Tourism in the Caribbean

Okay, ya'll, I'm heated.
So yesterday was our Caribbean Student Union meeting (yes, we all know I'm not actually from the Caribbean - fun fact: you don't gotta be Caribbean to be part of CSU) and our topic of discussion was tourism in the Caribbean. Man, so I was excited right! Like yes, finally, something I actually know about because when I go to the Caribbean I'm a tourist bc I'm not from there. And I go there a lot. If ya'll didn't notice my many complaints about missing the Caribbean while I was abroad in New Zealand, it's like my favorite place on Earth.
So anyways. Crystal, the president of CSU, had to be somewhere else during the meeting so she left some other guy in charge and idk who he was but man, he was no Crystal. So he opens the discussion by asking people to name countries people go to when they go to the Caribbean. Not Caribbean Islands, COUNTRIES that people go to when they go to the Caribbean.
So of course I start naming off countries. Bahamas (that one is accepted and he repeats it). My second choice is Mexico. This gets a "No that's not in the Caribbean" and I'm like "uh yeah actually it has a part in the Caribbean along with it's Pacific and Gulf parts" and the guy is just like "No". Then I'm like okay, Turks & Caicos, Cayman Islands, Virgin Islands both US and British and he just ignores me and starts talking back over me when I get to the Virgin Islands. Obviously I can name a lot more but I just shut up because he's talking again so I sit there stewing.
I am so angry over this Mexico comment.
HERE'S A MAP OF THE CARIBBEAN:

Oh, look, what is that over on the left?? Oh yeah, MEXICO!!!!!
Like hun, you might know about whatever country you're from, but when we're talking about like general tourism to the Caribbean, please do not doubt I know what I'm talking about.
And the other people in the room seemed to be getting angry too because the rest of the discussion seemed to only focus on Jamaica when there are clearly many more countries than just Jamaica in the Caribbean.
But back to Mexico. If you look on the map, Mexico has more area in the Caribbean than a bunch of the smaller Caribbean islands put together, so why does that not count as having a Caribbean vacation spot? Cruising is a major form of tourism in the Caribbean and many cruise ships do indeed go to Mexico when they go to the Caribbean! Cozumel and Riviera Maya (Playa del Carmen, Tulum, etc) come to mind. Which, look, Cozumel is indeed a Caribbean island, but guess what country it's part of? MEXICO. Therefore, if Cozumel is a Caribbean island but is part of the country of Mexico, that must mean that Mexico does indeed have part of the country in the Caribbean!!!!
Plus uh, they have Mexico episodes of Caribbean Life (only the best show on television, catch it on HGTV), which obviously they wouldn't put it on Caribbean Life if it wasn't in the Caribbean. (Yes they also have Mexico Life for the other parts of Mexico, but there have been instances where one of the destinations on Caribbean Life have been Mexico.)
Oh my goodness I'm heated. Like don't tell me I'm wrong when I know that I'm not and I have facts to back it up, including, oh look, a MAP!
I bet if he had let me keep listing countries that have a section in the Caribbean he would've also told me I was wrong when I said Colombia or Venezuela, probably even Honduras. Maybe I should buy him a map.
But whatever, someone just needs to ship me off on a boat to my dearest Caribbean Mexico with a fruity little drink in my hand and it'll be all better.

Until next time,

xoxo,

Tasha

PS. Sorry this post is really negative. The next one will most likely also be negative but then maybe they'll start picking up. 

Update

Hey ya'll
So I obviously didn't finish posting all my blog posts from New Zealand, but I do have a bunch written in a notebook somewhere so once I relocate that notebook I'll get those posted, then eventually I'll get around to writing the rest.
But a couple things have really been on my mind that I gotta blog out, so be on the lookout for those posts in the next coming days.
Also since I'm no longer in New Zealand I've changed the title of my blog to Travels with Tasha (gotta keep that alteration) but that's an awful title so if you have a better one, feel free to let me know in the comments below :)
Okay thanks ya'll

til next time,

xoxo,

Tasha

airplane thoughts

It's hard to write any of the 14 posts I have to write because all I can think about is my beloved Ocean City. Just 12 more days (only 9 more flights and 2 more finals) until I'm back on the beach in summer. I just came from Darwin (if I ever move to Australia, definitely my new vacation destination) where it felt like summer (at 91 degrees F) in the middle of winter. It was a much needed escape from the cold, but now I'm in desperate need of summer.
Lol tho, the drastic weather change destroyed my immune system and now my nose can't stop running and I can't catch it and I keep sneezing and my throat is killer and I'm covered in bruises. But it's back to freezing in 5 hours; it might make it better or it might kill me.
Okay maybe I'll start catching up on some posts now. Or maybe I'll just keep getting absorbed into my music (this flight has no tv, but it did have a meal, so good on ya, virgin)

