It has been one year since I received notification that my VISA was approved to come to New Zealand (give or take a few days) and I certainly don't feel like the person who received that email anymore. There have been lots of positive changes, but also a lot of negative and now 10 months after coming to this country I find myself wondering what path to take next and feeling a lot of apprehension as well as excitement as to what is to come.
Going to Australia next has been the most conclusive decision that has been discussed so far. Mostly because the money one can potentially earn there is more both as a per dollar basis as well as in the world wide economy. But also because I still feel that New Zealand hasn't been the kindest to me. I am not sure what basis this holds as even though I have found the job market hard here I have had a number of opportunities present themselves that have never been at the right moment. I feel sometimes that its been hard to meet people, and yet the people that I have made connections with here are really amazing people who I do hope to have connections with for many years to come. I have found myself wondering if the struggle that I have found here has been more to do with my own uncertainty as to what my path should be, than what the country as provided for me.
So I find myself at a crossroads. When I think about leaving New Zealand I find myself feeling a little bit heartbroken that things did not go better here. I feel frustrated with myself for a number of the decisions I made in regards to work and training.
When I think about going back to Vancouver I find myself feeling apprehensive and uncertain. It doesn't feel right to be going back to Vancouver. Although to pursue school again Canada is the only logical answer due to International Student fees, and lets face it the rest of Canada is way too cold in the winter!
When I think about Australia, I fear that I will apply the same hesitations to it that I did to New Zealand. I know that I held back in making lasting friendships or finding jobs that could become careers here because it has always be juggled around whether we would stay or not. I feel that I have limited my potential because I have had the shadow of having to leave it all behind looming over me.
So I have found myself feeling quite stuck lately. I have been more teary than I would like to admit, and have been having a really tough go of finding my footing.
I would like to be able to flip a coin and trust the universe as to what path to take, but unfortunately I am just not that sort of person.
Moving and setting up in a new place was harder than I expected. And 10 months in I fear I don't have the energy to do it again.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Further musings on "like"
As difficult as it has been to be here in NZ I have found that once I hit my breaking point it has all become a bit easier. I think I needed to get to that point where I was so frustrated with my life here that I had no choice but to give up or change it. Well, never one to give up (its much easier to just not try in the first place) I figured that I needed to change perspective.
I do some days have quite a hate on for Christchurch. The idea of being here much longer than January, some days, does make me seriously reconsider sticking around. But for as much as I miss things about Vancouver I am starting to wonder if I might find those things here if only I were to change my definitions. I really miss cheap fresh food, I miss East Van queer dance parties, I miss independent cinema (oh cinematheque), I miss indie rock concerts, and I miss the company of having a lot of acquaintances even if I didn't have many close friends. But all of those things do have the potential to be here, I just haven't really gone looking.
What has stopped me? Well money has been a big part of it. In my time here I have found that I have either been working too much and have no time, or not working enough so don't have enough money. Soon that will balance itself out as it has been confirmed that my new job is starting next Tuesday. The no time thing may become a factor as I will still be working the cattery as well, but the cattery has also become a major social outlet for me as my boss there is pretty awesome.
I think also what has stopped me is that in the back of my mind is the thought that I will be leaving here in a years time, so whats the point in creating that network just to have to pick up and leave it all all over again.
But when I think about going back to Vancouver and suffering through another winter of rain and dark for months, or going back to the hustle and bustle of the city that I find holds a lot of aggression. I mean, winter here is stunning and locals have been saying this is a tough year. The people that I have met are super friendly and super accommodating. This is a beautiful city and country even though it is quite conservative, drinking is a sport rather than a past time, and racism is rampant. So its hard to think about giving up the good here to go back to Vancouver so soon. Maybe I am not giving it the time it needs to foster itself into an amazing city yet. I am just not sure my waffling will help any.
Oh Christchurch why can't your food be cheaper, your dances be eastvanesque, or your ocean be closer to downtown?
Oh Vancouver why do you have to do nothing but rain, for months, and months?
I do some days have quite a hate on for Christchurch. The idea of being here much longer than January, some days, does make me seriously reconsider sticking around. But for as much as I miss things about Vancouver I am starting to wonder if I might find those things here if only I were to change my definitions. I really miss cheap fresh food, I miss East Van queer dance parties, I miss independent cinema (oh cinematheque), I miss indie rock concerts, and I miss the company of having a lot of acquaintances even if I didn't have many close friends. But all of those things do have the potential to be here, I just haven't really gone looking.
What has stopped me? Well money has been a big part of it. In my time here I have found that I have either been working too much and have no time, or not working enough so don't have enough money. Soon that will balance itself out as it has been confirmed that my new job is starting next Tuesday. The no time thing may become a factor as I will still be working the cattery as well, but the cattery has also become a major social outlet for me as my boss there is pretty awesome.
I think also what has stopped me is that in the back of my mind is the thought that I will be leaving here in a years time, so whats the point in creating that network just to have to pick up and leave it all all over again.
But when I think about going back to Vancouver and suffering through another winter of rain and dark for months, or going back to the hustle and bustle of the city that I find holds a lot of aggression. I mean, winter here is stunning and locals have been saying this is a tough year. The people that I have met are super friendly and super accommodating. This is a beautiful city and country even though it is quite conservative, drinking is a sport rather than a past time, and racism is rampant. So its hard to think about giving up the good here to go back to Vancouver so soon. Maybe I am not giving it the time it needs to foster itself into an amazing city yet. I am just not sure my waffling will help any.
Oh Christchurch why can't your food be cheaper, your dances be eastvanesque, or your ocean be closer to downtown?
Oh Vancouver why do you have to do nothing but rain, for months, and months?
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Like List
I have been meaning to write for ages but have been feeling a little down on New Zealand these past couple weeks so have found it difficult to write something nice. And I was always taught that if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. But I figure I am here for at least 5 more months so maybe I should chronicle some of the good things about New Zealand.
1. Winter
Winter here is amazing. We have had our cold days for sure, but most days it is sunny enough to only be out in a tshirt and hoodie. Some days even the tshirt will suffice as long as you don't venture into the shade. After living in Vancouver most my life this is amazing to me. I haven't had any of the usual winter blues because there has actually been light. Vancouver has never seemed so dark and dreary as it does now in remembering the rainy dark cold that permiates it for months at a time. Winter here has really crisp mornings with beautiful sunsets. It has me opening the windows to let in fresh air and it being warmer for it because the air is warmer outside than in. Insulation would be wonderful, but our new home is much better so I shouldn't complain!
2. Small Community
This is both a blessing and a curse. But overall I have found people here to be so giving. I struggle to think of a time that people were so willing to give us a car to use when ours died, with no strings attached. I have a boss who rewards me on a regular basis, lets me use her car, gives me bottles of wine and says thank you each and every day. She even gave us a dining suite to use in our new house and use of their car and trailer to move. People on the street say hello to you. Strike up conversation about your extremely bright socks when waiting at red lights. They remember you when you go to the gym and ask where you were last week because they didn't see you (even though you had only gone twice before that time). It is nice to never really have rush hour traffic. To not have as much agression out in the world because people are getting to where they need to be on time. Although I don't have the same social community as I did back home I am enjoying the fact the people are interested in me and my accent, and are friendly about both those facts.
3. Birds
It's winter and I wake up to bird calls. I saw two black swans in the Avon river the other day. There are birds here who mimic car alarms when they call. They scare me by jumping out of the underbrush when I walk up to the Cattery where I work. But above all these things there are breed of duck here called a Paradise Duck that pair up and are always seen together. They are beautiful. On a ride one day I saw one that had been hit by a car, and the other was standing guard and calling out. It was both depressing and beautiful to see as it gave me a strange sense of connectedness. Plus seeing penguins in the wild was amazing and awe inspiring. They move quite a bit faster than I exptected!
4. Landscape
Although not as true in Christchurch as the rest of New Zealand, you can easily go from hills to mountains to farms to rolling plains to ocean to rainforest in just a tiny amount of driving. I love that there is so much diversity in the landscape here. I also like that it is flat here as it makes cycling reasonably easier than Vancouver. As long as the wind is in your favour. But its neat to see chickens in peoples back yards, and sheep hearding on the hills. To see so many gardens and green spaces. Its a nice aspect of a smaller city.
5. Cathedral Square
The main square in town which is the center of downtown is home to many different crazy prophets and buskers. It also has a daily market set up on it (see #6) and so you can eat a hot dog while browsing home made scarves listening to someone rant on a box (literally) about how buildings are what have ruined society and we should all be living in the wilderness. There also seems to only be about 4 buskers in Chch and so I get to see the different crowd reactions to the same shows each time I head to the square. It is a great culteral hub as well as there are a few different backpackers and the info center so its neat to watch people discover the buskers and cathedral for the first time. There is also a large scale (about three feet high pieces) chess board and watching the older gentlemen who play in the days is usually really cool.
6. Markets
There are markets everywhere in this city. I discover them often as I am casually wandering through town. Although I rarely buy much more than some food to snack on while I wander it is neat to see how many crafters and artisans there are in this city. It isn't even the exact same people each time I go which is more than I can say for markets in Vancouver. I am looking forward to spring coming to see how the food markets change now that I have found some pretty decent ones. But again, its a great way to spend the day.
7. Boy Racers
Okay, I admit it, I find the boy racers amusing here. For those of you who don't know Chch has an epidemic of boy racers which police and good citizens are a blight on society. We actually live just off of a major boy racer strip in Chch now. And its not what you think as I have never actually seen any of them race here in Chch (Although we did in Dunedin, a few meters from one red to the next!) so what they do is drive down Moorhouse, go up Fitzgerald, down Bealey and then through Hagley Park. They drive these four roads seemingly all night long. They have blow off valves that make cool "pffhst" noises and they talk to eachother between cars. Sometimes they even rev their engines! Now why I find this so amusing is that more often than not it seems the cars they have chosen to sup up is a station wagon. Station wagons are very popular here. Of course you will have a few Toyotas and Hondas in the mix but there isn't much more enjoyable than a station wagon lowered with nice rims. I hear that they do race but have yet to witness it myself. Although we did hear a few single cars fly down the highway by our old place.
8. Spandex
Cyclists that are not wearing spandex outfits, often matching their bikes, is an anomoly here in New Zealand. It seems that in order to ride your bike from point A to point B you must don your spandex and fly like the wind. It is so bizarre and amusing to me even still because as you cycle past these people they give you the nod and check out what you are riding yourself. I can see their egos shrink a little as I come toodling past with knee high brightly striped socks and a hoodie. Although I must admit I gave in to Drews insisting that cycle shorts were a good idea and do wear spandex shorts now. The padding is so worth my fashion disaster. But I also really enjoy seeing all the spandex because more often than not it is on someone very much fit enough to be wearing it.
9. Food
There are definitely food items that are better here than in Canada. Ketchup tastes better. Gingerale actually contains ginger flavour. Potatoes are less starchy. They promote home made yogurt, which is awesome. Food tastes cleaner. I do dislike the prices but now that I have adjusted to that I am enjoying the options that are available here. There are of course things I am missing from home but I am getting used to certain ingredients here and will miss them when we leave.
10. Its all different
Although I struggle with this fact more often than not, it is still pretty amazing to be somewhere new. I have the travel bug again and am looking forward to our departure from Chch (and possibly NZ) but it is still exciting that this is all new, all different. The culture has its similarities but there is so much new here. And I am noticing how much I have changed as well. A lot of my neurosis have diminished if not disappeared, I am reevaluating what is important to me, and overall I just feel like I am striving towards something. There are things that I have lost in myself as well, but I am trying to look at that as a good thing. But the adventure is still going on (even if I struggle with it) and I need to find solice in that adventure.
1. Winter
Winter here is amazing. We have had our cold days for sure, but most days it is sunny enough to only be out in a tshirt and hoodie. Some days even the tshirt will suffice as long as you don't venture into the shade. After living in Vancouver most my life this is amazing to me. I haven't had any of the usual winter blues because there has actually been light. Vancouver has never seemed so dark and dreary as it does now in remembering the rainy dark cold that permiates it for months at a time. Winter here has really crisp mornings with beautiful sunsets. It has me opening the windows to let in fresh air and it being warmer for it because the air is warmer outside than in. Insulation would be wonderful, but our new home is much better so I shouldn't complain!
