Hi everyone,
It's Friday again. I had another interesting week, comprised of all sorts of things in no particular order. I worked at Write Group yesterday and put together an Excel spreadsheet for them. I actually really enjoyed it, and they were happy with the results. Apparently Sara's boss, Lynda, is really impressed with me and means to tell her big corporate friends about me. Which would be wonderful. :)
Sunday is Rory's 31st birthday. We can't really do much, due to time and weather restraints, but I'm hoping to surprise him a little. He is a little sad about being in his 30's, but I reminded him that he is only as old as the girl he dates...!
We're putting together a House Warming party for the weekend after. Nik and Sara invited about 55 people, which is fine, because Rory and I didn't have anyone to invite. It will be an afternoon thing, to dissuade rowdy behaviour (I'm practicing my 'proper' spelling). We also have Sara and Nik's old flatmate staying in our spare room for a bit, so we'll have a full house for a week or two. The more the merrier...more people to cook for, and I've fallen in love with cooking.
Did I mention that the recruitment agent finally called me about the Environment job? Yeah, she did, but told me that they do not wish to proceed with my application. No interview, nothing. So obviously this knocked me down for a day or so, but I'm trying to keep my head up and enjoy things. I just have to keep pressing on.
Love,
Amy
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Acceptance
Hello,
I apologize for my gloomy post yesterday. My hope is that I've bottomed out, and everything from here will be an improvement...if not in my situation, then just in my mood. After all, I am living in a beautiful, peaceful, friendly country with Rory. Things can't be so bad, right?
I received packages from my sister and my mom...thanks guys! I have such a wonderful family, and the packages came at the perfect time.
I still haven't been able to contact anyone about the Environment job. Tomorrow I will be going back to Sara's work for another day of office help. They pay well and were kind, so I don't mind going in. As far as other temp jobs go, I think that I'm going to focus my energies on long term jobs once more. That means more e-mails and cold calling and internet applications, but at least I won't have to stuff envelopes. I need to find a job that will be worth something after I leave here and move onto our next adventure, something that offers good experience. If it takes awhile to find it, it will still be worth it. Thank goodness I have such a supportive partner.
Love, Amy
I apologize for my gloomy post yesterday. My hope is that I've bottomed out, and everything from here will be an improvement...if not in my situation, then just in my mood. After all, I am living in a beautiful, peaceful, friendly country with Rory. Things can't be so bad, right?
I received packages from my sister and my mom...thanks guys! I have such a wonderful family, and the packages came at the perfect time.
I still haven't been able to contact anyone about the Environment job. Tomorrow I will be going back to Sara's work for another day of office help. They pay well and were kind, so I don't mind going in. As far as other temp jobs go, I think that I'm going to focus my energies on long term jobs once more. That means more e-mails and cold calling and internet applications, but at least I won't have to stuff envelopes. I need to find a job that will be worth something after I leave here and move onto our next adventure, something that offers good experience. If it takes awhile to find it, it will still be worth it. Thank goodness I have such a supportive partner.
Love, Amy
Monday, July 28, 2008
This isn't what I signed up for.
Hi everyone,
I'm feeling a bit low today.
I'm pretty sure the negative feelings surfaced yesterday, as I was stuffing envelopes alone in a corner of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa (Maori name for New Zealand) head office. Or maybe after I rushed through it, so that I could go home, and was then instructed to refill the paper in all of the printers. Why exactly did I go to school for 20 years again? I'm a hard worker, and I've got solid computer skills...why can't I find a decent job? Is it the fact that I'm an American? Does one of my references secretly hate me? Do I have a typo on my CV? What am I doing wrong!?
After a horrible day, I woke up to another phone call from a temp agency. I really couldn't force myself to go. Temping, as I am finding out, is the worst part of starting any new job, but with none of the benefits. You are ignored, you are alone, you are doing the tasks that nobody else will, you don't know where you are going in the morning, you don't know how to dress...and then after a miserable day you leave, and do it somewhere else the next day. This is certainly not for me; it is turning me into a basket case.
I honestly don't know what I am going to do if I can't find a job soon. I can feel myself losing confidence with every rejection letter, to the point of feeling self-conscious in everything that I do. I hate the phone now...friends don't call me, as I don't have any friends. It will be a recruitment agent 90% of the time, and most of the time they are just "checking in." I'm getting very homesick and Brighton-sick, because I didn't trade in my lives in those places so that I could stuff envelopes in NZ. I keep waiting for my exciting time here to start, but instead things keep getting worse and worse. Three months of job searching, sixty jobs applied to, four agencies registered with, and I'm no closer to being settled.