Until next time,

xoxo,

Tasha 

Shine Bright like a Glowworm

Okay, it's literally humanly impossible to remember every detail of the posts I still have to write (11) and the ones I will need to do about this week (8), soo I'm going to attempt to get writing on some old posts I have to catch up on.
So the farthest one back is the glowworms, but I don't really feel like writing about them but it'll be the shortest because it was only like an hour and not that impressive so I guess I'll just start by doing my glowworm post.

I have to pee tho (I just did a tasting of like 12 beers) so hold up real quick tho. I'll write ya before I get on my tram tour tho, I promise.
Okay I'm back
So after Hobbiton we (the bus) went to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. So I wanted to do the black water rafting, but it was as expensive as Hobbiton and the glowworms, and Hobbiton was extremely expensive on it's own as well. So because I believed, as an American, Hobbiton was an essential part of New Zealand, I did the Hobbiton and Waitomo bus tour instead of doing black water rafting and Hobbiton separately for double the price. At the time I feel I was pretty okay with this, but then Celeste and friends did the blackwater rafting and it looked so fun. But oh well. I didn't have time for both anyways.
So after Hobbiton we went to Waitomo where we waited like 10 minutes for a tour guide. They told us we couldn't take pictures, but of course I tried anyways. First the guide took us into the caves where he explained to us about the stalactites and stalagmites and the limestone. I think it's so cool that the caves - the whole entirety of the caves - were once completely underwater. They're huge! Apparently, it makes for great acoustics. One of the guides had her wedding there, it makes it so good.
Then we went further into the cave where our guide explained about the glowworm life process, but thanks to Allison (I think, maybe it was one of the other girls, idk) I already knew a bit about it. Anywhos he took us further to tell us about their lives because we could see the 'fishing line' webs they use to catch their food here. It really does look like fishing lines! So cool.
So then we got on the boat for the glowworm cavern thingy, I forget what it's called. The place where there's a lot of them. Anyways I attempted to illegally take some pictures but my iPhone refuses to capture glowworms or stars or anything so it was all just black. But the glowworms looked just like stars but blue. Like lots and lots and lots of blue stars or tiny blue Christmas lights. I think I thought they looked like Christmas lights first before It thought they looked like stars. But like little dotty ones. But yeah.
We weren't actually in the glowworm grotto (that's what it was called) long but we couldn't talk and the silence (except for the drip drip of the cave) was deafening. Then after we got off the boat we could take pictures so I got one of the outside of the cave.
Then we went to the gift shop where I got Autumn a postcard because when we were fantasizin about if she would come to New Zealand the glowworms were at the top of her list of what she wanted to see. Would've been better if she was there but oh well.
I still had time before I had to get back on the bus so I got an ice cream. Then we headed back for Auckland.

Until next time,

xoxo,

Tasha

Slightly Smaller Than Hobbit Sized

Don't tell, but I still haven't actually seen the Lord of the Rings movies....I tried to watch the first one on the flight over here but I fell asleep about forty minutes into it. I did watch the first Hobbit movie tho, if that counts. But, being in New Zealand, it would have been very un-New Zealand of me to not go to Hobbiton. Since I'm not that invested in it and it was quite expensive, I didn't really want to go and was simply going because (as I just mentioned) I had to because I was in New Zealand, but I was pleasantly surprised.
On the way to Hobbiton, our bus driver gave great commentary on the areas we were passing. Sometimes he would pause, like to breathe, and in my head I would guess what was next and when I did that I was mostly right. It was nice because it made me feel smart about New Zealand and the Auckland area even tho I've spent like 0 time in Auckland (turns out I'm not really that big into cities - score 1 for daddy).
Hobbiton is located on the Alexander farm with 13,000 sheep and 400 cows. I really liked that it was on the Alexander farm because Uncle Danny's family is the Alexanders and I know they're probably most definitely not related but it's still cool.
So we had a tour guide that took us around Hobbiton and showed us all the Hobbit holes and gave us lots of Hobbiton trivia knowledge, so next Carnival Hobbiton trivia I totally got. Bring on the ships on the sticks.

