Fine and dandy

Hi everyone,

Things are still going well here in Welly. It was a beautiful sunny day today, tomorrow is Friday, and my job is still enjoyable. I feel like I am getting to know my workmates better, and I even got my own phone and phone number today! They also mentioned something about a bigger desk...does this mean they intend to keep me? I'm still not sure.

Tomorrow evening is a special fashion show that the Write Group is putting on for our office building (all 11 floors of it!). It will be catered and the theme will be recycled fashion, which is right up my street. I'm looking forward to socializing with everyone in a casual manner; I think it will help to break the little ice that remains. Michelle should be returning on Monday, so I'll resume my normal duties then.

Rory is very busy with his new Xbox. I've tried to buy him a few things at the charity shops, but he doesn't get as excited about bargains as I do. Then again, he only paid 40 bucks for his new telly, so maybe he is a fledgling bargain-hunter.

We don't really have any plans for the weekend yet. The weekends keep coming up so quickly that we don't really have time to think of anything exciting to do. If the weather holds, I'd like to walk to the seal colony at Owhiro (pronounced "Ofeero" here in NZ) Bay, which is about an hour and a half walk each way. I'll be sure to take photos if we make it!

Miss and love you all.

X,
Amy

Another Monday

Hi everyone,

Just thought I'd update you quickly about the job and other things. Michelle is still not doing well and will not be returning to work for at least a few more days. She has been in and out of the ER, and the doctors can't seem to pinpoint what is wrong. In the meantime I am helping some other girls with database work, and I'm sure it'll keep me occupied the rest of the week.

We had a quiet weekend here. We tried to go shopping for Rory, but we didn't find anything. I was shocked at the prices again...I think I'll be sticking to my charity shops! A pair of Levi's cost about 200 dollars here. It is nuts. On Sunday Rory had to go into work for a bit, and I didn't leave the house all day (lazy but wonderful). I made an awesome soup from kumara (their version of a sweet potato), and Rory picked up his new TV. Our gameroom is now almost complete!

I should probably be applying to permanent positions in the afternoons, but I've been taking it easy so far. It is just so nice to get dressed up, walk downtown, and chat to my coworkers. I feel so much better than I did a few weeks ago, and I'm continue to take things one step at a time.

Love, Amy

Finished with my first week at Write!

Hi everyone,

One week down, and things are going well. There seems to be plenty for me to do, and I already feel right at home. The CEO, Lynda, joked that they were slowly reeling me in from the first day I visited. I'm still not certain whether it will turn into a permanent/full time job, but since I started one person has resigned and the new PA announced her pregnancy...so they might need some extra help in the months ahead. We'll see.

The only low point thus far was today, when Michelle had to be taken to hospital. I knew that she wasn't feeling well for two or three days, and it turns out that her heart is acting up. She called her doctor this morning, and he told her to report to the ER immediately. Needless to say, it was quite scary, and I haven't heard any news since.

We're having Ula and Norman over for dinner tonight, and Nik is making lamb curry. As far as the rest of the weekend goes, I'm not sure what we have planned. Rory is hoping that he isn't called in to work part of the weekend, as they have been very busy. The weather is supposed to turn, as well, so we might end up curled up on the couch watching the Olympics. I'll really miss them once they are finished, and I think that they are nearing the home stretch.

Well, I think that is it. I celebrated the end of my week by purchasing a few more items of work clothing. Since I've arrived in NZ I've dropped over a dress size, so its been important to me to find some clothes that fit properly. Unfortunately, even my nice winter coat is starting to look funny on me...and I can't afford a new one of those! Roll on spring!

Love,
Amy

Third day at the Write Group...

....and I have my desk all set up! My new computer was delivered, and I've got a nice workspace facing the windows. We're on the ninth floor, so there is quite a bit to look down upon. Everyone has been kind to me, and I'm slowly learning how things operate.

Maybe I should describe the company a bit more. Write Group are specialists in Plain English, which is an international movement to make writing easier to understand. Governments (including the US) have passed laws that demand public documents and contracts be written in Plain Language, so that everyone knows exactly what it means. In New Zealand, Write Group works with government Ministries as well as private businesses (lawyers, councils, etc.) to ensure that their employees are skilled in Plain Language.

