This was my view on the ferry ride back to Te Anau. Rough life, I tell ya.



Yes, another beautiful sunset.



Here's a shot of the first group of kayakers on the Doubtful Sound. We were told that it rains every two out of three days, so we lucked out with the weather. The crew said it was the best night they've had all year!



Here's a photo of Doubtful Sound.



Dolphins!



The next two shots are of "The Navigator" - the dining area and sleeping quarters.




Here's a shot of some of my favorite girls in my program. From left: Myself, Emily, Sam, and Natalie.



There have been many times this semester where I have had to remind myself that I am studying abroad, as my semester here in New Zealand has been consumed with activities quite different than at good ole' J. Maddy. I am not meeting groups at the library for upcoming presentations or cramming late at night for multiple tests in a week. While I am averaging a couple assignments a week, the academics have not nearly compared to a junior semester at a U.S. college or university. However, I am instead comparing dialectics with Kate, questioning Matthias about the different provinces of Germany, or listening to Andrew rattle off the 195 countries of the world. You can also find me googlemapping my next destination or huddling around the living room television with all of my flatmates to stream in the the newest episode of Glee. Nonetheless, I can honestly say that I have learned more this semester than I have from any other - about myself, about people, about cultures around the world.

I had an unforgettable trip with my program this past weekend. We travelled to the southwestern part of the South Island to the Fiordlands, arguably the most beautiful part of New Zealand. We left Friday afternoon and spent the night at a hostel in Te Anau. We woke up early Saturday morning to head to a bird sanctuary before grabbing lunch and heading out on the Doubtful Sound for an overnight cruise. We first took a bus, then a ferry, then another bus before boarding our highly anticipated home for the night. It did not disappoint. We spent the afternoon cruising the open water and snapping pictures of the beautiful scenery while dolphins raced alongside of the boat. Just when I don't think New Zealand can get any prettier, it finds a way. Somehow, the water gets bluer, the mountains get more massive, and the sunsets get more vivid. Oh, and let's throw dolphins in there, too. I'm not complaining, just in awe.

We stopped for a couple hours to go kayaking and had the chance to go swimming in the 40-50 degree water. Yes, yours truly took the plunge. Twice, in fact. It was the type of cold where your body goes into panic mode as soon as you hit the water. Let's just say I didn't feel the need to swim laps or dilly dally. But hey, jumping off a boat into 45 degree water? Check that baby off the list.

We enjoyed a delicious buffet meal, complete with lamb, roast beef, chicken, and salmon. Not to mention cheesecake for dessert - my heart was content. We then grabbed some hot tea to brace the wind and watch the sun set before our eyes. Picture perfect.

We woke up Sunday morning to watch the sun rise, then enjoyed a nice quiet period, where everything is turned off on the boat - the motor, generators, and all of the other highly technical appliances it takes to run such a vessel that are unbeknownst to me. We were able to sit, all 50+ of us, and listen. Only when you sit in complete silence and observe do you realize where you are and what you're getting to do. Quite neat.

Sorry for the unusually long entry. Even though I know that I can't accurately depict what I'm experiencing, I like to think that I can try.

Love to all of you.