The competition semester is behind me and we are now waiting for word on whether or not I made the cut. Before we left LA, I encountered a few people who gave me the snarky remark “Oh, so you’re not going to an American school?” Let me tell you, this one semester in New Zealand was far more difficult than my degree at USC. I have no idea when these students find time to party as hard as they do, which highlights not only how smart they are but also their incredible time management skills.
The irresistible pull of living in New Zealand has led Steve and me to decide to stay at least one more semester no matter what the outcome. The competition was so stiff throughout the semester I have doubts as to whether or not I’ll make it into the full program. Plus, the school is introducing a new course, Production of Working Dogs. There’s no way I’m returning to LA if I have an opportunity to study herding dogs. C’mon! Can you imagine what the lab practicals will be like!?
And with the end of the semester brings new adventures for Steve and me. First of all, we’re moving. Second, we’re getting a roommate, hence the need to move. Or we could look at this from another angle, having Jake as a roommate is allowing the three of us to afford a place with actual water pressure in the shower. An added benefit to living with Jake will be a guaranteed LA/Kiwi accent for Steve and me as Jake’s accent is both irresistible and sometimes completely unintelligible. Add those two together and you have some serious awesome.
My sister and her husband have graciously offered to keep the fur kids for another six months while Steve and I continue our odyssey. At first I thought they were extending their hospitality far beyond what I could ever expect but now I believe they have an ulterior motive. You see, the cats went to the vet yesterday and I was emailed their new weights. I suspect they will be using these next few months to stick the cats on a treadmill to work off all the extra pounds they seem to have put on.
Now that the semester is over we promise to post more often and keep you up-to-date on our adventure. Stay tuned…
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June 26, 2010 at 4:17 am
Laura Geiselhart Andlauer
Hi, I attended high school with your husband at Carlsbad High school . I joined Facebook about a year ago and have been pleasantly surprised at how many people I knew from school are actually still out there:)
I am enjoying your posts from NZ area. The one you just wrote about your fur kids is too funny. We have three total fur kids-a 12 year old Black Lab/chow and two cats. My daughter’s cat Milo is huge compared to his house mate Nikki. she is delicate and he is closing in on at least 15-20 pounds of poor heft! Your photo of the cat sinking in the top of the couch cushion reminded me of Milo and the predicaments he gets himself in! He got stuck in the cushion and needed rescue to emerge 🙂
Keep up the good blogging and thanks so much for sharing your adventures. It gives me a way to learn about another country vicariously:)