University of Canterbury

My excuse for being in New Zealand is that this is my study abroad semester, so I'm enrolled in the University of Canterbury. It's a lot bigger than Midd (about 16,000 students, apparently), and the buildings feel a lot older. Also, the classes tend to be a lot bigger, and at orientation they told us not to worry about what time we enrolled in classes because they wouldn't fill up. A nice change from fighting with Banner Web first thing in the morning!

The work load is also a little different. I usually have readings assigned every for week or for every class at Midd, and graded assignments several times a semester. However, here there are occasionally some recommended readings to do at some point, maybe one essay in the middle of the semester, and then a final exam that's worth anywhere from 50-70% of your final grade. It'll take some getting used to, but I think it will be nice to be able to do work at my own pace. My classes are Microbiology, Antartic Studies: Life in the Cold (New Zealand is one of the centers for Antarctic Studies in the world, and particular Christchurch), Spanish Conversation and Pronunciation, and a class called Science, Maori, and Indigenous Knowledge which is currently a Maori culture class but will become more of a comparison of Maori knowledge and current scientific thought in the second half of the semester.

This is the library. It's absolutely huge, something like 11 stories high, with a big open space underneath it for student events and things. My favorite part, though, is that there's a fountain next to the stairs, which empties into a pool underneath the stairs, and then goes to a waterfall on the other side of the stairs, which empties into another pool that's surrounded by the huge ferns that you see all over here. It's very pretty- I wish the picture did it justice!

This is the campus bookstore. Just like Midd, it's rather expensive, but it's actually a bookstore in that it sells regular books (not just textbooks and books written by the faculty). Unfortunately, it doesn't sell U. Canterbury sweatshirts... Also, you can see one of the many restaurants/cafes on campus right next to it. The one in the picture is a pretty decent Indian restaurant.

Finally, this is the logo for the University of

Canterbury Student Association. They run all sorts of stuff and have a big center with cafes and restaurants and bars in it. It's obviously abbreviated UCSA, so I keep thinking University of California... San Antonio? And then I remember that neither I nor San Antonio is in California...