Working Backwards

I haven't posted much about my life recently, and I do have a lot to tell. I am going to work backwards through my week; hopefully I won't forget anything.

First thing, I have once again realized tonight what an awesome organization Rotary is. I was just chilling in my room when this Asian kid knocks on my door. Turns out he is a former multi-year Ambassadorial Scholar who is also living in my accommodation. He recently visited the Tawa Club, a club I have been to twice, and he rode out to the meeting with Brian Blacktop, the same guy who drove me. Brian mentioned that I was an Ambassadorial Scholar in Wellington, and Harufumi looked up my information on the district website. Since he lives in my dorm, he recognized my phone number and found my room based on my extension. Smaller world? One of his friends here, Colin something-or-other, who lives on the floor above me, is a Georgia Tech student as well. He is here for the trimester. Crazy, huh? There has been a GT student living above me all semester, and I had no idea. This kind of thing is what makes Rotary so amazing; it brings together random strangers from all over the world who happen to have the same organization in common. I have all my Rotary banners of the clubs I have visited hung up on my wall, so we got to talk about where each of us have been and what the clubs are like. It was very cool to make that unexpected connection.

Earlier this evening, I went to the World of Wearable Art Awards Show with Amy, Meredith, and Lauren. I don't think I can sufficiently describe WOW without pictures, but I will try. Imagine a fashion show crossed with Cirque de Soleil. Crazy costumes, amazing choreography, great lighting and sets, but no acrobatics or circus tricks (at least, not many, and not the focus). The costumes are astounding. So original, truly walking works of art. Please check out http://www.worldofwearableart.com. Amy and Meredith had gotten some sort of email about going, and luckily they included me as well. We got all dolled up and went down to the events centre on Queen's Wharf. It was a good enjoyable evening. This show was just so cool!

Backtracking even earlier in my day, I heard a speech from Terrance O'Brian in my POLS 244 class today. He is the former New Zealand ambassador to the United Nations. Typically, this wouldn't warrent a post. I know about how the UN works, and while it would be interesting to hear about how exactly NZ has been instumental in the 80s and 90s as a UN Security Council member, it wouldn't be first on my list to include in a post. So, here I was, halfway paying attention in class (you know, taking notes with a wandering mind), when I suddenly become very focused on what he is saying. This was supposed to be a speech about the workings of the UN and how NZ fits into that model, but it ended up being a speech about how badly the United States is behaving. The United States is bringing down the UN, leaving to work unilaterally (not incorrect, at least), not willing to work for the common good and compromise its interests, etc. The bad boy of the 193 member states. I am glossing over a lot of what was said, but it was a very anti-american speech. Typically, when I am prepared for anti-americanism, I can handle it pretty well; I was prepared for it when I heard Keith Locke, an MP for the Greens, speak, and I was ready with questions. I wasn't expecting it from Terrance O'Brian, and it really unsettled me, more so than any anti-american speeches have before.

Yesterday I gave a presentation to the Hutt Valley Rotary Club. Hutt Valley meets at 7AM on Wednesday mornings, and Mark was outside Mckenzies waiting to pick me up at 6:20. So early! That is officially the earliest I have woken up since coming to NZ (5:10AM, by 1 minute). I was crazy tired for the whole rest of the day, despite a nap around 11:30, but it was worth it. The people of Hutt Valley were incredibly nice and welcoming, more so than I would expect at 7AM in the middle of the week. My speech went really well. Mark came with me because he had not seen my presentation before (he was away on business), and I am glad that he did because not only has he now seen it but he flipped my slides for me! I was too far away from the computer and projector to do it myself. This was also the first time I have not had my computer right in front of me, so I couldn't see the powerpoint while I was giving the presentation. Even with all that, I feel like the presentation was one of the better ones that I have done, and it was very well received. It was a good morning, even if it was really early.

The next thing prior to that meeting is the wrapping-up of my technological troubles. In case you forgot, my mobile phone broke almost immediately after my digital camera was stolen. I sent my phone off to get fixed, but it took forever. My landline doesn't have an answering service, so the mobile fone repair (MfR) company never talked to me so I could give them the go-ahead to fix the phone or tell me when to pick it up, even though I had asked them to email me. So, it takes about a month to get the phone fixed. I get it back earlier this week, and when I check my messages, low and behold, the insurance company had left me messages about two weeks prior saying that they had forwarded my claim to a camera store in Lambton Quey (a shopping district in Wellington), and could I please contact them to follow up on the claim? The camera store also left me messages, asking me to follow up. I call, tell them yes, I still want to claim the camera, and they order it! That simple! They said it should be here in a few days, so I am really hoping it will be in tomorrow. I am a little irked that everything took much longer than it should have, but at least my technological woes should soon be resolved.

As a sidenote, my international students' insurance is really coming in handy. It was $445 for the entire time I am here, including travel time. So far, I have claimed $25 for a doctor's visit, roughly $449 for replacing the camera, $129 for the 512mb memory card, and I just sent in a $140 claim for fixing my cell phone. Thank goodness for insurance!

I believe the only thing to say came before all of that but after the last time I posted was the chilled weather earlier in the week. Spring came rather early, so everything was in bloom, it was getting warmer, and the lambing had begun. Then, SNAP! Cold weather is back. Crazy frosts, bone-chilling southerlies, and gusting winds. Yes, I almost got knocked over one day when I wasn't paying attention. It was also really rainy in the beginning of the week. Thankfully, that has cleared out some, and the sunshine has made it warm up some more.

Also, tonight was a really nice night, one of those nights that makes me realize all over again how much I love living in Wellington. I walked home down Lambton Quey and Willis Street, and it was nice, all the stores were closed by the cafes were open and inviting. I stopped in to New World Metro to pick up some dinner (I hadn't had a chance to get it earlier), and the late-night grocery people were so nice. I really do love living in Wellington.

Also, in other news, I have an awesome little little sister now. My little is happy, and others approve, so I am happy. Sadly, I can't spill the secret of her identity just yet (Revelation is still a week away), but it is going to be great. A real rockstar addition to the coolest Alpha Chi family. :)

Now, off to bed. I am tired and still need to clean and pack. I am going to Taupo for the weekend, so I won't be around til Sunday night at the earliest.