Dear New Zealand

Don’t get me wrong, I am loving Z-Land, but there are a few things I miss from home (besides the obvious family, friends, and man friend). The following is my plea to have my needs met.

Dear New Zealand,

There is so much I adore about you. I am working on my recycling so here are a few things that you can do for me:

· I would like real ketchup not that sicky tomato sauce

· Your Chips Ahoy’s look over cooked, please keep a closer eye on these while they are in the oven

· Your Oreos do not have a creamy center, it is more crumbly, please research this

· Notify your Subway that their turkey looks rotten and more like roast beef, not real appetizing

· Please do not make tea so readily accessible, I have to pee like ten times an hour, and my work may start deducting my pay for bathroom breaks

· Every household should have a microwave, I think universal healthcare should come after universal reheating

· Since there is so much to see here, I am going to need your internet to move faster, it is taking up a lot of exploring time

· Plastic bags are a way to thank your customers for choosing your store, I should not be charged for them

· Why can’t we watch the US version of E! and MTV, trust me, it far better than the UK versions

· Let’s work on some catchy tourist commercials to get the Quaker oats guy here so I can have oatmeal in the morning

· My cereal needs are not enormous all I ask is for honey nut cheerios, all your cereals look like they were made by Kashi

· You produce wool, so how about you give me a break when I go to buy wool socks, maybe $30 is a little excessive, just think about it

· Manila envelopes….get some

· Roll on deodorant? What is the fascination?

· Two words: central air

· Gas stoves are dangerous, electric are almost burn down house proof

· I watched the Today show one day and they were stating that the US is very brand savvy, let’s get some of those brands here

· Cell phones….as hazardous as they may be for driving….they are essential for world peace….global plans should be more prevalent and affordable

· Please make a kiwi to English dictionary, how am I supposed to know that partner does not imply a same sex relationship

· New Zealand these are donuts, donuts meet New Zealand

· Chicken noodle soup is a delicacy in the states, especially Campbell’s!

· If everyone works from 8 to 5 how do you expect people to come to your cute little shop if it is open the same hours?

· If you stay open, they will come, 24 hours ever heard of it

For your absolutely stunning country side and since I am so keen on your weather, I will let the above slide, but just think about. It will make me a much happier camper! I do love your meat pies, calling dinner late tea, and the vulgarity on TV!

Girl's gotta work!

Today was my first day actually doing audiology things and not reading through a manual. I rode with Jim to our Rototuna clinic today, which is the newest in the Triton Company. It was good, exhausting but good. I haven’t done anything audiology related since April but luckily it’s like riding a bike! There are some interesting differences beside the obvious funding options. They only do a ten word, word recognition test at 30 dB above their PTA. After that they do another 10 word list but do it at 10 or 15 dB lower than the previous. They look for a decrease (around half) in scores and chart that. That is what they do instead of SRT. I find it interesting but I am also good at doing what I am told (most of the time). They also don’t have file folders here; they use big white envelopes, kind of annoying but only a small thing. Chart notes and letters are kept on an online database but there is also a paper file for every patient with their audio and repair or order forms. Also masking here is different, but masking is different at every clinic regardless of the country so I wasn’t as shocked to learn that.

I am also very much considering buying a car, driving here is a scary thought but I find myself standing at round abouts just watching all the cars so I think I can do it! Plus I am just a really good driver anyways. It would also make for a much more convenient mode of traveling for all of my Z-Land visitors! I am thinking of you! Hmmm….

Got my grown up panties on!

Today was my first day! I started a proper job! I am a grown up! I can now use a gas stove! I am still struggling at crossing the streets though! I still constantly look side to side every time I am on the street to ensure I won’t get run over; however that is problematic for my clumsiness!

My first day was pretty much just getting oriented to the clinic and reading through a manual, which I will continue to do tonight! Everyone was real nice at work and I know I will get along great. I did realize that I am useless at filling out even idiot proof paperwork; I am so worried about filling something out wrong that I ask stupid question like who should I put down for my next of kin; and what is a fortnight. Looks like my schedule is filling up rather quickly though, with drinks and dinner parties, can’t complain about getting invited to things by association!

The Benjamin is out on a fire which is good for him but I hate not knowing that if anything happens to him I may not know right away! That is unsettling, so I may put someone in charge of flying to Z-Land to give me updates!

