Some days just never work out the way it's planned

Monday July 5th
It became very obvious today that we are in a total different culture; the Rotorua airport doesn’t have any security. Everyone can just walk in, sit down, and watch the planes take off. It is very laid back, almost like a coffee shop where you just happen to look out over the runway, then an international airport. I would know this because I spent 4 hours there this morning waiting for my plane to Christchurch. I just happened to be eating breakfast at the exact wrong moment when our coordinator needed two victims to send ahead. Our conversation goes like this:

Jane: “I need two Canterbury Students to go early to the airport since the shuttle can’t fit all of you at once” She spies poor Nick and Anna trying to hide in the corner, they just happen to be the only two Canterbury students awake at that time “Anna! Nick! Great! I’m so glad you two can go! Meet Kate at 8:00 with your luggage.”

Anna(starting to panic at the thought of the giant mess that is her luggage) “But Jane, I haven’t packed my bags yet! I wasn’t expecting to leave until 10:30!”

Jane “Oh don’t worry dear! You’ve got half an hour!”

Anna *Full out sprints out the door*

I made it (with a very ungraceful packing job-sorry Derek!), checked said luggage, toodled around the coffee shop, I mean airport, for two hours waiting for the rest of the group to arrive. Only to find out midway through that our flight was canceled. Two hours later we are shipped off in a bus back up to Auckland(a 4 hour trip north) so that we could get on a plane to fly to Christchurch. Part way through the bus ride, Jane got a call saying that my luggage was left at the Rotorua Airport- even though they had told me that they had already shipped it on to Christchurch before we left. Fantastic, so now it will get there late, if at all. Meanwhile we just barely caught the plane because our bus was about 10 minutes too slow. Thankfully, the plane was just a touch delayed, which possibly could have something to do with the frantic calls our coordinator was making. Hmmm..

Anyway, back to the story. I got to sit between two cute little old kiwi men who talked my ears off the entire trip. They had advice on pretty much everything, but didn’t actually want to hear you speak (in fact, the one time I got a couple words in, I was told I spoke to fast and no one would understand me in this country) However, listening paid off because half way through the trip the one next to the window offered to switch seats. Slightly mystified I agreed, and WOW, was that the best decision of the day! They clouds that had been haunting us throughout the day gave way to gorgeous snow covered mountains and green valleys. The view kept me smiling right up until I got off and they told me they had no idea where my bag was.


Finally we reached the Ilam apartments at Canterbury. Our home for the next 4 ½ months. We sorted our luggage (or lack thereof) out, and then went to celebrate with Pizza at a fabulous pizza place just down the street. Midway through the meal, the airport calls and says it has two of my groups missing luggage, including mine! They delivered it right to the pizza place. Never have I been so happy to see a piece of baggage.

Phewda! What a day! But now I have a room of my own, and can unpack the poor lost suitcase. The flat is fantastic, and massive! My room alone is twice the size of the single rooms at St. Kates. I live with two kiwi’s and an American from Oregon. Sadly, I haven’t been here long enough to know anything more about them, or life here at Canterbury. Hopefully tomorrow will bring some excitement(or at least a proper night of sleep!). Kia Ora!