long white clouds.

off again.

i finished classes yesterday.

i turned in a take home exam and a paper,

went to my last two tutorials

and was done.

so strange to think my school is over in new zealand...

it's just now homecoming week at home!

i have two exams on nov. 10 and 11.

so now i have three weeks to play!

(and study of course...)

i'm leaving in a little bit to drive two campervans from christchurch to auckland

with my 6 favorite people in new zealand...

who are quickly climbing the ladder to becoming some of my favorites in the world.

here's the worlds most adorable video to leave you with. 

and i'll check back in on wednesday! 

have a lovely weekend (especially those of you at furman!)

love, christian. 

 

sunset.

i found this picture today when i was digging through my nikon.

it's a picture from the 10th floor of the library...

in the good ole days when we still had a library.

10 to do before 30

mike and i went to the STA travel office on campus yesterday

to book our trip to the whitsundays

(3 days of scuba, snorkeling, kayaking, swimming, tanning and playing on a yacht in the great barrier reef)...

while we were there i was perusing all the travel brochures

and i picked up an interesting one titled:

"top 10 things to do before you turn 30"...

i was pleasantly surprised to see that i had completed HALF the checklist!

want to know what they are??

 

here you go.

1. visit the pyramids in eygpt

2. party (all night) in vegas

3. do foreign study in london : DONE (not exactly foreign study, but i have been to london and nz is a former british colony, so i'm confident this one counts)

4. hike the inca trail to machu picchu: DONE

5. koh phangan full moon party

6. do a road trip through the USA: DONE

7. tour europe: DONE

8. see the big 5 in africa

9. party in rio de janeiro

10. discover new zealand.: DONE

 

fun game right?

here's to checking off the rest in the next ten years.

i think i can do it!

c

homefries.

i think it is hilarious

that for all the gorgeous scenery 

and funny portraits i post

everyone always seems to comment

"i LOVE your food posts".

haha. 

well fine then, people.

here!

one of the boys' favorite things for me to make is homefries.

(i like them too, but in the interest of my burgeoning waistline- i've tried to stay away)

homefries are little cubed potatoes 

that you fry

and add lots of delicious goodies into.

we have them at furman for weekend brunch a lot,

although i like to believe mine are way better.

so here they are.

step by step.

enjoy!

1. dice potatoes into small cubes.

2. microwave them in water until slightly soft (you can also throw the cubes in a pot and boil)

3. chop up the delicious veggies you want to add (my pantry was a little slim pickins' this day- but feel free to add mushrooms, peppers, onions, spinach, chilies, garlic, etc etc etc)

4. grate copious amounts of cheese.

5. throw the now slightly soft potatoes into a large pan with some oil.

6. season liberally.

7. keep frying.

8. whip up two eggs in a small bowl and pour over the potatoes

(they potatoes should be pretty much done at this point or else they will have trouble cooking the rest of the way and getting nice and crispy)

9. it looks wierd, but stir in the egg, coating all the potatoes.

10. add your cheese.

11. drool.

12. add hot sauce.

13. let is all sit and goo together.

14. give it to your flatmate from boston who ain't never had southern food.

sit back

enjoy.

c

so much.

phew. 

team. 

so much going on/ has happened.

i don't know where to start! 

i finished my two papers and got those bad boys turned in,

i have successfully planned my trip to australia

with only a few minor kinks/details to work out,

and i have already imbibed two cups of coffee this morning.

feeling good about life.

i still need to show you pictures from ryan's 21st birthday,

from a couple of nights out on the town

and from last week with the girls in queenstown and back in christchurch.

but i want to start with a few pictures from our trip to kaikoura last friday.

i probably should have stayed at home and written papers,

but this little beach town 2 hours north of us was calling my name.

and who am i to say no to sketchy vans, whale watching, awkward family portraits and seal colonies?

i mean. 

there are almost no words.

how does one country get to be so stinking gorgeous?

its almost unfair...

the lack of unlimited refills seeks to level the playing field a little.

mountains. ocean. seals.

good day all around.

c

i just want my iphone.

this post is not for the faint of heart.

i have had quite the morning. 

trying to book my flights to get around australia.

i booked several, including my trip to ayers rock

(much longer, more detailed post about this trip coming oh-so-soon)

and when i went to book another flight

my card was declined.

so i called my company to straighten out the problem.

my first call was very pleasant,

i chatted with my representative

and as she was transferring me to the correct department,

my nz cell phone ran out of credit.

so i topped up my phone's minutes

and called back.

this time i made it past the initial representative

and was able to speak to the department that could actually unlock the card.

so i spoke with this person for about 10 minutes while she verified that it was indeed my card

this involved me having to remember the name of my eye doctor, my mother's mother's maiden name and the name of a travel agency i used in april.

dear lord.

so we finally get it all sorted out

and we're ready to unlock the card

and 

my 

phone

dies.

i almost had a mental breakdown.

so i charged my phone

called back

spoke to the nicest man

direct quote:

me "thanks so much for your help"

rep "no, thank you for being such a great customer"

i like this guy...

and the phone cuts out

so i have to call back.

i am currently on hold with brandy to repeat this whole process for the fourth time.

my mental state is in serious jeopardy if something should happen.

here's hoping.

c

 

 

cracking down.

read 405 pages in 5 hours today.

all about madame marie curie.

ten points if you know why she is famous!

(i was surprised at the number of my friends who at never heard of her... was i just that much of a geek as a child that i read a biography of her? bueller. bueller?)

my soundtrack for the last hour has been carole king.

i think i miss my mom.

ha! 

i know i miss my mom, 

but this is that feeling manifesting in a very odd way...

Download 02 So Far Away

awkwardfamilyphoto.

more pictures from kaikoura trip to come!

c

i'm a crier.

i have long disputed this fact.

in fact all through out high school i liked to brag that " i never cry".

but it's just not true.

i cry all of the time. 

maybe i'm just now growing into my title as a crier,

but i'm fine with it.

i cry at cheerios commercials,

at kodak commercials,

at that heartwrenching state farm commercial with the older couple looking at their ruined house after katrina, cut to the breast cancer survivors walk, cut to the dad returning home from iraq.

i sob.

i cry when i'm about to throw myself 450 feet into a canyon.

i cry at sad movies (most recently winter's bone in the nz international film festival)

i cry when i laugh too hard.

so when my mom sent me this video link about my younger brother's swim team, 

surprise...

i cried.

despite the fact that i am entrenched in a very, very busy coffee shop.

oh well, 

they can wonder all they want.

the song choices are PERFECT.

and the pictures made my heart so happy,

i couldn't help but melt off all of my mascara that was managing to cling on from last night.

watch this.

it's beautiful.

 

it's okay if you don't cry.

i did more than enough for all of us.

shiny, happy people. ahhhhh. my heart.

love love love.

c

ducklings.

on our porch.

oh hello most adorable things i've ever seen.

welcome.

 

botanical gardens.

Download 09 I'll Fly Away

love,

christian.