Hopping off the plane in Wellington and immediately calling my mom.
Sanjesh’s recommendations on where to find good places to eat.
Asking Imogen if I could borrow her phone to call the Cube that I had arrived.
The way the Cube’s walls would whistle when it was really windy. It was super windy when I first moved in.
Texting my family and friends back home that there had been a 6.1 earthquake.
Ethan and Peter moving in a week after having been in the flat by myself.
The amount of times 4C ordered meat on chips when we came back from town or just felt like it.
Fries being called “chips.”
My love for bread and hummus.
The. fucking. bread.
The unrefrigerated eggs.
The mango paletas.
The Kiwi accent.
The metric system.
The drivers on the opposite side of the road.
Meeting Sum at the UCEAP orientation and going to the Massey international student one later, where I met a lot of other cool international students. We went to Countdown for lunch, where I got teriyaki chicken on rice with mayo from Saint Pierre’s Sushi for the first time. I showed Sum the Cube cuz she was interested in how it looked like.
The gay couple at the Lorde concert and walking back home in the rain. Such an incredible feeling that I will never forget.
My first pres.
Meeting Andrea.
Anxiously calling Elena about the pres.
Buying the fairy lights with Ethan.
The first time Ethan cooked us mince and pasta and it being the consistency of mush so I suggested we eat it on tostadas. That was his first time trying tostadas I think.
Ground beef being called “mince”
Going to Countdown and halling all my stuff back home cuz I wanted to go on a walk.
Our go-to foods being mince and pasta and egg fried rice the last month I was in NZ.
$ x 0.63.
My second time going to Countdown with Imogen. I had been chilling in the lobby after taking pictures around the CBD. While in the lobby, I saw her walk in from the back door, and I asked if she wanted to go eat something. We went to Hell’s across the street, where we talked about our short time in Welly. She was from a part of the South Island and had come to Welly for film production school. After our meal, we decided to go to Countdown. I did an impromptu photo shoot of her as we walked to Countdown.
I felt sick after my first pres, and she brought me gatorade and a chocolate bar. We hung out another time and played Smash on the Switch, and I didn’t know that would be the last time we would hang out. Nothing bad happened; we just had different schedules and made other friends. I saw her around the building sometimes and would say hi.
My first pres I went to that Peter held at our flat, where I met a lot of people, and where I met Andrea. “Are you Mexican?” I asked her that night lol.
Getting my chain at Spacesuit, wearing it, and taking a random bus from Cuba and Manners all the way down to Lyall Bay. A mixture of emotions that evening.
“Please check your balance.”
Going to Countdown and just getting a red bell pepper and a liter of almond milk after class.
That feeling of walking to Countdown like there were not worries in the world. (Haha not between May 19 to June tho cuz he was still in the area, and I didn’t want to see him there, possibly.)
Saint Patrick’s Day when I tried beer for the first time and Peter and Ethan recommended Export. We went to the dancers’ flat across the bridge afterward for a pres, which was not the vibe, honestly. We went an Irish pub on Cuba with them, and I wasn’t able to get into Dakota’s with my US ID cuz only passports were accepted if you didn’t have an NZ ID.
Sum’s birthday at a library bar.
The first time I tried rosé with 7G. It was Emily’s, and since Aneshia said that Emily had it in the fridge for a while, she wouldn’t mind me having some. That was after going to dinner with them at 1154.
The type classroom, even tho it was stressful sometimes being around students who had been learning about graphic design a year prior.
The love/hate I had for Fay.
Leaving DSIIA early with Alannis and eating the $5 pizza slice at Tussock while chismeando. I’d get a brownie from the vending machine cuz it was cheaper than getting it from the cafe. We’d talk a lot about Fay.
Saying “Nobody knows me here, so it doesn’t matter how I look doing something new.”
Hanging out with Andrea after not seeing her for a bit. We did an impromptu photoshoot near Cuba and Manners where a guy attempted to steal her bag, but I ran after the guy and got it back. Kase called Andrea a while later cuz he wanted to go to town, and Andrea invited me. We went to a little gathering at Cumberland before town, where I met Charlise. We went to the clubs after, and I danced at my first gay one. That was the start of something, to say the least.
Ivy, El Barrio, Sassy’s Shady’s, Circus.
Macca’s with Kase.
McDonald’s being called “Macca’s.”
The thrill of it all.
Slay.
Being risky smart. Sometimes I was just risky, other times I was too smart. In the end, I learned what I learned.
Booking the tickets to the South Island and Australia before heading over with Peter and Akash to volleyball in the high school gym, where I filled in a spot for someone who wasn’t there that Wednesday.
Teasing Andrea about the guy at volleyball who liked her. Yeah nah, girl he was not it.
