Stormy Sunday

Hi everyone,

We had a rainy weekend here in New Zealand. Yesterday there were severe gales reaching 140 km/hour, which is pretty serious even for Wellington. Our house is protected in a little valley, but as soon as we stepped out on the main street, we could really feel it.

On Saturday we went shopping for household items, but all we came away with was a garlic press. It is nice to not have to go into the city every day, as Island Bay is perfect for the weekends. The picture above was taken on the beach on Saturday (I'm still not sure what kind of birds they were, I'll have to do a search). Yesterday, due to the wild weather, we only left the house once. We spent hours making naan bread and vegan curry...a perfect rainy Sunday activity.

Rory is back at work today, and I'm back to searching for work. I'm really tired of it.

Love, Amy

Island Bay

Hi everyone,

I took some pictures in Island Bay last night. This is the beach at the end of town, about 10 minutes from the house. There is a sandy beach, a rocky shore, and an island, Tapu Te Ranga Motu.

I had one more interview yesterday with Kinetic Recruitment, and they wanted me to take a one-week assignment for next week, but I declined. I'd rather concentrate all of my efforts on finding a good long-term position, and now that we have internet, I'll be able to do some searching from home.

Have a good weekend, everybody!

Love, Amy

Piccies of our Island Bay home

Hi everyone,

I thought I would post some pictures of our new place. Of course, they don't completely do it justice, but it gives you an idea of what it feels like.

Last night was Rory's work party. We missed the film, which was a shame, but we went out to dinner instead. I had smoked salmon risotto with pine nuts, spinach, and gorgonzola cream sauce. Rory had fresh pasta stuffed with lamb in a salami and feta tomato sauce. Needless to say, we will be returning to that fabulous restaurant. Afterwards, we went to Red Square, where the party was being held. It was unlimited free drinks, but things were much more subdued than you'd think. The best part was the rum and meeting Rory's new work mates, the worst part was the slutty girls in Speed Racer costumes hired to pose for pictures with everyone.

Island Bay is so lovely. It seems like everyone has a dog, and at all hours of the day there are young families out with their kids. The streets are wide and sunny, and the whole place feels safe and relaxing. I absolutely love it.

Love, Amy

Still moving in...

Hi everyone,

We don't have internet at the house yet, so I'm at an internet cafe. The house is really coming together, and feeling more like home all the time. Our bed was delivered (minus the legs, which I have to pick up tomorrow) and I just picked up some things at the charity shop. Rory and I are planning to print some of our travel photos and put them in our room, our little bathroom, and also upstairs.

I cooked fish and Sara and Rory last night, and tonight I'm making a tagine. I'm the only one not working at the moment, so I think it's only fair! The house has a heat pump and so far it has been toasty warm, and our duvet works well at night. Today was Rory's first day at work, so I'm anxious to hear how things went. I missed him, too, as this is the first day in months that we've been apart. Tomorrow night is his work do, and tomorrow I have yet another interview with a recruitment agent.

I'm in Newtown right now, which is kind of the international district of Welly. You can get all sorts of food here (yesterday we had Chilean, which was amazing) and there are lots of second hand shops. There is even a Mediterranean food warehouse here with a little pizzeria and gelateria. It is only about a 10 minute ride from Island Bay, while the city proper is about 20 minutes.

I'm feeling really good about things right now. Everything is falling into place, and I think our next 10 months are going to be brilliant. I miss everyone though!

Love, Amy

Loving our new home

Hi everyone,

We moved in yesterday, and are trying to help Sara with all of their stuff (Niklas is in Melbourne). It is even better than we remembered, with brand new fixtures in our own bathroom, tons of lights, fresh paint, and period doorknobs and cornicing. In short, it is absolutely beautiful. Niklas's parents brought us dinner last night (a delicious lentil and feta curry with bread, cheese, and apples) and we drank wine and got to know them. Everyone was very nice, and it was the closest thing we had to a family meal in several weeks.

Today we were hoping to go shopping for house things, but Salvation Army is closed. We're just going to have some lunch and then return to Island Bay to help Sara unpack.

Just wanted to check in, as we don't have internet yet. Miss everyone, and will post pictures soon!

Love, Amy

Saying goodbye to 28A Alexandra Road

Hi all,

We get picked up at noon today, so we'll spend the morning packing and cleaning. As chilly as it was here at times, I'll remember this place fondly. The views, the comfy bed, Punch dog...it was a really good place to start our life in Wellington. Unfortunately we can't say goodbye to Sam because he was injured Wednesday night (in a fight) and has had to stay at his mum's. I wanted to give Punch one last cuddle, but oh well. Rory and I really liked her, and would take her on walks and let her sleep with us when Sam was out at the bars. She is a really nice little pup.