I keep thinking I hear my cell phone ring or vibrate and obviously it isn’t because it is in a box at my flat….I may be losing my mind, or I am going through withdrawals! I may need rehab….or a cell phone….

All is well in Z-land so everyone should sleep well tonight!

Te Adoha!

So yesterday was my favorite day in New Zealand so far! The morning was spent having brunch at the lake, and sampling my first mince pie. Surprisingly I was very impressed those meat pies are so savory! After that I was given a city tour of Hamilton where Matty kept asking me if I had ever heard of Subway or KFC.

After the city tour Janine and I headed to Whangamata, a beach on the east coast, to meet up with Janine’s friend Hannah. It was about an hour and half drive and it was through some of the prettiest country side I have ever seen. There were so many horses, cows, sheep, and goats. Everything was so lushes and green. The only downside was the corkscrew road for the last 45 minutes of the trek. When we arrived at the beach it was prettier then I ever could have imagined. Huge islands covered in green. The tide was just beginning to come back in.

We then went back to Hannah’s beach house. Hannah and her friend Muriel from Germany prepared us dinner. Antipasto was brie with crackers, chips with hummus, and sparkling wine. For dinner was white wine steamed mussels with tomatoes, garlic, and cilantro. And the main entrée was salmon with the same tomatoes concoction on top over a bed of spinach with avocado. Although we didn’t get home till midnight (my bedtime has been 10 due to jet lag) it was a great day.

These are only like $3 a kG!

My flatmate Janine and I

You can see the ocean in the background....this is when I started getting excited!

It was a cute little cemetary on the hill!

No we are not driving on the wrong side of the road!

Chillaxin in H-town!

It looks like I am now officially a resident having found the mall, having a bank account, and my first meal of fish and chips. I have found that I can pass as a true kiwi until I talk so I find myself nodding whenever I can get away with it to avoid the “how long have you been in New Zealand” questions, which I then must give them an answer in days! I also discovered K*Mart which was glorious….I didn’t think I would get so excited finding familiar things but when I found K*Mart next to Burger King I was elated! It seems that there is at least one cute little café on every street and each one seems cuter then the last. Victoria Street is riddled with cute restaurants and the prices don’t seem abnormally high. I have also found an overabundance of lingerie and adult stores, but have not braved a trip inside! I found the Waikato museum yesterday so that is on my agenda for a boring weekend day!

I also learned, the hard way, that if the voltages in my appliances don’t match up it can be problematic! As I straightened my hair with my converter the power in the entire house went out. I had no idea where to find the breaker box or if the houses here even have them. But more importantly, I was only half done straightening my hair! Luckily the power miraculously went back on, on its own! One other interesting tidbit is that the banks here charge you to talk to a teller, it’s $3.

I have also been enjoying the New Zealand television programs. The news is surprisingly more upbeat then ours back in the states. Their soaps are not so impressive, but the late night TV is great. They have fewer restrictions so they can get away with a lot more, which I likey! If you have some time you should check out Rove on www.tv3.co.nz. After today I have one more day of ‘summer’ and then I start the first day of the rest of my life!

Sadly, after all those snuggie commercials I made fun of, a snuggie would be so delicious here in the winter in New Zealand! So this is my public service announcement “don’t make fun of info-mercials, you never know when that off the wall invention is just what you never knew you needed!

I almost forgot that I flew on the airplane here with the man that was killed in the helicopter over the Hudson bay when his copter hit an airplane....crazy huh!
Well today is brunch with my clinic manager Riette at the lake so stay tuned for that!

I love lake!

Today I took a walk around the lake that is only about two blocks from my house! It's so pretty, can't wait to take my family there so they can be chased by overly aggressive birds!

Gotta love comfort food!

Taking some getting used to! Cell phones and internet are not as widely used, which I have had some major withdrawals over! I have had luck getting the internet at the public library but my $200 Skype investment hasn’t been much use since the airport last night!

The excitement of my day has been the Grocery store. First of all, nothing really looks too familiar. Everything is a different brand and you cannot find chicken noodle soup or Cheerios. On the plus side, they have a lot of really health things! I thought I was healthy but they have things called wafers here that I won’t touch! I imagine that they taste like salty cardboard! I walked to the grocery store with my laptop bag in tow with the intentions of packing several bags home with me. Unfortunately I was unaware that kiwis bring their own grocery bags and that I would be forced to figure out my own means of carrying my groceries home. Luckily I spied a small box in the parking lot and was able to barely fit all of my purchases in it!