Did you know they originally planned on filming on 12 different farms but the giant tree for the party scene (or wait maybe it was the lake) made them decide to only use the Alexander farm?
After the Lord of the Rings finished filming, the set was supposed to be destroyed so it could go back to being a farm again but a giant storm made them postpone destruction. While they were waiting it out a bunch (well 8 not really a bunch) of locals recognized the area from the movie and came to tour it and the Alexanders decided they could make money from tourists so they had them rebuild the set with stronger-longer lasting materials so they could give tours. Also the whole hobbit trilogy only took 12 days to film, but the set took over 2 years to put together.
The Hobbit holes were quite large. They had varying sizes but a lot of them I could easily fit in. Like the very first one we saw was very large. We couldn't go in it but I took a selfie to show my shortness with it.
The one I'm pictured in above I'm standing on a step in so I'm actually even smaller.
Also fun fact it wasn't raining but I hadn't worn my rain boots yet and I really wanted to wear them and it rained the day before so I wore them anyways.
Five hobbit holes were built just for the Hobbit trilogy. They're in the distance and small and were only used in case the camera shot too wide so it would look like the village continued instead of just farm.
There's also the oak tree above the famous hobbit hole and there are no oak trees in New Zealand so they had to build this tree. It's made of metal and the leaves are 5 shades brighter green than the natural stuff because the camera darkens it. But my eyes already have never seen such bright greens before so to me I couldn't tell the difference between the tree leaves and the grass but to like people who can see that brightness it's 5 shades lighter. Even tho it's totally fake it even fools the birds who often make nests in it.
So then after our tour we went to the Green Dragon for drinks. The sign says they ID unless you look over 25 and they didn't ID me and I don't think I look that old... If I do then when I'm really 25 I'll look over 30! Ew. So not down for being old, man.
Then after drinks we went to this party tent for our lunch and I was expecting like a sandwich on the bus but we got a full big buffet with like real meat and everything. My meat was dry and chewy but it was still meat so I tried my best to eat it. It was nice.

Then we got back on the bus to head to the glowworms (which has its own post so be patient my dears).

Until next time,

xoxo,

Tasha

The Chicken and Waffle Fail that wasn't really a fail at all

May 25
Today started out as a normal day. I went to class. I didn't remember a thing I read in the business strategy book. That's when things took a turn for the better.
I got a 4/5 on my business strategy quiz. That was very pleasing to me because the past couple quizzes I've only been getting 2/5 even tho I read the stupid chapter before every class, sometimes more than once. Then class got out early so I went to meet Celeste and Sarah to go to Chicken and Waffles! I was so excited because I love chicken and waffles (just ask my mother).
So I go chill in front of Subway and Sarah comes and tbh I thought it was just gonna be Celeste so I was glad to see Sarah because I haven't hung out with her in a while. Celeste is late, as usual, but it's fine and soon we're going to Orleans for Chicken and Waffles.
Then we get there and we meet up with Libby! Yay more people!
So we sit at the table and place our order and everything then a different waitress comes up and asks us for IDs even tho no one is getting any alcoholic stuff. Everyone except Sarah has theirs, but we're not gonna make Sarah leave by herself so we all leave and we go to Better Burger. I've never had it before but apparently it's like the best. I thought it was just okay but whatever.
It was nice catching up with Sarah and Libby because they were telling me about all these things happening within our Loyola group dynamics that I didn't know about because I'm like halfway antisocial but really everyone is just antisocial towards me and it's all their fault and not mine. But anyways so yeah now I'm a little more in the loop with events up until yesterday.
Then Sarah leaves because she has class at 3. Libby, Celeste and I just chill at Better Burger because I'm not up for the walk back and I guess they weren't either. So then we're talking right and all of a sudden Libby stops mid sentence and her jaw drops and she's just staring and we're like "what are you staring at" and she's like "that's Max Key, the Prime Minister's son!" so we wait over at Better Burger for a little bit more then we go over to the bar where he is and we're just like talking about famous people and such and Libby's like "today is his birthday" so she googles it while we're finishing our drinks (cider for me, rose for Libby, water for Celeste) and I'm watchin as like other people are coming up to him and such then when everyone else but his bestie and him have left, Libby finishes her drink and goes to talk to him. They take a super cute dog filter snapchat selfie then she invites Celeste and I to join. So we're like "happy birthday!" and we just chill for like 10 minutes with Max and his friend, Marty. Marty is in the band Jupiter Project and he put us on his snapchat story, so we're like lowkey not really almost famous now. So then we get our selfies and let him be because we have to go to class now too.

