A Dunedin retrospective.
Arriving on the bus into cloudy Dunedin in 2005 - a lot like future arrivals into Dunedin; no matter how nice the weather was elsewhere, it was always cloudy or raining on my return. We got picked up from the bus station by a friend. Driving around, Dunedin seemed like a real city!
Walking to university for the first time. A friend showed me the nice way through the botanical gardens. It was sunny and warm, but we still hadn't unpacked all of our boxes, so I was stuck wearing a long black skirt and boots. I remember talking to my supervisor and then the department administrator showing me around the place.
The first time I went to the university Taekwon-Do club (the club that I would later inherit), I thought I was going to die. They did a lot more intense exercise than my old club! Also, I was quite unfit!
One of the first meals we had as a flat was sushi that I think I prepared.
The first time we heard our flatmate play his guitar, it was Nine Inch Nails. Yay for surprise common taste in music!
The first party I attended. Two people had a chocolate sauce drinking contest, with unfortunate consequences.
I remember freezing in the flat until the fireplace was installed, and then later chopping wood with the flatmates. I liked chopping wood. We also went from a temperature of less than 10 degrees C (good old Dunedin houses) in our living room to 25 degrees if we closed the door.
The first time I went to the university gym (probably 2007), I ran 2 km on the treadmill and thought I was going to die.
In 2008, we moved to a flat with a fantastic view of the city. I remember walking to university through town in the mornings. I still miss the beautiful sunny mornings at that place. That year, towards the end, I was able to run without feeling like I was going to die.
I taught my first Taekwon-Do class in 2009. I was nervous as hell.
In 2011, we made a Bose-Einstein condensate in the lab for the first time. It was the culmination of a lot of work!
The last couple of years were really a blur of working, training, and almost no socialising. They passed very quickly! Almost too quickly.
I already miss the place.
Arriving on the bus into cloudy Dunedin in 2005 - a lot like future arrivals into Dunedin; no matter how nice the weather was elsewhere, it was always cloudy or raining on my return. We got picked up from the bus station by a friend. Driving around, Dunedin seemed like a real city!
Walking to university for the first time. A friend showed me the nice way through the botanical gardens. It was sunny and warm, but we still hadn't unpacked all of our boxes, so I was stuck wearing a long black skirt and boots. I remember talking to my supervisor and then the department administrator showing me around the place.
The first time I went to the university Taekwon-Do club (the club that I would later inherit), I thought I was going to die. They did a lot more intense exercise than my old club! Also, I was quite unfit!
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| A favoured running spot along the harbour, when I could run without feeling like death. |
One of the first meals we had as a flat was sushi that I think I prepared.
The first time we heard our flatmate play his guitar, it was Nine Inch Nails. Yay for surprise common taste in music!
The first party I attended. Two people had a chocolate sauce drinking contest, with unfortunate consequences.
I remember freezing in the flat until the fireplace was installed, and then later chopping wood with the flatmates. I liked chopping wood. We also went from a temperature of less than 10 degrees C (good old Dunedin houses) in our living room to 25 degrees if we closed the door.
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| Dunedin from Flagstaff. |
The first time I went to the university gym (probably 2007), I ran 2 km on the treadmill and thought I was going to die.
In 2008, we moved to a flat with a fantastic view of the city. I remember walking to university through town in the mornings. I still miss the beautiful sunny mornings at that place. That year, towards the end, I was able to run without feeling like I was going to die.
I taught my first Taekwon-Do class in 2009. I was nervous as hell.
 |
| PhD graduation at Otago with my family. |
In 2011, we made a Bose-Einstein condensate in the lab for the first time. It was the culmination of a lot of work!
The last couple of years were really a blur of working, training, and almost no socialising. They passed very quickly! Almost too quickly.
 |
| Tunnel Beach: one of Dunedin's hidden gems. |
I already miss the place.