And the one agent that I really wanted to hear from this week? The one that thought I was perfect for the Environment job? She has gone M.I.A. for most of this week. So I have zero news about that job, which I'm pretty sure I won't be getting.
Hopefully my next entry will be more positive.
Love, Amy
I'm feeling a bit low today.
I'm pretty sure the negative feelings surfaced yesterday, as I was stuffing envelopes alone in a corner of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa (Maori name for New Zealand) head office. Or maybe after I rushed through it, so that I could go home, and was then instructed to refill the paper in all of the printers. Why exactly did I go to school for 20 years again? I'm a hard worker, and I've got solid computer skills...why can't I find a decent job? Is it the fact that I'm an American? Does one of my references secretly hate me? Do I have a typo on my CV? What am I doing wrong!?
After a horrible day, I woke up to another phone call from a temp agency. I really couldn't force myself to go. Temping, as I am finding out, is the worst part of starting any new job, but with none of the benefits. You are ignored, you are alone, you are doing the tasks that nobody else will, you don't know where you are going in the morning, you don't know how to dress...and then after a miserable day you leave, and do it somewhere else the next day. This is certainly not for me; it is turning me into a basket case.
I honestly don't know what I am going to do if I can't find a job soon. I can feel myself losing confidence with every rejection letter, to the point of feeling self-conscious in everything that I do. I hate the phone now...friends don't call me, as I don't have any friends. It will be a recruitment agent 90% of the time, and most of the time they are just "checking in." I'm getting very homesick and Brighton-sick, because I didn't trade in my lives in those places so that I could stuff envelopes in NZ. I keep waiting for my exciting time here to start, but instead things keep getting worse and worse. Three months of job searching, sixty jobs applied to, four agencies registered with, and I'm no closer to being settled.
And the one agent that I really wanted to hear from this week? The one that thought I was perfect for the Environment job? She has gone M.I.A. for most of this week. So I have zero news about that job, which I'm pretty sure I won't be getting.
Hopefully my next entry will be more positive.
Love, Amy
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Rain, rain, go away...
Hi everyone,
The weather is still lousy, and New Zealand isn't really an indoors type of place. Can I just say once again that I can't wait until spring?
The Dark Knight was fantastic, and it was made even better by the fact that the tickets were free. We spent the money that we would have spent on dinner instead, and went out to the Flying Burrito Brothers restaurant on Cuba Street. I had the best margarita I've ever had (with fresh mango and passionfruit) and Rory and I shared a big sampler platter. It was plenty for two people, and included Pacific-style ceviche, chicken taquitos in mole sauce, spicy crab cakes, Mexican meatballs, roasted seeds, squid rings, quesadillas, chicken wings, nachos, salsa, and chili con queso sauce. It was a really fun dinner, and we finished just in time to walk to the cinema.
We are a little stumped about what to do today. So far our plans include walking to to the store and then making omelettes. It is so chilly out (the winds are from the south again) that we don't really want to go on a hike or anything, and I'd rather not go into town. So we'll probably have a lazy day around the house...gosh, I wish we had the BBC right now! Television sounds nice, but the four channels we have are pretty rubbish.
Love,
Amy
The weather is still lousy, and New Zealand isn't really an indoors type of place. Can I just say once again that I can't wait until spring?
The Dark Knight was fantastic, and it was made even better by the fact that the tickets were free. We spent the money that we would have spent on dinner instead, and went out to the Flying Burrito Brothers restaurant on Cuba Street. I had the best margarita I've ever had (with fresh mango and passionfruit) and Rory and I shared a big sampler platter. It was plenty for two people, and included Pacific-style ceviche, chicken taquitos in mole sauce, spicy crab cakes, Mexican meatballs, roasted seeds, squid rings, quesadillas, chicken wings, nachos, salsa, and chili con queso sauce. It was a really fun dinner, and we finished just in time to walk to the cinema.
We are a little stumped about what to do today. So far our plans include walking to to the store and then making omelettes. It is so chilly out (the winds are from the south again) that we don't really want to go on a hike or anything, and I'd rather not go into town. So we'll probably have a lazy day around the house...gosh, I wish we had the BBC right now! Television sounds nice, but the four channels we have are pretty rubbish.
