Orientation and Class: Day 1

Family and Friends,

I am finally getting used to the time change here in New Zealand. The biggest difference is the sun being out at 9:30 or 10:00 p.m. when I decide to head for bed. I have been waking up around 5:30 a.m. and feeling rested. This time schedule would work well for 8 a.m. class at UNL!

Our first day of lecture consisted of an introduction to the study abroad program and a history of New Zealand. I thought one of the most interesting facts was that the only native species to New Zealand is one species of bat. All mammals including cattle, sheep, and dogs were imported from Europe. The agricultural export market is very large here. Once the country discovered refrigeration the economy was greatly impacted due to the value of the export market. I am looking forward to visiting the New Zealand farms in the coming days.

Following lunch our study tour headed to Christchurch. We toured a historical museum and visited the local shopping mall. It was extremely busy for a Wednesday afternoon! Many of us still needed to purchase shampoo, soap, and other miscellaneous items. We were relieved to find a K-Mart in the mall to accommodate our needs. I was unable to get a haircut prior to departure because of the blizzard, so I stopped in at "Just Cuts" and got my first New Zealand hair-cut. It looks nice, although my bangs are a bit long in front.

The weather is colder this morning, very similar to yesterday. The exact temperature is somewhere between 11 and 18 degrees Celsius. Our lecture this morning will focus on New Zealand agriculture and then we are heading to Christchurch for a New Year's celebration. Happy New Year to everyone at home! On another note, I will be sending my first audio report of the trip back to KRVN and the Rural Radio Network today. Be sure to stay tuned.

Take care,

Matt

Arrival in Christchurch

Family and Friends,

I have arrived in New Zealand! Since my last post, I enjoyed a ten hour plane trip from Los Angeles to the Cook Islands, a three hour plane ride to Auckland, NZ, and an hour and a half plane ride to Christchurch. It has definitely been worth the wait.

After picking up our baggage at the airport our study abroad group headed to Lincoln University on the outskirts of Christchurch. We received our individual dorm room assignments and toured the beautiful campus. Lincoln University is currently on summer break, but normally have approximately 3,500 students enrolled in class and on campus. The buildings and landscaping are very clean. The tees and shrubs are especially noticeable, as they are trimmed VERY neatly and precisely. Following our tour, the Missouri and Nebraska students gathered for a BBQ near the center of campus. Grass-fed beef and deer made up the main course, with many pasta's and salads on the side. Dessert was an excellent ice-cream and mysterious baked item. Hopefully I can figure out the name of it and let you all know.

The difference between New Zealand and the United States hasn't been a huge issue so far. New Zealand is 19 hours ahead of the central time zone in the midwest. This means New Zealand is a day ahead of life in Lincoln, NE or Villisca, IA. I will keep this time difference in mind when I call Bryttni or call home! I think both of you will appreciate that.

I plan to head to bed within an hour to be at my best tomorrow. We have breakfast starting at 7 a.m. and lecture beginning at 9 a.m. Talk to you all again soon.

Stay warm,

Matt

Los Angeles Airport

Friends and family,

I am currently sitting in the Los Angeles airport (LAX) waiting for my flight out of the country. I am excited about my first international trip, but not quite as excited about the thirteen hour plane ride to reach my desired destination. We will take-off on Air New Zealand flight number 19 at 10:15 p.m. Pacific Time this evening and arrive in Auckland, NZ tomorrow morning around 11:00 a.m. I plan to sleep on the plane to make the time/date adjustment a bit easier. From Auckland we will board a plane for Christchurch, where we will spend the majority of our time.

There was excitement among our University of Nebraska-Lincoln group this morning in regard to our flight schedules. United Airlines overbooked our flights from Omaha to Los Angeles and this resulted in the group flying via Denver, CO for a connection to Los Angeles. Three of us were unable to fit on the plane out of Omaha and will be arriving in Los Angeles within a couple of hours. Hopefully we all will make it before the international flight departs!

Thank you again to Dad, Michael, and Marshall for accompanying me to Lincoln yesterday during the blizzard. The travel conditions were certainly less than desirable. Thank you to Mom and Mikayla for helping me to pack up a few things prior to leaving. I really appreciate the help of my family (physically and financially) to be able to take this trip. The experience will be outstanding and something I will talk about for years to come.

Take care and look forward to another post from the island of the long white cloud!

Love,

Matt