2. Small Community
This is both a blessing and a curse. But overall I have found people here to be so giving. I struggle to think of a time that people were so willing to give us a car to use when ours died, with no strings attached. I have a boss who rewards me on a regular basis, lets me use her car, gives me bottles of wine and says thank you each and every day. She even gave us a dining suite to use in our new house and use of their car and trailer to move. People on the street say hello to you. Strike up conversation about your extremely bright socks when waiting at red lights. They remember you when you go to the gym and ask where you were last week because they didn't see you (even though you had only gone twice before that time). It is nice to never really have rush hour traffic. To not have as much agression out in the world because people are getting to where they need to be on time. Although I don't have the same social community as I did back home I am enjoying the fact the people are interested in me and my accent, and are friendly about both those facts.
3. Birds
It's winter and I wake up to bird calls. I saw two black swans in the Avon river the other day. There are birds here who mimic car alarms when they call. They scare me by jumping out of the underbrush when I walk up to the Cattery where I work. But above all these things there are breed of duck here called a Paradise Duck that pair up and are always seen together. They are beautiful. On a ride one day I saw one that had been hit by a car, and the other was standing guard and calling out. It was both depressing and beautiful to see as it gave me a strange sense of connectedness. Plus seeing penguins in the wild was amazing and awe inspiring. They move quite a bit faster than I exptected!
4. Landscape
Although not as true in Christchurch as the rest of New Zealand, you can easily go from hills to mountains to farms to rolling plains to ocean to rainforest in just a tiny amount of driving. I love that there is so much diversity in the landscape here. I also like that it is flat here as it makes cycling reasonably easier than Vancouver. As long as the wind is in your favour. But its neat to see chickens in peoples back yards, and sheep hearding on the hills. To see so many gardens and green spaces. Its a nice aspect of a smaller city.
5. Cathedral Square
The main square in town which is the center of downtown is home to many different crazy prophets and buskers. It also has a daily market set up on it (see #6) and so you can eat a hot dog while browsing home made scarves listening to someone rant on a box (literally) about how buildings are what have ruined society and we should all be living in the wilderness. There also seems to only be about 4 buskers in Chch and so I get to see the different crowd reactions to the same shows each time I head to the square. It is a great culteral hub as well as there are a few different backpackers and the info center so its neat to watch people discover the buskers and cathedral for the first time. There is also a large scale (about three feet high pieces) chess board and watching the older gentlemen who play in the days is usually really cool.
6. Markets
There are markets everywhere in this city. I discover them often as I am casually wandering through town. Although I rarely buy much more than some food to snack on while I wander it is neat to see how many crafters and artisans there are in this city. It isn't even the exact same people each time I go which is more than I can say for markets in Vancouver. I am looking forward to spring coming to see how the food markets change now that I have found some pretty decent ones. But again, its a great way to spend the day.
7. Boy Racers
Okay, I admit it, I find the boy racers amusing here. For those of you who don't know Chch has an epidemic of boy racers which police and good citizens are a blight on society. We actually live just off of a major boy racer strip in Chch now. And its not what you think as I have never actually seen any of them race here in Chch (Although we did in Dunedin, a few meters from one red to the next!) so what they do is drive down Moorhouse, go up Fitzgerald, down Bealey and then through Hagley Park. They drive these four roads seemingly all night long. They have blow off valves that make cool "pffhst" noises and they talk to eachother between cars. Sometimes they even rev their engines! Now why I find this so amusing is that more often than not it seems the cars they have chosen to sup up is a station wagon. Station wagons are very popular here. Of course you will have a few Toyotas and Hondas in the mix but there isn't much more enjoyable than a station wagon lowered with nice rims. I hear that they do race but have yet to witness it myself. Although we did hear a few single cars fly down the highway by our old place.
8. Spandex
Cyclists that are not wearing spandex outfits, often matching their bikes, is an anomoly here in New Zealand. It seems that in order to ride your bike from point A to point B you must don your spandex and fly like the wind. It is so bizarre and amusing to me even still because as you cycle past these people they give you the nod and check out what you are riding yourself. I can see their egos shrink a little as I come toodling past with knee high brightly striped socks and a hoodie. Although I must admit I gave in to Drews insisting that cycle shorts were a good idea and do wear spandex shorts now. The padding is so worth my fashion disaster. But I also really enjoy seeing all the spandex because more often than not it is on someone very much fit enough to be wearing it.
9. Food
There are definitely food items that are better here than in Canada. Ketchup tastes better. Gingerale actually contains ginger flavour. Potatoes are less starchy. They promote home made yogurt, which is awesome. Food tastes cleaner. I do dislike the prices but now that I have adjusted to that I am enjoying the options that are available here. There are of course things I am missing from home but I am getting used to certain ingredients here and will miss them when we leave.
10. Its all different
Although I struggle with this fact more often than not, it is still pretty amazing to be somewhere new. I have the travel bug again and am looking forward to our departure from Chch (and possibly NZ) but it is still exciting that this is all new, all different. The culture has its similarities but there is so much new here. And I am noticing how much I have changed as well. A lot of my neurosis have diminished if not disappeared, I am reevaluating what is important to me, and overall I just feel like I am striving towards something. There are things that I have lost in myself as well, but I am trying to look at that as a good thing. But the adventure is still going on (even if I struggle with it) and I need to find solice in that adventure.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
June Update
Living in the Southern Hemisphere means rethinking the seasons, so I find myself often saying "this would be December back home". So what exactly does that mean? Well today I was out walking in a tshirt, hoodie and scarf and was warm. My trusty laptop said it was 9 degrees but with the sun it certainly felt much warmer. It is strange to think that this would be December back home as it feels unseasonably warm here, considering it is winter. They have been threatening for weeks that a cold front will be moving in with sleet. The weather for tomorrow is supposed to be sleet, wonder if it will actually come this time.
Things have been much nicer living in our own place. You really take for granted how nice it is to not have to worry about planning when you want to use shared space when you live on your own (or with just a partner). I have learned being here that my home is really important to me, and that includes not having to make allowances for someone else and how they use the space. It is different with partners because you can find that balance together but I found that moving into a home where someone had already been living I always felt like it was her space and I was just using it for the time being. Now this is my space, and I am loving it. Best thing about it is that it is really close to downtown so it is easy to take a wander to the city. Whereas before we were quite isolated. The act of moving has made me feel like I could stay in NZ longer than the year. Just being able to find stability in one aspect of living has made me feel much more at peace. So glad we found it.
I still find myself being surprised by New Zealand and the differences that exist. For example, you can shop around for cheaper electricity prices. It is quite the maze looking at all the different companies and the rates that they charge and trying to delineate which would be the most cost efficient.
Bandwidth is insanely expensive here compared to Canada. Its weird to have to think about what you are doing online and how much bandwidth you have left to be able to do it. In Canada you can do whatever you want essentially without too much worries. There is also only one cable operator in all of NZ. The rest are ADSL which require a landline which is itself quite expensive.
I have discovered though that I love driving on the left hand side of the road. The driving rules are becoming easier to remember, and I rock at parallel parking here even in our beast of a vehicle. I am not sure what it is exactly about being on the opposite side of the road that I enjoy so much, but its starting to feel very natural. To the point where both Drew and I have found ourselves thinking "they are on the wrong side of the road" when watching an American Film before catching ourselves.
I am patiently waiting for a new job to start up sometime in July. It is in a home for people with traumatic brain injury and they are currently doing renovations to get it set up so the start date is whenever that finishes. Best thing about it is that it should work well with my Cattery job so I can still do that. I have come to the conclusion that the Cattery is probably one of the best jobs I have ever had both due to the nature of the work and also because I have a really amazing boss there. I have decided to stop working at the retirement home as it is very inconsistent hours and I have been having conflict with the amount of gossip and negative speak that goes on there. I found that it was making me feel frustrated and unhappy, which is something I didn't want for myself in a job.
Next week Drew and I are hoping to get down to Dunedin to do some South Island sightseeing. Hoping this nice winter weather holds until then.
Things have been much nicer living in our own place. You really take for granted how nice it is to not have to worry about planning when you want to use shared space when you live on your own (or with just a partner). I have learned being here that my home is really important to me, and that includes not having to make allowances for someone else and how they use the space. It is different with partners because you can find that balance together but I found that moving into a home where someone had already been living I always felt like it was her space and I was just using it for the time being. Now this is my space, and I am loving it. Best thing about it is that it is really close to downtown so it is easy to take a wander to the city. Whereas before we were quite isolated. The act of moving has made me feel like I could stay in NZ longer than the year. Just being able to find stability in one aspect of living has made me feel much more at peace. So glad we found it.
I still find myself being surprised by New Zealand and the differences that exist. For example, you can shop around for cheaper electricity prices. It is quite the maze looking at all the different companies and the rates that they charge and trying to delineate which would be the most cost efficient.
Bandwidth is insanely expensive here compared to Canada. Its weird to have to think about what you are doing online and how much bandwidth you have left to be able to do it. In Canada you can do whatever you want essentially without too much worries. There is also only one cable operator in all of NZ. The rest are ADSL which require a landline which is itself quite expensive.
I have discovered though that I love driving on the left hand side of the road. The driving rules are becoming easier to remember, and I rock at parallel parking here even in our beast of a vehicle. I am not sure what it is exactly about being on the opposite side of the road that I enjoy so much, but its starting to feel very natural. To the point where both Drew and I have found ourselves thinking "they are on the wrong side of the road" when watching an American Film before catching ourselves.
I am patiently waiting for a new job to start up sometime in July. It is in a home for people with traumatic brain injury and they are currently doing renovations to get it set up so the start date is whenever that finishes. Best thing about it is that it should work well with my Cattery job so I can still do that. I have come to the conclusion that the Cattery is probably one of the best jobs I have ever had both due to the nature of the work and also because I have a really amazing boss there. I have decided to stop working at the retirement home as it is very inconsistent hours and I have been having conflict with the amount of gossip and negative speak that goes on there. I found that it was making me feel frustrated and unhappy, which is something I didn't want for myself in a job.
Next week Drew and I are hoping to get down to Dunedin to do some South Island sightseeing. Hoping this nice winter weather holds until then.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
apparently older
The 30th birthday came and went, and it was a good day. I like finding a reason to celebrate and be cheery with friends, and if you agree that my birthing is worth celebrating, then such was the case!
Karen woke me up, several times, before I rolled over and groaned. It was a spritely start to the day. But she persisted and I managed to draw back the tectonic eyelids to see a small, oddly shaped, white wrapped thing with a bright orange bow around it. My very own ceramic chubby orange chicken! Pictures to come...
As an aside, for those who don't know, I have a small fascination with kitschy chicken things.
The bike ride to school was great, and none of the drivers tried to share my lane with me! How considerate! By about 7:20 I managed to crank my neck around to see a beautiful sun rise - heaps of pink, orange, and violet streaked across the puffy mass above, and wisps of cold morning breath across the fields below. This is what I ride for.
At school a friend offered to buy me a wee dram, but we had to wait until 11:00am. We found a sunny spot that was reasonably warm and enjoyed coffee until 11:00 came about - and I was treated to one of my favourites, Laphroaig 10 year. A double, actually. Good friends indeed! I found myself in a very warm, relaxed state for the rest of the morning.
Apparently The Bodhi Tree restaurant is a landmark in the city, and it was highly recommended to us. Unfortunately it's also a small place and bookings have to be made weeks in advance. So, taking a page from my Dad's book of 'How to Think You're Able to Influence People', I left a long sappy message on their answering machine about how we're new to town, did I mention it's my 30th?... today?!, and they found us a table. Dinner was fantastic. Tea-leaf salad, Nga Hin (Methinks it was Halibut, in tomato/cilantro/chili/other stuff), roasted mushrooms with sesame seed, and a beef curry (with clove, yum!) that was perfectly tender. All enjoyed with an excellent bottle of Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett 2007. Gorgeous wine!
And then we came home and passed out.
Thanks everyone for the messages, cyber-bouquets, and cards. It was a good day.
Karen woke me up, several times, before I rolled over and groaned. It was a spritely start to the day. But she persisted and I managed to draw back the tectonic eyelids to see a small, oddly shaped, white wrapped thing with a bright orange bow around it. My very own ceramic chubby orange chicken! Pictures to come...
As an aside, for those who don't know, I have a small fascination with kitschy chicken things.
The bike ride to school was great, and none of the drivers tried to share my lane with me! How considerate! By about 7:20 I managed to crank my neck around to see a beautiful sun rise - heaps of pink, orange, and violet streaked across the puffy mass above, and wisps of cold morning breath across the fields below. This is what I ride for.