Love,
Amy
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Groundhog Day
Hi everyone,
It is another chilly day here, which got me thinking: this is my ninth consecutive month of winter. I've never really been through this before, and my body is craving sunshine. I'm sure that it has done something to my internal hormonal/physiological balance (circadian rhythm?). At least we are nearing the end, as we've been told that September is the beginning of spring. Just another month!
Between waking up every day to cold weather and to the never-ending task of looking for a long term job, I've been feeling like Bill Murray did in the movie Groundhog Day. Every day I try to make headway, but the next day I honestly can't tell the difference. I had a meeting with one of my recruitment agents this morning and she said that she would be trying to find a temp job for next week, but I have not heard from her since. During my meeting I missed a call from another agent, who had a job starting Monday, but by the time I phoned her back she had found someone else. It feels like someone is playing a joke on me, seriously.
But it is Friday afternoon, and I'm trying not to worry about it. We are having a little dinner party here tonight, so I'm making some peanut butter noodles for everyone. And then I get two days with Rory before Monday comes around, when I will probably be back to where I am at this moment.
After my meeting I stopped in Newtown for some charity shopping. Now, I know that some of you think that second hand clothes are somehow dirty or disgusting, but here is what I got for 27 NZ dollars: Some cute metallic loafers to wear with dress pants, a corduroy skirt suitable for work, a black designer skirt (that costs 90 dollars online, I checked), a soft purple sweater, an adorable vintage cream woven sweater, a turquoise double-layered shirt, and a professional-looking black shirt. I almost have a complete wardrobe for when I start working, I got it for next to nothing, AND my money went to alleviating poverty and helping families afford vet care.
Have a good weekend, everyone!
Love, Amy
It is another chilly day here, which got me thinking: this is my ninth consecutive month of winter. I've never really been through this before, and my body is craving sunshine. I'm sure that it has done something to my internal hormonal/physiological balance (circadian rhythm?). At least we are nearing the end, as we've been told that September is the beginning of spring. Just another month!
Between waking up every day to cold weather and to the never-ending task of looking for a long term job, I've been feeling like Bill Murray did in the movie Groundhog Day. Every day I try to make headway, but the next day I honestly can't tell the difference. I had a meeting with one of my recruitment agents this morning and she said that she would be trying to find a temp job for next week, but I have not heard from her since. During my meeting I missed a call from another agent, who had a job starting Monday, but by the time I phoned her back she had found someone else. It feels like someone is playing a joke on me, seriously.
But it is Friday afternoon, and I'm trying not to worry about it. We are having a little dinner party here tonight, so I'm making some peanut butter noodles for everyone. And then I get two days with Rory before Monday comes around, when I will probably be back to where I am at this moment.
After my meeting I stopped in Newtown for some charity shopping. Now, I know that some of you think that second hand clothes are somehow dirty or disgusting, but here is what I got for 27 NZ dollars: Some cute metallic loafers to wear with dress pants, a corduroy skirt suitable for work, a black designer skirt (that costs 90 dollars online, I checked), a soft purple sweater, an adorable vintage cream woven sweater, a turquoise double-layered shirt, and a professional-looking black shirt. I almost have a complete wardrobe for when I start working, I got it for next to nothing, AND my money went to alleviating poverty and helping families afford vet care.
Have a good weekend, everyone!
Love, Amy
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Stormy pictures
Hi all,My walk ended up being pretty wild! I was being chased by flying recycle bins, blinded by funnels of sand, and threatened by wobbly electric lines. I nearly didn't make it to the beach because I was a bit frightened, which for me is saying a lot. I thought you might enjoy some photos...but of course you'd need the howling sound of the wind to do them justice!
Love, Amy
A little more positive? I dunno.
Hi everyone,
I talked to the recruitment agent again, and she said that she is the only agent contracted for this Environment position, and she thinks that I am perfect for the job. The closing date is tomorrow, so hopefully I would be interviewed next week. This whole thing feels like a rollercoaster!
I turned down yet another job, but now I'm wishing I hadn't. It was for the Wellington City Council Art Centre, but the hours were noon to 8 or 9, which means I would miss dinner and never see Rory. But it was only two weeks, so I'm starting to doubt myself. I hate this...I just can't seem to do the right thing. I keep telling myself to relax, that we have plenty of money, and that it will all be fine in the end (especially if the Environment job comes through). After all, six months doing something fulfilling is far better than nine months doing something crappy (um, HITO?).