My flatmate is an editor, so she works in the WriteEdit department. She transforms documents from "goobledygook" into Plain English. I work for the WriteCoach manager, Michelle, who is in charge of public and private workshops. Companies and individuals take classes from our trainers in order to learn how to write more clearly.

I am basically Michelle's assistant. So far I've done some filing, client research, and computer work, and everyday will be a bit different, I suspect. The morning flies by.

That is all for now,
love,
Amy

First day at Write Group

Hi everyone,

I started my role at Write Group this morning, and it went well. It seems like it will be a lot of calendar management and word processing. Everyone is very welcoming at the office, and I think it will be a great part-time job (for now). I go to work at 9, so Rory and I are able to ride the bus into work together. My shift ends at 12:30 or 1, and then I'm able to go home for lunch, or grab something in town.

Oh, but there is this: there was fresh gum on my bus seat this morning, so I had to report to work with ruined tights. Lame.

This afternoon I went to Newtown to pick up some bits and bobs. I bought some new tights (see above), some toiletries, my new Snapper bus pass (sort of like the Oyster card in London), and then hit up the second hand shops. What in the world would I do without charity shops? For $20 NZ dollars I bought: A Footprint Nepal Travel Guide, A Lonely Planet Southern Africa Travel Guide, a big black leather purse for work, a small leather purse for traveling, a big leather belt, my new favorite Django & Juliette shoes (see picture!), and some other The Last Great Footwear shoes. It might seem like a lot, but I started with a list which included travel books (for our trip home), flat shoes for work, a purse, and a belt. So I didn't do too badly.

I am a charity shop addict.

Tonight I am making African Peanut Chicken soup (with our leftover roast chicken, peanut butter, tomatoes, onions, curry powder, and potatoes). We've been crunching numbers for our savings account, and Rory got the all-clear from his boss for getting our visas extended.

Love, Amy

Decisions, decisions...

Hi all,

We're having a nice low-key weekend here in Wellington. Friday night the housemates made a big dinner and had (a few) beers, and yesterday Rory and I had a walk around town. We talked to Air NZ (more about that below) and also had a great lunch at a Japanese restaurant on Cuba Street. It was reasonably priced and very tasty. I think I must be acclimatized to the prices here, as fifteen dollars for a meal now seems decent. Last night we watched the Olympics and drank the rest of our beer. On several events it was NZ vs. USA vs. UK, so tensions were running high between the flatmates! Just kidding, it was all good fun, and NZ came away with three medals in rowing (their first of the 2008 Olympics).

The situation with our return flights are just what we expected: they are not transferable and non-refundable. The lady who helped us was actually surprised at how little we paid in the first place, and for us to pay the difference in order to fly home in April will be substantial. For me, it would be $150 US for the change fee, plus at least $500 US for the difference. For Rory, it would be a little less, but still at least half of what we paid in the first place. Crazy.

We do want to stay another year, so if we went home we'd have to buy another roundtrip ticket to get back again (and it would have to be roundtrip, to get through customs). This would be at least another $1500. Plus, for me, I'd have to get to the UK after that, which is another $900. So we're looking at alternatives.

We might have to just let our return ticket go, and then find a different way back to the UK. If we stay another year and a half, and put money into our travel savings account every week, we think that we can afford to do some serious backpacking. To put it in perspective, we'd have to pay $1500 US to get a one-way ticket to either the US or UK, whereas we could spend that same money and break it into several flights on the way home. We can get to Australia for $300, then from Australia to Thailand for $600, then Thailand to India for $250, then India to South Africa...and so on....we'll have time, and it is likely our last big adventure before we settle down.

So that is where things stand at the moment. I'm sad that it seems like I won't be able to come home, but I don't think two weeks would be worth the expense and the exhaustion. We're open to suggestions, so please leave comments and tell us what you think!

We're going to the market in about an hour, and then giving Colin a send-off dinner this afternoon. He will be boarding at Nik's parents until November, when he returns to the UK. Tomorrow I start work! Hooray!

Love, Amy

Good news!

Hi everyone,

I just got a phone call from Sara's office, and they've offered me a long term admin position! It will start part time (9-1ish) and then go maybe go full time in a couple of weeks. Sara had mentioned that I might get a phone call, but I was expecting another short-term, one-day sort of thing. They are looking to create a permanent position, and I'll help them develop the role and do the work until everything is finalized and they are ready to hire someone.

