Thursday and Friday were spent trying to get odds and ends taken care of. I made my first trip to the grocery store with my flatmates, Jeremy and Kate, which was much more overwhelming than I had expected it to be. They have a lot of different brands than we do and certain things are much more expensive than they are at home. The meats are very expensive here, so I'm tring to think of some nice vegetarian dishes -- this could be interesting.

I also finally got a phone, which was a monumental purchase. For a couple days, it was so hard to get in touch with everyone because no one had a way to be contacted. The phone isn't anything snazzy, but it's all I need. New Zealand technology is a good 5-10 years behind that of the U.S. so it has been a bit of an adjustment, but I'm just happy to have one.

Our big course approval day was Friday and into this week so I am now an official Otago student. They do it quite different than the U.S. -- you have to get a form with all of your classes on it and go around to each department to get it signed. Let's just say it was a great test to see how well I knew the campus. Compared to how we typically sign up for classes via the internet, it seemed a bit archaic to me -- again, a little behind on the technological front. Nonetheless, classes start next Monday and I am very excited. It will be nice to get into a routine and finally stimulate my mind after three wonderful months.

I went to my first rugby match last Friday night, which was really fun. Rugby is huge here, much like football in the U.S. I went with my flatmates, but met up with some people from my program there also. We walked back through town, complete with a stop at McDonald's, one of the few American fast food restaurants they have here. After hanging out downtown a bit, we called it a night.

As you can probably guess, the photo is from the rugby game. Their teams aren't divided by universities here, but regions. I still don't quite understand, but I think there are semi-professional and professional teams. Otago (the region) and Auckland played on Friday night and, sadly, the Otago Highlanders lost by 3.

I have enjoyed and thoroughly appreciated the e-mails, Facebook messages, etc. that I have been receiving from many of you. I love staying in the loop and hearing about what you guys are up to. I am having a great time here, but please do not be fooled -- I miss you all greatly and don't think that will change anytime soon.

XOXO.