At school a friend offered to buy me a wee dram, but we had to wait until 11:00am. We found a sunny spot that was reasonably warm and enjoyed coffee until 11:00 came about - and I was treated to one of my favourites, Laphroaig 10 year. A double, actually. Good friends indeed! I found myself in a very warm, relaxed state for the rest of the morning.
Apparently The Bodhi Tree restaurant is a landmark in the city, and it was highly recommended to us. Unfortunately it's also a small place and bookings have to be made weeks in advance. So, taking a page from my Dad's book of 'How to Think You're Able to Influence People', I left a long sappy message on their answering machine about how we're new to town, did I mention it's my 30th?... today?!, and they found us a table. Dinner was fantastic. Tea-leaf salad, Nga Hin (Methinks it was Halibut, in tomato/cilantro/chili/other stuff), roasted mushrooms with sesame seed, and a beef curry (with clove, yum!) that was perfectly tender. All enjoyed with an excellent bottle of Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett 2007. Gorgeous wine!
And then we came home and passed out.
Thanks everyone for the messages, cyber-bouquets, and cards. It was a good day.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
something's rotting...
This is really a time-kill post. I've just spent the past few hours reading and note-taking all that I can on ... a fungus. I have a 20-page write-up due in 1 week, and it's about a fungus. Man does life ever come down from this high?
The program, as maybe evidenced by my absence from this space, is still nuts.
I think if I hurry I may be in time for some good night cuddles, provided Karen hasn't passed out.
Hope all's well with everyone out there, wish I had a bit of time to write more. Would love to read about your lives though, if you have the time and inclination.
The program, as maybe evidenced by my absence from this space, is still nuts.
I think if I hurry I may be in time for some good night cuddles, provided Karen hasn't passed out.
Hope all's well with everyone out there, wish I had a bit of time to write more. Would love to read about your lives though, if you have the time and inclination.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
113 Days
Just updated my self portrait a day and realized that it has been 113 days since we have been gone. Its getting pretty close to a third of the trip being done. It is stunning to think how long it has been, but also how short so far.
Had our housewarming party last night, which also happened to correspond with Anzac day (sort of like our remembrance day). It was awesome to get lots of the people we have met here in NZ together in one room and realize that we have made some pretty great connections.
Drew is back to school tomorrow after a brief respite (from lectures at least as he was at school almost everyday during the break) and I am going to miss having him around again. But I should be busy myself as I will be working almost every day over the next two weeks, which is wonderful as I could use the infusion of cash right now. Really beginning to find my groove with the two jobs I have and feeling that I am starting to find my place here. Still getting used to the changes in social life and activity levels but it will all come with time.
Looking forward to welcoming in Autumn and have been loving the amount of light (and heat, today its 25 degrees) that we are still getting. It is amazing to have an Autumn with leaves falling to the ground dry and brittle instead of wet and soggy.
Had our housewarming party last night, which also happened to correspond with Anzac day (sort of like our remembrance day). It was awesome to get lots of the people we have met here in NZ together in one room and realize that we have made some pretty great connections.
Drew is back to school tomorrow after a brief respite (from lectures at least as he was at school almost everyday during the break) and I am going to miss having him around again. But I should be busy myself as I will be working almost every day over the next two weeks, which is wonderful as I could use the infusion of cash right now. Really beginning to find my groove with the two jobs I have and feeling that I am starting to find my place here. Still getting used to the changes in social life and activity levels but it will all come with time.
Looking forward to welcoming in Autumn and have been loving the amount of light (and heat, today its 25 degrees) that we are still getting. It is amazing to have an Autumn with leaves falling to the ground dry and brittle instead of wet and soggy.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friends
Had friends here this past weekend and it was so amazingly comfortable being able to joke through slight inflections (which it appears Kiwi's don't get all the time since they don't know me or my accent), and was so much fun to show them around the town. It was sad dropping them off at the airport this morning as I really miss having people around to eat dinner with and then sit chatting all night until sleep takes over. And going out and just seeing parts of the town for the sake of exploration. I do really miss having people who "get me" in more quantities than just Drew (as wonderful as he is) as I really thought that sarcasm would transfer through accents, but it doesn't.
So I do hope that others decide to make Christchurch a destination spot through the next 9 months. The floor is very comfortable I hear.
So I do hope that others decide to make Christchurch a destination spot through the next 9 months. The floor is very comfortable I hear.
Monday, March 16, 2009
They didn't lie - it does get easier
I had struggled off an on for our first few weeks in Christchurch, I wanted something familiar in a way that led me to frustration and tears on a few occasions. But as 'they' always say, it does get easier. Now as I travel the city I have landmarks that make sense to me, I know a few different grocery stores where you can get deals on certain items, and I am finally meeting people.
I wouldn't call it homesickness though, as it really didn't have anything to do with wanting to be back "home". But I guess I really took for granted how nice it is to know what Indian restaurant is good for butter chicken, which used book store has the best selection, and which produce store is guaranteed to have golden delicious apples (which I have yet to find here). But it is just a matter of time until I get those things sussed out.
Spent six days in a row working myself into the ground last week. Enjoyed it, and hated it all at once. But it was a good reminder of how much my mood improves when I am cycling about 20km a day and working myself into a sweat running around serving tea, making tea and sorting out lunches. But I certainly am glad that the week is over and I don't think I will be jumping on taking a job like that again unless the pocketbook really gets hurting again.
Today I officially start work at the holistic cooking school and will be taking my first course with the woman I will be apprenticing for. If the details work out I really feel like NZ is finally giving me some direction.
I wouldn't call it homesickness though, as it really didn't have anything to do with wanting to be back "home". But I guess I really took for granted how nice it is to know what Indian restaurant is good for butter chicken, which used book store has the best selection, and which produce store is guaranteed to have golden delicious apples (which I have yet to find here). But it is just a matter of time until I get those things sussed out.
Spent six days in a row working myself into the ground last week. Enjoyed it, and hated it all at once. But it was a good reminder of how much my mood improves when I am cycling about 20km a day and working myself into a sweat running around serving tea, making tea and sorting out lunches. But I certainly am glad that the week is over and I don't think I will be jumping on taking a job like that again unless the pocketbook really gets hurting again.
Today I officially start work at the holistic cooking school and will be taking my first course with the woman I will be apprenticing for. If the details work out I really feel like NZ is finally giving me some direction.
Ode to Wind
Alternately titled: I Only Put Up With You Because You Let Me Breathe.
While I really do love cycling and all the things that come about with being active in outside, I'd appreciate a certain level of understanding from good ol' Ma Nature. Sure it's fun to be 'challenged' each day in unpredictable ways, and there have been elements of punishment gluttony to my riding (Adam, I'm looking at you), but I think a balance must be struck.
In this case, I'd like to talk to this fine Environmental Matriarch about the way in which winds behave in these parts. In Vancouver when the wind blew it may have blown with force but rarely did it blow outside of a familiar pattern. Onshore during the day, offshore at night. This may not always have been the case but there was certainly a strong positive correlation between day or night and wind direction.
Not so in Kiwi land. Actually today's ride home was on the perplexing side of things. For example, when one rides with a strong wind blowing from their right-hand side, it would be expected that, should the rider make a 90 degree turn to the right that they will be heading into the wind. Today I experienced the strange phenomenon of making that turn and finding the wind blowing from my left, then from dead ahead, gusting from the right and moving back to a head-on orientation.
I'd like my hills and my predictable wind back, please. Mum, can you fit that in a care package if I help with postage?
While I really do love cycling and all the things that come about with being active in outside, I'd appreciate a certain level of understanding from good ol' Ma Nature. Sure it's fun to be 'challenged' each day in unpredictable ways, and there have been elements of punishment gluttony to my riding (Adam, I'm looking at you), but I think a balance must be struck.
In this case, I'd like to talk to this fine Environmental Matriarch about the way in which winds behave in these parts. In Vancouver when the wind blew it may have blown with force but rarely did it blow outside of a familiar pattern. Onshore during the day, offshore at night. This may not always have been the case but there was certainly a strong positive correlation between day or night and wind direction.
Not so in Kiwi land. Actually today's ride home was on the perplexing side of things. For example, when one rides with a strong wind blowing from their right-hand side, it would be expected that, should the rider make a 90 degree turn to the right that they will be heading into the wind. Today I experienced the strange phenomenon of making that turn and finding the wind blowing from my left, then from dead ahead, gusting from the right and moving back to a head-on orientation.
I'd like my hills and my predictable wind back, please. Mum, can you fit that in a care package if I help with postage?
Friday, March 13, 2009
8pm on a Saturday eve
What have I done with this gorgeous Autumnal weekend day you ask?
Why, I spent it in the school library researching and writing a paper on vineyard establishment and the factors involved in site selection.
Some of you may think it a little odd, but it was a great day spent while Karen was off at work. Now to sift through more research, perhaps have a sip of wine, and fall asleep to a movie with Karen, likely before midnight.
Woa momma, hold me back.
Why, I spent it in the school library researching and writing a paper on vineyard establishment and the factors involved in site selection.
Some of you may think it a little odd, but it was a great day spent while Karen was off at work. Now to sift through more research, perhaps have a sip of wine, and fall asleep to a movie with Karen, likely before midnight.
Woa momma, hold me back.
Monday, March 9, 2009
a drew update
Life in the big city has fallen well into routine now that I'm thick in the books and being hit by them. My week starts out at 6:00am Monday when I barely register that the alarm has gone off. By 7:00am at the latest I'm out the door with a backpack full of books, change of clothes, lunch and school supplies to make the 25km bike ride to school. This gives me an hour to get there, change in the nearest washroom stall, and make my way to 8:30am lecture - Chemistry. Let me tell you, after a very invigorating ride to school, I am jam packed with learning energy. I'd say I have a high bonding potential, but that might not come out quite right. Though it shocks me to report, energy levels in lecture hall at that time are not what one might describe as rambunctious.
Around 5:00-5:30pm I make my way out of Chem lab, jump into the stall again to don the spandex, and it's 25km home again. These rides keep me sane, giving me time to let things go and focus on the inside. I'd call it meditative, but New Zealand drivers make Canadian driving look like laser precision. If anything I come home feeling a bit shell-shocked, and have to suppress the urge to leap into the nearest bush at the sound of a passing car. Apparently there is a graduated licensing program here for new drivers. Age doesn't seem to play a part in a round of "what's this wheelie rolling thing in my way?"
That's most of my routine, really. The rest involves eating, studying, sleeping, and time to spend with Karen. Today it was pointed out in lecture that we have had no time allocated for our harvest and winemaking portions - this comes out of our free time. I love being immersed in wine. I love my lecturer in Disease & Pest Management - never have I met someone so absolutely fired up about all things infectious to plants.
This past weekend was In Praise of Riesling, a 10:00am-10:00pm fiesta of all things Rieslings. So much good Riesling, so little time. Too bad I had a cold. But that didn't stop me from having a good time! Oh no! I was even told afterwards by someone very well established in the industry that my remarks in open discussion were very provocative. Once it's worked out if this is positive or negative, I'll let you know.
Around 5:00-5:30pm I make my way out of Chem lab, jump into the stall again to don the spandex, and it's 25km home again. These rides keep me sane, giving me time to let things go and focus on the inside. I'd call it meditative, but New Zealand drivers make Canadian driving look like laser precision. If anything I come home feeling a bit shell-shocked, and have to suppress the urge to leap into the nearest bush at the sound of a passing car. Apparently there is a graduated licensing program here for new drivers. Age doesn't seem to play a part in a round of "what's this wheelie rolling thing in my way?"
That's most of my routine, really. The rest involves eating, studying, sleeping, and time to spend with Karen. Today it was pointed out in lecture that we have had no time allocated for our harvest and winemaking portions - this comes out of our free time. I love being immersed in wine. I love my lecturer in Disease & Pest Management - never have I met someone so absolutely fired up about all things infectious to plants.
This past weekend was In Praise of Riesling, a 10:00am-10:00pm fiesta of all things Rieslings. So much good Riesling, so little time. Too bad I had a cold. But that didn't stop me from having a good time! Oh no! I was even told afterwards by someone very well established in the industry that my remarks in open discussion were very provocative. Once it's worked out if this is positive or negative, I'll let you know.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Mail Post
I am stunned by how fast items have gotten to NZ. I ordered my text books for the Holistic Nutrition Course on March 2nd, and an order from a Canadian company the same day and both arrived today in the post.
Colour me amazed seeing as both said that they would take about 4 - 6 weeks and they arrived in one.
