the background, it was windy

Tuesday brought more adventure as we were unexpectedly invited to visit the Otago Peninsula with Lucy and Freddy. The Otago Peninsula is a long, hilly stretch of land which separates the Otago Harbor, and much of Dunedin, from the Pacific Ocean. We started by visiting an overlook of the area, which gave us a beautiful view of Dunedin, the harbor, and the Pacific.

The city of Dunedin

The monument at the overlook

Next we headed to Sandfly Beach, which is a beautiful stretch of rugged coastline named not for flies but because the wind becomes so strong at times that the sand flies. The beach was beautiful, and was populated by sea lions and penguins.

Apparently there was lambing in progress

Sandfly Beach

It was a treacherous walk down to the beach

It was amazing to get within a few feet of sea lions, who seemed so intent on napping that I doubt anything could have disturbed them. We were also lucky enough to see a number of penguins (Dayle our landlord has been to the beach numerous times and never seen one). We watched them as the floated just off shore waiting till the coast was clear to make a run for the dunes beyond the beach; as soon as we left the beach we saw two penguins in the distance hustle to their nests.

I like walks on the beach

Jess was having fun

Right next to a sea lion

I'm napping!

Wednesday we visited our first edition of the weekly Philosophy Department pub meeting. As it turns out this isn't really a meeting at all, it is just an excuse for everyone in the department to go to the pub after work. Attendance is strongly encouraged. It was a lot of fun though, and we got to know a number of professors and students. The rest of the week was spent exploring more of the city and heading back and forth to the University. As it turns out I could only complete my registration once I had arrived, and then it took much longer than I thought for me to finally receive my student ID and network information. So Jess and I went back and forth from our house to Uni a number of times during the week to check if my registration was complete. Jess also had a job interview on Thursday, at Nidd Reality; it went well and she was called back for a second interview on Monday but we are still waiting for a final answer (fingers crossed). On Saturday we visited the Dunedin Farmers Market again for some groceries. They have some really great deals on fruit/veggies and fresh baked goods. In the evening we helped our German roommates bake a cake for Dayle, whose birthday was Sunday.

Wine, snacks, and fun on a Saturday night

Another thing that we've learned about New Zealand is that going out for drinks is quite expensive, luckily we know how to have fun without necessarily going to the bar.

My office space

Sunday was a very relaxing day, spent celebrating Dayle's birthday with cake and drinks and getting ready for my first day at the office. Monday and Tuesday were my first two days of work, and I've done my best to hit the ground running. It is crazy that after all the waiting, I've finally begun working on my project!

I'll be spending the rest of the week working, while Jess will be on the job hunt. Come Saturday though we are off for the west coast of the south island for a boat trip on the Doubtful Sound with our roommates. There will be a post and pictures to follow!