The house I live in is also a little strange. Absolutely adorable older home super close to everything I would want or need to be near. After using the restroom for the first time, I was confused as to how to flush. The tank of the toilet is on the wall and there is no lever. After I begin to panic I found a small button in the center of the tank and in haste I pushed it, hoping it was the secret I was looking for! It was, so that was another emergency averted! Also the doorknobs are all about level with my nose! The house has so much character, it is such a relief that the house is of no concerns!

I am having a lot of trouble being lonely! I have never moved to a place where I know no one, so this is very difficult to have only my friends and family from home to call upon when the time changes match up. I guess I suspected that I would feel this way, but I kept it off my mind because I knew it would rule my decision. I don’t regret coming here; I just wish the transition was easier. My family kept offering to come and help me move but I just thought we should get the goodbyes out of the way all at once and not drag things out. The loneliness would eventually kick in regardless if someone held my hand on the way here or not.

I am looking forward to everyone coming to visit and for Ben to move down in four months! I hope with work starting soon that I will worry less and enjoy myself more! I also look forward to nice warm weather. It has been rainy and cloudy here all day today, which I am sure is not helping my mood! I may end up going into work early just for something else to do.

I ended my day first day in New Zealand with McDonald…really Janine’s idea! They have what is called a Kiwi Burger here and it is a hamburger with egg, and beets on it. Janine said it was an acquired taste so I had a more traditional cheeseburger and we ended the night doing what I enjoy, watching a chick flick and enjoying our take home! My big adventure has officially begun!

Everyone talks funny!

I made it safely to New Zealand. I was also able to do some movie watching on the plane ride, enjoyed some Ghost of Girlfriend's Past. They served dinner at midnight, needless to say I was not hungry! I slept off and on for about six hours. Trying to stay awake now so I can go to bed early and get into some kind of a routine.

The shuttle picked me up at the airport as promised and brought me to the clinic where Riette met me. She took me to Janine’s and the house is older but so cute! I have included some pictures on my facebook! Triton left me some flowers on my bed side, a spa bath set, a bottle of champagne, some new towels, and a wool throw.

Well I am off to Pack n Save for some grocery shopping.

P.S. There is no microwave and the stove is gas…looks like Peanut Butter and Jelly for this girl!

Big Girl Panties

As I sit at the airport waiting to leave the country I realize that this whole moving out of the country thing is a lot harder than I thought it would be! I thought all the prerequisites for leaving would be the worst part but the worst are all the goodbyes I had to do at the gate today. Not really sure when I will see loved ones again, or even be able to talk to them! As I stood in line at security ready to enter my future I realized that this isn’t the brilliant idea that I cooked up that seemed so exciting but it’s far more emotionally difficult then I imagined. That also tells me that it is a necessary step to growing up. I realized that I have never moved by myself before. I know this will be hard, but I think it will be a great experience and one that will last me a lifetime.

As I wait in the Air New Zealand terminal, I am made very aware that my life is about to change. My cell phone is dyeing and is soon to be completely dead, not that I can use it when I get there! My ‘accent’ is a minority, and soon I will be the foreigner! I know things will get easier and just need to acclimate. It’s great to think of all my friends and family that will visit and cannot wait to show them a taste of what I have been doing when they get to New Zealand.

My next and final flight on my journey is the longest flight I have ever been on, as well as the biggest plane! I had no idea how many people fly to New Zealand on a daily basis…trust me, it’s a lot. I am sitting in 43J…which I would have guess would be near someone’s luggage but evidently the plane is the size of Wal*Mart! Good thing, because I find myself very comfortable in Wal*Mart! After spending almost $600 sending all of my most valuable possessions, I am beginning to think I may want to consider downsizing in the future. There were too many things that I just couldn’t imagine my life without!

My next step in the process is staying asleep on the twelve hour flight and then maneuvering my way through customs at 5:25 am. I am not really good at doing anything that early! The next time you will hear from me, I will be in New Zealand and ready for all that it has to offer!

Let the adventure begin!