I am now surrounded by nutrition text books and looking forward to trying to figure out where to begin and how I can make this all work.
After waking up a little annoyed that it was Monday I am not ecstatic! I can not wait to delve into things!
Colour me amazed seeing as both said that they would take about 4 - 6 weeks and they arrived in one.
I am now surrounded by nutrition text books and looking forward to trying to figure out where to begin and how I can make this all work.
After waking up a little annoyed that it was Monday I am not ecstatic! I can not wait to delve into things!
Friday, March 6, 2009
A Karen Update
Things have been falling into place here now and its feeling great. I never realized how much of my mood was dependent on me being busy although it really shouldn't have been a surprise for me. So here is a bit of an update on how things are progressing:
1. I have a job at a retirement home. I started today and really enjoyed myself. I am exhausted from having been on my feet for 8 hours, as well as having been awake at 3am, 2.5 hours before I needed to be due to the nervous and excited energy. I will be doing bathing, food preparation, food delivery, linens and bed making, and possibly wound dressing etc. There is so much to learn and its totally different from what I have ever done before which is really exciting.
2. The opportunity that seemed to have fallen through the cracks (the nutrition cook school) has resurfaced and should turn out to be a great job. I will be working there 13.5 hours a week and in that time also be learning how to teach the classes, going to classes myself and should be starting a series of classes in Christchurch city (the school is about 45 minutes outside of Chch) where I will be teaching 10 week nutrition programs. I am *so* excited. This excitement is what led me to bite the bullet for the next point...
3. I had been hmming and hawing about doing a Natural Nutrition course that is offered via correspondence through CSNN for quite sometime, and decided that due to how elated I got over learning nutrition that it was about time I tried to do so formally. So coming to me in the post is the course materials, should arrive in 4-6 weeks and then I need to be dedicated to studies. I am very thrilled about learning and being graded again. I like that structure and I thrive in it, if only I could be a professional student.
4. Next week I will be doing work at the Internation Flower Show coming to Chch for the first time. Will be doing cashiering and some cooking. Really looking foward to working with 200+ people in order to possibly create a friend circle for myself here. Plus it will be fun to work outside and get to see some (supposedly) really amazing flower and garden displays.
5. I joined a meditation group just a block or so away from the house that our flatmate and I will be attending weekly. I am hoping as well to get started on yoga and qigong soon enough. Have found the classes just need to find the time and desire to go. Spent so much time on resumes didn't feel motivated to do much else lately.
1. I have a job at a retirement home. I started today and really enjoyed myself. I am exhausted from having been on my feet for 8 hours, as well as having been awake at 3am, 2.5 hours before I needed to be due to the nervous and excited energy. I will be doing bathing, food preparation, food delivery, linens and bed making, and possibly wound dressing etc. There is so much to learn and its totally different from what I have ever done before which is really exciting.
2. The opportunity that seemed to have fallen through the cracks (the nutrition cook school) has resurfaced and should turn out to be a great job. I will be working there 13.5 hours a week and in that time also be learning how to teach the classes, going to classes myself and should be starting a series of classes in Christchurch city (the school is about 45 minutes outside of Chch) where I will be teaching 10 week nutrition programs. I am *so* excited. This excitement is what led me to bite the bullet for the next point...
3. I had been hmming and hawing about doing a Natural Nutrition course that is offered via correspondence through CSNN for quite sometime, and decided that due to how elated I got over learning nutrition that it was about time I tried to do so formally. So coming to me in the post is the course materials, should arrive in 4-6 weeks and then I need to be dedicated to studies. I am very thrilled about learning and being graded again. I like that structure and I thrive in it, if only I could be a professional student.
4. Next week I will be doing work at the Internation Flower Show coming to Chch for the first time. Will be doing cashiering and some cooking. Really looking foward to working with 200+ people in order to possibly create a friend circle for myself here. Plus it will be fun to work outside and get to see some (supposedly) really amazing flower and garden displays.
5. I joined a meditation group just a block or so away from the house that our flatmate and I will be attending weekly. I am hoping as well to get started on yoga and qigong soon enough. Have found the classes just need to find the time and desire to go. Spent so much time on resumes didn't feel motivated to do much else lately.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Difficulties of being a Foreigner
When you pick up your entire life and move around the world its easy to dream about how easy it will be, but the reality is that even though people speak the same language and have a similar culture there are so many unanticipated difficulties that come up.
Having a working holiday VISA means that I technically can only work for three months with one employer. If I want to work longer the employer needs to sponsor me for a temporary work permit. This means that if there is a NZ applicant who is close to the same skills as me, they will obviously get the job first. I expected this, but what I didn't expect was the lack of response to putting CVs out into the world. I am used to a culture that says "thanks for your resume, unfortunately you didn't make the short list". Especially for professional jobs. But at the same time I am finding myself really wondering if it isn't my energy around the resumes that is causing them to not be responded to. When I think about where I would like to see my life going, I do not see myself in an administration role. The idea of jumping into another job where I am behind a desk all day does not appeal to me, so perhaps I am causing the resumes to not be responded to.
Navigating finding people and meeting people becomes so much more difficult when you don't have any idea where to start. I had never had to start over in a new city (besides when I was 5 and moved to the lower mainland) and so have never really had to create a new zone of people for myself. But even when I have had to start meeting new people there has been this wonderful thing called the internet just sitting there waiting for me. Problem arises with New Zealand as it doesn't seem to be a large part of their world here, and certainly there isn't any Criagslist Platonic Ads equivilent here so unless you are looking to date someone there really isn't an online resource for just meeting people with similar interests. So the only options are with courses and classes which cost money that I just can't afford to put out until I have a job bringing in income.
Culture shock is of course less here than it would be many other places but there are just little things that begin to rub you the wrong way. People bump into you and don't say sorry, pretty much all of them, at least in Canada some people apologise. People are very blunt and open here, which I am very much not used to. I am not used to a culture that openly talks about other peoples problems pronouncing who has cancer, or who's child killed themselves due to schoolyard bullies like it is as common as what you eat for dinner. I suppose that I put value in privacy and respect for situations that shouldn't be spread around like gossip.
But weirdest of all is that most every faucet is a double faucet rather than one. I am not sure how people manage to not burn themselves in the simple act of washing ones hands. Its weird these little things that you only seen in the movies that come up and make you realize that you are far away from what you would normally expect home to be like.
But with all the faults I am loving the act of learning a new city. Finding interesting cultural nuances and learning how to navigate them has me infinitely interested in observing. I just at times wish parts of it were easier, but if this trip is testing anything it is my ability to be patient. Patience and the answers will come.
Having a working holiday VISA means that I technically can only work for three months with one employer. If I want to work longer the employer needs to sponsor me for a temporary work permit. This means that if there is a NZ applicant who is close to the same skills as me, they will obviously get the job first. I expected this, but what I didn't expect was the lack of response to putting CVs out into the world. I am used to a culture that says "thanks for your resume, unfortunately you didn't make the short list". Especially for professional jobs. But at the same time I am finding myself really wondering if it isn't my energy around the resumes that is causing them to not be responded to. When I think about where I would like to see my life going, I do not see myself in an administration role. The idea of jumping into another job where I am behind a desk all day does not appeal to me, so perhaps I am causing the resumes to not be responded to.
Navigating finding people and meeting people becomes so much more difficult when you don't have any idea where to start. I had never had to start over in a new city (besides when I was 5 and moved to the lower mainland) and so have never really had to create a new zone of people for myself. But even when I have had to start meeting new people there has been this wonderful thing called the internet just sitting there waiting for me. Problem arises with New Zealand as it doesn't seem to be a large part of their world here, and certainly there isn't any Criagslist Platonic Ads equivilent here so unless you are looking to date someone there really isn't an online resource for just meeting people with similar interests. So the only options are with courses and classes which cost money that I just can't afford to put out until I have a job bringing in income.
Culture shock is of course less here than it would be many other places but there are just little things that begin to rub you the wrong way. People bump into you and don't say sorry, pretty much all of them, at least in Canada some people apologise. People are very blunt and open here, which I am very much not used to. I am not used to a culture that openly talks about other peoples problems pronouncing who has cancer, or who's child killed themselves due to schoolyard bullies like it is as common as what you eat for dinner. I suppose that I put value in privacy and respect for situations that shouldn't be spread around like gossip.
But weirdest of all is that most every faucet is a double faucet rather than one. I am not sure how people manage to not burn themselves in the simple act of washing ones hands. Its weird these little things that you only seen in the movies that come up and make you realize that you are far away from what you would normally expect home to be like.
But with all the faults I am loving the act of learning a new city. Finding interesting cultural nuances and learning how to navigate them has me infinitely interested in observing. I just at times wish parts of it were easier, but if this trip is testing anything it is my ability to be patient. Patience and the answers will come.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
House Tour and Job Update
As per Andreas request a while ago I have taken some basic photos of our place and posted them on our photo albums. Hoping to get more photos up of the city shortly. The link to the album is the usual (also found in the right hand corner of the site if you were so inclined).
And on the job front there are some positive changes and some that I am not too sure about. The job I was getting really excited about still has some complications around payment and timing. So I have been thinking about how I could make that position work for me without completely taking up all of my time so that I can still have time to do paid work while not working 24 hours a day. So hopefully my proposal of a day a week goes well. It would be a great thing as it essentially will be an apprenticeship at a whole foods cooking school. So I would learn a ton!
But in the meantime I have accepted a position at a home as a caregiver. I start next Friday the 6th. It doesn't pay the best but it will get me some health experience here in NZ and hopefully teach me a ton of skills that I can transfer to other health jobs. I want to try to do something as far away from administration as possible so that I can test out what type of job would be best for me in the future. I am really looking forward to starting this.
I also have a job interview in order to work an international flower and gardening show which would be fun since now that I have a yard I can go to these type of shows and actually take ideas home!
So things are looking up on the job front, just in a bit of limbo still but should be so busy I can't think soon enough, which I adore, so here's hoping.
And on the job front there are some positive changes and some that I am not too sure about. The job I was getting really excited about still has some complications around payment and timing. So I have been thinking about how I could make that position work for me without completely taking up all of my time so that I can still have time to do paid work while not working 24 hours a day. So hopefully my proposal of a day a week goes well. It would be a great thing as it essentially will be an apprenticeship at a whole foods cooking school. So I would learn a ton!
But in the meantime I have accepted a position at a home as a caregiver. I start next Friday the 6th. It doesn't pay the best but it will get me some health experience here in NZ and hopefully teach me a ton of skills that I can transfer to other health jobs. I want to try to do something as far away from administration as possible so that I can test out what type of job would be best for me in the future. I am really looking forward to starting this.
I also have a job interview in order to work an international flower and gardening show which would be fun since now that I have a yard I can go to these type of shows and actually take ideas home!
So things are looking up on the job front, just in a bit of limbo still but should be so busy I can't think soon enough, which I adore, so here's hoping.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
apology to commenters
We've discovered today that comments to the photo album weren't initiating notice email to us. We swears we haven't been ignoring you! Hopefully all is sorted now.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Large Picture Upload
In the process of doing a large photo upload to the album. Check it out. Album on Picasa.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Promised Wellness
So far the blog has really just been about our trip rather than the promised "wine and wellness" angle, but I am about to change that!
Starting with: worm composting.
I got some worms set up last week so that I can start composting our food wastes. I converted an old city of Christchurch recycling bin into my new worms home and found wood and a brick for a lid, and off it went. They seem to be settling into their new home nicely, however a weeks worth of kitchen scraps has easily filled the entire bottom of the container which makes me think we need a larger container. Our new flatmate said no to me setting up an old bathtub in the yard as the new compost, so I moved on to the next best thing; old tires. Now it may not sound like a very good compost solution but there are a few really great bonus' to using tires. 1. They can be found for free. 2. They are stackable and thus are unstackable to get to the good bits of your compost heap. 3. Did I mention they could be found for free? So I had been keeping my eyes out for garages in the area where I could call and see if they have any tires that I can take off their hands, rather than them needing to dispose of them, when a miracle happened. I was driving down a desolate gravel road going to my job interview and low and behold there are a tires at the side of the road, and they are not behind barbed wire, score. So in driving home I carefully parked the car, looked around for any signs of human life and promptly stole three tires. Next step on my compost journey will be figuring out how to control the insane amounts of fruit flys that are making friends with the worms.
You can view my original attempt of supplying them with a good home on my self portrait a day site.
