This post is long overdue. I am sorry to those who have been checking my blog and noticed my lack of posting over the past month. Not to worry, I am alive and well. Nursing school is just very very time consuming and a wee bit exhausting. I have been working full time shifts five days a week in an adolecent mental health unit for 4 weeks. I have been working with kids struggling with things like eating disorders, hearing voices, depression, suicidal ideations, self-harm, abuse, and social phobias. It has been very intense, but interesting! I really enjoyed this rotation and I learned a lot that will apply to my future as a nurse. I am more sure than ever that I want to pursue nursing and am excited (and a bit overwhelmed) to start applying for jobs when I return to the States!
Today I went for a run in the Domain (big park right next to where I live) and saw this really beautiful bird on the path... he had a red head, yellow neck, green body, and blue tail! like really bright colors and seeing that bird reminded me that I am in a place far from home! I have gotten so used to the beautiful place New Zealand is and have made such great friends, Auckland feels like home. Then that bird plops on the path I was running on to remind me what a unique beautiful place I am living... so far from where I have grown up.
Here is a quick update on the last month via photos:
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| Pineapple lumps = delicious New Zealand lolly. Chocolate covered pineapple chewies. yum. |
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| The venue I watched the Rugby World Cup championship game. NZ All Blacks vs the French |
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| AND WE WON!!!!!!! |
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| The Champions |
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| The streets were filled with people celebrating the big win as we walked back to the hostel. |
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| The NZ Music Awards red carpet. Mel and I got tickets and it was a really fun event to be at. Plus some really great Kiwi musicians- these are my favorites: Brooke Fraser, Avalanche City, Naked & Famous, and six60. Check em out! |
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| Keiran, Mel, Abhi, me, Shannon, Ellie, Dan: the crew that decided to climb the Auckland Bridge and bungy jump off it! |
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| and here I go!!!! Sadly no one caught a pic with my feet off the ledge, but I really did it! This was bungy jump #2 for me (the first was in Queenstown). It was really fun! |
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| I was really excited that I made it back up after the jump! I actually hit the waves of the ocean right before bouncing back up. |
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| This is called a Tim Tam Slam. Tim Tams are chocolate biscuits (SO YUM) and if you bit off a little piece of each end, you can then suck hot chocolate through the cookie like a straw and it melts in your mouth. It is the best way to eat a Tim Tam. |
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| Mel and I traveled north last weekend to the Bay of Islands. I needed to make a quick call in this Kiwi phone booth. |
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| Caught some rays in between clouds on the beach that weekend. Bay of Islands was so beautiful. |
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| A photo I snapped out the window of the bus as we were returning to Auckland from the Bay of Islands. This is the city I call home this semester. The city of Sails. I still haven't been to the top of the Skytower yet, but have dinner reservations for this Tuesday! Can't wait, Mom and Dad! |
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| Lydia, me, Zazie, Amy and Sarita. These are a few of the amazing nursing students who welcomed me into their class this semester. We were enjoying a picnic in the Domain to celebrate the end of the semester. |
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| Today I went to Mission Bay, a beach in Auckland. The mountain in the background is actually a volcano, Rangitoto, that I climbed to the top of a few months ago (see post: "A View from Above"). |
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| The lovely ladies I went to the beach with today! |
Soon my two worlds are going to collide because my parents are coming to visit! I cannot wait to show them my life in Auckland and travel to the South Island and Australia with them. Until then, I need to focus on studying for my mental health exam. Three more days til this semester is over!
