First Few Days

Mission Bay

View from the Harbor

Well, I'm almost a week in and I'm sure everyone is dying to know how i've been (your life revolves around me, right?). New Zealand is fantastic as expected, but I haven't done anything too noteworthy so far. I spent my first day walking around the part of town I'm staying in and running some errands (I now have a NZ phone and bank account!!). The next day I went into downtown and walked around some more. Saw the University of Auckland, went to the free Art Museum, and of course walked down to the harbor and looked at some boats.

Friday night the guy I am staying with took me out on the town and introduced me to a group of American girls. I spent most of Saturday and Sunday hanging out with them. Saturday they made biscuits and sausage gravy from scratch, complete with eggs and potatoes, and Sunday they made Lasagna from scratch. I was quite impressed. I woke up Sunday with a scratchy throat (I guess the no sleep and temperature difference caught up with me) but fortunately I feel fine, I just have no voice.

Today was the most exciting. I started off the day by booking my first bus so I can start my travels. On Wednesday I am headed to Wellington and from there I will travel around the South Island for about a month (though in reading my travel book it seems like thats not going to be near enough to do everything). Its almost good I can't ski or go on difficult hikes because it gives me more days to see more things. I went into town to complete setting up my bank account and then I headed to the far other side of town for a JOB INTERVIEW!!!

I met with a man who has his own yacht design firm. He has had employees in the past and is currently working alone due to a lack of work (the story I have been hearing everywhere). Fortunately he seems to have a lot of proposals out and if enough of them come in in the next month while I am traveling, it looks like he is wanting to hire me. This isn't the first time I have heard this, so I know its not a sure deal, but it makes me more hopeful. He was very nice and very willing to help me out (even if he can't hire me). He was impressed with my resume and fortunately has had a young female employee from the course I am doing in the past and she left a very good impression.I am extremely grateful that I started the program I did, as it seems to be well known internationally and has a very good reputation.

It cracked me up on the bus ride over when I saw a Burger King next to a TigerMart/Mobil next to a KFC. This place is more American that I ever realized and it's kinda bizzare. Apparently it rains a lot here and I got the first taste of it today (unfortunately waiting at the bus stop on the way to an interview isn't the best time, but I survived). I've been lucky to have nice weather, but its also been a lot colder than I expected (though I guess still not THAT cold). The houses are colder inside than outside almost and I didn't really bring many lazy cold weather clothes, so I went out and got a comfy sweatshirt today. So far, I'm loving it. I'm working on getting my habits switched, looking the right way down the road for oncoming traffic, walking to the correct side of the car, walking on the other side of the sidewalk, etc.

Love you all and hope all is well!

I made it!

I'm finally here.The travel gods were on my side this trip. I had an extra stop over than I expected, but it just meant one more trip through security. I managed to have an empty seat next me on every flight. It was heaven. I didn't really get much sleep, but I spent the flight watching movies (21 Jump Street, The Vow (so much channing tatum), Wanderlust and Act of Valor) and NOT going through the travel books like I had planned. Everyone on all my flights and waiting in the terminals were super nice and I enjoyed talking to everyone.

So far everything has gone super smoothly (even moreso than I imagined in some cases) and I got a bank account and (if I can get it working right) my phone. I even got some tax forms filled out I didn't realize I needed to do. Its super hilly here and I'm really doubting my stick shift driving skills now. The lanes are also pretty narrow and I'm working on training my brain to look the right direction when I look to see if cars are coming. Its a tad colder than I expected, but the weather is beautiful. It was raining last night when I got in, so its nice to see it sunny today.

The guy i'm staying with picked me up with some friends and we went and grabbed a burger than he talked me through where to go and what to do (errand related). Hes working all day today, so I'm on my own, but so far I've been super productive and gotten things done easier than I expected.

The one thing that got me was the first plane ride had a bunch of american TV shows and movies, which made sense. Then on the flight from Sydney to Auckland I realized the selection hadn't changed much. We got back to his place and his flatmates were watching Modern Family. The Australian I was on the plane with was watching the Office and saying how he loved it and people on the plane were watching Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother. I sat down in the shopping center across from a DVD store and their selection was all American TV shows, even Smallville and One Tree Hill. I'm excited because now I don't have to miss out on some of my favorite shows. I'm happy to know Modern Family is just as big over here. The supermarket even seems to have a lot of similar foods. I almost feel too much like I'm in the US.

Well I'm off to go for a walk to the beach and be a tourist. Have fun going to bed, my day is just starting :)

Almost There!!!!!

Last week it hit me. I LEAVE IN LESS THAN A MONTH!!!! All of the sudden my excitement has completely returned. I finished up with therapy last week (well at least paying for it and having a dedicated schedule), I'm wrapping up the last few homework assignments I plan to complete before I leave, and I finally found the backpacking backpack I needed. Looking out a few weeks it seems like preparing to leave has now become the number one task on my list again and I couldn't be more excited. Its time to pull out those travel books again and start making plans (or some sort of foundation for my "fly by the seat of my pants" concept).

AHHHH!!!!! CAN'T WAIT!!!