Around Town

Hello friends!
It's been a long time and there's no excuse. Despite the long break in updates, I have no pictures to share. I haven't taken a single photos in the last 6 weeks!! Sorry... I have been staying in Hamilton mostly these days, working and playing soccer. So, when I do stuff I forget to bring a camera to things since it feel like I'm "at home" here. If I were going out of town, a camera is always on my mental check list, but when I'm in town, it slips my mind every time. So, I'll just give a written update this time and promise to take photos soon. Both jobs are going good and I'm really enjoying soccer. We are 3-1 right now and getting better every game. Also, I'm moving!! I'm still in Hamilton, just moving across town. Michelle and I are moving into her parent's house (they have 2 spare rooms) to save money for upcoming trips! I'm going to really miss hanging out in the flat with the boys and their crazy antics, but I'm sure we'll hang out lots anyways. Plus, with winter creeping closer everyday and no heat in the flat, moving to a house with heat will be great.
A few weeks ago I went on my first boys weekend. Jason, Josh, Jimmy, a friend of theirs Cookie, and I spent the weekend up in Auckland. We went to the casino for 4 hours, hung at a few different bars, ate McDonald's late at night, and went to a Rugby League game. I don't know why I didn't bring my camera because I would have come back with some hilarious photos. I've now actually been to 2 rugby games (Rugby is like America's football...they're crazy about it!). They are a lot of fun to watch and I think I have the basics down now.
In other news, I have my flight booked home...plus a few extras, hehe! I leave NZ the 10th of Sept and am flying to Australia. I'm meeting my sister there and we are going on a diving trip in the Great Barrier Reef and then a road trip along the east coast. After that, I fly to Malaysia to meet up with my friend Rebekah and we'll be traveling SE Asia for the next 2 months. The trips will include visits to Malaysia, Singapore, India, Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Thailand. You can see why I need to save as much money as I can! It will be the trip of a lifetime and you can bet I'll have plenty of pictures to share then. The best part of all though, is that I'll be back home in Tallahassee in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas! It'll be my first holidays home in 3 years. I'm so excited!
So, sorry again for no photos, but know that I'm doing well, trucking along and laying low a little bit. I'm still enjoying NZ, don't doubt that. It's just a little different than in the past where I was traveling around every other weekend with other eager foreigners. I realized the other day how different my experience in NZ has been than in the past, such as Switzerland or Korea. I feel like being here is more "real life" than the past. All of my experiences have been a limited time thing, but here I don't hang out with other foreigners who are in the same situation as me. It's been challenging to shift my mind set but really awesome as well because I feel like I'm settled in a place more than before. I can't believe I am only here 4 more months; I know it will fly by! But I am still appreciating everyday and loving NZ.