Today was my first day of training at my new workplace. It's not a new job, but my company was acquired by a bigger, better company - and today was our first day at the new place, along with the first of 2 full days of orientation. It was a long, emotionally draining day, full of new information and trying to navigate offices several dozen times bigger than our old office. ANYWAY. All this to say - to come home to a mailbox with my International Hometown exchange package was a very well timed delight!

Funnily enough, I sent presents to New Zealand - and received presents from New Zealand! Lucky me!!! I opened the package almost as soon as I walked in the door and found 5 beautifully wrapped presents and a letter! The letter told a little about the presents, and my Santa's hometown of Dunedin, New Zealand. It was so fun to learn about Dunedin, as I have never been there and knew nothing about it. I loved the story of your mom making you run up Baldwin Street to get your energy out! Too funny!

On to the presents!!!

CANDY. I'm not ashamed to admit that I sampled each of these candies before the oven had finished heating up my dinner. And I gotta say, this stuff blows American candy out of the water. Future International Santas: Feel free to send me any of these candies again.

-Whittaker's Jelly Tip Block - This is the first thing I opened. I think this is the biggest candy bar I have ever had in my possession. (If you think that means I am going to share, you are dead wrong.) Milk chocolate + white chocolate + raspberry jelly = one delicious combination!

-Pascall Jet Planes - YUM! Gummy Jet Planes, in lots of fruity flavors! So far my favorite is the lime, but I also haven't tried all the flavors yet.

-Pascall Pineapple Lumps - I feel like it's a good thing we don't have these in America. I would eat all of them. VERY tasty! Pineapple is one of my favorite flavors.

JEWELRY. Something I would not have thought to include in this exchange. However, I am SO glad that my Santa thought of it! She sent me this beautiful green Paua necklace. There is no way she could have known this, but this color of green is my favorite color! Not only that, but this necklace is 100% something I would have picked out for myself. It fits my personal style exactly, and I have so many outfits I will wear this with! In fact, as soon as I snapped the picture, I took it out of the box and put it on. I'll be wearing it to work tomorrow, too!

SOUVENIRS! I just love souvenirs. My Santa sent me a puzzle, a sticker, and a pen! All three of them include a penguin, which is my favorite animal!!! She also mentioned in her letter that there is a nearby Yellow Eyed Penguin colony, as they are native to New Zealand... I feel like this is reason enough to go visit. I will be taking the pen to work with me, so I can smile at the cute penguin whenever I see it. Also, I recently started a little sticker collection in my journal! I can't wait to write about this fun Hometown Exchange, and to put the sticker in there so I can keep it forever.

Santa, you said in your letter that I was your first giftee. I want you to know that you did a truly AMAZING job, and that I love everything that you sent!!! I cannot thank you enough. I hope that your Santa treats you as well as you treated me! Thank you, thank you, thank you!