Sara offered to pick us up, which was really nice. It would have been at least 50 bucks for a taxi from here to Island Bay. We bought a bed at the Salvation Army for only 115 dollars including delivery, and it should show up on Monday. In the meantime we'll use Sara and Nikolas' futon for two nights.

So we start a new chapter of our adventure today...can't wait!

Love, Amy

New Address and Mobile

Hi friends and family,

Our new address is:
53 Ribble Street
Island Bay
Wellington, NZ 6023

And our shared mobile is: 00642102947712, if using Skype 02102947712.

My interviews went well. The recruiters are off trying to find me jobs as I write this, and I have more interviews next week. We move tomorrow, and we are very excited!

Love, Amy

Moon rising

Hi all,

I took this picture tonight from our house. Thought you might like it!

Love,
Amy

More interviews

Hi everyone,

As you might have noticed, Rory didn't blog yesterday. Anyways, the news is that he got his job. It sounds like he applied at the perfect time, and that they were looking for exactly his skills. They even asked if he knew someone in the company who gave him some inside information! So it seems as if he was extremely lucky...and so were they. :) He starts on Monday and we've already been invited to a company party on Tuesday night. Should be fun!

I shipped out my CV to recruiters, as planned. I have a test/interview with MidCity Personnel tomorrow and then one with Kelly Employment Services on Friday. In the meantime I'll try to get a few more interviews.

Love,
Amy

Rory might blog!

Hi everyone,

Rory might just blog this morning...keep an eye out for it!

The wind here is nuts today. Storm warnings on all of the waters surrounding Wellington (which is all sides, really).

Love, Amy

Wellington in the sunshine

Hi everyone,

I realized that I had no photos of the city itself, so we took some by the waterfront today. The weather was fantastic...if we have one of these every so often all winter long, I'll be a happy camper. We walked down Mt. Vic and then around the marina and Te Papa, and then back into the Central Business District (CBD).

I printed out my CVs today, and tomorrow I'll take them to recruiters. We move on Saturday, so we are getting down to the wire for buying a bed, and maybe a couch.

Will write again soon,
Love,
Amy

Karori Wildlife Sanctuary

Hi everyone,

We spent a nice afternoon in Karori today. It is out on the western edge of town, and the forests are beautiful. It is fenced and protected from predators (with traps), so all sorts of indigenous animals can live there. We saw karas (parrots, pictured), tuataras (lizards, pictured), and cave wetas (enormous grasshopper like things in the goldmine). Sadly, we didn't see any Kiwis. We stamped around for a couple of hours, and I hope to go back in summer and try the less-beaten paths.

Enjoy the pictures! And CONGRATS COLIN on graduating!

Love, Amy

Sad news

Tim Russert just passed away. He was my favorite political commentator, and I would watch clips of him on the internet when I was abroad. It seems strange, almost wrong, that the election will carry on without him.

Rest in Peace.

Power cuts on the horizon?

Hiya,

Thought you might find this interesting: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jun/09/alternativeenergy.energy.
It looks like we'll either be getting significant rains or blackouts, neither of which sound appealing right now.

In other news, Rory turned in his second coding test yesterday, and he is awaiting word. I'll be going to the NZ Job Expo this weekend, so I have to make about 50 copies of my CV and prepare myself for the longest job interview in the world.

We treated ourselves to olives and feta cheese last night, and it tasted like heaven. All of my clothes are getting a little baggier due to our rationed meals and huge walks up Mt. Vic. It will be good for me in the long run. I'm really looking forward to moving into our new house, though...weird things like Sam texting us at midnight concerned that the door isn't locked...this on the heels of my debacle last week. Friday night I was so convinced that there was an intruder in the house that I hid between the bed and the wall when I was half asleep. I freaked Rory out with that one. The wind was doing weird things to the house that night, and Punch was barking and growling and terrified. It was pretty embarrassing, though.

Love you all,
Amy

Um, no.

Hi everyone,

The interview didn't go very well. It started with a timed test of my PC skills, and it's clear that my skills don't mesh with their needs. I've never needed to do a mail merger in my life, and maybe I could do if somebody took a minute to show me, but that doesn't help me. It was painful, I think I answered two of their five questions.

That's all I feel like saying right now. I'll be taking my CVs to recruitment agents later this week, and trying not to get too frustrated.

Love, Amy

Interview in just a few hours...

Hi everyone,

Just a general update. I have my first interview at two o'clock, so I'm just preparing myself. It wouldn't be the perfect job for me, but I need to give it my all, just in case. I've been going over answers to the standard questions in my head, and couldn't sleep.

