LOUISE

Started the year working at Micky Finn's. The very same night I got to know Mark Smith, a legendary charmin English guy who became a very close friend in the city of Christchurch and whom I hung out with more or less every day.

My sister Erica travelled all the way to New Zealand and we met in person for the first time since 5 July 2010. The same day, ironically, my high school friend Erika and her boyfriend also made their way to the land of the long white cloud, and we all stayed at Kelsey's apartment, whom I lived with in Christchurch. Mid February I moved back to Auckland and started uni again. Two days after leaving Christchurch a 6.3 earthquake struck and killed 181 people.

One of my first days back in Auckland I made small talk in the courtyard to an American boy with a cap and sun glasses on. He, Christopher, soon became a very good friend of mine. His flatmates turned out to be great people as well, and I soon began to hang out in their apartment about as much as I did in my own.

One of my own flatmates, Christian from Germany who was traveling when I moved in at Wellesley Student Apartments, turned out to be a cool dude. Faith brough us together a few months earlier though, as he contacted me with a million of questions regarding New Zealand as he was about to move there. Neither of us though we'd end up living in the same apartment with our bedrooms right next to each other.

Except from all the new people at WSA whom I became good friends with I also got to know some people who stayed there before at the same time as I did, but whom I never really got to know that good. Tomo, Tash, Hailey, Mak, Elise, Sarah, Natalie, Lua, and the list goes on (and it goes on and on and on).

Wanted out of the big city, so myself and my German friend Mario (whom I share the love for sarcasm with) packed our bags, borrowed a tent and wrote signs saying "COROMANDEL" and went hitch hiking for a weekend. We ended up seeing more than we thought we would, and had a great time traveling.

Two weeks after that we went on another mission: Tongariro National Park in which we did a 12 hour hike which included climbing a 2300 km mountain. Myself, Eirik, Andy, Stephanie, Mario, and a couple more people suffered though the agonizing hike together. Well, it was agonizing for me at least.

The mid-break in April was not as exciting as the previous one in September 2010, but I spend two weeks house and cat sitting in the beautiful area of Mission Bay.

In April I also bought my tickes back to Sweden, and therefore made it official that I was coming back.

An interest for electronic music deleoped iunside of me. I blame German and American Chris.

I also went to my first Auckland Blues rugby game, my final exams took place and I was freaking out about being accepted to Linneaus University in Växjö, I wanted to go there so badly! In May I also hung out in Kingsland a lot with all the lovely ladies, which resulted in a lot of wine, lots of great people and many good memories.

I finished all of my exams and was officially DONE with my Certificate at Auckland University of Technology. The last two weeks were excruciating as I wasn't sleeping, not eating properly, studying all the time and I was worried out of my mind about my grades. It did turn out well however and I did good on all of my exams.

My final two weeks in New Zealand I spent most of my time in apartment 2E and partying.

27 June Tomo and Lua went to the airport with me and I sais my final good bye's. It wasn't easy, and I spent several hours on the flights from AKL to LA and from LA to London crying. I did however recover as Klara picked me up in Copenhagen on the 28th and I realized it was, in the end, nice to be back.

I spent basically the whole month hanging out with people whom I hadn't met for about a year, which cheered me up. I also went to Copenhagen for a few days to hang out with Elin.

Except from that, I got my letter of acceptance from Linnaeus University, and the search for an apartment began..

Moved into my current apartment in Växjö as I started studying here.

Got my job at the student pub.

Nothing in particular happened really except from my family coming up to Växjö to celebrate my 20th birthday.

Linnéa Porathe came to Växjö - reunion!

Went to the Netherlands to see Esme and Dominik which was great!

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In summary, my 2011 consisted of 6 very intense and exciting months, and 6 less intensive and exciting. However I am pleased with what has been and I hope 2012 will have at least as much to offer. Over n' out.