Onto: Finding a job in Wellness
Onto the second bit of wellness news, I had a job interview (of sorts) today with a woman who runs a holistic nutritional cooking school and I think it went really well. The trick is that due to the recession she may not exactly be able to pay me. So we have come up with a few ideas which include paying me in cooking classes and also training me on essentially everything she knows. I have told her that I just need to ensure that gas is covered (its about 60km away from where we live) as that is an expense I can't afford if I am not making money but other than that I am flexible in regards to renumeration. Especially for the next little while as I still have money that I saved back home. The opportunities to learn are amazing. I was thinking of taking a Holistic Nutritionist course and by working with her I may be able to learn most everything I need and save the expense. Just need to work out the budget for the next little while and see what is feasible for us. But I am so excited about the opportunities with her that I am beside myself.
Better go out and make a tire compost.
Starting with: worm composting.
I got some worms set up last week so that I can start composting our food wastes. I converted an old city of Christchurch recycling bin into my new worms home and found wood and a brick for a lid, and off it went. They seem to be settling into their new home nicely, however a weeks worth of kitchen scraps has easily filled the entire bottom of the container which makes me think we need a larger container. Our new flatmate said no to me setting up an old bathtub in the yard as the new compost, so I moved on to the next best thing; old tires. Now it may not sound like a very good compost solution but there are a few really great bonus' to using tires. 1. They can be found for free. 2. They are stackable and thus are unstackable to get to the good bits of your compost heap. 3. Did I mention they could be found for free? So I had been keeping my eyes out for garages in the area where I could call and see if they have any tires that I can take off their hands, rather than them needing to dispose of them, when a miracle happened. I was driving down a desolate gravel road going to my job interview and low and behold there are a tires at the side of the road, and they are not behind barbed wire, score. So in driving home I carefully parked the car, looked around for any signs of human life and promptly stole three tires. Next step on my compost journey will be figuring out how to control the insane amounts of fruit flys that are making friends with the worms.
You can view my original attempt of supplying them with a good home on my self portrait a day site.
Onto: Finding a job in Wellness
Onto the second bit of wellness news, I had a job interview (of sorts) today with a woman who runs a holistic nutritional cooking school and I think it went really well. The trick is that due to the recession she may not exactly be able to pay me. So we have come up with a few ideas which include paying me in cooking classes and also training me on essentially everything she knows. I have told her that I just need to ensure that gas is covered (its about 60km away from where we live) as that is an expense I can't afford if I am not making money but other than that I am flexible in regards to renumeration. Especially for the next little while as I still have money that I saved back home. The opportunities to learn are amazing. I was thinking of taking a Holistic Nutritionist course and by working with her I may be able to learn most everything I need and save the expense. Just need to work out the budget for the next little while and see what is feasible for us. But I am so excited about the opportunities with her that I am beside myself.
Better go out and make a tire compost.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
return to the helm
Woah Nelly what a few weeks these have been. We've climbed mountain-side rock staircases for hours, been eaten alive by sand flies, burned our feet at the aptly named Hot Water Beach, and met some truly great people along the way.
Complete strangers have put us up and put up with us for days on end! I've been well humoured with the amount of wine networking happening in this country, and I am slowly learning how to pitch it to Karen. Organic or Biodynamic producer? She's in! Good to know...
Immersion in a new culture is a shocking experience, and despite the many similarities and common language shared between Canada and New Zealand, I find this country maddening. There really is no good reason why things should cost so much. There may be perfectly valid reasons, but they're certainly not good in my books. Luckily, as with so many places in the world, if you search for it, you can find it. Second-hand bike shops. Bulk food stores. Smaller grocers. Those who don't boast of having "NZ's lowest prices" are the ones who typically do.
However, of all the things I miss about back home, it's what I intend to do tomorrow that I've missed most urgently.
I'm going to ride my bike.
Complete strangers have put us up and put up with us for days on end! I've been well humoured with the amount of wine networking happening in this country, and I am slowly learning how to pitch it to Karen. Organic or Biodynamic producer? She's in! Good to know...
Immersion in a new culture is a shocking experience, and despite the many similarities and common language shared between Canada and New Zealand, I find this country maddening. There really is no good reason why things should cost so much. There may be perfectly valid reasons, but they're certainly not good in my books. Luckily, as with so many places in the world, if you search for it, you can find it. Second-hand bike shops. Bulk food stores. Smaller grocers. Those who don't boast of having "NZ's lowest prices" are the ones who typically do.
However, of all the things I miss about back home, it's what I intend to do tomorrow that I've missed most urgently.
I'm going to ride my bike.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Reflections on New Zealand
I know I keep saying I will update with more information about our travels but time just seems to be getting away from me. We are still trying to find a bed to sleep on, for a reasonable price. Going to go see one tonight so hopefully that works out. If not, more floor sleeping which leads to bad sleep and cricked necks. But things are going really well in our new place. Hopefully have pictures up shortly!
But here are some of my positive and negative reflections on New Zealand so far.
Neg: No Craigslist. I didn't realize how much that site rocked until we came here and have to use Trade Me, which is essentially eBay. It is done on an auction system which is great for the seller as people who haven't even viewed the product jack the price up which means in the last five minutes of the auction the price goes up 50-hundreds of dollars. This system sucks.
Pos: Ketchup. The Ketchup (or they call it Tomato Sauce) is amazing. It tastes like it has a little bit of nutmeg in it and actually doesn't taste like one is eating a red blob of sugar. So tasty.
Neg: Prices. Everything seems to be more expensive. Food, bikes, supplies, gas (currently at a lower price of $1.65/litre), absolutely everything is higher. And we are trying not to get into the habit of thinking of how good the exchange rate is as soon we will be living off of NZ money.
Pos: Rent. We are currently living in a shared hosue that has two large bedrooms, a shared office, huge kitchen and huge living area, as well as a nice yard that we can do gardening in. We are paying just $600 a month, plus expenses. This blows me away as we were paying $740 for a small attic suite (all in) just a few months ago. Amazing.
Neg: Lack of familiar foods. They don't know what perogies are here. I have yet to see a 99 cent pizza joint. Breakfast foods are $15 for a plate of food we could get in Vancouver for $3 at Bons. There is no cheap sushi (Drew more than I). No familiar potato chip flavours, chicken potato chips just seem sacreligious.
Pos: New foods, or old foods that are better (in addition to ketchup). Rice milk is stunning here and tastes just like milk. Meat Pies are the staple cheap food, tasty but not too good for the belly. Fruits and veggies taste like organic although they aren't.
Neg: Bad drivers. No one seems to know how to drive here. This isn't so bad in a car as Drew is a really good driver, but its scary to think of what cycling will be like.
Pos: Small city. Christchurch is a very small city in comparison to back home. This is making it very easy to figure out where things are and learn how to get there. After just a week of navigating around I am starting to sort out where things are. Drew not as much as he is paying attention to the bad drivers and trusting my navigation skills.
Neg: No Ikea. You don't realize how wonderful a place like Ikea is until you are trying to furnish a home on the cheap and its not available to you. This is when you need to rely on something like Trade Me and lose auctions because spending $200 for a stained mattress is just plain gross.
Pos: Free things. We went to see some beds to see if we wanted to bid and ended up getting a free dresser and chair. That was cool.
Neg: Effort. It seems that everything here is just a little bit more difficult than back home. That is all due to being in a new place and all, but its exhausting trying to navigate a new system of buying, driving and eating.
Pos: Having a yard. Having a yard means that we can a) garden and b) compost! I got worms yesterday, very exciting. It is like having a pet!
Neg: Owning a car. Having access to a car is fantastic, liberating and we wouldn't have seen as much if we didn't have it. Trick is that it costs, a lot. That isn't so much fun.
Pos: Extremely friendly people. I read in a Winnipeggers blog post before coming here that NZ was more friendly than Winnipeg. And, well, they might be right. Its been great meeting people and have them give us their numbers and say to call anytime. Our flatmate is also really awesome and gets along well with both of us. I am hoping that this trend continues as with Drew starting classes soon I will need more people to fill my time with until I find a job.
There are lots more little things. Will try to write more soon.
But here are some of my positive and negative reflections on New Zealand so far.
Neg: No Craigslist. I didn't realize how much that site rocked until we came here and have to use Trade Me, which is essentially eBay. It is done on an auction system which is great for the seller as people who haven't even viewed the product jack the price up which means in the last five minutes of the auction the price goes up 50-hundreds of dollars. This system sucks.
Pos: Ketchup. The Ketchup (or they call it Tomato Sauce) is amazing. It tastes like it has a little bit of nutmeg in it and actually doesn't taste like one is eating a red blob of sugar. So tasty.
Neg: Prices. Everything seems to be more expensive. Food, bikes, supplies, gas (currently at a lower price of $1.65/litre), absolutely everything is higher. And we are trying not to get into the habit of thinking of how good the exchange rate is as soon we will be living off of NZ money.
Pos: Rent. We are currently living in a shared hosue that has two large bedrooms, a shared office, huge kitchen and huge living area, as well as a nice yard that we can do gardening in. We are paying just $600 a month, plus expenses. This blows me away as we were paying $740 for a small attic suite (all in) just a few months ago. Amazing.
Neg: Lack of familiar foods. They don't know what perogies are here. I have yet to see a 99 cent pizza joint. Breakfast foods are $15 for a plate of food we could get in Vancouver for $3 at Bons. There is no cheap sushi (Drew more than I). No familiar potato chip flavours, chicken potato chips just seem sacreligious.
Pos: New foods, or old foods that are better (in addition to ketchup). Rice milk is stunning here and tastes just like milk. Meat Pies are the staple cheap food, tasty but not too good for the belly. Fruits and veggies taste like organic although they aren't.
Neg: Bad drivers. No one seems to know how to drive here. This isn't so bad in a car as Drew is a really good driver, but its scary to think of what cycling will be like.
Pos: Small city. Christchurch is a very small city in comparison to back home. This is making it very easy to figure out where things are and learn how to get there. After just a week of navigating around I am starting to sort out where things are. Drew not as much as he is paying attention to the bad drivers and trusting my navigation skills.
Neg: No Ikea. You don't realize how wonderful a place like Ikea is until you are trying to furnish a home on the cheap and its not available to you. This is when you need to rely on something like Trade Me and lose auctions because spending $200 for a stained mattress is just plain gross.
Pos: Free things. We went to see some beds to see if we wanted to bid and ended up getting a free dresser and chair. That was cool.
Neg: Effort. It seems that everything here is just a little bit more difficult than back home. That is all due to being in a new place and all, but its exhausting trying to navigate a new system of buying, driving and eating.
Pos: Having a yard. Having a yard means that we can a) garden and b) compost! I got worms yesterday, very exciting. It is like having a pet!
Neg: Owning a car. Having access to a car is fantastic, liberating and we wouldn't have seen as much if we didn't have it. Trick is that it costs, a lot. That isn't so much fun.
Pos: Extremely friendly people. I read in a Winnipeggers blog post before coming here that NZ was more friendly than Winnipeg. And, well, they might be right. Its been great meeting people and have them give us their numbers and say to call anytime. Our flatmate is also really awesome and gets along well with both of us. I am hoping that this trend continues as with Drew starting classes soon I will need more people to fill my time with until I find a job.
There are lots more little things. Will try to write more soon.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Settling into home
So, we have been in Chch (Christchurch) for about 32 hours or so now. In that time we have found a place to live with what seems like a cool roommate and will be moving in in just a few hours. Not bad I think!
Will have internet there (in a cafe right now) so will be able to update on our travels in much more detail.
Now the trouble of finding a job starts. Wish me luck.
Will have internet there (in a cafe right now) so will be able to update on our travels in much more detail.
Now the trouble of finding a job starts. Wish me luck.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Four Weeks In
We are now about four weeks into our travels. Currently staying in Napier with wine contacts (the friends through friends scenario) and looking forward to moving our way towards Christchurch in the next couple of days. Traveling has been fantastic and I am hoping to have time to update in more detail soon enough but as of now I am just too tired when I do sit down to the computer to write much of anything and keep it interesting.
I have updated the photo albums with a few new sets of pictures if you are so inclined to take a look. You can view them at my photo pages.
Loving it here, but also starting to feel a bit homesick as it is sinking in that this isn't just a vacation. Looking forward to settling in one place, but think I will miss this freedom of travel as well.
I have updated the photo albums with a few new sets of pictures if you are so inclined to take a look. You can view them at my photo pages.
