Unity Ball

The Unity Ball is THE annual event involving many of the Christian churches of Dunedin. This year's theme was "Urban Glam," a sort of Usher-meets-bling-bling idea. Remember, I had left myself exactly 2 hours to eat, shower, find something to wear and be ready to leave for the ball at 7pm. Remember, also, that I had been losing sleep for the past 3 nights...Claire first offered her amazing vintage sequined rainbow dress for me to adorn. I tried to put it on, I really did, but it was just too small. I walked out of the bathroom and announced, "Not only does it NOT fit, but I'm stuck!" Claire and Angela came to look. In that moment of extreme exhaustion, I was seized by panic along with irrational thinking: I was never going to get out of the dress. It took a lot to keep from bursting into tears. A few teardrops found their way onto my face, but they were aided by my laughing as I Claire and Ang eased me out of the dress. Such is the life of women and the attempts at getting fancied-up.I then opted for the less glamorous, but oh-so-comfy combo of black skirt and shirt. A little pearl and silver bling, heaps of black eyeliner, red lipstick, and I was ready to go. The museum had been transformed into a post-Grammy Award party! The red carpet guided your way to the staircase while a spotlight back-lit your ascent. The party took place on two stories, but the museum has a very open design - each floor can see down to the next, like giant indoor balconies. A DJ was set up on the second floor and food was plentiful. Guests wore everything from evening gowns and tuxedos to spiked hair, leather and chains. I spent the majority of the evening dancing Ceroc with Patrick, who is both a fantastic dancer and dance instructor. This being my second attempt at Ceroc, I found that I'd improved. I'm definitely going to find people that know this style of dancing in Boise, it's brilliant! To introduce another swift thing about being here, I met a classmate of Patrick's, Sione (*see-OH-nay*), from Tonga. He also goes to DCBC. I have met so many people from around the world since I've been here. Singapore, Japan, China, Cambodia, Germany, France, Tonga, Fiji, Australia, Mexico, Canada, Chile, Guatemala, Holland, South Africa, Zimbabwe...I could go on. It's been wonderful getting to know people of all different tribes and nations. Lana, Patrick and I left the Ball at around 12:30am or so. Many people were still dancing and eating. My feet hurt so bad from dancing barefoot that I didn't think I'd be able to walk to the car. I washed my tootsies before bed, they were quite tender but a hottie at the foot of my bed helped soothe them. I slept well that night, and well into the next morning :o)

Random bits

Sunday 13-Wed 18 May: meant for working on my essay. I became quite excited about my topic, "Sex-Selective Abortions: The Feminist Perspective," because while I don't embrace the feminist worldview, I am beginning to understand what they base their beliefs upon. I feel I can now converse more intelligently about where I stand.

Thurs 19 May: my journal entry reads, "8:09am - I just pulled my first all-nighter, I'm trembling. Can't write well. Can't think. Turned in my 2nd Bioethics Essay which I wrote last night. 10 pages, double spaced. Waiting for water to boil for my hottie [hot water bottle]. Sleeping til 1:30 if possible. Ouch. So much to say. ...my hands are kind of purple."

I slept, without moving, from 8:20am-1:30pm, just in time for my 2pm Spanish tutorial. Can't remember much of it, unfortunately :o)After class I went shopping to make a dish for the tramping reunion. We had been trying to get together for the last month, or whatever a week after the tramp was. The reunion was such a blast. We had heaps of amazing food, exchanged photos and played Mafia, our new tramping tradition. Damon helped configure my laptop (my pictures take up too much memory) and then I walked home, nearly collapsing into bed.

Fri 20 May: woke at 9, started, completed and handed in an assignment by 12pm. Mom called at 12:15 and I called Dani. Perhaps, as an incentive to let me know you're still alive by writing comments on my website :o) it would help you all to know that Dani occasionally comments and posts pics on here :o) *hint-hint* Just in case anyone wanted a call...because you can answer the phone, "Is this New Zealand?"!! jk - I can't promise to call everyone that writes on here, I wish I could, though.