It is very windy again today, solid 70 km/hr with gusts to 120. I'm planning on taking a walk to the beach in a bit, just to see the effects of the storm on the coastline. I also need to get out of the house once a day, just to stay sane. The futon was delivered, and it is awesome. Just for comparison sake, I looked on trademe.co.nz, and similar ones were being sold for double and triple the price that I paid. The wood matches the house perfectly, as well. (I named him Mr. Fu, for those of you who know how much I like to name things. Everyone else will just think I'm strange!).
We are going to see the Dark Knight on Saturday night with Rory's workmates. We've heard amazing things. We're also talking about having a house warming party here, now that we have places for people to sit!
Will write again soon,
love,
Amy
I talked to the recruitment agent again, and she said that she is the only agent contracted for this Environment position, and she thinks that I am perfect for the job. The closing date is tomorrow, so hopefully I would be interviewed next week. This whole thing feels like a rollercoaster!
I turned down yet another job, but now I'm wishing I hadn't. It was for the Wellington City Council Art Centre, but the hours were noon to 8 or 9, which means I would miss dinner and never see Rory. But it was only two weeks, so I'm starting to doubt myself. I hate this...I just can't seem to do the right thing. I keep telling myself to relax, that we have plenty of money, and that it will all be fine in the end (especially if the Environment job comes through). After all, six months doing something fulfilling is far better than nine months doing something crappy (um, HITO?).
It is very windy again today, solid 70 km/hr with gusts to 120. I'm planning on taking a walk to the beach in a bit, just to see the effects of the storm on the coastline. I also need to get out of the house once a day, just to stay sane. The futon was delivered, and it is awesome. Just for comparison sake, I looked on trademe.co.nz, and similar ones were being sold for double and triple the price that I paid. The wood matches the house perfectly, as well. (I named him Mr. Fu, for those of you who know how much I like to name things. Everyone else will just think I'm strange!).
We are going to see the Dark Knight on Saturday night with Rory's workmates. We've heard amazing things. We're also talking about having a house warming party here, now that we have places for people to sit!
Will write again soon,
love,
Amy
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Still unsure about things
Hi,
We've already been in NZ for two and a half months, and in our Island Bay home for a full month, and I still don't have a job. I never thought it would be so difficult, especially since I got so lucky (and it was luck, I realize now) in Brighton. I keep waiting for something that seems right to come along, and passing on roles, but maybe I've had it all wrong. If I would have taken that first one offered to me, the one for Internal Revenue, I could have been working this month. Maybe it would have led to something else, or maybe not, but at least I wouldn't feel so frustrated.
I'm not sure how much stock I should put in recruitment agents. I was (and am) really excited about the Environment job, but from what I'm gathering, the odds are a lot worse than what I've been told. It has been five days since my details were passed on by Kinetic Recruitment, and I haven't heard a word. Now they are asking what my salary expectations are...this seems like a pointless question right now. They won't even commit to giving me an interview!
Even if I got the job (which of course would be wonderful), it doesn't start until September. What do I do in the meantime? The recruitment agent says that she can find me something for the month of August, but then doesn't mention it again, and doesn't send me along any job specs. My flatmate has a job lead for a part time role until the middle of September, but again, it doesn't feel right. I could end up complicating things for my ideal job...but who knows if I even have a chance anyways? I hope that at the end of August I'm not sitting here writing, "Gosh, I should have just taken that part time job, at least I'd be making some money..."
On the plus side, the futon is being delivered today. Rory and I invested in our first piece of furniture for the house (well, besides the bed), and it'll go in the guest room. That way we can keep the other futon in the living room, and the house is almost complete. Rory and I are hoping to use the guest room as an art studio and a gaming room, as well (I'll let you figure out who is planning what!).
Love,
Amy
We've already been in NZ for two and a half months, and in our Island Bay home for a full month, and I still don't have a job. I never thought it would be so difficult, especially since I got so lucky (and it was luck, I realize now) in Brighton. I keep waiting for something that seems right to come along, and passing on roles, but maybe I've had it all wrong. If I would have taken that first one offered to me, the one for Internal Revenue, I could have been working this month. Maybe it would have led to something else, or maybe not, but at least I wouldn't feel so frustrated.
I'm not sure how much stock I should put in recruitment agents. I was (and am) really excited about the Environment job, but from what I'm gathering, the odds are a lot worse than what I've been told. It has been five days since my details were passed on by Kinetic Recruitment, and I haven't heard a word. Now they are asking what my salary expectations are...this seems like a pointless question right now. They won't even commit to giving me an interview!
