My first official month here was filled with a lot of new experiences for me. I tried to step out of my comfort zone and do things that I'd usually never attempt. Although some things made me want to go home and curl up in my room to watch Netflix, a lot of what I did this month helped me grow as a person. I learned to socialize with people outside of my computer screen, and say "yes" to trying new things. Doing so helped me discover some great things, like...
#1) Holi Krishna Festival
On February 10th I attended the Holi Festival with a lot of the other international students from my school. For those who don't know, Holi is a Hindu spring festival celebrated in honor of Krishna, and is also known as the "Festival of Colors." Holi also celebrates the idea of good overcoming evil. It's common to have a large celebration filled with music, dancing, food and of course Gulal (colored powders). We had a lot of fun throwing the powders on each other and just making a mess. The fire station brought their hose and used it to spray the crowd, which was really refreshing after dancing in the sun. All in all I had a really great time and I hope I can go again someday!
#2) Lantern Festival
Another event I attended was The Lantern Fest, which happened the day after Valentine's Day in celebration of the Chinese New Year. The festival happens in the center of the city at Auckland Domain, and it was PACKED. Tons of food stalls were on the street, and some of the lines were crazy long. They had everything from pineapple ice cream to pad thai. When it got darker, the lanterns were illuminated and hung in the trees. There was a silent disco on one side of the park, and the other side had a concert stage with live performances. I went with a really big group, so it was hard to stay together when weaving through the crowds- but I still had a lot of fun!
#3) Rangitoto Island
This island is pretty much viewable from every beach on the North Shore. It's actually a dormant volcano, and it's the place my school is named after! According to my trusty sources (aka Wikipedia), Rangitoto is Maori for 'Bloody Sky.' To get to the island you have to take a 30 minute ferry ride from Auckland city, and from there it takes about an hour to make it to the very top. It was pretty steep, but the views at the top were definitely worth it. By the time we made it there it was around lunchtime, so we ate some food and walked back down. On the way down we explored some of the bays and "hidden" beaches on the coast. The views of downtown Auckland from the island were incredible! It was worth the 12 mile hike.
#4) School Schedule
The way my school day works here is very different from back home. Unlike my school in America, everyday of the week is different, meaning I will have my classes at different times each day. Since I'm in Year 13, I also have a "Study Option," which is essentially a free period. My day starts at 8:40 with a twenty minute tutor period to hear announcements and take attendance. This happens every day but Friday, when I attend assembly instead. After tutor period I go to my first class at 9:00. My first two classes are both an hour long, and then I have a 25 minute break for "Morning Tea."After break I have my "double," which is one class for an hour and 20 minutes. I have a fourth class right after this, but it's only 40 minutes long. After fourth period I go to lunch for 45 minutes. Finally, I have one last period for an hour and then I go home around 3:20. Depending on what day of the week it is, one of my class periods is the "Study Option." If it happens to be last period I get to go home around 2:15 instead. It's really refreshing to not have the same schedule everyday, it makes school feel like less of a routine. I wish my school back home worked this way. It may sound confusing (it definitely was at first), but once I got the hang of it I really liked it!
This month went by fast, and it was hard to keep up with it all. Although I enjoy socializing with everyone and making new friends, I miss the lazy days I had back home. Instead of going home after school, I usually meet up with friends at the beach until dinner. Next month I'm going to focus on balancing my time, and prioritizing my alone time a little bit more than I have been! Neglecting relaxation has definitely taken a toll on my energy levels.
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