"Insert Witty Blog Post Title Here"

Five Blog-Worthy Things from Abreana Land This Week 

Also... a list of my favourite 

Kiwi slang is at the end of this post!

1. I spent 30-40 hours in the library writing a paper on tourism sustainability in New Zealand.

Read between the lines... Yes, I do go to school here! I have not been adventuring lately, and I'm pretty sure you don't want to see photos of me drowning in books at the library... hence why there have been only three blog posts this September. 

2. I voted like a responsible U.S. citizen.

Read between the lines... I am a 'grown-up' now. I figured out the absentee voter form all by myself, and I even found some time to research the candidates/issues on my ballot, even though I was tempted to flip a coin at times. (I mean... choose 3 of 7 candidates for Parker town council? I'm sure they're all lovely people...) Oh, and hell YES to the GMO labelling initiative! 

Colourful letter from my friend Genna

3. I got more mail!

Postcard from my Godparents and Hannah

Lovely handwritten letter from Dani's mom, Monique <3

Read between the lines... My family/friends make me feel so loved!! <3 Thank you for adding to the sunshine in my life. 

4. I took a break from my responsible, grown-up life to have a much-needed colouring date with myself.

Read between the lines... Who are we kidding? I'll never grow up... Thank you to Genna for mailing me the pictures and to Ryan for lending me the coloured pencils!

5. I also took a little day trip to Quarantine Island, which is the largest island in the Otago harbour.

Read between the lines... I HAVE PICTURES! 

Map of the little island 

Cool wrecked ship from the 1800s...or something.

There is always a playground to find!!

I like rocks.

Lying in the grass, watching the clouds. 

Graveyard on the island - not a bad view to find a final resting place, eh?

Considering yesterday marked three months in New Zealand for me, I figured I should commemorate it with a list of some of the common slang and sayings I’ve picked up on. Some Kiwi slang is similar to Australia slang (i.e. keen), and some is more English (i.e. biscuits). These fun, colourful words go along quite well with the New Zealand accent! 

afghan - chocolate flavoured biscuit made from cornflakes

brekkie - breakfast 

boot - car trunk

bush - refers to the forests with native trees 

dairy - corner store, like a small convenience store selling groceries, sweets, dairy items, etc.

cheers - good bye, thank you

chilly bin - insulated cooler for food

Dunners - Dunedin

eh - used at the end of sentences sometimes, but with more of an ‘a’ sound

fizzy drink - soda

fringe - bangs 

gumboots - rubber boots

heaps - a lot of something 

Hokey Pokey - type of delicious ice cream flavour with honey toffee in it

jandals - flip flops

jug - kettle 

kiwifruit - the fruit that is called a kiwi in the US (never, ever call a kiwifruit a kiwi in NZ)

keen - to be interested/totally down for something ('I’m keen on that, mate!')

kumara - sweet potato 

lolly - pretty much any sweet or confectionery item

muesli - granola (so yum)

‘en zed’ - how NZ is pronounced, like when giving an Internet URL address ending in .co.nz)

op shop - short for ‘opportunity shop,’ which is just a second hand store

petrol - gas

sammie - sandwich

scarfie - university student 

scrogin - yummy trail mix with nuts, raisins, etc.

sweet as - awesome or cool; ‘as’ is also used to intensify other adjectives (i.e. hungry as, keen as)

ta - thanks

togs - swim suit

toilet - restroom, bathroom