Horray for Summer!

Well I've been back in Auckland a little over a week now, and I've confirmed this country doesn't know what summer means. Regardless, we have had some absolutely beautiful days and I'm glad to be here and not in the winter weather I hear is going on in Texas. (Sean is now even more firm in his belief that we do actually get winter in Texas)

Lets start with the exciting news. I got my NZ driver's license in the mail today so now I feel all official. Even more exciting is that Sean got a job! He got a graduate accounting position with a company in the retirement/rest home business. Also, I have officially started playing soccer again. I joined a 5v5 co-ed team (apparently summer isn't soccer season here so its the best I could find) and we play once a week. I had my first game last Thursday and it felt great to play again and my knee didn't hurt at all.

Last week I spent running errands while taking Sean to and from interviews, did a bit of job hunting myself and did my best to get settled. I finally had enough of being indoors during all the beautiful weather and decided to find an excuse to be outside. Last Sunday we had a flat (house) potluck planned with all our flatmates and it was so nice outside we decided to go to the beach together that afternoon as well. It was great to all be together and we had a blast.

Yesterday Sean and I went to a nearby winery and brought a picnic lunch. The area was a bit more populated than expected, but the winery was still really pretty and it was a nice change from sitting around the house. Then that night we went with one of our flatmates to Silo Park for a free screening of Lion King. It was an absolutely gorgeous evening to sit outside and it was so much fun watching such a classic movie with so many people. There is nothing like thousands of people singing Hakuna Matata.

It was the first time I went to a winery in this country when the grapes were still on the vine!

Silo Park

The food stalls and mass amounts of people, plus a few more silos.

Today, I went with my flatmate and her sister to go strawberry picking. You can eat as many as you want while you are picking as well and they were so good. It was so much fun and a beautiful day again. Then Sean and I went to Mt. Wellington for a quick look around the crater before I went rock climbing with him. I'm shocked my arms are even moving right now, as I definitely do not have the upper body strength for that. Sean goes a few times a week, so it was fun to get to see him do something he loves. He also got a new trampoline delivered yesterday so he's been having fun playing on that after we put it together.

Can you see the strawberries?

On a volcanic crater (Mt. Wellington) looking at a volcanic crater (Rangitoto, the island in the distance)

Mt Wellington

He's such a little kid!

My job hunt has had its ups and downs. I have a few semi-promising leads to follow up with next week. For the most part the companies don't have any openings (or are no longer in business) but at least I am getting responses and have some possibilities. I know its a tough industry so I'm not getting my hopes too high, but I'm excited to at least have some potentials. If I don't have anything promising by sometime next week, I will contact my recruiter for a position. I've finished buying my furniture and I'll pick up the last piece tomorrow. I'm in the process of painting it all black so it matches, which gives me something to do in the meantime. My clothes are still in giant piles and I can't wait to actually be able to find things again. I also got a desk so soon I'll be able to start working on my schoolwork again. I've also been cooking some new recipes since I have the time.

Oh, and I almost forgot the most important thing. I finally caved and got a smartphone. It's nothing fancy, but it does what I need it to (and more) and it's lime green!