It is perfect for the meantime, since Rory and I are trying to extend our stay. Once the paperwork is completed, I'll be able to apply for permanent positions. So even though working for the Write Group isn't a permanent thing, I'll be able to apply for jobs in the afternoons.

The corporate attire I've purchased is going to come in handy! :)

Love, Amy

Electrical Storm

Hi everyone,

First things first...I did not take this photo. Google found it for me.

We had a pretty intense thunderstorm last night, just after we had gotten into bed. It was hailing and there were serious gusts of wind, and then at least fifteen lightning strikes. Some of the lightning was right on top of us, and then it slowly drifted north toward town.

It is Friday again. There is a possibility I might work part of the afternoon in Sara's office again, and then we're having another buffet tonight which I need to cook for. Here at the Island Bay house we like having a smorgasbord on Friday nights, and then taking a little (or a bunch) of everything. Then we're going to have an internet usage party, since our month ends tomorrow and we still have 2G of bandwidth. Let the downloading begin!

I'm not sure what our plans for this weekend are. We need to really concentrate on changing our airline tickets, since our current flights are scheduled for October. We were always planning on changing them once we arrived, but we think we want to stay another year, and it would be nice to get something out of our remaining flight. Maybe a flight to the Cook Islands for Christmas?

Anyways, love,
Amy

Quick Hello

Hi everyone,

I'm just taking it easy for the rest of the week. I bought some paints and canvasses, and a few used books. Between those quiet activities, the Olympics, and baking, I'm keeping myself busy and happy. I'm just going to concentrate on that for now, and then reassess things next week.

I applied to volunteer for the World Wildlife Fund, so we'll see if anything comes of it.

Love, Amy

Waiting for a single piece of good news

Hi everyone,

That job fell through, as they ended up filling in internally. I had been strung along for six days, and had bought three suit jackets. In the meantime, I had told other recruitment agents that I wouldn't be available for awhile. Great.

Colin is still here, and Sara and Nik said that they won't talk to him until after the two-week mark, which is Friday. Our electricity and gas bill was ginormous for last month, I can only imagine what the next one will be like. Kiwis must have different practices when it comes to guests than Americans do, I don't know.

I just got a phone call from Sara's boss, somewhat accusing me of not doing what she asked last week. I was hired to set up the mail merge, and I did it, and was told that everything was fine. Now I'm being called and second guessed? I just don't understand.

I think I've hit bottom (once again). I want to stay in New Zealand, but gosh, things HAVE to get better. I have to figure out a way to keep myself occupied and satisfied, since getting a job hasn't exactly worked out.

I think the following situation is a metaphor for my last month or so: Rory bought a X-Box 360 last week, something he had wanted to do for as long as I've known him. He has one night on the new telly, and its awesome. We go to bed, and Colin decided to watch some television about 11 pm. Nik had failed to tell him about the faulty power switch, and how we should only use the remote. Colin switched the telly off, never to be able to turn it on again. The X-Box hasn't been used since.

Love,
Amy

Wellington Zoo

Hi everyone,

So the housewarming party was a bust (for me). It isn't fun being the host when you don't know anyone, and even less fun when guests are hostile and you've spent 100 dollars on beer for them. I stayed upstairs for about six hours, but then I retreated to the bedroom at about 8:00. Pretty lame.

The good news is that we went to the Wellington Zoo today, and it was fabulous. It was a sunny day, we wanted something touristy to do, and to be honest we weren't expecting much since it is an urban zoo just about two miles from our house. But it was extremely well-kept and interesting, and we went to four scheduled talks/feedings: Sumatran tigers, Malayan Sun Bears, Chimps, and Kiwi birds. All were informative, and for once the animals were front and center and interactive, versus most zoos where they are hiding in corners. The highlights were a chimp fight and watching the sun bears scoop honey with their long claws. Well worth the price of admission! We stayed at the zoo for about three and a half hours, and then had a late lunch at the Malaysian restaurant in Island Bay.

Colin is still here, and we haven't been able to talk to Sara and Nik about it yet. I also should know a lot more about that job lead after tomorrow...apparently, they hadn't had the funding nailed down yet. I feel like I'm just getting messed around by people.

Love, Amy

Another party update

Hi,

Guest #3, who shall remain nameless, proceeded to trash Americans before he found out where I was from. Apparently Americans are fat and intolerable. Sometimes it gets really old being an American abroad.

