That afternoon Alan and I had plans to go to a coffee shop and get some fresh air away from the hectic school study environment. On our way into town he had said that he needed to make a stop by a farm to pick up some supplies. Well I didn't think anything of it. We get out of his ute (truck) and go inside a garage. Turns out the gentleman who owned the place was originally a Californian native who had moved to NZ 15 years ago. He had started asking me if I get car sick etc...I said no...well turns out we were going for a helicopter ride!!!
Ahhh I have always wanted to be in a helicopter! I was soo excited. We get buckled up, headsets on and take off. We fly all over the farm land of the beautiful Canterbury area. It was so gorgeous. I have vaguely seen the farm land from the planes, but nothing like this. We flew below the clouds but just above the power lines. As we flew over sheep, cattle and horses scrambled below. The area was a lush green of various colors, it was almost like looking into a crayon box of just green crayons. We made our way out to the ocean. Farm land next to the beautiful ocean...what more could you want!? He flew us along the shore line where I could see the ocean come up on the shore and slide back and forth. It was the most amazing thing, I felt like I was in a movie. As we flew along we came closer to the cliff face and he pulls the helicopter right over the edge of the mountain. As we got to the top the view opened up into a gorgeous scene of the ocean and more farm land. At one point we came face to face with a seagull who was considering suicide. We kept going along the ocean side and ended up over at the Akaroa harbor (where I was during Easter break). It was neat to see a familiar area from a sky view. After venturing in Akaroa we flew over the country side and saw more farms with sheep scrambling everywhere, I will never forget it. The whole experience was truly inspiring and mouth dropping. I can't believe he made arrangements for this, it really meant a lot.
After our flight we managed to finally go get a cup of coffee and a few slices. We sat out on the deck and watched as the sun slowly went down over the mountains. I couldn't stop grinning from the flight, it was just amazing. At least now I can check that off of my bucket list!!!
That evening I cooked some dinner as a thank you and try to use up some of the food I accumulated over the semester. I will say one thing...since I have been in NZ my consumption of veggies has doubled (considering I refused to eat any before).
The rest of the weekend I managed to study for my up coming exams the following week, I had my most important ones on Wednesday and Thursday. Something about studying endophytes in ryegrass pastures and the importance of meiosis in genetic diversity wasn't very appealing to me. So I spent my remaining time in the gym "attempting" to read my notes on the treadmill.
Monday morning I got up early to get some extra studying in. I managed 5 solid hours of plant study then had to head to a group study for genetics. I had to stop by the book store and mail a package home. While I was there, there was another aftershock! Ugg not again....the last time I mailed something home is when the February earthquake happened. I get my package sent and head over to the library. While we were there, there was a series of large after shocks which really shook things up. It was around 2:30 when our world literally got shaken up. The building was rolling, it felt like you were on a ship out at sea. I look around me, the printers are banging against the walls, signs are swinging from the ceiling, book cases are rocking back and forth and books are flying everywhere. It was happening again....
We were told to evacuate the building shortly after the aftershock hit us. People poured out of all the buildings on campus and waited for any news. I managed to make my way back to my dorm where we were later evacuated. We were told to grab our things and put on warm clothes. The Uni opened up the dinning hall for all of us to go in so we weren't standing out in the cold. As the buildings got inspected we waited, and waited. Finally it was 4:00 when I got to go back to my room. I quickly emailed Dad and Mom to tell them what was happening.
The quake was a 6.3 caused 55,000 to go without power. Liquefaction poured into the streets and consumed cars and people. Two men had been trapped in a church in the city, building had crumbled to the ground. It was all happening all over again. So many things were going through my mind at this point. I couldn't help but think of my family back home. I had 9 days left in my journey only to have my world get turned upside down.
Alan and I went to tea at 6:00pm and talked about the days events. Later on we had attempted to study for our plants exam that was in two days. But somehow people thought otherwise...
Due to the quake the Uni had closed campus the rest of the day and Tuesday, giving Aegrotats for all of the exams for those days. Aegrotat is basically an application that you fill out stating you were mentally impaired to adeqautely perform well in our exam. Sadly enough my test was Wednesday so I didn't get that option. So while we were studying the people who had gotten excused exams were across the street drinking and playing load music. We called the police twice, and nothing happened. It was very frustrating not only were they making noise, but we had the added stress of the continuous shocks. I couldn't handle it anymore, I had to leave and go isolate myself in my room. The rest of the evening I talked with my podmates and we just reflected. It was nice because it really helps to talk it out. I didn't get any studying done, which only added to the pressure. Every time I tried to look at my notes I couldn't help but think I was in the library again.
All through the night there were aftershocks after aftershocks waking me up. We had a total of 22 shocks from 3:00 am to 10:00pm June 13th alone. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't focus, all I could do was think about how I was going to pass these exams and there worth soo much of my grade! Ugg I keep think about the quakes. I finally came to the conclusion that Im never going to send a package home ever again. Being as how every time I do there is a large quake.
Tuesday morning I was really feeling the stress. I got up early at 6:00am again after a restless nights sleep. I get in another 5 solid hours of plant study, and yet Im no where close to being ready. At 1:00pm I head over to Alan's so I could watch the endophyte lectures again for the plants test. After watching those I get back to my room, and thats when things really hit me. I was feeling so over whelmed and stressed and scared at the same time. I don't know if a person can really feel all of those emotions at once but it was horrible. Liza had spent the night in her kitchen baking to keep her mind occupied and ended up working in the Uni dinning hall all of Tuesday. I decided Id go to the gym and try to get rid of my stress, it didn't work, not even a little bit. I took my notes so I could read them on the treadmill, but I couldn't focus all I could think about was the aftershocks and that I only had 8 days left. I have a slight break down, all of these emotions and they just kept getting bigger and bigger.
I get back to my room and I was able to skype Dad and Mom, it was such a relief, just to see them. They talked me through everything and let me vent and shed a few tears. My Dad said "get the h*** out of there"! Haha it made me smile a bit. However, during my conversation I found out I could apply for the Aegrotat application. I told my parents what it was and what it did. They basically talked me into it. They supported whatever decision I made, and thats what made me decide to do it. I couldn't focus, I couldn't go 5 minutes without checking the news, I couldn't look at my notes more than 2 minutes! I know it isn't the best option for a student and that I do need to try. But even if I took the exam, that doesn't mean I'd do well, especially when I can't even study without the ground moving. It may be the cowards way out, but it is what is best for me. I didn't solely come to NZ for school, I came to experience the world, see agriculture on an international level and gain a better understanding of ag. If it meant me sacrificing a few exams and grades for me to "be okay" thats a sacrifice I was willing to take. School is important, that I know but at the same time for me there is so much more to life than a 3 hour exam. My exams were going to be on the 3rd and 4th floors of the building I was in, in February and mentally I don't think I could have handled going through another quake in there. To me it just wasn't worth it.
My time in New Zealand has certaintly been a rememberable experience. I have seen and experienced things before I never thought I would. And as my final days dwindle down, Im proud to say I have grown as an individual and have had time to reflect on what I want for my future to become. It has been the single most amazing thing in my life. Yet these 5 months have been the fastest of my life as well. Not for a moment have a regretted my decision to come to NZ, if anything it has inspired me to return.
The Cathedral
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