Day 1 is over

As I wrote in yesterday's entry, today was the big one: Orientation Day.

I woke up early enough to get nice and ready for the up coming onslaught of the unknown, and it was great!

I walked to the student administration center, arrived 15 minutes early, and discovered I was in the wrong building completely!

After being escorted to the correct room, where there were already a fair bit of students, I knew I was on the right path. A few minutes later, a larger group of students descended into the room, and it became quickly apparent that I was going to be a minority. Not in the racial sense, but the nationality sense. We were 16 different nationalities, with the majority being German and Chinese (there was one other Swede there).

The Germans quickly congregated together and formed their own little group. Something I've seen all too many times happen. It's actually quite amazing.

It's not a German thing, it's a comforting thing. Hanging with people from your own country, and can speak the same language, etc. I get it.

What was of interest though, was one of the two Englishmen there, who was also going to be studying Arboriculture! I was told I was the only international student, but I guess they forgot one. Oh, well.

Once, we all got together, we had a briefing on what to expect from the school and New Zealand, and a little get-to-know-each-other exercise, where we stood up and gave brief explanation of who we are, and what we're going to be studying. It felt like high school, or like when you arrive to a new school. Which essentially we did, but I have to admit, it feels odd doing it when I'm 31 years old.

It was nice, because otherwise I wouldn't of known there was another Swede in the group. When we started to talk, it was weird speaking to someone in Swedish, in person. I've either talked on the phone, or via Skype, which isn't the same thing. I can't explain it, but it just feels different.

Once we did our song and dance infront of each other, we were given a guided tour of the school, and were treated to a nice lunch. After which we got more information about Dunedin and what to be expecting in the near future.

When all that was done, our respective course teachers came and collected us to show us around our specific, as they call it, schools.

I was given this same tour two weeks earlier when I asked what course material I needed, so I didn't learn too much more. And that tour didn't take all too long, so me and my new classmate went off to buy some of the course material we were told to buy, and along the way two other people from the orientation joined us, and we went for beers after we bought our course material. Which, I must add, is only two books (plus an optional one!). So three in total. Not bad.

My classmate was talking about how expensive it was, and I have to admit, it isn't cheap. But I quickly countered with that we should be happy that we're not studying to become doctors, or anything involving a lot of science (engineers, medicine, etc) where you have to buy a TON of books! He quickly agreed, and felt pretty good that we only need two books for our course.

While we were having our beers, we shared stories about ourselves, things we wouldn't guess about the other, and I told them about my kayaking experience at Hagaparken. If you haven't been told it, too bad, I'm not going to write about it. It's too good of story to just publish like that!

It's a story I need to tell you, so much gets lost in text.

And so, speaking of getting lost, I'm going to get lost in my dreams, and get ready for the morrow!