Final Orientation Night/Super Bowl in Auckland

Alas, all free things must come to an end, and my orientation that has been filled with free laundry, free beds, free showers, and four free meals a day (apparently these people eat morning tea every day and are still not fat), is complete.

We go out with a bang last night, as the program paid for an awesome sunset ferry ride over to a cute little island outskirt of Auckland.  We play in the warm water for a bit, drink some wine (It’s real good here) and eat an insanely good meal. To my great surprise I consumed massive amounts of both shellfish and wine without getting a nasty red rash on my face that I have been known to get in the past. The event is capped by some of the members of our group, whom shall not be named, skinny dipping.

It’s a tad bittersweet saying goodbye to many of the people I have met. Unlike some of them, I’m realistic enough to know that if they are going to a school outside of Auckland, I probably will not see them, but promise to try my hardest anyways. On the way back to Auckland we take a double decker party bus, dance our asses off the whole ride, and return home to pack away for our next adventure.

I wake up this morning a bit sleepy, but excited as all hell to see my Packers play in the biggest stage in sports (other than all the other non-American stages).  Joe and I are finally reunited (he looks healthy, but I can tell his mind is a bit gone from the solitude), and we join some of the blokes from our program at a New York pizza joint called Sal’s. 

What a game! Some highlights occur when Joe suggested some “alternative” over/under values for the game including:

+/- 3 = Number of times they would show a screen shot of Jerry Jones (Cowboys Owner)

+/- 2 = Number of times they mention Brett Favre

+/- 5 = Number of seconds Christina Aguilera would hold “brave” for in the National Anthem

I am thrilled to see the Packers win, and to see Aaron Rodgers (a Cal alum) snag the MVP award. Quite classy of him to say he was honored to follow in the footsteps of Bart Starr (who was there) and Brett Favre (who was sending pictures to cheerleaders who were there).

I’m all moved into my flat here. Only one other person here now, and he’s one of the RA’s of the building. I’m a bit bummed about that one, but I hear they can be pretty lax here so maybe it wont be so bad. And, God forbid, I actually have a quiet semester and get some studying done.