Even if I got the job (which of course would be wonderful), it doesn't start until September. What do I do in the meantime? The recruitment agent says that she can find me something for the month of August, but then doesn't mention it again, and doesn't send me along any job specs. My flatmate has a job lead for a part time role until the middle of September, but again, it doesn't feel right. I could end up complicating things for my ideal job...but who knows if I even have a chance anyways? I hope that at the end of August I'm not sitting here writing, "Gosh, I should have just taken that part time job, at least I'd be making some money..."
On the plus side, the futon is being delivered today. Rory and I invested in our first piece of furniture for the house (well, besides the bed), and it'll go in the guest room. That way we can keep the other futon in the living room, and the house is almost complete. Rory and I are hoping to use the guest room as an art studio and a gaming room, as well (I'll let you figure out who is planning what!).
Love,
Amy
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Another week already...!
Hi everybody,
Time has sort of run away from me lately, especially with everyone in Hawaii. I spent last week looking for jobs, and I do have a few leads. One of the recruitment agents is trying to set me up with the Ministry for the Environment, starting in September. I hope to interview in the next couple of weeks. Otherwise, I'm considering taking some shorter term temp jobs, even though they definitely aren't what I want. I worked for Sara's boss on Friday and made some spending money, and so at least I have some newer clothes that fit me a little better. I even found a beautiful designer skirt for three dollars.
After work on Friday I met Rory and went to another one of his work functions, this time at a bar called Good Luck. It is underground and has a Japanese theme to it. It was an open bar until nine, so we were both able to drink our fill of beer and spirits before heading home. Rory also gave his presentation on Thursday, and his work mates were telling me how well he did.
Yesterday Rory and I took advantage of his paycheck and went out for a date. We went out to dinner at Los Amigos (the Chilean restaurant), and had a great meal of Nachos, Tacos, and some kind of creamy chicken concoction. I also had a mojito, which was a treat. From there, we caught a bus and headed downtown, to the Embassy Theatre. Wellington is hosting an international film festival for the next two weeks, so we went to see the UK film called "In Bruges." It was very good...although a little bloody (for me, Rory was fine of course). We hope to see another film tomorrow night.
This morning Nik and I went back to the market for another weeks' worth of fruit and veg. Then Rory and I went to explore the Art College in Island Bay, and are now back at home. Rory is preparing some coconut chicken curry for dinner. We're looking at options for Rory's birthday in two weeks, but I don't know if we'll be able to go anywhere, due to time, money, and weather restraints. This is Rory's first winter birthday.
Ok then, will catch up again soon,
love,
Amy
Time has sort of run away from me lately, especially with everyone in Hawaii. I spent last week looking for jobs, and I do have a few leads. One of the recruitment agents is trying to set me up with the Ministry for the Environment, starting in September. I hope to interview in the next couple of weeks. Otherwise, I'm considering taking some shorter term temp jobs, even though they definitely aren't what I want. I worked for Sara's boss on Friday and made some spending money, and so at least I have some newer clothes that fit me a little better. I even found a beautiful designer skirt for three dollars.
After work on Friday I met Rory and went to another one of his work functions, this time at a bar called Good Luck. It is underground and has a Japanese theme to it. It was an open bar until nine, so we were both able to drink our fill of beer and spirits before heading home. Rory also gave his presentation on Thursday, and his work mates were telling me how well he did.
Yesterday Rory and I took advantage of his paycheck and went out for a date. We went out to dinner at Los Amigos (the Chilean restaurant), and had a great meal of Nachos, Tacos, and some kind of creamy chicken concoction. I also had a mojito, which was a treat. From there, we caught a bus and headed downtown, to the Embassy Theatre. Wellington is hosting an international film festival for the next two weeks, so we went to see the UK film called "In Bruges." It was very good...although a little bloody (for me, Rory was fine of course). We hope to see another film tomorrow night.
This morning Nik and I went back to the market for another weeks' worth of fruit and veg. Then Rory and I went to explore the Art College in Island Bay, and are now back at home. Rory is preparing some coconut chicken curry for dinner. We're looking at options for Rory's birthday in two weeks, but I don't know if we'll be able to go anywhere, due to time, money, and weather restraints. This is Rory's first winter birthday.
Ok then, will catch up again soon,
love,
Amy
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Economic worries
Hi everyone,
I just wanted to vent for a second on the state of the economy....
The view from here seems grim. I don't know if it is a matter of media reporting, or concern of the general citizenry, or just paranoia on my part, but I'm a little worried about tomorrow. With the failure of IndyMac, and then the bail out (pretty much) of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, how will the stocks fare when trading opens again in New York?