Loving it here, but also starting to feel a bit homesick as it is sinking in that this isn't just a vacation. Looking forward to settling in one place, but think I will miss this freedom of travel as well.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Auckland Photos
Staying in Auckland has been really great. Now that our car is sorted out and most of the camping gear is in order we will be departing North tomorrow. Our hosts here were awesome and we have been kept so busy that we haven't had much opportunity to write any of what we have been doing down. Hopefully we will have the chance to catch up on that while camping and will be posting a myriad of blog posts once we have internet access.
Still been meaning to update on the last few days in Rarotonga as well. So keep tuned for that. Just a quick note is that our 8km walk was actually 11km. Insane we were. I still have the scabs on my feet from the blisters.
But the reason for this post is to say I updated the photo album with pictures from Auckland. There are captions so some stories are listed there. They can be viewed at the Auckland album.
Still been meaning to update on the last few days in Rarotonga as well. So keep tuned for that. Just a quick note is that our 8km walk was actually 11km. Insane we were. I still have the scabs on my feet from the blisters.
But the reason for this post is to say I updated the photo album with pictures from Auckland. There are captions so some stories are listed there. They can be viewed at the Auckland album.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Auckland - City of Stress and Good Company
So Auckland has so far had a lot of up and downs. Finding a car, buying a car, and then fixing up said car has proven to be extremely stressful. Our hosts however have proven to be super fun to hang out with and the beaches are quite beautiful here. I have been meaning for some time to finish up a post about Rarotonga but the hunt for the vehicle has taken up most of the time that I have been spending on the computer as I am trying not to spend too much time here. But eventually it will be up.
As for some NZ things that we have found to be interesting/thrilling/worth noting:
- Seeing sheep in the middle of the city - priceless
- Ketchup tastes much better here, but is called Tomato Sauce
- Food tastes like food, so much flavour even in food that isn't organic (the only food with flavour back home almost)
- They've integrated bike shops and coffee shops into one (Drew will blog and post pictures shortly, or sometime, maybe)
- The wind is so inconsistent that you can not fly a kite
- One Tree Hill is neat, even though there is no tree anymore (Clayton and Meg you will want to go here)
- They animate the walk sign in the downtown core, probably to thrill the tourists. Consider us thrilled.
- People are quite helpful and friendly
- Auction buying is exciting, but can also backfire when the repairs to the car are almost as much as the car
- Food prices are not as astronomically high as we were led to believe, especially in comparison to Rarotonga
There are many more things I am sure, but that is a short list until we can find the time to do some writing. Our hosts here are really kind though and are open to us staying for as long as we want, but we will most likely be hitting the road on Monday. The plan so far is to head up North to the tip and then start making our journey South. Being in Auckland took a little bit longer than we had anticipated but having people to sit and chat with each night and have a few drinks has been wonderful and a great introduction to the social life we can expect here (hopefully).
As for some NZ things that we have found to be interesting/thrilling/worth noting:
- Seeing sheep in the middle of the city - priceless
- Ketchup tastes much better here, but is called Tomato Sauce
- Food tastes like food, so much flavour even in food that isn't organic (the only food with flavour back home almost)
- They've integrated bike shops and coffee shops into one (Drew will blog and post pictures shortly, or sometime, maybe)
- The wind is so inconsistent that you can not fly a kite
- One Tree Hill is neat, even though there is no tree anymore (Clayton and Meg you will want to go here)
- They animate the walk sign in the downtown core, probably to thrill the tourists. Consider us thrilled.
- People are quite helpful and friendly
- Auction buying is exciting, but can also backfire when the repairs to the car are almost as much as the car
- Food prices are not as astronomically high as we were led to believe, especially in comparison to Rarotonga
There are many more things I am sure, but that is a short list until we can find the time to do some writing. Our hosts here are really kind though and are open to us staying for as long as we want, but we will most likely be hitting the road on Monday. The plan so far is to head up North to the tip and then start making our journey South. Being in Auckland took a little bit longer than we had anticipated but having people to sit and chat with each night and have a few drinks has been wonderful and a great introduction to the social life we can expect here (hopefully).
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Photo Update from Rarotonga
Hello all. Got photos uploaded yesterday of our time in Rarotonga. Don't worry, this isn't all of them so there will be plenty to see in our slide show night should we return to Vancouver.
They are viewable at: http://picasaweb.google.com/boycottbroccoli/
Enjoy!
They are viewable at: http://picasaweb.google.com/boycottbroccoli/
Enjoy!
the post of firsts
This has been a few days of a few firsts. First time I've had luggage lost, and thankfully retrieved. First time flying with a partner. First time I've flown with a partner and had it go well! First time flying with a celebrity; Pamela Anderson rides Economy Class and behaves ... as any other person. Very disappointing indeed. Your fans demand antics, and egos, and horridly overpowering perfume.
As a brief aside, may I recommend Air New Zealand if you ever have the option. The staff have all been very helpful and take service seriously, the food is delicious, and the Linux-based user chair-screen interface had a really good selection of films, games, and informative clips. I watched the All Blacks hammer a British team back in '96, Karen watched The Dutchess. I will never play rugby.
First time I've been snorkeling, and seen dozens of different types of fish I never knew existed. Karen had a fearsome nest-guarding fish lung at her in a way that only protective fish can, and let me tell you, I have a new respect for those fish. They may not be carnivorous but their bravery does leave one wondering how to deal with a rampaging 25cm Picasso Triggerfish. We were so absorbed in our deep-shallows exploration that the hours seemed to burn by. Burn, that's a fitting word to talk about.
The word conjures impressions of heat, of redness perhaps, swelling for some, and a penetrating dryness that leaves things flakey and cracked or prone to such states. Thankfully we're not dealing with any of that latter stuff. Some hot red areas that should fade in a day or two and an understanding that it is not acceptable to forget about time when flopping about under a mid-day tropical sun. Scalp burns are less than fun. However! If I may make another recommendation to anyone considering tropical locales, do thyself a favour and go to the electric beach. Fake n' Bake as it is otherwise known; a tanning salon to those who like to take the fun out of descriptors equating a semi/unclothed human being to a piece of breaded chicken. Whichever name you personally identify with, it has saved our pasty Canadian skin from ending up somewhat like fried chicken skin. Best $30 I've spent in a very long time.
First time I've obtained a driving license in a foreign country. My exam involved standing next to a guy who read over the checklist of Things For Which To Test The Applicant and trading the odd joke as he ticked each box dutifully. They were tremendous tick marks, full of confidence and precision, as though he had personally experienced my driving ability. I then took my portion of that piece of paper to a police station, paid $20, and was issued a hard-card driving licence for the Cook Islands.
To be clear, the local drivers are saints. The 50kph speed limit is generally adhered to (40kph if you wish to drive a scooter without wearing a helmet) and there is infinite patience for those who choose to drive at their own, slower, pace. No tailgating, no honks, no dangerous passing, just placid cruising. Many foreigners, on the other hand, can't quite figure out that one drives on the left side in the Cooks, and as it is in most places on earth, you still can't drink and drive. We've been driving during the day with great success.
First time on a road bike in a very long time. Since my crash in April that totalled my gorgeous, light, full carbon Giant, road bikes have been scarce in my life. Our guesthouse manager just happens to be a triathlete with a good frame and sweet tyres (145psi, I'm in heaven). As luck would have it, of the luggage that was not lost in our transfer, one happened to be full of all my bike gear. We happened to be talking in front of her office where I spotted, and stared at, the rig until she caught the drift. She graciously offered to let me go for a ride, and I in turn waited for her to finish the offer before hauling it out of her office. So I swapped out her pedals for mine, tossed on the ol' spandex and riding shoes, and pounded out the beautiful 32km circumference of the island. It felt great to push the legs like that again.
First time seeing just how expensive this place can be if you're not careful (pictures to come), and how reasonable it is if one shops around and hunts down the local produce. Paw Paw, the local name for Papaya, is phenomenal, and easily the best I've ever had. There is masses of fresh Albacore everywhere, which is rarely inspiring but is well at its best in these parts, and is delicious. Or you can order a coke for $4, petrol is $2.25/L, and the local breakfast joint sells 2 eggs, 2 strips of bacon, and toast for $20. A small glass of juice is complimentary.
First time hitchhiking. First time hiking in a tropical forest. First time getting lost while hiking in a tropical forest. First time playing it oh-so cool to the girlfriend while finding our way out of being lost in a tropical forest. Not the first time playing it oh-so cool to the girlfriend while having no clue what's going on. But this is supposed to be a post of firsts.
First time being in the Southern Hemisphere, and seeing a different face of the moon at night.
That's likely about as many firsts as our patient readers care to dig through. Many more firsts to come, as we negotiate buying a car (another first for me!) and figure out this nonsensical giving way rule they have down here. Good to get that under our belts before driving around and down this country.
As a brief aside, may I recommend Air New Zealand if you ever have the option. The staff have all been very helpful and take service seriously, the food is delicious, and the Linux-based user chair-screen interface had a really good selection of films, games, and informative clips. I watched the All Blacks hammer a British team back in '96, Karen watched The Dutchess. I will never play rugby.
First time I've been snorkeling, and seen dozens of different types of fish I never knew existed. Karen had a fearsome nest-guarding fish lung at her in a way that only protective fish can, and let me tell you, I have a new respect for those fish. They may not be carnivorous but their bravery does leave one wondering how to deal with a rampaging 25cm Picasso Triggerfish. We were so absorbed in our deep-shallows exploration that the hours seemed to burn by. Burn, that's a fitting word to talk about.
The word conjures impressions of heat, of redness perhaps, swelling for some, and a penetrating dryness that leaves things flakey and cracked or prone to such states. Thankfully we're not dealing with any of that latter stuff. Some hot red areas that should fade in a day or two and an understanding that it is not acceptable to forget about time when flopping about under a mid-day tropical sun. Scalp burns are less than fun. However! If I may make another recommendation to anyone considering tropical locales, do thyself a favour and go to the electric beach. Fake n' Bake as it is otherwise known; a tanning salon to those who like to take the fun out of descriptors equating a semi/unclothed human being to a piece of breaded chicken. Whichever name you personally identify with, it has saved our pasty Canadian skin from ending up somewhat like fried chicken skin. Best $30 I've spent in a very long time.
First time I've obtained a driving license in a foreign country. My exam involved standing next to a guy who read over the checklist of Things For Which To Test The Applicant and trading the odd joke as he ticked each box dutifully. They were tremendous tick marks, full of confidence and precision, as though he had personally experienced my driving ability. I then took my portion of that piece of paper to a police station, paid $20, and was issued a hard-card driving licence for the Cook Islands.
To be clear, the local drivers are saints. The 50kph speed limit is generally adhered to (40kph if you wish to drive a scooter without wearing a helmet) and there is infinite patience for those who choose to drive at their own, slower, pace. No tailgating, no honks, no dangerous passing, just placid cruising. Many foreigners, on the other hand, can't quite figure out that one drives on the left side in the Cooks, and as it is in most places on earth, you still can't drink and drive. We've been driving during the day with great success.
First time on a road bike in a very long time. Since my crash in April that totalled my gorgeous, light, full carbon Giant, road bikes have been scarce in my life. Our guesthouse manager just happens to be a triathlete with a good frame and sweet tyres (145psi, I'm in heaven). As luck would have it, of the luggage that was not lost in our transfer, one happened to be full of all my bike gear. We happened to be talking in front of her office where I spotted, and stared at, the rig until she caught the drift. She graciously offered to let me go for a ride, and I in turn waited for her to finish the offer before hauling it out of her office. So I swapped out her pedals for mine, tossed on the ol' spandex and riding shoes, and pounded out the beautiful 32km circumference of the island. It felt great to push the legs like that again.
First time seeing just how expensive this place can be if you're not careful (pictures to come), and how reasonable it is if one shops around and hunts down the local produce. Paw Paw, the local name for Papaya, is phenomenal, and easily the best I've ever had. There is masses of fresh Albacore everywhere, which is rarely inspiring but is well at its best in these parts, and is delicious. Or you can order a coke for $4, petrol is $2.25/L, and the local breakfast joint sells 2 eggs, 2 strips of bacon, and toast for $20. A small glass of juice is complimentary.
First time hitchhiking. First time hiking in a tropical forest. First time getting lost while hiking in a tropical forest. First time playing it oh-so cool to the girlfriend while finding our way out of being lost in a tropical forest. Not the first time playing it oh-so cool to the girlfriend while having no clue what's going on. But this is supposed to be a post of firsts.
First time being in the Southern Hemisphere, and seeing a different face of the moon at night.
