7.23.2005

Hanmer Springs and so much more

Yesterday I went to a place called Hanmer springs (its about 2 hours - don't know miles - northwest of here) and it was great. I spent like 4 hours in thermal pools, looking at the snow-capped mountains in the distance. So great. Well, it was great until I had to get out of the pool - it wasn't exactly a warm day. In fact it was pretty cold. But it was worth it.

There are so many Americans here. Half of my professors are American and just about all of the people I hang out with are too. I'm not sure I'm getting the full Kiwi experience here. Of course, this place isn't that different than the States in a lot of ways. I mean, they get our music, our movies, our TV shows - the American media is all over this place. And my accent isn't cool. That makes me kind of sad. Not only do they hear the American accent all the time, making it anything but special, but I also think that they don't like it much. I've heard that they think the American accent is annoying. Thats pretty understandable. I mean they are so articulate and well spoken and they use big words; we probably sound like idiots when we talk. Or maybe its just me. I still have trouble understanding them sometimes. Like this girl I met in one of my classes was asking me if I had any pets, but I kept hearing peets, so i didn't have a clue what she was talking about. Finally, she slowed it down, and asked if I owned any animals. I finally got it. I told her I used to have a dog named Buddy, but it died, and my parents didn't even tell me, and I was really upset about it. I have a feeling that was too much information.

The class we have together is Personality Psychology. We have our lab together too. We played this game in lab called "The Pairing game." Everyone is given a card with three personality adjectives on it and we can't look at it. We all go to the middle of the room and hold up our card so everyone else can see it and we have to find someone that we would want as a partner. It took me a long time to find someone who wanted me. Everyone kept laughing when they saw my card. Finally someone felt sorry for me and paired with me (I didn't think I had much room to be picky so I would have taken whoever wanted me). Then we had to tell the lab instructor whether we thought we had good or bad personality traits, or a mixture of both. I figured I had all bad. This is what I had:
Loyal
Horny
Low self-esteem
Ha Ha very funny. Now I know why everyone was laughing. Still don't know why no one wanted me...
By the way for all of you who wanted my address. here it is:
Jessica Lambert
University Hall
University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4760
Christchurch, New Zealand
I like getting mail...
One last thing - SO sorry that I haven't posted pictures yet...they will be coming shortly. And they will be worth the wait.

8 comments:

  1. Hey Jessi!! I miss you!
    That pairing game is funny...what was wrong with "loyal"?

    "The Loft Project" is going well. We've got Lauren and John's offices in, central air installed, and new windows. Plenty more stuff is still to be done.

    We miss you. Come home! (j/k)

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  2. Jessi! Bill Johnson will be in New Zealand:
    August 29 - September 2
    Auckland, New Zealand
    www.manifestpresence.org
    www.billjohnsonministries.org

    And you should go if you can. It'd be the coolest, and Jesus will be there.
    :)

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  3. There was a place like Hammer Springs I went to when I lived in Montana. We sat around in bubbling hot pools then shivered and dried off quickly when we got out. Good times.

    I'm surprised there's so many Americans around! Has it always been that way? I wonder if Lord of the Rings being filmed there has increased the number of visitors. Let me know what you find out. :)

    And that personality game strikes me as slightly wrong but funny. So Kiwis don't like girls that are loyal, horny, and have low self-esteem? Hahaha!

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  4. You know, low-self esteem and no one wanting to partner with you probably just increased the low-self esteem! Don;t they get it? Glad to hear you're doing well over there Jessi. Just leaving you some comment love!

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  5. maybe you could play up the southern accent really big. as long as they don't think southern americans are even more idiotic than the rest of them, you may get some intrigue points for the creative twist.
    just a suggestion. :)

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  6. Dang. I was hoping an American accent would be an asset in Brussels, but now I'm thinking my story might be more similar to yours.

    Similarily embarrasing... a couple of nights ago Mark (neighbor, works with me, student at yale, talks just like Boozey) and I were eating ice cream together in my living room and conversation was authentic and rich (the kind that makes me sigh with contentment)- and then he compared the ice cream flavor to an orgasm and it ruined the moment.

    I love you and I'm glad we got to spend chunks of the last three years of our lives together! You've made a Jessi-shaped impression on my heart. ( :

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  7. I think those adjectives describe you perfectly---hehe--sounds like fun and i don't think thats why people didn't want to pair with you--if you know what i mean---only kidding!!ttyl--love ya!!

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  8. Jessi wessi... whats up?? I miss hang out time with you!! I picked up your couch today and the quote door. I'm about to pass it on to the freshman girls...or I guess sophmore now. Anyways miss you a bunch. And the card thing was so funny!! E-mail me sometime. And don't worry I think your accent it hot. Love ya!! -kelly

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