OK then...

Alright so no one panic...except me. But no one worry since this is just a process as I'm told. Here we go.

What the HELL have I gotten myself into!?!

Ok, now that that is out of the way I can move onto a brief statement about what i've been doing then i must eat since well, i don't eat much at all because i'm cheap and one meal costs about as much as three normal meals in anyplace other than a city would. (mom you can pretend i didn't say that, i'm eating and i'm fine.)

so this is nuts. i cannot believe i am sitting here at an internet cafe in downtown auckland. i have met a few cool people but no one interested in doing what i'm doing. everyone wants to stay in the city, or move to another one which i just can't justify in such a beautiful country. it's like 'ok guys, let's stay in the city where the buildings obstruct our view of everything to the point where we wouldn't know the difference between new zealand and LA." lame + o= lame-o. and now i am too for having written that. ah well.

so i am staying with a really cool girl from scotland in the hostel. i wasn't too sure about the whole youth hostel thing at first but it's a lot like your first day of college and it's pretty safe. however we did find a number of odd looking prostitues yesterday sniffing what we thought to be glue from a bag...at 2pm. but they were doing us no harm.

i went to the IEP office today and we had our orientation. another reason i want to get to the south so badly. it was simply breathtaking--and these were pictures. i've been in touch with some cycling people down south who have recommended i just get down there and look for work. that has also been the recommendation of Leah the job office lady who thinks it would be easiest to just go, get a place, get a job and live. yes, let's hop on down to the south with nowhere to stay or work and then we can prance around and be happy little crazy people with no worries. i actually wish that is what i could do. then again the hostels are always a good bet. i still don't know where i want to be in particular so that is also a prob. i kind of want to go to christchurch or queenstown, or dunedin. oh well, maybe i will just work my way down.

i spent much of today walking around auckland, getting a phone to basically text with and have my parents call me on. i don't remember the number but when i do i will put it on here and you can all make expensive calls to me because you love me. i also went and got a bank account and the NZ equivalent of a social security number.

there was definitely a time today somwhere between the rain (yes it has been raining koalas and kangaroos since i've been here) and the glue-sniffing hookers in which i had a small panic inside. i got very scared and wondered why i was here...and then i said to myself, 'self you knew this would happen, relax and let it flow'. so i ran as fast as i could back to the IEP office and stayed there until it was ok to come out again. i realized there are sooo many kids in my position since there were like 20 people in that office looking for jobs. it made me feel, not better bc i hate seeing people in a tough spot, but very un-alone anymore.

i miss home but i don't miss it so much that i am holed up in my room wallowing in misery. i like meeting people, i like this challenge...as you all i know i LOVE a good challenge and this is the biggest one yet. bigger than any swim meet or triathlon or job issues or relationship crap. this is huge and it is amazing that i am facing it with an open mind and a strong will.

i really don't have much more to say. i am hungry and i have to pee if any of you really care. then again you are all asleep as it is 3am in the states right now. hopefully i will have more set plans tomorrow and if not, well, i'll wander the streets and hopefully, if i'm lucky, the glue-sniffing prostitues will take me under their wing and teach me their craft.

-Nicole