Tuesday, March 20, 2012

One of my lovely sisters, Christine, was so kind to send me a care package!  I received an email from the flat office that it had arrived this afternoon...around 3:30pm.  After reading the email and getting myself all worked up about getting to finally see what the package contains, I rushed downstairs to pick it up, only to find that the office closes at 2pm Monday-Friday.  You cannot believe the disappointment that washed over my face as I saw the office hours hanging on the front door.  I wonder why the office would send me an email after office hours...they could have at least saved me the extreme disappointment by holding off from sending me the email until tomorrow morning when the office is actually open so I could pick it up promptly after.  Oh well, I will just have to wait...the anticipation is killing me though!

Into my third week of classes now.  I still have yet to feel the pressure of school that I usually get back home.  I suppose that is a good thing, considering I have a lot more downtime to spend exploring the city of Wellington.  However, due to the weather I have not gotten out of my flat very much aside from walking to campus for class.  The Wellington mist and wind in combination is a type of weather condition I cannot remember ever experiencing anywhere else I have traveled.  It most certainly puts a damper on my sightseeing endeavors...1. Even a heavy duty umbrella in this crazy wind could not hold up, 2. Sideways mist/rain seems to get everywhere even if I'm wearing a long rain jacket with my hood up and gumboots, 3. And all these hills.  I still have yet to make it from Te Aro (the design campus) back to my flat without being out of breath.  I think I am getting in better shape, considering I have no choice other than to walk every day.

It's funny...on my way to Te Aro it usually takes me just under 20 minutes, but on my way back uphill it takes an extra 5-10 minutes.  Suffice it to say, I definitely like the route TO campus much better.  I guess I haven't mentioned this:  Victoria has four campuses spread out around Wellington; I have classes on two of them.  This means that on two days out of the week I have to walk from one campus to another in a matter of 30 minutes.  Both of these walks are from Te Aro to Kelburn Campus, and that is basically all uphill.  If I am fully charged in power walking mode I can make it there in about 20 minutes, out of breath and sweaty.  One positive side to the weather transitioning into winter is that I won't be too soaked in my own sweat walking from one campus to another.  Although if it's not my own sweat seeping through my top it will more likely be the rain/mist.

I took a Maori key words test online for my Maori Society and Culture course yesterday.  I passed!  And without asking my flatmates for help.  I am thoroughly enjoying both of my Maori/Polynesian courses this semester...slightly more than my design courses (shhh...).  So far the lectures have been about Maori/Polynesian origins/settlement/beliefs/mythology.  It's all very interesting.  The one aspect about both courses, however, is all the Maori names.  Take for example all the Maori gods/goddesses: Ranginui, the sky father, and Papatuanuku, the earth mother; Tawhirimatea, the god of winds and storms; Tangaroa, the god of the sea; Tumatauenga, the god of humankind...and so on.  The key words test was mostly over beliefs and the hierarchy of society.  So for example in order from largest unit to smallest: Waka is a Maori confederation (literally means a group of canoes); Iwi, the people/tribe; Hapu, clan (also means pregnant); Whanau, immediate family.

Goodness, those words don't even begin to cover the surface of everything the lectures have covered so far...and you are probably falling asleep trying to pronounce them.  Anyways, I just mean to say that I enjoy learning about the Maori/Polynesian culture.  It is quite a nice break from my regular design classes.  I'm going to need to write all those out over and over until they are embedded in my head for examinations... :(

Ha!  And then for my Colour Pattern and Light course I'm doing some interior design thinking...never thought I'd be doing that for an actual class!  But again, it is interesting to get out of my normal routine of landscape architecture morning, day and night.  For my current assignment in CPL, I am exploring materials/textures/colors for a particular type of interior space of my own choosing.  I have decided to design a palette for a kitchen...and so far I have had a pretty good time in my lab googling wall tiles, flooring, and fabrics.  We have an in-class review next week...how do you suppose I argue about colour, pattern and light?  Then again, how do you argue about anything subjective/artsy in general?  Well...designers tend to have a critical eye about everything...I guess I shall wait and see.

Last random thought of the post!  I am going to a Six60 concert this Thursday on Tory Street.  Oh!  This is a great website for finding tickets for events in NZ (http://premier.ticketek.co.nz/).  They are a New Zealand band that has a reggae/island/pop sound.  I'm very excited to be going with my friends, Emily and Quinne.  Burger Fuel for dinner on Courtenay Place (they serve GF buns) and then music into the remainder of the night.

That's it for now.

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