Rory turned in his coding test, but apparently they like things done a bit different than his last company did. They've asked that he redo the test using only C++ (he used some Lua last time). He is redoing it, but he is also going to start applying to some other positions, just in case.

We did go to a comedy show the other night, and I forgot to include it in previous posts. It was really good, and there was a lot of Kiwiana in the acts. We got seated in the front and were therefore picked on a little, but nothing serious. It was at the San Francisco Bath House, a venue that hosts concerts, too. We liked it.

That's all for now, will blog about the interview later.

Love, Amy

We've got a home!!

Hi again,

Great news!

Sara just called and offered us the place. I'm so happy. The house is warm and cozy, and there is a great view of the valley from the deck. We'll take turns cooking with them, which should be fun. Sara is an editor and Nick makes computer games (seriously, he does almost exactly what Rory does). We got along with them really well, and we've agreed that we can both use the spare rooms for company. There is a big extra room that we'll use as the study and then a smaller sunroom that can fit a double room that will be used for guests.

So that means: mom and dad, and sheron and lu, you have a place here when you visit!

More details to come. We move in on the 21st, so we have until then to locate a bed.

Love, Amy

Viewings

Hi,

Just a quick update about today.

First off, the waterfront house backed out of the viewing at the last minute. We went and looked at the outside, and it was pretty crap anyways. So no big loss.

We looked at a different one, and it was just alright. It was a little cramped and cold, and not much better than what we have now. We said we'd let her know tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure its a no.

The Art Deco house in the last post was absolutely beautiful. The picture above is the living room. Sara and Nick showed us around, and it just felt very comfortable and spacious. Unfortunately, when we arrived, the other couple (our competition) were still there, and seemed to get on well with them as well. Working against us is the fact that we don't have jobs yet and we don't have any furniture to contribute. Sara said that they'd make their decision tonight, so we are waiting on the verdict. If they offer it, we'll take it.

So, there will be another blog later.

Love, Amy

So random

Hi everyone,

Well, I have my first job interview on Tuesday. I said that I'd come here with an open mind, and here is what I am interviewing for:

Registration Administrator for the Hairdressing Industry Training Organization of New Zealand. Seriously.

It sounds really silly, and I keep laughing about it, but the job itself wouldn't be too dissimilar from any other office job I might get. I'd be in charge of student files, client databases, and writing reports for the director. At least there would be no phones, no reception work, and there is a possibility that I could get free haircuts. I thought Parker Pens was completely random, but it ended up being a great temporary job.

The job is maternity cover, so it would be until February 2009, which is just about perfect. In the meantime, I'm going to keep applying to jobs in my field, just in case. The interview will be good practice, and who knows, the office could be really hip and fun. The man who called me for the interview was a super posh Englishman.

So we'll see. Thought you all might enjoy a chuckle.

Love, Amy

More Island Bay news

Hi all,

We've got two viewings lined up for this weekend.

The first one is right on the waterfront, with a sunroom with views, two lounges, pool table, big screen SKY TV, and a huge kitchen. The girl that we talked to seemed very nice, and was Maori (she answered the phone with Kia Ora, which means hello). It seems like a young, social house that likes to share meals and things. They are looking for a couple, also, which helps. My only worry is that they know we don't have jobs yet, so that might put them off of us.

The second one is a lovely Art Deco home in the hillside overlooking the Bay. We'd be sharing the house with just one other couple, which would work well I think. It seems very stylish yet comfortable. The ad said that they were looking for a couple who wants a home, not just a house. The picture above is this house.

Neither of them is fully furnished, but we've decided that something had to give. We're looking for beds in the classifieds, and I'm planning on going to some garage sales to look for some bedding and things. I hope that one of them will work out, and we'll be able to move out there as soon as possible. We've even looked into monthly bus tickets, which would end up being just about 4 dollars per day for unlimited rides to town.

So fingers crossed!

Love, Amy

Island Bay, our new home (hopefully)

Hi everyone,

Today has been pretty eventful.

Rory had his interview this morning, and he feels it went well. His skills are exactly what they are looking for, and the office was very nice. They are supposed to send him a coding test, which is the next step in the process. I'm very proud of him.

To celebrate, we went out for Malaysian food for lunch. Then, just to explore a little, we hopped a bus out to Island Bay for a look around. Immediately, we both loved the place. It is it's own little community, complete with library, cinema, supermarket, bars, art galleries, and even a dive shop. A 10-minute walk takes you to the beach, which was beautiful. There is a sandy cove, surrounded by rugged cliffs, and the houses are all really well-kept. The whole place felt friendly and safe, and miles away from the hustle and bustle of Wellington. In reality it is just a 20-minute bus ride away.

So now we are really pushing for a house there, and hopefully within a couple of weeks we'll be settled in Island Bay with jobs. Rory is definitely on his way, and I hope I'll be next.