This is the night Angela, Claire and I went out for dinner. We stopped by the annual 24-Hour booksale held in the old Regent theatre. It was enormous and crazy! There were thousands of books, and just about as many people. If not priced otherwise, any book cost 50 cents. I found beautiful old copies of "Around the World in 80 Days" and "Good Wives," by Louisa May Alcott, among other treasures. Angela and I finished off the night making homeade fries - at 1 am. Not enough sleep again.

Sat 21 May: Rising bright and early at 10am, I set to work to make something to take to Rosalie's "Old Fashioned Indoor Picnic" in honor of her 21st birthday at 1pm. I had to wear a hat, but as I didn't bring one, I constructed one out of cardboard, a plastic lid, a frilly scarf and sticky-tack. Out of the love of his dear little heart, a friend said it gave me a Frankenstein-esque look, sort of a square-head appearance. Bless his little heart, indeed. We played relay and eating games - a hanging apple, anyone? - and there was a remarkably ginormous caterpillar pinata. The party was set to end at 4 and I arrived home at 5pm with just enough time to prepare for the annual Unity Ball. My friend Lana was coming to pick me up at 7pm. Sigh, no rest for the weary...

Emily's 21st Birthday (a.k.a. The 80s Party!)

Emily's party was so much fun!(Keep in mind that I had a 2500-3000 word essay due the following wednesday, it will come into play in a later entry)
That saturday, the "All-Girls Flat" managed to achieve a near-impossibility; we spent the majority of the day TOGETHER. I know! We were all so stunned that we were at a loss for words! ...yeah, right. :o)
First stop was at the Farmer's Market, which was under the train station roof, instead of its usual no-protection-from-the-rain positioning. This meant that manoeuvring from one end of the market to the other could take up to 20 minutes as the walkway between booths was reduced to a quarter of its normal width. I'm pretty sure all of Dunedin turned up for this market as well, to compound the situation. But, of course, it was fun nonetheless! Courtney and I shared a rather scrumptious bran-sultana-apricot muffin.
From there we were off to SaveMart and I had found a new favourite place on earth.
SaveMart is the haven for all op-shop connoisseurs. A massive converted warehouse of TWO levels, SaveMart has its wares divided and displayed by colour. I didn’t have time to look at everything, though, but I am anxiously counting the days until I can return…perhaps tomorrow! But, as you can tell from the pictures, I found an “ensemble.” At the time of purchase the skirt reached my knees; Courtney assisted in the transformation. A quick trip to The Warehouse, the closest thing to WalMart (minus the food) provided us with beads, streamers, cups and an 80s music CD. The only thing accomplished the rest of that afternoon was to add the finishing touches to our costumes. As my mother can attest to, I couldn’t wait to be destructive to my clothing. Out came the collar of the fluorescent pink tee, the majority of the skirt was stripped away, a pair of children’s tights were transformed into socks and a pair of nylons were shredded! My hair was a challenge. Though I tried for 45 min, I couldn’t tease my fine hair nearly enough to achieve the “big hair” look. What you see in the pictures is the final result. But the makeup! That was so much fun! I actually copied a picture I found online. And Courtney owns and regularly wears the orange eye-shadow.
The party was in full-swing by 11pm (nothing starts early here), most people were drunk long before. However, I find that I enjoy parties much more fully when I don't drink, so I didn't. We played Set and visited the neighbour’s party - also a happenin' event. Nearly their entire flat was full of Germans.
Emily's cake was an attempt at a Rubik's cube, very funny! Everyone apparently didn't eat before they came and the cake was consumed within a half an hour. But I took my leave of the party around midnight to sleep in Claire's room, on the third floor, with my earplugs. The flat was atrocious the next morning, but everyone had had so much fun that they didn't mind. But I suspect everyone was too tired to care :o)

Lactic Acid

My box from home arrived this morning! I was working on an assignment when it came at 10:30am, but I didn't let myself open it until I'd turned in my essay at noon. My family put all sorts of great stuff in the box, lots of pictures and books, a fun corkboard with "We love you" written in wire (think: big thumbtacks), and some more crocheted scarves and a hat (which I love). So the majority of today was spent thinking about home and putting up lots of new pictures on the rather naked walls of my room.
And then my flatmate Emily begged me to go running with her. I currently don't like running; I've determined I have an up-and-down relationship with it. But since I haven't done anything cardiovascular-ly recently, I thought I'd go. It was so gross. Happily, after a short while Emily wasn't too excited about running and suggested we go to the gym. We kicked our own rears and will definitly be feeling it tomorrow. For the remainder of Emily's time here, we're going to try to work out regularly. And as there are a multitude of people in my living room, I assume it's movie night at our flat. Emily's birthday party is tomorrow night and tonight is preparation: watching Napoleon Dynamite. Party theme: the 80s!