That's likely about as many firsts as our patient readers care to dig through. Many more firsts to come, as we negotiate buying a car (another first for me!) and figure out this nonsensical giving way rule they have down here. Good to get that under our belts before driving around and down this country.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Fish of the Cook Islands
So as mentioned on Wednesday Drew and I did a three hour tour of the Lagoon by the Fruits of Rarotonga with snorkel gear. For those of you interested in fish here is a listing of the fish we saw and some of their characteristics if anything beyond being a beautiful fish, or very expensive should it be in a pet store, was noticed.
- Blue Fin Trevally; as I was walking into the water a school of these large fish (can be upwards to 80cm but these were probably around 60cm) swam around me. After going under the water the school continued to move with us for a good 5 or 10 minutes. Very curious and calm.
- Picasso Trigger Fish; we had learned at breakfast that these fish were very territorial and currently in breeding season so they would charge and have been known to draw blood. Of course this made me afraid of them so when one turned, made eye contact and charged towards me I screamed and flailed making Drew think I was being attacked by a shark. When he realized it hadn’t even touched me I got a cursory roll of the eyes. These fish I will forever fear.
- Scissortail Sergeant; in the shallow waters this small fish was the most common I saw. There was also one that looked just like a Gourami but doesn’t appear on one of the ‘Fish of the Cook Islands cards here at the guesthouse.
- Convict Surgeonfish and Threadfin Butterfly Fish; became the more common fish as we moved into deeper waters.
- Blue Damsel; the first really brightly coloured fish seen. They looked luminescent in the water.
- Achilles Tang; I think this was the black fish that was most common amongst the coral. The picture on the card isn’t clear. It could also have been a Coral Cod.
- Lemonpeel Angel Fish; looks like it is wearing blue eyes hadow.
- Speckled, Saddled, Raccoon, and Teardrop Butterfly fish.
- Spotted Toby; one of the odder breeds.
- Pennant Bannerfish; probably one of the largest Angelfish I had ever seen, extremely graceful and shy.
- Threespot Wrasse
- Ember Parrotfish
- Neon Fusiller
- Red Squirrel Fish; only saw one of these hiding a bit under a rock
- Yellowstripe Goatfish; looked just like a giant Cory but instead of its mouth having the fronds, it has two chin fronds that scoop up the sand to disturb its food. Very large (40cm) and neat.
So far we have seen no eels, lion fish or porcupine fish but hopefully before long we will.
- Blue Fin Trevally; as I was walking into the water a school of these large fish (can be upwards to 80cm but these were probably around 60cm) swam around me. After going under the water the school continued to move with us for a good 5 or 10 minutes. Very curious and calm.
- Picasso Trigger Fish; we had learned at breakfast that these fish were very territorial and currently in breeding season so they would charge and have been known to draw blood. Of course this made me afraid of them so when one turned, made eye contact and charged towards me I screamed and flailed making Drew think I was being attacked by a shark. When he realized it hadn’t even touched me I got a cursory roll of the eyes. These fish I will forever fear.
- Scissortail Sergeant; in the shallow waters this small fish was the most common I saw. There was also one that looked just like a Gourami but doesn’t appear on one of the ‘Fish of the Cook Islands cards here at the guesthouse.
- Convict Surgeonfish and Threadfin Butterfly Fish; became the more common fish as we moved into deeper waters.
- Blue Damsel; the first really brightly coloured fish seen. They looked luminescent in the water.
- Achilles Tang; I think this was the black fish that was most common amongst the coral. The picture on the card isn’t clear. It could also have been a Coral Cod.
- Lemonpeel Angel Fish; looks like it is wearing blue eyes hadow.
- Speckled, Saddled, Raccoon, and Teardrop Butterfly fish.
- Spotted Toby; one of the odder breeds.
- Pennant Bannerfish; probably one of the largest Angelfish I had ever seen, extremely graceful and shy.
- Threespot Wrasse
- Ember Parrotfish
- Neon Fusiller
- Red Squirrel Fish; only saw one of these hiding a bit under a rock
- Yellowstripe Goatfish; looked just like a giant Cory but instead of its mouth having the fronds, it has two chin fronds that scoop up the sand to disturb its food. Very large (40cm) and neat.
So far we have seen no eels, lion fish or porcupine fish but hopefully before long we will.
The long rambling overview by Karen
We are now onto day four of our trip and all I can really say is, stunning. There have been some hurdles of course but so far being in a tropical wonderland is amazing.
But I will start at day one.
The trip started off well with our plane leaving only about 15 minutes late, which was fantastic considering it had dumped snow the night before we left. We had a star sighting on the plane when a very run down looking Pamela Anderson walked into Economy Class and sat just a few rows up from us. Both of us had to crack a few jokes about her not being in First class but I think there was a healthy dose of Canadian star struckness going on (quietly whispering about being near a celebrity) when we could smell her perfume as she stood next to us waiting for the toilet. However flying with Air Canada for the first leg of our journey turned out to be a bit disappointing when we discovered that there would be no complimentary snack or food of any sort even though it was supposed to be a three hour flight (turned out to be a 2 and a bit in the end though). So I watched The Duchess (relatively good movie well acted) while Drew read and we sipped our complimentary beverages.
The layover in LA was lack luster as we were sequestered into a tiny part of the airport with only a few food options and only one store worth looking in. We did however have a very tasty pulled pork sandwich at the Route 66 Diner and then sat around doing Soduku since internet use cost money. Close to catching our flight we heard about some travel issues another flight was having and I was extremely grateful that we got out of Vancouver as we heard that the Airport had been shut down.
Flight with Air New Zealand to Rorotonga was a definite plus over Air Canada. We were fed a really good dinner (I selected Gluten Free, Drew had his Hindu meal. The look on the flight attendants face was awesome handing them over) and got to eat before everyone else because we selected the special meals. We even got to enjoy complimentary alcoholic beverages with our meal, very nice. There was a lot of turbulence on the flight which made sleeping difficult but I watched Nick and Nora’s Ultimate Playlist and then slept a bit to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I got a few hours in and then we were fed a breakfast of fruit (due to our special meal choices we didn’t get the ham and cheese croissant, the downfall of selecting special meals) and started our early descent into Rarotonga.
Due to our early arrival we couldn’t see too much outside the plane as we flew onto the island but I think that also said a lot about the place we were landing as there was very little light pollution, few street lights and just a few houses lit up. It was really stunning to see the waves hitting the reef around the island. The most startling though was walking off the plane onto the tarmac in our sweaters and jeans into 22 degree weather (at 5am local time, 7am Vancouver) and humidity like we never see in Vancouver. It was neat to see an airport that was just a large room and being greeted by a Maori singer. The trick here though was after the luggage went around a few times and we only had two bags we kept looking expectantly as our fellow travelers slowly ventured out of the airport. Then I heard the words “that’s the last of the luggage folks” and I swear my soul died a little. A fear of mine is losing luggage, and there we were with two pieces missing. Ironically we soon discovered that they were the pieces that had the majority of Drew’s summer clothes, my hiking shoes and all of our toiletries. Air New Zealand was really great though and they gave us some kits with essentials like t-shirts (XL for women, XXL for man) and toothbrushes and the promise to reimburse us for incidentals, so we left with missing luggage praying that it would soon arrive and met with Kelly the manager for Aremango Guest House where we would be staying.
The 8km drive to the guesthouse was exciting for me. I had never seen palm trees, never driven on the left side of the road, never been in any sort of tropical environment, and never had a stamp in my passport until that day. It was beautiful to see clear blue skies, tons of green and the ocean poking out through the trees. The guesthouse itself is also really nice. Our room has a king size bed and two twin bunk beds which are perfect for piling our luggage onto. The kitchen is very clean and has most everything we need for cooking. There is a large covered porch out the kitchen with two large seating areas which have proven to be great to sit around with the others staying at the guesthouse for meals and talking at night. It is also just a short walk from the Beach.
So the logical thing on the first day at 7am after a 17 or so hour commute would be to rest, but not us, after a quick breakfast we caught a ride into town. Now something important to note is that the island of Rarotonga is only 32km around, and from town to where we are staying is 8km. So of course Drew and I figure that to walk 8km in Vancouver would be about 1.5-2 hours so we can definitely walk back, and plan to do so. Yeah… the adventure begins. We grabbed some toiletries and food while I lamented over the fact that two important bags went missing and two not as important made it through (like the bag with our camping gear and cycling gear), and over the cost of food as took photos of how expensive things are here, like $6 for a box of Kleenex, which I will post once we have more reliable internet access. We then added to our tourist look, pale skin wasn’t a tell tale tourist sign enough for us, and I got a big floppy straw hat, and Drew got a gray straw cowboy hat. Touristy and will keep the sun out of our eyes! Then the walk begins.
So we were walking for about 45 minutes before the first person stopped to offer us a ride, we politely said no thanks and kept upon our way. After about 1.5 hours we started to say “oh we are close now I remember this massage place”. This is also when the heat of the day was at its max and our water bottle started to get a bit low and when my feet started to blister from wearing just small slip on shoes and Drew’s flip flops, or jandals as the Kiwis call them, (Japanese Sandals) started to bother him. Then after about 2 hours the second car stopped to offer us a ride, but no, on we went because now we had to prove that we could do it. It wasn’t long after this when we had started to walk in the rain that I heard a cat crying from inside the bushes next to the road. I called it over and it turned out to be a tiny kitten probably no older than about 6 or 7 weeks that was skin and bone and soaking wet. I of course picked it up and after trying the house nearest where we found it (no one was home) decided the only logical conclusion was to carry it the rest of the way home. Turns out we were still a good few km from home at that point so I was carrying a watermelon my bag filled with food and a heavy water bottle and juggling a kitten while it was raining. We got the kitten back and some of the other guests helped get it milk and we called the local animal shelter to come get it. But I of course fell in love with it, and it with me. I had really been struggling with having to part with my cat, Nuku, and was sad that cats wouldn’t be a part of my life anymore and the universe provided me with a lesson that cats will always be a part, even if they aren’t mine. So I bonded with Shiva, my newly named friend and got to have the joy of a creature being completely trusting and loving because I had cared for it. The shelter came shortly after but it was a good reminder to me about how things that are important always find a way in.
The rest of our first day included going swimming in the lagoon just off from our guesthouse and me taking care of my extremely swollen and blistered feet. Walking into the water wasn’t the extremely warm water I was expecting but it certainly wasn’t like the pacific from back home. You could walk directly in without wincing at all, amazing. The water is also crystal clear and the bottom has a startling amount of sea cucumbers. First day found bed around 8pm with a sleep like the dead until…
5am. Second day. Roosters. Insane roosters who crow at each other to announce the morning and do so right outside our window since chickens seem to roam wild on this island. Something inside of me responded to this, some primal prairie girl roots that made me feel like I should spring out of bed and get to tending Ma and Pa’s fields. But of course I merely complained about chickens and then fell back asleep. Since we had discovered that a 8km walk in 32 degree humid weather was not like Vancouver we needed a more reliable form of transport and the bus cost $4 each time you got on, each, so we figured scooter here we come. It seems that the primary form of transportation on the island for foreigners as well as locals is scooters and Drew was in his element when we picked ours up. I must say that it is really thrilling to bomb along on the back. We did the circuit of the entire island scoping out places we needed to return to and then explored the Fruits of Rarotonga beach which had really nice hot water with lots of coral. Drew did some snorkeling but since my contacts were packed in the lost luggage I found that I couldn’t see that much so chose to just swim and enjoy the weather. Second day found another early night of sleep.
This takes us to third day, today. Again the roosters were at it at the crack of dawn. A bit easier to fall back asleep today, which was nice. However when I went out of the room the best sight was to be had, that of our luggage stacked at the door. Happiness knew no bounds as I came back into the room and danced around doing the “our luggage was found and delivered” dance for Drew while he lay in bed. It was exciting. Unpacking my contacts and getting ready for the day knowing I could get some snorkeling in was thrilling. Back to Fruits of Rarotonga we went and promptly snorkeled for about 3 hours. I now have the burns to prove it, but it was probably the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Being amongst the fish and seeing fish that I had only ever seen at the Aquarium, or in pet stores swimming just inches from me was the highlight of the trip so far. After lunch we spent the afternoon riding around on the scooter some more and I am now nursing burnt knees, shoulder and inner thighs to my butt due to I think the sunscreen rubbing off on the scooter then swimming for 3 hours. Oh well, this uncomfortable pain has been totally worth the things I have seen and experienced. I am blown away by this country.
