Getting to know Auckland!

Kia Ora!

I've arrived at Auckland University and am officially all settled in and ready to begin classes next week! Field Camp was an awesome experience, traveling around Rarotonga and the North Island of New Zealand but it is nice to finally have a home! I've learned a lot, on subjects ranging from humpack whale migration to geothermal energy to the geology of hot pools and steam vents! I'm looking forward to continuing my education this semester. I believe that right now I will be taking four courses at the University of Auckland.

The first is a Geology course titled New Zealand: Half a Billion Years on the Edge. It is taught by my field camp director, a Maori Professor here at the University, and will study the geology and formation of the islands. I additionally am going to take a course called Environmental Effects and Management, taking this opportunity to learn more about environmental science! My third course is an independent study on water quality. I have taken samples from an industrial waste water treatment plant and plan to analyze it to find at what temperatures and pHs it leaches chemicals into the ground. I plan to compare to the results to water samples taken along the nearby Tarawera River. My final course is going to be admittedly a bit more boring, a Differential Equations course to help me get my math minor. But for now it's still summer here so everyone is just settling down back into the school routine and I'm with them! I've taken this free week to begin to explore my new home!

The University of Auckland's City Campus is located right in the center of the city, quite near the main street, Queen Street. It is very close to the harbor, where you can travel to any number of islands or locations across the bay, and surrounded by volcanoes. Like NYC it features many large parks, including Albert Park and the Domain. I'm really excited to explore what the city has to offer!

The view from my window! This overlooks another dorm O'Roarke Hall and down Mount Street. And creepily straight into windows across Mount Street. Already uncomfortably made eye contact with someone. O.o It's definitely a change from Field Camp and only seeing the 15 people we had with us! (I promise to post more field camp pictures on here soon, this is the first time I've been able to upload pictures successfully in weeks!)
My room! Home sweet home!

This is the outside of the apartment building where I'm staying. Its mostly for International Students, though getting off my floor I was greeted by some Kiwi girls, "You're one of the Americans right?" My midwest accent has given me away a few times already!

I will upload more pictures soon! The internet is beginning to be a tad finicky! :)