To a regular Kiwi Adventure you might have noticed that my weekly post this week is coming a little later then usually and this is due to two factors. The first is that here at Massey it’s mid-terms week! Yup I’m already done with half my semester here and I’m still in shock from that realization. The second factor has to do with my computer crashing on Tuesday. Now before you get the tissues out it’s ok. I’ve excepted that everything is gone. Luckily I backed up my computer last semester so I didn’t lose everything but it has definitely made for some unexpected lab time to make up the files I lost for this week. I’m also very thankful for writing this blog every week because it has made me save most of my photographs from each week so I have them backed up. Plus I had the opportuinity to get to meet some of the staff of Massey’s IT services. They were a really sweet group of people that helped me feel better about this all happening. Also they were able to put my computer back to factory setting so it still works! It’s like a brand new computer, the down side is the reset made me lose microsoft office programs and lightroom so I’ll need to readd them. Your computer crashing is one of those studing abroad horror stories so I’m glad I got to have my moment. With everything that goes wrong it’s just another learning lesson to the experience.
Besides that my midterms have been going pretty good. Had a paper due for my histor class, took a final for my buisness communications class, which ok the grading system here is very different. I got a 31/45 which is a 69% and I was thinking man that’s a D. Silly me wasn’t taking in consideration the grading difference because our lecturer eail us saying great job the class average was a 21/45 and that’s a B so I was feeling better then. I’m currently working on my photogrpahy project; the class is called Photography as an Agent of Change. We each pick a topic and need to put together a zine by the end of the semester. I decided to focus on Food waste because I’ve been intrigged with the amount and slightly sadden to see how much food is wasted everyday. I was walking down the beach with Megan a few weeks ago when I came across this head to brocoli just chilling by the waves. That inspired me to photography food in ridiculous places to contrast the riduicous amount of food wasted everday. I’ll let you know how it proceeds throughout the semester but I have to present my idea to the class tomorrow. My last paper (class) I’m taking is my Creative Proceses paper, basically the paper is all about channeling our creativity into writing, thearte, and multimedia productions. We do a lot of improv and acting in the class which I’m not used to at all. I finally get a chance to see what Jake my best friend at SU is always up too. It’s a lot more challening then I was expecting. You have to be really brave to get up and perform in front of us. So glad I randomly picked up this paper. It’s become my break up from the everyday norm of classes.
Besides that my midterms have been going pretty good. Had a paper due for my histor class, took a final for my buisness communications class, which ok the grading system here is very different. I got a 31/45 which is a 69% and I was thinking man that’s a D. Silly me wasn’t taking in consideration the grading difference because our lecturer eail us saying great job the class average was a 21/45 and that’s a B so I was feeling better then. I’m currently working on my photogrpahy project; the class is called Photography as an Agent of Change. We each pick a topic and need to put together a zine by the end of the semester. I decided to focus on Food waste because I’ve been intrigged with the amount and slightly sadden to see how much food is wasted everyday. I was walking down the beach with Megan a few weeks ago when I came across this head to brocoli just chilling by the waves. That inspired me to photography food in ridiculous places to contrast the riduicous amount of food wasted everday. I’ll let you know how it proceeds throughout the semester but I have to present my idea to the class tomorrow. My last paper (class) I’m taking is my Creative Proceses paper, basically the paper is all about channeling our creativity into writing, thearte, and multimedia productions. We do a lot of improv and acting in the class which I’m not used to at all. I finally get a chance to see what Jake my best friend at SU is always up too. It’s a lot more challening then I was expecting. You have to be really brave to get up and perform in front of us. So glad I randomly picked up this paper. It’s become my break up from the everyday norm of classes.
Besides school and planning what to do during my mid-term break I’ve had a crazy eventful past weekend. I joined the Massey International club for a weekend on the North island to the Tongaririo Nationanl Park. We left Friday night and had relaxing 5 hours drive up north. Along the way we made a stop for dinner and that’s where Megan, Michelle, and I found this awesome playground.
But so we were staying at a yha hostel for the weekend and it definitely met the standards for a great hostel; clean, organised, and friendly. On Saturday it was our time to start our tramp on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. It’s known for being one of the best day hikes in the world. If I’m being honest I’ve never been on an intense 8 hours hike before so I was a bit scared but I made it through and I’ve felt more proud of my myself. It was 9.4 km (12 miles) and I did it! It was definitely challenging but I knew I could make it if I told myself I could. We started the hike at about 9 am. It started out with beautiful flat planes, giving you a chance to warm up the body and soak in the views. We’re about a 40 mins in when we hit the Devil’s staircase. I kid you not this was the scariest moment. There was no way I was going to make it, it was staircase after staircase, up the mountain. But I was determined so I strapped up and presued the tramp. It was hard but I made it and it was so beautiful.
It didn’t stop here though it was one mountain after another. It was kind of foggy at times to that at times made you feel like a movie star. For Lord of the Ring fans this is where mordor is set. The mountain is called Mt. Doon. It’s a day I won’t soon forget. At some points in the track you almost had to rock climb. They had chains for you to grab onto to propel yourself up the mountain. Once you went up you must go down so down a sandy mountainside we all went. If you want to know the truth this was one of the most dangerous parts because of how easy it was to slip in the dirt and how steep it was. This was the only moment I actually feel down during the tramp, possibly more than once. But I always got back up.