Twenty-seven SGB

New Zealand's best kept secret is undoubtedly Anderson Park. A magnificent white mansion full of artwork overlooks a lilly pond, rose garden, a brick pathway weaving through New Zealand foilage, and neatly trimmed hedges. The tui bird drums his call and any listener is captivated by the unique click. The day after I got back from the Dunedin trip was still spring break. That's nice because BYU doesn't believe in spring breaks. I sprung out of bed on Tuesday the 25th because I knew it was going to be a good day: we were going hedge jumping.

There are two ways to reach the top of the hedge: "rock climb" your way up the side or find a hole in the hedge and climb up the inside of the hedge and carefully displace your body weight so as to avoid falling back in. I chose the latter. It was the safer route in the long run. (This is Chase, Maggie, Ben and I on top of the hedge) Once on top of the hedge you can stop to see the scenery. You can admire the lilly pond, rose garden, and the brick pathway weaving through New Zealand foilage. Or if you perfer you may cast your eyes heavenward. The clouds look even faster when you're fifteen feet off the ground.

But you can't stay captivated by the view for long. You have to make room for the other friends making their way up the hedge-perhaps in riskier conditions. KPax took the rock climbing route. She managed to gnarl up her foot pretty bad. Meanwhile Chase and I went all the way to the edge of the hedge. This involved avoiding many hidden "escape routes" (aka holes of death). But we managed. We're cool like that.

So there we were-all twelve of us-minding our own business on top of a soft green hedge when I see a man below us with a candy-apple red vest and dark sunglasses emerge from the white mansion make a bearing for the hedge. "Uh...guys...I see an authoritative figure coming over here." I announced to the twelve hedge-high sunbathing students. "Look natural."

I guess we just didn't do a very good job acting natural on top of that hedge. Maybe we looked too much like tourists. I don't know but for whatever reason the man spotted us and requested we get off the hedge, claiming that hedges just aren't made for that. Silly man. Doesn't he know hedges were made for the soul purpose of having naps and picnics on?

Classes began again on Wednesday. We went tramping. Jason and John have us take a map and a compass and find our way through the brush. Katie Jo and Maggie and I are really good at Jason Bourne-ing our way through the brush.

Yesterday we went tramping again but this time they only gave us a map...no compass. That was exciting. When we got to the bend in the river we made floating fires and our huts out of flax and sticks.

Each morning I hit the snooze button a bare minimum of four times, kick my way through my purple bedsheets, rub my eyes as I walk down the hall to the kitchen, and help myself to a nutritious way to start my day. After taking my dishes to the sink I grab the lunch Joyce had packed in a semitransparent tupperware and take it back to my purple room. Then I open the lid of the semitransparent tupperware, take out the granola bar only to stash it in my suitcase in my closet that has an awkwardly high handel. Today I reached 27 SGB...stashed granola bars. I'm excited because that means I won't starve to death in Australia.

I just finished some more volunteering hours by playing games at a Methodist church. Stefanie taught us some jump roping. I learned how to double dutch. I feel very accomplished today.