Sad News from Home

I recently found out that a friend from highschool, her husband and their 5 week old daughter were killed in a car accident the night before Mother's Day. My heart goes out to their families. I didn't know her husband, but I know her family and she was really close with a lot of my friends.The two men responsible for the car accident both survived.I don't have many words at this point, but my faithful King does.Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation. 2 Corinthians 1:2-7So, for all the people involved, those who loved my friends and those who love the two men involved in the accident, I commit them to the faithful God. Lord, thank you for Your loving provision in everything. Thank You for the comfort you offer to those that are hurting, that You bind broken hearts and that You carry Your sheep close to Your heart. Praise You for life, acceptance and truth through Jesus. You are so faithful.

PART TWO - 30 Bells Ball

By the grace of God it all worked out! Those I had taught the dances to come forward to demonstrate. With the minor fact :o) that I had forgotten the "fishhook" move in Postie's Jig the first time I taught the dances, everyone learned rather quickly. It was so fun. I couldn't believe how fast everyone seemed to catch on. In almost no time at all everyone was successfully dancing Postie's and Virginia Reel. But the music set the mood. Seven uni students (spell: excitement) with a broad range of instruments jammed their hearts out onstage. Their smiles and enthusiasm were so inviting and infectious that watching them was like coming into contact with something surreal. We broke again for the cutting of cake and more food. Luke gave a fantastic speech before an elder from the church prayed for him. (on a funny note: Luke is an Aussie which makes for hilarious jokes and the prayer began with, "Lord, thank you for Australians.” Kiwis and Aussies are notorious rivals.) Before the dancing had commenced for the evening, Luke had stated that he wanted the mood to become increasingly informal. So after the cake, everything was freestyle. People meandered about between the food and dance, while some people shredded the dance floor. A popular style of dance here is called Ceroc, and it’s a blend of Latin, swing and ballroom. “It’s pretty much my favorite.” (guess at the movie I’ve implied, anyone? Sorry it’s so obvious…) My friends Patrick and Lisa are amazing ceroc dancers and stole all attention for some time. Finally I let myself feel the exhaustion and after recording a message for Luke’s “birthday card-video,” Stephen gave me a ride home. What a memorable night!

PART ONE - 30 Bells Ball

Last night was Luke's 30 Bells Ball! Luke is the main contact for "realise," the uni student group at DCBC, the church I've been attending. Basically, he threw himself a massive 30th birthday party complete with a live band (students at the church) and heaps of food. The dress code was "as formal as you want," and some people were dressed to the nines! Dave, who also did the Kepler, came clad as Jack Sparrow (Sarah, I made sure to get a picture of him for you!). I went "as formal as I could" with what fancy attire I had brought from home. Stephen picked me up at 5:30 for a lovely dinner of venison pizza before the ball. We arrived at the venue just as many others were making their appearances. The evening began with four grand-scale (there were over 100 people there) group dances. Someone called the dance and it had the feel of our ball practices, but the look of an actual ball. Everyone was quite jovial and seemed to enjoy themselves immensely. Four dances later we broke for food and drink. In the next hall (the event was held in a beautiful, ornate chapel) were rows and rows of tables covered by trays of meat, cheese, fruits, chocolate and drink. A slide show with pictures of Luke was being projected onto one of the walls and on a table at the front of the room sat an enormous elegant chocolate birthday cake. There were so many people, and, for the first time, I didn't feel overwhelmed or out of place. The only thing that frustrated me was that I couldn't concentrate on conversation. The music and the noise made my head swim and at times I felt isolated in the midst of people I knew. I wonder if that's a small portion of what a deaf or blind person experiences? Specifically, the inability to fully engage with people despite great effort. But the mood was so friendly and everyone was talking, laughing, and really enjoying the evening. Soon we returned to the dance floor to be led by John (the same one that threw himself down the stairs to make me feel better after I took the tumble at Anna's house) in two group mixers. John is an extremely energetic guy and had everyone exhausted in a matter of 20 minutes. Then he handed the mic over to me to lead everyone in Postie's Jig and the Virginia Reel. For those of you familiar with these two dances, you know how much effort they require.

