new digs, new people

so i moved out of my temporary accomodation, and am now in my self-catered flat. i have my own room still, i lucked out with a corner room so i have two windows and a good amount of space. i dig my essentials shopping, got sheets and hangers, etc., and hung out downtown with Kim. my flatmates are all international students, all from different places: Mateja is from South Dakota, Martin is from Norway, Romain is from Paris, Nathalie is Dutch and Lena is German. i had to go to an unbelievably boring info session for Student Village, basically the Do's and Do Not's of living here. my friend from Turkey, Chiran, and I were going to go to a pub afterwards, but the place was a tad dodgy and closed early. instead, and this was extremely exciting to me, we went to a liquor store to buy chick beer, aka Smirnoff Ice Triple Black. woohoo for 18 being New Zealand's drinking age. i realized after leaving with my booze in hand that from now on, for the rest of my life, I'll ALWAYS be able to purchase liquor legally as i'll be turning 21 here. hee. the world is no longer a safe place.

back at my flat, Mateja was cooking dinner with two of her friends Kristina and Matt, both from the states, and Nathalie had two people in for drinks as well, Andi from chicago and Kylie, the lone Kiwi. Romain joined us, and the lot of us hung about, drinking not too much, but getting to know one another and generally being relaxed and groovy. i really, really, really like my flatmates, i love my flat, and i can't wait 'til tomorrow, when Leigh, the Res Manager for Student Village apparently gets buses to take us into town for us self-catered kids to buy groceries. have to pay for our own food, but the buses or whatever they'll be are FREE. i have totally scored here. seriously, i'll be so spoiled whenever i end up on my own.

i am so ridiculously happy here. classes start monday, and monday i have only one class, and a totally kosher schedule the rest of the week. i think i may have picked the best place in the world this time around for study abroad. i might be on the arrival high, and may be due for a crash anytime, but right now i'm having such a fantastic time!