Christchurch, NZ

I am now in Christchurch, NZ. We continued training on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Then, we flew to LA that afternoon. Next was our flight to Auckland, NZ that night. It was actually a really cool flight. The seats were super comfortable, and the food was decent. They also gave snacks, eye masks, headsets for the on-demand individual tv programs, blankets, pillows, and toothbrushes with toothpaste. I actually realized that I enjoyed the 13 hour flight more than I do the 8 and 9 hour flights to Europe. With the longer flight, you have more time to sleep in between dinner and breakfast. On those shorter ones, it feels like you just finished eating when they wake you up for the end of the flight. At least with the long one, there is some chance for sleep. And I slept a long time. I woke up in the middle though and looked out the window to see tons of stars. It was a really cool feeling, and reminded me how much I am looking forward to this whole experience.

Our arrival in Auckland, and journey through customs was very easy. However, NZ is intense about anyone bringing in anything that can grow from outside the country though. Everyone got sniffed by a dog while waiting for luggage. We were issued 12 month visas, and then got to exchange money for free, both thanks to the USAP program J (typically when you exchange money you are charged a commission). Then we went through declarations, which is where if you told the customs people on a form that you have anything that they might not like (like food, or in NZ’s case, hiking gear) you have to show it to an official to see if its ok. They are really worried about people bringing in dirt on hiking gear. I only had boots, which I had washed the night before so they didn’t take them from me. Then we went to walk to the domestic terminal, checked in, and ate lunch- everything I have eaten here has been amazing so far.

Next was a quick flight to Christchurch, and shuttles to the hotel. After getting settled in, we all went out for drinks and dinner, and I had some amazing sushi. Christchurch is a really cool city. By 9pm I was so, so, so tired (thank you jetlag) so I just came home. I received a note under my door saying our time at the Clothing Distribution Center (where we get our extreme cold weather gear) had been changed from 1pm to 8am. Things change last minute a lot around here, plus the flight that was supposed to go to the ice yesterday didn’t make it out there so things are a little jumbled. The upside of that, we might get to stay in Christchurch for longer!!!

So, we took shuttles to the CDC and arrived at 8. There, we had light vehicle training, got our computers screened (I had failed the first time L), watched an orientation video, and tried on all of our ECW. ECW stands for extreme cold weather gear. They gave us bags of it that had been put together based on the sizes we had given them and what our jobs entail we had to try everything on, get stuff exchanged if it was broken or didn’t fit, and request extras if we wanted any. Now we get to repack stuff for the ice flight. Flying down to the ice, we have to wear certain pieces of our ECW. We also have to pack a “boomerang bag”. If our flight has to turn around (or “boomerang”) due to weather in McMurdo, then we have another night in Christchurch. We would only get back our small boomerang bags- so they have to be filled with the stuff we need for another night in Christchurch.

This trip has been so exciting so far, and it keeps getting cooler and cooler. Everyone here is so nice and helpful, and since I am a newbie, or “FNG” (try to figure out what that one means J) I am always asking questions because I am always confused, so their helpfulness is greatly appreciated. I am so looking forward to getting to the ice- I have missed it so much this whole year since I went to visit in December.