Heading over to Plant Therapy, buying a spider plant, and buying a book at that one used bookstore.
The late-night talks with 4c + Grace.
Tui.
Emma, who was from Connecticut. She had been in NZ for the past 10 years cuz she met her mans while in school those years back. We weren’t close, but talking to her in all my three classes was nice. Her accent was still mostly American with specs of a Kiwi one. I hope she’s doing good.
Eating ramen after type class for the first couple months of being in NZ.
Fresh minty chip from Duck Island. Damn, why did it have to be a seasonal flavor?
Going to the cinema with Andrea instead of doing our hw. We watched the Mario Movie, The Little Mermaid, and the second Spiderverse movie.
That one day Alannis and I wanted to eat something after DSIIA so she suggested we check out Cuba St. We got burritos from that one place that was on the corner of a block close to the Cube. Ben and Jerry’s was giving out free ice cream that day, so we got some afterward. I forgot the flavor I got, I just remember it being good. We went to Peaches n’ Cream before that haha. I went to CCC after that.
Queenstown and Christchurch.
That time Alannis and I went to Saint Pierre’s Sushi for my birthday. She lost the ring her boyfriend gave her for their anniversary cuz she took it off due to the rain and put it in her jacket pocket. We assume that she accidentally dropped it when putting her hands in her pockets, forgetting that her ring was in there, and taking her hands out again without being careful. We each bought a clear umbrella at Daiso cuz of the rain but also cuz of the aesthetic. I only used it that day because Welly wind plus rain is another thing and unsuitable for umbrellas.
Realizing that I loved studying abroad with all of its ups and downs.
My 21st birthday with 4C and 7G at 12am.
Getting drinks with Andrea at Joel’s for my 21st.
Getting my ears pierced with Ethan the day after my 21st birthday. We saw him on our way to book our appointment. I told Ethan to walk faster, and he got the hint that the guy who I had told him I lost my virginity to a few days before was next to us. This foo, gives me a pathetic hi after I greet him. lol.
Swimming in Lyall Bay with Kase and Andrea, and being the only ones in the water. It was chilly. I ate fish ‘n chips for the first time with them and even tried ginger beer after our swim. Andrea wanted to go to the spa, so we went to one at WRAC, where we swam in one of their bigger pools.
Moon.
Newtown.
The excitement and nervousness of meeting someone off Tinder for the first time in a while. He would turn out not to be what I was looking for. There were some things he said during the first time I met him that non desperate me would see as reasons to walk away. He was a good communicator during foreplay and sex tho. “Is this ok?” and “Does this feel good?” I lost my virginity that night, 3 May 2023. I had class the following day, so I skedaddled out of his place at around 1am, and he was literally falling asleep by the end…
We watched a lot of movies and Charity Shop Sue while we sat next to each other the second time I went to his flat. I rubbed his head a few times as he lay on my lap. He knew how to finger, I’m not gonna lie. I ended things with him after seeing him this second time cuz I was catching feelings and knew that he was just there for the hookup. He told me he felt a similar way and didn’t want us to get intimate again. I cried for a week straight, got better, lived my life for another week, and the whole thing happened again but somewhat better, just with guy number two.
Rush.
Andrea and I’s life update vlog at the Memorial + photoshoot around cbd instead of doing hw.
Staying up late with Ethan and Peter.
Watching the stars with Ethan and Peter on top of the sheds at the waterfront. We saw a shooting star.
Riding the scooters with Andrea across Courteny Pl and looking at the view from a street we had rode into. We were just supposed to go out to the Z to get Andrea a cup of noodles, but since it didn’t have any, we went to Night ‘n Day, and Andrea suggested we ride scooters back home. We took the longggg way home <3. Me gustas.
Spicy chai tea.
Barely being in town for half an hour the last time I went with Andrea. Ethan and I went to a pres down at 3D where Andrea, Kase, and Emily were flatting and we played a drinking game. I got lucky cuz I didn’t have to drink anything for the game, tho I drank a Good Beer and a couple and half Tuis, which made me tipsy but honestly, I was probably drunk.
Eating at that one place next to the Cube the day after our unsuccessful town excursion.
Bowling with Ethan, 3D, and 7G.
Crying while Andrea packed for Samoa. She played Rush, which she had introduced me a couple weeks before, while I lay on her bed reminiscing on our adventures together. I slept over that night and we talked about life, how it felt like we had known each other longer than the time we knew each other, and our plans for the future. We only slept like four hours cuz we talked a lot and had to get up early for Andrea’s flight. We Ubered to the airport and barely got to pick up our food order before Andrea had to run to board her flight. She forgot her boarding pass on the table we had been waiting at, so she ran back in my direction, and she looked like someone from a movie running towards someone who had to say one last goodbye. I also took Kase to the airport later in the afternoon.