Love, Amy

Amy's Political Commentary

Just wanted to say that I am so excited that Obama has won the nomination. Hillary should concede and should NOT be given the VP spot. I hope that we can still win despite her sabotage.

New Zealand has a lesbian prime minister, which I also think is pretty awesome.

Love, Amy

Digging in

Hi everyone,

Australia is officially impossible, so it's time to accept Wellington as our home and get settled in for the winter. We found out that they only grant 100 American working holiday visas per year (Brits are unlimited). What's the point? Why 100? Anyways, we've decided to let it go.

Rory's interview is tomorrow morning, and I applied for three more jobs yesterday. I'll give in and take my CV to some recruitment agents tomorrow. Maybe if we get jobs...get permenant housing...make friends...buy a car....everything will work out and we'll feel at home. We have to try!

The weather is terrible. I was awake half the night because the wind was howling so loudly. I was waiting for the windows to implode or something. The weather service says that it is blowing a solid 40 kph in town, so it must be hurricane force gusts here on the ridge. It's wild. Did I mention that Wellington is the second windiest city in the world, after Chicago?

Sam told us last night that we can only stay for another three weeks, and then he has to leave on his school holidays. We could stay, but we'd have to sign a contract, and we don't want to do that. So it seems that the pressure is on now, but I think it should be enough time. At least we know which areas of town to search for now. I will miss little Punch, though...she is a crack up. We took her for a walk yesterday, and she is like a little firecracker.

I think that's it for now. Today will be low key, just getting Rory ready for his interview tomorrow.

Love everyone,
Amy

P.S. A few shout-outs: Happy retirement, Mom! Happy anniversary, Bets and Brandon! And finally Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Random thoughts

Hi,

Nothing new to report here in Wellington. We're still having a hard time warming to the place, and are still discussing going to Brisbane for the winter. In the meantime, Rory has an interview early this week.

I made a list of random thoughts this morning, and here they are:

1. The Swedish people in the flat below us like to party between 3 and 5 am. Rory and I tried sleeping with earplugs last night.
2. Rory and I eat Uncle Toby’s Oats every morning. We couldn’t agree on cereal, so we tried porridge, and now we’re hooked.
3. Midnight Espresso on Cuba Street is really, really good. Great coffee and amazing vegan cakes. There are pictures of Fidel covering the walls.
4. Kiwi television is awful. The worst American shows and the worst British shows, combined with some strange talk shows that are really infomercials in disguise. The most interesting thing I’ve watched was a public service announcement against female circumcision on the Islamic channel.
5. We finally decided that we wanted to go out for dinner to treat ourselves, and then walked around for hours because every restaurant was booked out. We ended up at a little Mexican café instead.
6. I miss my family and friends, but I don’t miss the States. I find myself being homesick for Brighton. I think we were spoiled by living in the coolest cities on the planet. I keep seeing pictures of it around here, it’s weird.
7. Punch killed a mouse yesterday. I was grossed out, but Sam was proud.
8. I’m having a hard time warming up to Kiwi music. There is this guy named Tiki who is quite good, but otherwise they listen to American pop such as Jordin Sparks.
9. Rindless bacon, like the kind they eat in England, is called “Euro bacon” here. Luckily, it’s cheaper than the streaky stuff.
10. The suburbs don’t have many shops at all, and no pubs. Maybe this has to do with zoning issues? I’d kill for a Sunday afternoon in the pub.
11. Tui beer is alright, Mac’s is very good, Steinlager is below average, Steinlager Pure is good, Speight’s is pretty good, and Monteith’s is better off the tap.
12. Kiwi wine is more expensive than imports here, and even more expensive than it is in the States. Apparently it is very heavily taxed.
13. Kiwis are still very fond of the ol’ UK. Today is the Queen’s birthday, and it is a national holiday. It isn’t even a national holiday in England.
14. Dairy prices are astronomical. Paying 7 dollars for a little block of cheese is about average.
15. Oriental Bay is really lovely. It has a promenade, trees with lights, and a little beach. I think it’s my favorite part of town, closely followed by Cuba Street.
16. Whittaker’s is awesome chocolate. We bought a bar with macadamia nuts, and it was delicious.
17. Oh, how I missed Cash Converters! I went there all the time when I lived in Perth, and then they saved the day here by having an adapter in stock.
18. I can’t find any charity shops in town. There are a few second hand boutiques, but they still charge 50 dollars for a vintage dress. Looks like I’m stuck with what I brought.
19. I can’t believe I’ve already been in New Zealand for a month.

Rory still hasn't blogged, as you may have noticed. He says he will when he has something important to say...

Love, Amy