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.
Showing posts with label job. Show all posts
Showing posts with label job. Show all posts
Saturday, April 25, 2009
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.
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.
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.
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.
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