Sun burnt, dehydrated and tired I am loving it here. Taking today to rest as a storm may be moving in, but I am sure there will be many more rambles to come.
But I will start at day one.
The trip started off well with our plane leaving only about 15 minutes late, which was fantastic considering it had dumped snow the night before we left. We had a star sighting on the plane when a very run down looking Pamela Anderson walked into Economy Class and sat just a few rows up from us. Both of us had to crack a few jokes about her not being in First class but I think there was a healthy dose of Canadian star struckness going on (quietly whispering about being near a celebrity) when we could smell her perfume as she stood next to us waiting for the toilet. However flying with Air Canada for the first leg of our journey turned out to be a bit disappointing when we discovered that there would be no complimentary snack or food of any sort even though it was supposed to be a three hour flight (turned out to be a 2 and a bit in the end though). So I watched The Duchess (relatively good movie well acted) while Drew read and we sipped our complimentary beverages.
The layover in LA was lack luster as we were sequestered into a tiny part of the airport with only a few food options and only one store worth looking in. We did however have a very tasty pulled pork sandwich at the Route 66 Diner and then sat around doing Soduku since internet use cost money. Close to catching our flight we heard about some travel issues another flight was having and I was extremely grateful that we got out of Vancouver as we heard that the Airport had been shut down.
Flight with Air New Zealand to Rorotonga was a definite plus over Air Canada. We were fed a really good dinner (I selected Gluten Free, Drew had his Hindu meal. The look on the flight attendants face was awesome handing them over) and got to eat before everyone else because we selected the special meals. We even got to enjoy complimentary alcoholic beverages with our meal, very nice. There was a lot of turbulence on the flight which made sleeping difficult but I watched Nick and Nora’s Ultimate Playlist and then slept a bit to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I got a few hours in and then we were fed a breakfast of fruit (due to our special meal choices we didn’t get the ham and cheese croissant, the downfall of selecting special meals) and started our early descent into Rarotonga.
Due to our early arrival we couldn’t see too much outside the plane as we flew onto the island but I think that also said a lot about the place we were landing as there was very little light pollution, few street lights and just a few houses lit up. It was really stunning to see the waves hitting the reef around the island. The most startling though was walking off the plane onto the tarmac in our sweaters and jeans into 22 degree weather (at 5am local time, 7am Vancouver) and humidity like we never see in Vancouver. It was neat to see an airport that was just a large room and being greeted by a Maori singer. The trick here though was after the luggage went around a few times and we only had two bags we kept looking expectantly as our fellow travelers slowly ventured out of the airport. Then I heard the words “that’s the last of the luggage folks” and I swear my soul died a little. A fear of mine is losing luggage, and there we were with two pieces missing. Ironically we soon discovered that they were the pieces that had the majority of Drew’s summer clothes, my hiking shoes and all of our toiletries. Air New Zealand was really great though and they gave us some kits with essentials like t-shirts (XL for women, XXL for man) and toothbrushes and the promise to reimburse us for incidentals, so we left with missing luggage praying that it would soon arrive and met with Kelly the manager for Aremango Guest House where we would be staying.
The 8km drive to the guesthouse was exciting for me. I had never seen palm trees, never driven on the left side of the road, never been in any sort of tropical environment, and never had a stamp in my passport until that day. It was beautiful to see clear blue skies, tons of green and the ocean poking out through the trees. The guesthouse itself is also really nice. Our room has a king size bed and two twin bunk beds which are perfect for piling our luggage onto. The kitchen is very clean and has most everything we need for cooking. There is a large covered porch out the kitchen with two large seating areas which have proven to be great to sit around with the others staying at the guesthouse for meals and talking at night. It is also just a short walk from the Beach.
So the logical thing on the first day at 7am after a 17 or so hour commute would be to rest, but not us, after a quick breakfast we caught a ride into town. Now something important to note is that the island of Rarotonga is only 32km around, and from town to where we are staying is 8km. So of course Drew and I figure that to walk 8km in Vancouver would be about 1.5-2 hours so we can definitely walk back, and plan to do so. Yeah… the adventure begins. We grabbed some toiletries and food while I lamented over the fact that two important bags went missing and two not as important made it through (like the bag with our camping gear and cycling gear), and over the cost of food as took photos of how expensive things are here, like $6 for a box of Kleenex, which I will post once we have more reliable internet access. We then added to our tourist look, pale skin wasn’t a tell tale tourist sign enough for us, and I got a big floppy straw hat, and Drew got a gray straw cowboy hat. Touristy and will keep the sun out of our eyes! Then the walk begins.
So we were walking for about 45 minutes before the first person stopped to offer us a ride, we politely said no thanks and kept upon our way. After about 1.5 hours we started to say “oh we are close now I remember this massage place”. This is also when the heat of the day was at its max and our water bottle started to get a bit low and when my feet started to blister from wearing just small slip on shoes and Drew’s flip flops, or jandals as the Kiwis call them, (Japanese Sandals) started to bother him. Then after about 2 hours the second car stopped to offer us a ride, but no, on we went because now we had to prove that we could do it. It wasn’t long after this when we had started to walk in the rain that I heard a cat crying from inside the bushes next to the road. I called it over and it turned out to be a tiny kitten probably no older than about 6 or 7 weeks that was skin and bone and soaking wet. I of course picked it up and after trying the house nearest where we found it (no one was home) decided the only logical conclusion was to carry it the rest of the way home. Turns out we were still a good few km from home at that point so I was carrying a watermelon my bag filled with food and a heavy water bottle and juggling a kitten while it was raining. We got the kitten back and some of the other guests helped get it milk and we called the local animal shelter to come get it. But I of course fell in love with it, and it with me. I had really been struggling with having to part with my cat, Nuku, and was sad that cats wouldn’t be a part of my life anymore and the universe provided me with a lesson that cats will always be a part, even if they aren’t mine. So I bonded with Shiva, my newly named friend and got to have the joy of a creature being completely trusting and loving because I had cared for it. The shelter came shortly after but it was a good reminder to me about how things that are important always find a way in.
The rest of our first day included going swimming in the lagoon just off from our guesthouse and me taking care of my extremely swollen and blistered feet. Walking into the water wasn’t the extremely warm water I was expecting but it certainly wasn’t like the pacific from back home. You could walk directly in without wincing at all, amazing. The water is also crystal clear and the bottom has a startling amount of sea cucumbers. First day found bed around 8pm with a sleep like the dead until…
5am. Second day. Roosters. Insane roosters who crow at each other to announce the morning and do so right outside our window since chickens seem to roam wild on this island. Something inside of me responded to this, some primal prairie girl roots that made me feel like I should spring out of bed and get to tending Ma and Pa’s fields. But of course I merely complained about chickens and then fell back asleep. Since we had discovered that a 8km walk in 32 degree humid weather was not like Vancouver we needed a more reliable form of transport and the bus cost $4 each time you got on, each, so we figured scooter here we come. It seems that the primary form of transportation on the island for foreigners as well as locals is scooters and Drew was in his element when we picked ours up. I must say that it is really thrilling to bomb along on the back. We did the circuit of the entire island scoping out places we needed to return to and then explored the Fruits of Rarotonga beach which had really nice hot water with lots of coral. Drew did some snorkeling but since my contacts were packed in the lost luggage I found that I couldn’t see that much so chose to just swim and enjoy the weather. Second day found another early night of sleep.
This takes us to third day, today. Again the roosters were at it at the crack of dawn. A bit easier to fall back asleep today, which was nice. However when I went out of the room the best sight was to be had, that of our luggage stacked at the door. Happiness knew no bounds as I came back into the room and danced around doing the “our luggage was found and delivered” dance for Drew while he lay in bed. It was exciting. Unpacking my contacts and getting ready for the day knowing I could get some snorkeling in was thrilling. Back to Fruits of Rarotonga we went and promptly snorkeled for about 3 hours. I now have the burns to prove it, but it was probably the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Being amongst the fish and seeing fish that I had only ever seen at the Aquarium, or in pet stores swimming just inches from me was the highlight of the trip so far. After lunch we spent the afternoon riding around on the scooter some more and I am now nursing burnt knees, shoulder and inner thighs to my butt due to I think the sunscreen rubbing off on the scooter then swimming for 3 hours. Oh well, this uncomfortable pain has been totally worth the things I have seen and experienced. I am blown away by this country.
Sun burnt, dehydrated and tired I am loving it here. Taking today to rest as a storm may be moving in, but I am sure there will be many more rambles to come.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Packed
So Karen and I have packed up or sold our belongings and are sitting, with what we have left, in the Vancouver airport awaiting the first leg of our journey. Good to know: as we have a short layover in L.A., we weren't required to undergo retina scan and fingerprinting. Does anyone else find that process just a bit worrying?
Hello, this is Skynet calling. How are you feeling today?
For those who don't know our travel plans, we're doing a bit of the milk run. Today we fly Vancouver --> L.A., where we'll have almost 6 whole hours to see the sights and absorb the culture of LAX airport. I can't wait to hunt for postcards.
From there we fly L.A. --> Cook Islands, for 6 days of 30°C weather, which after the blizzards in Vancouver (hey, it snowed a fair bit yeah?) will be a welcome change. We've even been visiting the tanning beds to prep ourselves, and may I recommend that you experience these wondrous places at least once in your life?
Ok, so that side-trip out of the way, we head to Auckland for January 12. The plan at this point is to load our belongings (being sure to not forget the media-laden laptops or underwear) into the 2nd hand car we buy and drive helter-skelter around the islands for a few weeks. The end destination being Christchurch, a city of about 300,000 inhabitants and the largest urban area of the South Island.
I may not have mentioned that the helter-skelter part does, perhaps, involve visiting one or two wine-producing regions. Will try not to bore Karen to tears with yet another photo of vines, or any of our readers for that matter.
That's about all for now. Will write more when more's to be written.
Hello, this is Skynet calling. How are you feeling today?
For those who don't know our travel plans, we're doing a bit of the milk run. Today we fly Vancouver --> L.A., where we'll have almost 6 whole hours to see the sights and absorb the culture of LAX airport. I can't wait to hunt for postcards.
From there we fly L.A. --> Cook Islands, for 6 days of 30°C weather, which after the blizzards in Vancouver (hey, it snowed a fair bit yeah?) will be a welcome change. We've even been visiting the tanning beds to prep ourselves, and may I recommend that you experience these wondrous places at least once in your life?
Ok, so that side-trip out of the way, we head to Auckland for January 12. The plan at this point is to load our belongings (being sure to not forget the media-laden laptops or underwear) into the 2nd hand car we buy and drive helter-skelter around the islands for a few weeks. The end destination being Christchurch, a city of about 300,000 inhabitants and the largest urban area of the South Island.
I may not have mentioned that the helter-skelter part does, perhaps, involve visiting one or two wine-producing regions. Will try not to bore Karen to tears with yet another photo of vines, or any of our readers for that matter.
That's about all for now. Will write more when more's to be written.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Packing
I find myself saying, "this time from now I will be in the " and getting giddy and excited far more often now that the act of packing has started. Looking at stacks of clothes and a bed strewn about with various books, bike gear and vitamins was overwhelming but now that the process of placing those items into luggage has started I have realized how much I have enjoyed reevaluating the need of many things I have held onto and carted around for a number of years. You realize in doing this process how much you really need to live and be happy, and it is not as much as I would have expected for myself.
The necessities of course are (in order of importance):
- Laptop and ability to plug in laptop in foreign country. Laptop must include copious amounts of stored media to consume
- Clothes with underwear taking precedence over anything else
- Books, many many books, most of a technical nature (this holds true for Drew as well)
- Bike gear as helmets that fit well and look sharp are annoyingly hard to find
- Camping gear, with a new tiny cook stove being a very exciting purchase
Most anything else can be left behind. Just a few mementos are coming along. I like this feeling that my life will be fitting into a few suitcases and carted around the world with me in just 1.5 days time.
The necessities of course are (in order of importance):
- Laptop and ability to plug in laptop in foreign country. Laptop must include copious amounts of stored media to consume
- Clothes with underwear taking precedence over anything else
- Books, many many books, most of a technical nature (this holds true for Drew as well)
- Bike gear as helmets that fit well and look sharp are annoyingly hard to find
- Camping gear, with a new tiny cook stove being a very exciting purchase
Most anything else can be left behind. Just a few mementos are coming along. I like this feeling that my life will be fitting into a few suitcases and carted around the world with me in just 1.5 days time.
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