Maybe I have too much time on my hands. In between applying for jobs I have been reading analysis from around the world, as well as a few conspiracy theories, and all of it together has made me a bit jittery. The Iran situation (largely imagined by Bush, I think), together with the international food shortage, with rising inflation and the aforementioned stock situation...I hope it isn't all on a collision course. We'll see, I guess.
Love, Amy
A really nice weekend
Hi everyone,
It's Monday here, again, and I realized that I haven't blogged in a while. It is probably because we had such a busy (but relaxing weekend) in our lovely home. Sara's sister and brother-in-law came up from Christchurch and stayed in our guest room. Rachel (Sara's sis) is pregnant, and the girls invited me out shopping with them, for both maternity clothes and baby gifts. I hadn't had a day out with the girls in such a long time, and we spent about five hours out-and-about in Wellington. We shopped at Egg and Rachel got some beautiful maternity clothes (she is four months along, so things are just starting to get tight). Then we sat and ate cake and chatted in a cafe for an hour or so, and then did more shopping at Baby Star and Farmers'. We ended the afternoon in a pub on Cuba Street, where we had a (very) late lunch.
Saturday was a bit lazier, with nobody up and around the house until after noon. Sara, Nik, Rory and I went for a big communal shop at Pak'N'Save, which is a good team-building exercise if nothing else. We were all busy planning our contributions for a big Sunday dinner, so we ended up buying quite a lot. Our pantry is just about overflowing. In the evening, Rory and I went out to our local sportsbar to watch the rugby (another All Blacks vs. South Africa...strange schedule). The place was packed, and there was lots of ooohing and aahhing over various plays and referee calls. I've decided that rugby is much more fun to watch in public.
Sunday morning we went to the open air market for our fruit and veg. It is definitely the secret to affordable living in NZ...prices are just a fraction of what they'd be in a supermarket, and the quality is better. We bought: pumpkin, butternut squash, sweet chilis, bird's eye chilis, fresh coriander, fresh mint, courgettes (zucchini), cucumber, onion, garlic, green pepper, red pepper, tomatoes, potatoes, nectarines, apples, kiwis, limes, lemons, and parsley. I'm probably forgetting some other things, as well. All of it came to just under forty NZ dollars, which is only ten bucks per person, for a weeks' worth of beautiful produce.
It was a warm, sunny, and still day. Rory and I took a walk along the coast and chatted to the fishermen (who ended up being Scottish!). Our house is absolutely heaven in the nice weather, so I can't wait for spring. We left the door open to our deck, and you can hear the Tui's chirping away while cooking in the kitchen. It turns out that the area behind our house is a bird sanctuary, and the city council purchased the land just a few months ago for that reason.
Sunday night we had Nik's parents over for a Sunday buffet, with everyone making appetizers or tapas. I made salsa and an apple crumble for dessert, Rory made chicken peanut satay skewers, Sara made steamed prawn wontons and feta and pumpkin quesadillas, Nik made fried rice, and Ula and Norman brought olives, pistaccios, bread, and lamb. It was a great feast! Rory and I also used the fresh mint to make everyone some Moroccan mint tea, which went over very well. Afterwards we played the "dictionary game", which is really the simple version of Balderdash.
So that brings you up to speed. I'm so happy that we ended up in such a nice home with such wonderful people. One last thing: Happy Birthday, Sheron!!
Love, Amy
It's Monday here, again, and I realized that I haven't blogged in a while. It is probably because we had such a busy (but relaxing weekend) in our lovely home. Sara's sister and brother-in-law came up from Christchurch and stayed in our guest room. Rachel (Sara's sis) is pregnant, and the girls invited me out shopping with them, for both maternity clothes and baby gifts. I hadn't had a day out with the girls in such a long time, and we spent about five hours out-and-about in Wellington. We shopped at Egg and Rachel got some beautiful maternity clothes (she is four months along, so things are just starting to get tight). Then we sat and ate cake and chatted in a cafe for an hour or so, and then did more shopping at Baby Star and Farmers'. We ended the afternoon in a pub on Cuba Street, where we had a (very) late lunch.
Saturday was a bit lazier, with nobody up and around the house until after noon. Sara, Nik, Rory and I went for a big communal shop at Pak'N'Save, which is a good team-building exercise if nothing else. We were all busy planning our contributions for a big Sunday dinner, so we ended up buying quite a lot. Our pantry is just about overflowing. In the evening, Rory and I went out to our local sportsbar to watch the rugby (another All Blacks vs. South Africa...strange schedule). The place was packed, and there was lots of ooohing and aahhing over various plays and referee calls. I've decided that rugby is much more fun to watch in public.
