Capturing Moments

I am currently slurping down a bowl of the vegetable, rice, and lentil soup that I made all by myself--it is quite delicious!--and browsing through the 300+ photos I took this past week, and I am reminded of something I said to my mom earlier this year:

"I don't want to experience New Zealand behind the lens of a camera."

Yes, well. 

Since I am here, I might as well remember it. (My mom is probably thinking, I told you so.)

Also, in a very literal sense, I'm never behind my camera lens for more than a quarter of an hour every day, so the other 23.75 hours are still available for me to do the first-hand experiencing. 

I am now going to borrow one of my friend's blogging techniques: the numbered list. 

This is Why I Took Three Hundred Photos This Week

1. My foot therapist gave me the "OK" to start adding back in physical activities.

2. I think he used the word "gradually," but I have selective memory problems, so I don't remember. 

3. I have four day weekends this semester, with only one hour of class on Thursday and no Friday classes. 

4. The sun was shining three days out of the four this past weekend.

Soooooo.... If you know me at all, and were able to put #1-#4 together....

Here are some of my favourite pictures! 

These first few are from the harbour, which is only a ten minute walk away from where I live.

(I thought that bird was hilarious. He, or she, held that pose for at least a minute!)

These next ones were taken from the top of Signal Hill. My friends and I had to walk back in the dark using our phone flashlights, but the sunset views were totally worth it! 

This next set was taken from some other hill in Dunedin (there are so many hills!)

Lots of pastureland and open space. Gorgeous day. 

OMMMGGGG SHEEP!!!!!!!!! I literally squealed and ran up the hill to take a picture. The sheep were just everywhere--it was so New Zealandish!

Also--cows!!! Look at what they're eating... kale, spinach, squash, oranges, pumpkin, bananas, eggplant. They were free to just roam around the hills, and they were so happy! Hooray for the humane treatment of animals!

Oh, and this next one is of me running down the hill! The air was crisp and it was windy, which made for a pretty epic moment. "I was like a mountain goat!" I told my friend.

Moving onto Tunnel Beach! My Kiwi host, Georgia, drove me there. Absolutely stunning cliffs.

This is all on private property! The guy who owns it carved out a staircase through the rock so his kids could get down to the beach below. His kids are grown up now, but he still lets anyone come and see.

This is me at the top of (what I call) Pride Rock. There are so many places for epic shots here - I just had to take advantage.

DUMPLING NIGHT!!!!!

As promised, Samantha and Catherine taught us how to make Chinese dumplings, which were made vegetarian style with leeks, cabbage, carrots, spring onion, and eggs.

Catherine (left) and Samantha (right). Georgia, my Kiwi host, below.

So delicious! Then in return, Georgia and I taught the Chinese girls how to bake cookies (or "biscuits," as they are called here in NZ). It was their first baking experience! 

And then finally, at the end of my long weekend... I found a piece of home in this small Orthodox parish. Number of parishioners? Less than ten. But I was welcomed with open arms.

Life is lived moment by moment. So if carrying around a camera means I can try to capture a few of those moments, then I will do so quite happily! 

Oh, and don't worry, my faithful readers.... my foot still feels great!