Max Key

Marty from Jupiter Project

So then I get to where my class is and I'm sitting there because I'm early and I'm just chillin on my phone then it's like class time but it still seems empty so I look around and there's literally no one there so I check my email and class was canceled so I go back to my room and watch How To Be Single and skip my next class because it's pouring and I'm not walking there. But then the management teacher put our essay grades in and I didn't fail even tho she hates me so that's good.
So I'm just chillin til tonight because Celeste and I are going to 1885. So then the time comes and I get ready and I'm like what do I wear because it's pouring so I can't wear my leather or my suede and that's like my whole life so I'm like ahh what do I wear now so then I put on this like H2O worthy outfit and it's totally cute and I'm totally gonna wear it lots this summer and the top makes me look tan.
So then Celeste and I go to 1885 and Max and Marty are there. Max takes 21 shots because it's his 21st and like everyone was snapchating it and such, and it now occurs to me that Marty didn't change his clothes from earlier haha. So then Marty goes and hangs with these girls and Max is just like chillin with his buds and such and Celeste and I are just chillin too. And then finally more people come because it was like empty.
Then the first person buys me a drink. Took long enough. Then I'm like okay done with you. Then I'm like "Celeste that guy is gonna buy me the next drink" and he kept like staring and coming closer but he never like legit approached me. Chicken. Until we were walking back to the flat then he drives by and he's like "hey!" and I'm just like don't hey me you owe me a drink but I'm really just like "hey!". But anyways after that first one we were like okay who's next and it was fun guessing who would come up next. Like every time except for that one guy I was right, but no one else bought me drinks they just came up to us and didn't buy us drinks. Whatever .

Then Max requests Soulja Boy and then he comes next to us and we all Crank That together. It was fun. Then he leaves and I keep playing my who's next game which is also super fun. Then this guy from Sydney comes up and he's like "my friend is into rugby and he does like some blue thing and he wants to dance" and obvi he means like the Auckland Blues but I'm just like lol
so yeah musicians, sons, rugby players, yolo
& Celeste met this guy from New York. Oh and there was this guy from Canada ! he was cool .
Okay so like before soulja boy I think (maybe after, idk) they played Hips Swing so I'm gonna swing right and so this guy was like yeah I can dig it and he was like hip bumping like you're supposed to do but his girl was like right there! like if this were America I wouldn't be alive to tell the story. but it's not america so that's good.
Speaking of America, everyone here finds it so hard to believe I'm from there. Like idk why. Whatever.
Oh also Max is the second person in my entire life to not hang out with me at the club when I want them to (Jesse was the first, still a bit bitter over that) but I guess we did soulja boy together so maybe that counts...
But we didn't end up leaving with an invite to his super fancy celebrity party on Saturday but I won't be in Auckland anyways so I guess it's okay...not really. but whatever.
So then Celeste and I go back to the flat and like we stop in Burger King because there's lots of people and it's a bunch of people from the club and they start like almost fighting and I called it way before any of the Burger King staff caught on and that's why I need to be at H2O .

my cider came in a jar!

Until next time,

xoxo,

Tasha

May 27 Update:

Max is in my class. I was all excited for nothing lol if only I had been more social throughout the semester we could've been best friends because he's been in my class since February. Oh well, that's what I get for being anti-people. But now it makes sense that when we were all like "oh what do you study" he was like "same as you" lol oops 

18 and Life

I've been waiting for this post since before I came to New Zealand because I'm v excited about the title. The title is the only reason there is a post for this, but
18 days left until my flight back to America.
So in honor, here is the song that inspired this post:

See ya in 18 days, Murica.
Oh wait before I go, everytime I watch this video I'm like "man why do these boys always have better hair then me" then one day I realized they were called HAIR bands for a reason....so yeah. :P