In Case You Didn't Know....

Since I will be calling New Zealand my home for 8 weeks I have been doing some research and have learned some interesting 'facts' about New Zealand. Here are some things to know.

To start things off it is probably important to mention that tonight I drove over an hour in the worst mix of snow and ice that I have ever driven in. (Not that that is saying much since I've only been driving for five years and I am sure I have many years of nasty, winter driving ahead of me.) I thought it was crazy to have such horrible only 10 days before spring. This leads me to my first point....

-Seasons are opposite in New Zealand and America. This means while you are at the beginning of a cold Winter, I will be at the start of a new, warm spring! (I'll admit I am sad to know that I will probably miss the first snow!)

-New Zealand has the highest literacy rate of any country, 99% to be exact. This is something I learned before I knew I would be student teaching in Alexandra. Not too shabby since my endorsement is in English and language arts.

-One American dollar is equal to $1.38 in New Zealand.

-I am currently taking a class about human sexuality and today I learned that in NZ prostitution is legal. Maybe not an important fact, but you probably didn't know!

-If you know me well at all, you know that I LOVE wine! Well, it just so turns out that there are FOUR wineries in Alexandra. I am the luckiest girl!

-New Zealand is the youngest country in the world.

-My favorite fruit happens to be kiwi. Ironically enough, the dollar in New Zealand is often called 'The Kiwi.' However their money is named after a bird, not the fruit.

-The time difference is so large that I am starting to think it might actually be easy to get used to. Right now it is 2:35 a.m. in America and 9:36 p.m. in New Zealand. For all of you aren't so hot with fast math, that is 19 hours. YIKES! That time difference means a 27 hour flight for me!

-While I am down under I am sure I will meet plenty of nice young men who have great accents. Speaking of cute New Zealanders, Russell Crowe is from New Zealand.

-Finally for all you worry-warts, the water in NZ is fine. While this might seem random, I found this in the FAQ section of a New Zealand website.

I hope you enjoy my random 'facts.' I am sure I will have plenty more as I continue researching for my journey! Until then, good night.