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