To begin with most wonder, how does living in an Old Convent with 17 other people work? We do our best to answer this with explanations of everything from composting, bicycle tire changing, and recycling to our meals and chore rotations. Fact: Did you know that hot drinks are ALWAYS available? This includes fair trade coffee and teas, plus hot chocolate. We also begin to get to know each through a variety of community events throughout the week.
Most newcomers to CCSP also wonder, “How far away is the Kaikoura downtown?” “Is there an internet café within biking distance?” and “What is the mayor’s name?” These questions and more we attempt to answer by way of a fun filled afternoon scavenger hunt. Students came home with stories of kind strangers who fixed broken bicycle chains, the mayor’s name, and a wealth of knowledge about downtown Kaikoura.
On Sunday evening students and staff welcomed our friends and neighbors to the Old Convent for a barbeque dinner. Alex Gilbert (Point Loma ’12) and Scott Markley (Messiah ’12) put up a slack line in the backyard that turned out to be a big hit, and Jess (Kitchen Manager) made a banana cake and zucchini cake that words can’t really describe.
The rest of the week was full with orientation to various aspects of CCSP. In addition, we all traveled to Sawcut Gorge on Wednesday for an excellent day-hike, complete with swimming, picnic lunch, and more photo opportunities than you can possibly imagine, unless you happen to be Scott, Alyssa Kunkle (Messiah ’12), or Sandy Dzielak (Messiah ’12) all who happen to be avid photographers.
Which brings us to this weekend. All of the students are enjoying a weekend of exploring New Zealand a little more before classes start on Monday. Scott, Caleb King (Wheaton ’11), Alex, and Lance Clevinger (Wheaton ’11) all went tramping in the Inland Kaikoura Mountains. The rest of the crew traveled down to Christchurch where they intended to spend the weekend exploring the city.
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