on our drive from rotorua to hawks bay, we stopped in a small lake town called taupo for dinner at burger fuel (best veggie burger ever) and this was the view we were greeted with. the pictures truly do it no justice! the sky looked like it was on fire and it reflected every color imaginable. God is such a beautiful artist.
this past weekend, i road tripped with a some friends to my roommates town for a few days. i had a great time seeing new places and meeting new people. it was so nice to decompress from school and get away to the shore. i’m sure my friends were sick of my constant comparison with hawkes bay to california but it really did remind me of home and my family trips to normal. i’m so glad i got to visit at this time of year because all the flowers were in bloom and the sun was shining. i’ve been so blessed to get two beautiful, but very different, springs this year: one in ohio and one here in new zealand. i still can’t believe my time at cedarville was just 5 months ago. it seems like years and worlds away.
{more beautiful architecture}
{ducklings in the botanical garden}
{poppies everywhere!}
i’ve been consuming a lot of two very important things lately: books and caffeinated beverages. i thought i was tea obsessed in ohio but boy was i wrong. i must drink 5 cups a day now and it doesn’t help that all my classes have mandatory half way breaks where everyone congregates in the kitchen to drink tea and chat. i’m usually a good earth spice or chai drinker but lately, i’ve been drinking more earl and lady grey (and feeling oh so british in the process). i’ve been drinking coffee quite often too and the discovery that it doesn’t keep me up at night has just added to my consumption. i’ve been known to brew coffee at 10 at night and proceed to be surprised when i’m the only one who drinks it. some things are learned with experience i guess.
i’ve also been reading alot. i’ve always loved to read but there is something about the peaceful environment here, mixed with the chilly weather and torrential rains, that makes me just want to curl up with a good book. along with the books i’m reading for my classes and of course the Bible, i’ve also had time to start (and finish… thats rare for me) some really good books. at the moment, i’m reading wild by cheryl strayed and so far, so good! i’m also loving the fact that i’m not the only reader here. it seems like people are always reading something awesome and are excited to talk about it. i’m so blessed to be around these wonderful kindred spirits.
there are a few trampolines on our campus and they are definitely my new favorite workout. seriously doing dance moves in the air while burning off my extra coffee energy is a total win in my book because the more i exercise, the more cookies i can eat! am i right or am i right?
life here in new zealand has been amazing! its been like being on vacation in the most beautiful place in the world while taking classes about my favorite subject and hanging out and living with my friends. needless to say, i’m in heaven! here are some of the things that have been filling my time and making life awesome
the evening sky from the living room – this is the view out our living room windows. everyday, i look forward to the beautiful sky and sunsets over these hills. i always mean to take a picture but i finally got this one just as the sun was going down. views like this makes doing dinner dishes seem not so much like a chore
paella at the rotorua farmers market – my roommate works at the farmers market on saturdays so i went to visit her a few weekends ago. farmers markets are one of my favorite things in the world and though this one was small, i still had a great time eating crepes, buying fresh produce and looking at all the odd local buys like possum hair socks and taro roots.
rugby games – rugby is one of those sports i don’t think i will ever fully understand but i still love a good game. on weekend, we pile into one of our instructors houses to watch the all blacks (the national team) and i even went to a local game a few fridays ago! though it was freezing, it was still a blast to hang out with my friends and cheer loud like americans.
homework at local cafes – since our biggest assignment of the week is due on mondays, the weekends are always full of cramming homework and lots of coffee. there is a darling cafe we found by the local redwood forest that has private rooms for studying (score!) and great coffees and drinks. i tried a hot carmel and it was delicious! i think i may have a new addiction
lake rotokawau is one of my favorite places around campus! its a 5 minute walk from the dorms but it feels worlds away. during the day, the water and shore is beautiful and at night, the path to the lake is covered in glow worms (which i didn’t know actually existed before coming here). everything about being here is pure magic.
