Prologue

If you're reading this you probably already know, but my name is Dustin and I'm a senior at the University of Northern Iowa. I'll be heading to the Auckland University of Technology to study computer science and electrical engineering for a year. More importantly, I'll be exploring New Zealand for the better part of a year. Here is where Auckland is, on the North Island.

I'll be living and studying in the main business suburb of Auckland, called Auckland City. It will be the end of summer in New Zealand, about 70 degrees every day. I'm going to try and travel some of the colder South Island before winter, cooler and rainy, hits in May or June. I made sure to buy sunscreen for the first few months there. The hole in the ozone layer above makes it easy to get burnt in 15 minutes, no joke for an Irish American.


I've been hanging out in the Danish hamlet that is Kimballton for the better part of two months now, but I'll be bidding Iowa farewell on Feb 10th and hopping planes to St. Louis, Los Angeles and finally Auckland. Since the plane will cross the date line I'll arrive on Feb 12th at 6:30am. I've booked a hostel for a couple nights while I get my bearings in the city(home to 1.2million people) and go apartment hunting.

Sooner than later I'll start posting up as many pictures as possible. It'll definitely be an experience; I can't wait to jump in to the Kiwi lifestyle. I haven't decided what I'm going to do about a phone yet, but I'm going to try to set up Skype before I leave and then try to find a good deal on a local cell when I get there. Leave me some comments/advice.