Cheers,
Amy

A quick vent

Hi,

There might be trouble in paradise. Nik and Sara's "guest" hasn't shown any sign of leaving, and he was just introduced to party goers as a "flatmate." I've got a bad feeling about this. He isn't paying rent, and to be honest, I don't want him to. I want things to go back to the way they were before he arrived.

Love, Amy

More randomocity

Hi everyone,

Welcome to Random List Version Three.

1. I saw a hedgehog wandering in the street today. I think he was lost and/or ill, and he seemed very young. It was my first hedgehog sighting ever, even though they are also common in England. They were brought over here by immigrants to make NZ seem more British. Now they are an invasive species, but they sure are cute.
2. The group of Tui's behind our house are apparently an unusual bunch. They are usually solitary, but we have at least five or six in our big eucalyptus tree, and they love to squawk and chase each other. They are one of my favorite parts about living in this house.
3. The strangest things are expensive. I wanted to buy some eyeliner, but makeup is only carried in the pharmacy here, and it was $27.00. It was more than the rest of my groceries put together, so I passed. But I still need the eyeliner.
4. I conquered the mail merge! The ol' mail merge was one of the reasons I didn't get the HITO job, so I took it upon myself to learn how to do one. Two months later, and the knowledge came in handy, as I was hired to set one up at Sara's office. I just received a text from her saying that the printing went off without a hitch...success!
5. I can feel my accent changing. Being here has made me revert back to my Australian habit of ending every single sentence as a question. Put that on top of my acculumated Britishisms, and I don't sound very American anymore. I realize this as I talk to people at home and start to feel self conscious because we sound so different. Then I talk to a Kiwi, and I feel very American again...my accent is now homeless.
6. I have another job lead, but I don't want to share too much, since nothing ever seems to work out. But just in case, I went shopping for "corporate attire" yesterday, and ended up with three dress jackets to go with my slacks and wool skirts. I spent $22.00 (which, can I point out, is less than the eyeliner?). I've got the look, now I just need the job. Please?
7. My flatmate Nik is an entrepreneur, and has invented a new boardgame which he is going to try to sell to schools. It is called Enterprise: The New Zealand Game, and is sort of like Settlers of Catan and Life put together, and then the Stock Exchange thrown in for good measure. It is very good, and he is just about to print his first versions next week. He also invented a card game with Tarot cards (just for fun, no selling this one). It is called "Seven Shades of Hell" and is based on Dante's Inferno. He is super creative...he is the one that worked on Lord of the Rings.
8. Happy birthday to mom next week!

Love everyone,
and will write again soon,
Amy

Just a little reminder that we are in NZ.

Hi everyone,

This is a weta, and he showed up on our doorstep today. I think he is dying, poor thing. Anyways, you can't tell the scale from my photograph, so I estimate that he is about 3 inches long.

Love, Amy

A few more pictures

Hi everyone,

Just a couple of pictures from today's birthday celebrations. Turns out that the roast is only served from 5-8 (which is just wrong, coming from the UK). So the five of us had some normal lunch and then walked home.

The first two pictures are actually for Bets. My entire outfit cost $3.75. I tried to show off the skirt, because it was a homemade 75 cent steal from the community fair yesterday. Ah, I love a good bargain hunt.

Love, Ames

All Blacks beat Oz, 39-10

Hi everyone,

We're having a nice weekend here in NZ. The entire household headed to the pub in Newtown to watch the rugby. The All Blacks thrashed Australia in the Tri-Nations match, we drank nice beer (I had Tuatara Pilsner, yum), and a good time was had by all. The first picture is us in front of the famous All Black haka, although I think my favorite part was seeing Australia's sneers in response. Hilarious.

Today is Rory's birthday, and we're celebrating it by being as lazy as possible. It is now afternoon, and we're still in our pyjamas. The five of us (housemates plus Colin, our guest) are going out to the Cheeky Pipi for a Sunday roast in a couple of hours. He got up this morning to find the table full of cards and pressies...I got him a trio of NZ short story books, Nik and Sara got him a thermous for drinking tea on the beach, and even Colin bought him a birthday cake. It is always difficult to have a winter birthday, especially when you've had a summer birthday every other year of your life...!

I'll take some photos at the birthday dinner, and hope to post them tonight.

Love, Amy