Sunday morning we went to the open air market for our fruit and veg. It is definitely the secret to affordable living in NZ...prices are just a fraction of what they'd be in a supermarket, and the quality is better. We bought: pumpkin, butternut squash, sweet chilis, bird's eye chilis, fresh coriander, fresh mint, courgettes (zucchini), cucumber, onion, garlic, green pepper, red pepper, tomatoes, potatoes, nectarines, apples, kiwis, limes, lemons, and parsley. I'm probably forgetting some other things, as well. All of it came to just under forty NZ dollars, which is only ten bucks per person, for a weeks' worth of beautiful produce.
It was a warm, sunny, and still day. Rory and I took a walk along the coast and chatted to the fishermen (who ended up being Scottish!). Our house is absolutely heaven in the nice weather, so I can't wait for spring. We left the door open to our deck, and you can hear the Tui's chirping away while cooking in the kitchen. It turns out that the area behind our house is a bird sanctuary, and the city council purchased the land just a few months ago for that reason.
Sunday night we had Nik's parents over for a Sunday buffet, with everyone making appetizers or tapas. I made salsa and an apple crumble for dessert, Rory made chicken peanut satay skewers, Sara made steamed prawn wontons and feta and pumpkin quesadillas, Nik made fried rice, and Ula and Norman brought olives, pistaccios, bread, and lamb. It was a great feast! Rory and I also used the fresh mint to make everyone some Moroccan mint tea, which went over very well. Afterwards we played the "dictionary game", which is really the simple version of Balderdash.
So that brings you up to speed. I'm so happy that we ended up in such a nice home with such wonderful people. One last thing: Happy Birthday, Sheron!!
Love, Amy
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Post Script
P.S. Would it be possible for anyone to send me some ranch packets? It's the one food from America that I can't seem to live without. I'd be eternally grateful!
Randomness, volume two
Hi everyone,
Here is a collection of jumbled thoughts:
1. The picture above is a house in Island Bay. If you look closely, the balcony is really a boat.
2. There is so much beach glass on the coast here: Brown, green, turquoise, and white. I'm pretty sure they all contained alcohol at some point, but now they are beautiful.
3. We have a racist little old lady for a neighbor. She introduced herself, and then promptly complained about the "damn Maoris stealing the rubbish bins."
4. I've had some good conversations with complete strangers. One large Polynesian man sat next to me on the bus, and we chatted away for ten minutes we reached his stop, where he said good-bye and jumped off. Kiwis are usually very friendly...that never happened to me on the train in England.
5. It is always polite to say "Thanks, driver" as you exit the bus, and to give a little wave.
6. New Zealand's television can be quite funny. The news anchors aren't as polished as they are in the States, and I've seen a few of them break into laughter after reading a pretty serious headline. It was also reported on the news that one of the stations accidentally cut to a porno film during a rugby match, and it was seen by hundreds of thousands of people.
7. It is nice to live in a country so unconcerned with terrorism. You never hear about it, read about it, and you can drive right by the Beehive (parliament building). Security is really at a minimum, and it is refreshing.
8. Sara's pregnant sister and her husband are coming to stay this weekend. I've been invited to go maternity shopping with the girls, which should be fun.
9. Most of the houses here are wooden, and are brightly colored. Pinks, greens, blues, yellows...it is aesthetically pleasing to see an entire neighborhood of houses so cheerfully painted.
10. Nik is currently trying to secure a grant in order to work independently, so him and I are the ones around during the day. Therefore, him and I have done nearly all of the cooking. It has been a little complicated because he is allergic to certain herbs and wishes to go dairy-free, and Sara is pretty much a vegetarian. We've decided that we'd only eat together a few nights per week, so that Rory and I can eat a semi-normal diet.
11. We've discovered the most amazing beer: Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen. LOVELY German beer available at our local supermarket.
12. I'd like to wish my extended family a safe and happy trip to Hawaii. They are probably in the air as I write this. Love everyone!
That's it for now. Will write again soon.
~Amy
Sunday, July 6, 2008
A small development (no pun intended..)