Kepler (Part 1)

Whew. Well, I finally turned in my essay after sitting at the computer lab from 10:30am til 4:00pm. Plus, last night I was at the library from 9-11pm. I've never done so much work before! That or it's never seemed like work...or something. But anyway. (sorry, that was wed. it's now Friday night...it sometimes takes forever to write these babies!)So. The Kepler! Awesome! We spend a few weeks planning it but everything boiled down to...Sunday and Monday before tramp: meetings to sort out gear, food, transport and who was going which direction around the loop. We were short a car so I offered to drive, since Emily's car wasn't going to be used while we were tramping. Plan was to meet at 6am after picking up everyone. I was to pick up four people.Tuesday: after a long, hard day of [intermittent] study and packing, I left to fill the car with petrol and pick up some polyprop from Anna's. (do we have polyprop in the States? I can't remember. It's pretty much a must when tramping here). When I returned to my flat, Courtney had returned with two guys from Germany that she’d been hitchhiking with. We all had fun, talked a lot, and I finally got into bed at 12:30 am after Patrick (one of the guys I’d be picking up the next day) called to let me know that I needed to leave even earlier to get him. Yuk. Wednesday: Woke up FREEZING cold at 2:30 am, drank some hot water and was up at 5 am. Left 15 min later to gather and meet the troops. We distributed the food that had been prearranged, prepackaged and divided for our two groups – clockwise and counterclockwise around the track loop. We were on the road by 6:30am! Stopped in Gore (small town right before Clinton, no joke! They call it the “Presidential Highway”) for toilet break and took a group picture for fun; Patrick took over driving for the duration of the drive. In the car I mentioned that I wanted to start using a new word, “swift,” to mean cool, neat, awesome. Mark mentioned the word “conquistador” and how it had made the “top 30 least used words” list. We decided to incorporate both words into our daily vocab with indefinite definitions. At about 11:30am or so we arrived at the DOC in Te Anau for our hut passes. It is at this time that I broke the news to the B group going "backwards" around the loop that I've defected and was now joining the A group. I have a rather funny picture of my friend Damon while he's in the process of accusing me of being a traitor. But because I switched groups, my friend Joanne also switched which made the groups even, 6 people in each. Funny enough, we were equally divided in gender as a whole, with four girls/two guys in my group and four guys/two girls in the other.

Flatmates

Tonight was the first night my entire flat went out as a group. It rocked. We went to a play at Dunedin's tiny theatre, the [name to come], called "The Things We Do For Love." Things were a little stressful as two of the girls were gone until 7:20 - the play started at 8 (!), but we managed to get all dressed up and sparkly, catch a cab and make it on time. Our student tickets were for very front row and middle. This may sound like a great place to sit, however, the stage is raised so there were some things we missed. After the play we had a drink - the theatre had a tiny bar - and afterward one of the actresses told Courtney that she had mistaken her for a friend from Australia. She didn't want Courtney to be weirded out because she had been watching her from the stage. We all thought this was pretty hilarious and had a good laugh. It's getting to be our last month together as flatmates, friends and family, so we just hung out together and enjoyed the company. Emily and Courtney leave in June; I'm going to miss them!

Kepler News to come

Got home from the Kepler Track in Fiordland last night! I have three blisters: one that took over the end of my smallest pinky toe on the right foot, a smallish one on the end of my second-to-the-last left foot pinky toe, and a MASSIVE BEAST on the side of my right heel. I had to take a pic of it. It's approx 2cm across at the widest part and almost a cm in height. Incredible. After showing him the blister today at church, Stephen, one of the guys from B group (I was in A group - we tramped the circuit in opposite directions), shook my hand and told me I'm now an offical tramper.yay!But I have an essay due wednesday so more news will have to wait until then.One more thing, I've taught Posties Jig and Virginia Reel now! There's a ball on Saturday to celebrate a 30th birthday...it's going to be fun.