Grace’s flat party.
Feeling like the night was still young at San Fran for Riki Reid, where I met people and danced with them. I had gone to the show alone because my friends were out of the city for the semester break or had other plans. I remember waiting in line and seeing not a lot of people there so I wondered if it was even worth going in. I was like, well, I don’t really have anywhere else to be or hw to do, so I might as well commit to the show. I got some sort of seltzer, realized that the show hadn’t even started by the time I finished it, and decided to get a rosé cuz honestly, I wanted to get tipsy and help me loosen up and start dancing.
People slowly started showing up after the hour mark the doors opened for entry and that’s whenthe floor got packed. I got someone’s snapchat that night and danced with her for the part of the night. They went their own way before the show ended and I was still vibing, so I stayed to keep listening to Riki and keep dancing. I met up with Grace at El Barrio afterward.
The guy who I left on delivered and eventually ghosted. I lost a good guy that night. Thank you for the peace of mind. I also hope you’re doing good.
Being approached by him at Ivy and telling me all what he told me. I could see in his eyes that he wanted more than what I felt comfortable giving him, but I still wanted to spend time with him. I took him to the waterfront, where we talked about whatever was on our minds. He taught me how to make out. He made me a toastie back at his place, which was a 6/10. That includes a point for the effort cuz his ass was drunk af. A lot happened the following day that I have mixed feelings about. It officially became platonic about a month later when I was in North Carolina. Nevertheless, it was a connection that I hope to feel again with someone when the time comes, and we’re both open to it.
The lessons I learned at 64 Wright St.
The love I felt and the lessons I learned at Dixon St.
Alannis and I’s zoo trip and dinner plus timezone photobooth. That was the last time I saw her in person. La que soporte <3
Getting Flying Burrito Brothers after my hike to Mt Victoria Lookout.
Riding the train to Upper Hutt.
Going with Peter to the gig Grace invited me to and realizing it was a heavy metal one. We took a bus back to Courtney Pl afterward and talked for a while at an Irish pub, answering We’re Not Really Stranger prompts from Instagram. I bought a pint of beer there that I shared with Grace.
The night Grace, Peter, and Ethan gave me the pounamu necklace at Zealandia. Grace texted me that I needed to get on the next 18 bus cuz she Peter and Ethan had told her
My time + 5hrs = Santa Barbara
Brisbane and Sydney.
My time + 7hrs = Santa Barbara.
Feeling the rush of emotions as I stood at the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the wind blowing in my face, and the cars and trains below zooming by.
Eating st Saint Pierre’s Sushi with Ethan right when I got back to Wellington.
Riding the scooters with Ethan on Taranaki to the waterfront and to this area past the stadium where one of our scooters stopped working. We walked the hour and a half home, exploring some part of the city that looked erie cuz there were a lot of interior design/furntiure stores on one street. There was a billboard that looked purposely pixelated on that street too. Just weird vibes there. We made it to the cbd and we
Going to the Warehouse with Ethan in Lyall Bay cuz the one near the Cube had apparently been damaged by a fire. We took the bus there and got hungry afterward, so we decided to go to a newly opened Dominoes that we had seen on our way to the Warehouse. We walked to it cuz the bus was going to pass in the time we could make it to the place walking. Nice view.
We ate the pizza at a playground, and I tried an L&P that Ethan had recommended earlier at the Warehouse.
We went to Time Zone later that night where we played the drum game, the dancing one, and air hockey. We took some mean as pics in the photo booth as well.
The lock I engraved with my initials and a heart underneath that I left on the fence next to the green one at the waterfront.
Going to Te Papa with Ethan and Abby and going in the earthquake exhibit. We ate at Macca’s afterward and finally got to experience eating at the top since that part was usually closed off when we went late at night the other times. I walked past El Barrio and down Cuba St for the last time that evening, and I remember thinking that my time in NZ had gone by too fast.
Eating pancakes that Ethan and Abby had mixed up the night before I left at 7G with Emily. I barley ate any cuz I was nervous for the flight but mostly cuz I couldn’t swallow since I felt like crying. They accompanied me to the airport and stayed with me until I had to board my flight. I thought they had left after I had gone through security, but they were waiting at the part after security where there was a clear barrier between the entrance of security and after it. I tried so hard to hold in my tears, tho some managed to escape, as I waved goodbye to everyone, where it finally hit me. I let my tears flow as I turned around and slowly made my way to my terminal. It was the same terminal where I waited for my flight to Brisbane two weeks prior.
Texting him that I was leaving Wellington.
Sobbing in the plane as it gained speed on the runway cuz I realized that I was leaving the country that I felt like had accepted every part of me.
Remembering everything and everyone.
@jesnz
Saying bye too many times.
Mourning.
Being.