Hi everyone,I've been applying for jobs left and right, every day, every week...and I've been getting pretty frustrated. Finally, I've decided that since I'm not doing anything anyways, I might offer myself as a volunteer. That way I could prove myself as being a capable, competent worker to someone before they agreed to hire me. I wrote a long letter to the Council for International Development, which is an umbrella organization for 92 different not-for-profits dealing with international development. They responded and, miraculously, they said that they'd let me state my case in their newsletter, which goes out to the not-for-profits on a regular basis. So I restructured my original letter until it was under 200 words, and it is now ready to be printed. It is strange to think of almost 100 organizations reading my letter...I hope that I don't come across as desperate. Or maybe I am desperate?
I hope something comes of it.
Love, Amy
All Blacks beat the world champs, South Africa
Hi everyone,
While everyone at home was celebrating the Fourth, we went to a friend of Sara's to watch the rugby. It was quite a big game, as South Africa were the world champs, but the All Blacks won. It was a nice group of people, and we feasted on Kiwi treats such as Squibbles, milk bottles, and roasted chicken flavored potato chips. Afterwards we played some card games, including Poker.
Today we slept in and tidied things up. We had more strong winds last night, with gusts up to 130 k/h. During the All Blacks game you could see trash flying across the field with the wind. It is also quite cold (as the winds are southerly, from Antarctica). There should be some snow in the surrounding hills above 500 meters, which is also pretty rare.
Tomorrow I have to go hand in an application pack at the Ministry of the Fisheries. Still trying!
Love, Amy
Friday, July 4, 2008
Happy 4th!
Hi everyone,
I just wanted to wish everyone a happy Fourth of July. It isn't celebrated here, of course...
Also, a comment every now and then would be appreciated! I don't know who is reading this, and it would be nice to hear from people at home. :)
Love,
Amy
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Truck blockades and baggy trousers
Hi everyone,
Today there are major demonstrations in Wellington because of petrol prices. According to the news, more than 200 semi-trucks have blocked the motorways heading into town, and have made their way to the Beehive (Parliament). They have now parked in front and are laying on their horns, causing chaos in the business and government districts. Rory had heard that the protests were planned, so he left the house really early this morning to avoid the traffic. Good thing!
All of my clothes are now either too big or stained with oil blotches. Until I get a job, I can't afford anything new, but what am I supposed to wear when I finally get one? I'll have to wait for my first paycheck, and then go on a crazy shopping binge (in the second hand shops, of course). I do feel healthy, and am motivated to continue losing weight. We're eating lots of lentils, beans, vegetables, and fruit. Tonight I am making seafood pasta for everyone (with no cream or butter...just tomatoes, herbs, and some white wine).
Nik got back from Melbourne on Wednesday night, so the house is complete, minus the sofa. It is very comfortable here, and peaceful. I'm reading Paula by Isabel Allende, and it is truly amazing...I recommend it, but be aware that it could be heartbreaking for someone who has had a loved one enter a coma. I had already finished Paul Theroux's The Happy Isles of Oceania, and it has had me dreaming about travels in the South Pacific ever since.
Love, Amy
Today there are major demonstrations in Wellington because of petrol prices. According to the news, more than 200 semi-trucks have blocked the motorways heading into town, and have made their way to the Beehive (Parliament). They have now parked in front and are laying on their horns, causing chaos in the business and government districts. Rory had heard that the protests were planned, so he left the house really early this morning to avoid the traffic. Good thing!
All of my clothes are now either too big or stained with oil blotches. Until I get a job, I can't afford anything new, but what am I supposed to wear when I finally get one? I'll have to wait for my first paycheck, and then go on a crazy shopping binge (in the second hand shops, of course). I do feel healthy, and am motivated to continue losing weight. We're eating lots of lentils, beans, vegetables, and fruit. Tonight I am making seafood pasta for everyone (with no cream or butter...just tomatoes, herbs, and some white wine).
Nik got back from Melbourne on Wednesday night, so the house is complete, minus the sofa. It is very comfortable here, and peaceful. I'm reading Paula by Isabel Allende, and it is truly amazing...I recommend it, but be aware that it could be heartbreaking for someone who has had a loved one enter a coma. I had already finished Paul Theroux's The Happy Isles of Oceania, and it has had me dreaming about travels in the South Pacific ever since.
Love, Amy
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
House of Sickies
Hi all,
Rory, Sara, and I all have the flu. It had been creeping up on us the last three days or so, but today has been the worst of it. Rory came home from work early, and I think Sara is planning to do the same thing tomorrow. Rory feels quite feverish, and I don't know what to do for him. Any advice?!
Besides that, I don't have much news. I've changed strategies for the job search (again), and have returned to applying for jobs on my own.
Above is a picture that I took tonight...
Love, Amy
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