(wannabe) weekly update

Ole! Ole! Ole! My 2 countries have won! Luckily I live in the future which means I can get up in the early hours of the day to follow the World Cup! Thursday I got up at 0700 instead of 07.45 to see a bit of the opening on Friday and then I left for school at 08.15 and per usual I was late for school haha. Well yesterday, Saturday, I had a quite lazy day at home. I started cleaning my room a little bit and I threw out 10615 papers and other rubbish! I could use all of that for the fire. The house is heated with a fire and sometimes when I’m home alone it’s a real hassle to keep the fire going. Nobody has ever taught me how to!!! But this week I managed to keep the fire going for a whole day, wahoo. I’m getting better at it. Usually I just lay in front of the fire on the ground every night with the cat watching tv. It rained from Monday till Thursday non stop and it was crazy! I was home alone on the Wednesday and just as I sat down to watch a movie there was some rain fade. Yes, whenever it rains heavy the tv starts cracking or it just stops working. But then there was a power cut! And even though it was just 3 pm the clouds and rain made it a really dark day. I sat scared in the dark trying to keep the fire going because it was freezing and I was desperate. Luckily the power cut didn’t last long and I survived. Don’t you worry. Anyway Friday there were 7 earth quakes in Rotorua town! My host brother who lives in town felt the house rolling and there were many facebook statuses haha. Because I live 25 minutes out of town I didn’t feel any here in Hamurana, I was upset because I wanted to feel one but they all told me off ‘No Ana you do not!’. Oh well. I went to bed that night and at 03.58 my alarm went off to see Mexico play! I got up and watched the game in my pajamas wrapped in my duvet like ET. After they won 1-0 I happily went for a 30 minute nap but then Holland was playing at 07.00 so I had to get up again. For that game my host dad joined me and my host mum aswell later on. I wore my orange t-shirt and watched the game between Holland and Spain and man what a game! I was yelling and cheering and telling of the Spanish. My host mum told the other to never get on the wrong side with me haha, I think I got a bit too excited. But with a 5-1 score for Holland I could not reply, of course my hero Van Persie scored some goals. Then at 10.00 Australia played and even though Kiwi’s never support Aussie we did this time! But we were not lucky this time. The rest of the day was lazy and I was supposed to go pig hunting that night. Hunting is a really kiwi thing. Usually they go for the big pest; possums. But they also do bunnies or birds or deer. But it got cancelled last minute. So instead I went to 1 of the 10 best spa’s in the world; The Polynesian spa’s in Rotorua. Honestly there are so many things to do in my town I still have a lot to cross off my list! The spa’s exist of different hot pools. So they look like little swimming pools but they’re heated with thermal activity and to give it a bit more natural look they’re surrounded by lots of trees and rocks and some pools had the gorgeous view out on the lake! It was just 5pm but already dark because of winter! Also a full moon. The rugby (England – NZ All Blacks) was on that night so we didn’t expect anyone to be there but of course there was an Asian invasion as everywhere in New Zealand. Especially Rotorua gets a lot of tourists! After soaking in 42 degrees we went to a little Japanese restaurant that reminded me a little bit of my old work in Holland, Shabu Shabu. Back home I was knackered and went to sleep early.

This morning I managed to wake up at 10AM to see England – Italy. What a game! Too bad for our English friends though.. After that I went to do some groceries with my host mum. I am so used to everything now here even the simple things as grocery shopping are different and I don’t even realise anymore. People here put all your products in plastic bags for you so you basically don’t have to do anything. Reminds me of Mexico but you don’t have to pay them extra. Also I can’t imagine driving on the right side of the road anymore. Whenever I think of sitting in the car back home I remember it as me sitting on the left side of the car, like here. That’s going to be a shocker when I go back haha! I finally know what way to look when crossing the road, it took me a good 10 months but now I’ll have to do it all over again when I go back! Furthermore I have more exciting things this week! Next Saturday I have my first ever school ball! Themed; Gatsby. Can’t wait! We first have a pre-ball at my old host family’s house. Everybody gets dressed up and takes lots of photos and has a few drinks. Then around 19.00 we all go in our vehicles to the ball where there is a red carpet where you have to walk with your partner to the entrance and then the fun begins! It finishes at 23.00, which is really Kiwi because everything here starts and ends early!! Crazy how early people go to bed here by the way, 21.30 on a good night haha. But luckily one of the students offered their house for a bit after-ball! So that’s where we’re going after till about 03.00/03.30. I’m surprised that its that late! So I bought my ball ticket which was incredibly expensive, a good $100. My afterball ticket. Yes very organized because we get picked up and dropped off by busses to and from the house where the party is at. The only thing missing is: a dress, shoes, jewellery, make up, hair and a ride to the ball. And I have exactly 5 days. Yes. I love to procrastinate. But believe me, to find a affordable dress and an original one is very difficult! There are over 200 girls going to the ball and there’s a special page where people post their dresses so you don’t get the same one so it’s not that easy!

Furthermore I went to the ‘Field Days’ Thursday. It’s the biggest Farming event in Australasia. I went there with school. Crazy by the way, every time there is a school event we have to leave school at 7AM. Who does that???? Anyway when we got there it was a huge grass field with lots of brand promoting their farming products or clothes etc. I had two goals that day: buy a fleece top from a really big Kiwi brand called Hunting&Fishing and find as much free food as possible. And I succeeded. Me and some other girls found a lot of food, even a kitchen area with a big room full of stands! There was also a famous chef but he was just signing books, bit disappointing. But we got lots to taste. Chocolate, nachos, meat, juice, fudge and of course toast. Because Kiwi’s don’t eat fresh bread just toast! I also got a drinking glass with our photo on it. Quite cool actually.

Well that’s me for today. The fire is going out, Adele is singing a sleepy song on tv and I have to brush my teeth! It sucks that all the games are on in the early morning. I feel like I am more patriotic about my countries now than ever before haha! I secretly wish I was in Holland or Mexico watching the game with friends and family because it’s a bit boring sitting on my own with my flag. Nobody cares about soccer in this country, just rugby. Oh well I still don’t want to go back yet! And a little update about the jaw: I will need another surgery back in Holland. My surgeon said: “Ana you have done one of the worst things possible to yourself and everything that can go wrong is. What is it with you poor girl I don’t want to do anything anymore to you!” yes very lucky am I aren’t I? My screws came loose so the plate has to get out! Maybe it’s for the better because it still hurts. I’ll have to compensate the surgery with a few trips abroad to visit my exchange friends in my last weeks of holiday before I start uni end of August! Kia Ora everybody