The First Few Days: Settling In

Hello from the southern hemisphere! I'm writing this at 5 p.m. in New Zealand, and I've just gotten home from a long day at the Auckland Museum. But more on that in my upcoming week 1 post, so be on the lookout for that!

Tired but happy to be here

Some of you know that I like to try different soda flavors, so of course, the first thing I did once I landed in Auckland (besides claiming my luggage, clearing customs, and setting up a NZ phone number) was try New Zealand's iconic soft drink, Lemon & Paeroa. I've seen the flavor described as "lemon bitters," which is a great way of putting it. L&P is not as sweet as most soft drinks you'd find in the U.S., but to be honest, I like it that way. Not having L&P once I'm back in the States will be devastating.

After this, I took a shuttle to downtown Auckland, where my homestay hosts would pick me up. On our way home, we drove over Harbour Bridge, one of Auckland's iconic structures. After finding my room and setting my stuff away, we went to a supermarket called Pak 'N Save, a store the size of Walmart, but the aisles reminded me of Aldi as there is a specific path you are oriented in once you begin. After getting my groceries for the week, we went back to the house and stayed there for a bit, but later in the evening, we went over to Birkenhead so I could get my bus card.

I found out quickly that there are many places to walk to in the area. Restaurants, trails, shops, etc. It is nice to live in an easily walkable area, but what is even nicer is that public transit is easily accessible and frequent. The AT app makes it very easy to find bus routes to specific destinations, something which is a bit lacking with Bloomington's transit system. However, I still am figuring out which side of the road I need to be on for the bus to take me in the direction I need, given I'm not from the area and Kiwis drive on the left side of the road.

The biggest adjustment for me so far, aside from drivers on the other side of the road, has been the school I'm placed at. Since it is a private school focusing on neurodivergent students, there is a lot of flexibility to serve the students' well-being and learning well. That also means it can be chaotic at times. Once I figured out the vibe and the pace of the school, it was easier for me to settle in and begin to brainstorm how I could fit within the school.

Also, my placement site is not far from the beach at all. I've enjoyed several breaks walking down the beach and looking out at Rangitoto Island. I've felt refreshed and restored after taking a walk around Takapuna Beach after feeling stressed or anxious.

That's all for now, as previously mentioned I'll be writing about the first week, including what I've experienced over New Zealand's Labor Day weekend! Hope that you all are doing well back in the States, I look forward to sharing more!

Noho ora mai,

Wolfe