Se7en

The first week of teaching was a smashing success. I got to meet some of the awesome staff I'm going to be working with for the next couple months and some kiwi students... and yes they have accents... and yes it is pretty charming. But all week all my co-workers were telling me that I needed to go to Wellington this upcoming weekend for a rugby tournament. Sure that sounds great, but then I hear more and more. Tickets are around $200... well ok, maybe not...

Turns out this is a giant tournament/festival every year in Wellington. The 7's Tournament... but it's really more of a drinking tournament than anything else. There are 16 national teams that play a 7 on 7 match. Games are really quick, 7 minutes per half with only a 1 minute halftime. So games go on all day and the action never stops... only it's not the action that is happening on the field that everyone is watching. In actuality it's really Halloween-esk party in the stands.

New Zealanders don't celebrate Halloween so this is their excuse for girls to dress dirty and pretend their not and for guys to continue to do what they normally do, only on another level with more ridiculous clothing. Literally everyone in the stands is tanked, dressed up and could care less about rugby. Until New Zealand is on the pitch then all eyes are focused.

What I see as I get off the Train!! Not even to the stadium or where it is legal to drink yet. I went to the bathroom and Larry Bird handed me a beer haha

Yes. They are Sea-men

I took the train into town to meet up with some buddies and partake in the crazy tournament... or at least the party afterwards. The U.S.A did horrible in the tournament and it was a little pathetic because they didn't even score a point until their third match haha. So we were rooting for New Zealand because that would mean an even bigger party downtown after the rugby final. We watched the games from a pub on Courtenay Place where the big after-game festivities were to happen.

I attempted dressing up for the celebration but it was a little tough finding out about the match just a few days before. But I rock my Brandon Roy Trailblazer jersey and it was a hit. I had a couple dudes from Portland come up and talk to me and we chatted about the good ole NW. Also, the NBA is by far the most popular American Sport in NZ and I had Kiwi bros coming up to me all night wanting to talk about the NBA and B-Roy. It was awesome... except for the fact that I have never seen so many Heat and Laker jerseys in my life. Such a joke.

Very early in the night haha

To my surprise, not an actual police officer

Pictures of the party outside in the rain

A dance circle outside and no, I didn't teach them how to Dougie... NZ isn't ready

It was horrible weather. It was pissing rain all day and throughout the night. But that didn't stop or slow down anyone. I've never been apart of anything this nuts and I've partied with the best of them... Celebs and all. They shut down multiple blocks of streets to contain all the wasted people. I met people from England, South Africa, Samoa, Figi, Australia and the list goes on. I even approached a group of guys that were wearing American flag track suits but turns out they were just Kiwis in costume.

I ended up staying out til 5AM when the bars stopped serving. Ate some street meat (that's what NZ calls hotdogs... not what you're thinking) and made it back to the train station in time for the first ticket out of the city back to my place. Made it back safe as the sun came up, slept in til well past 2PM and was hung over for about 2 days... well worth it. Such a blast and worth every second of it. Stories for a lifetime...