Bankin'

The most I accomplished today was grocery shopping and banking. Because I will be working and living in New Zealand, it is imperative that I have a bank account. Therefore, Bret and I first went back to our favorite mall, The Palms, to set up a bank account. It was almost too easy. They handed over EFTPOS cards, which are comparable to debit cards, just without the VISA or Mastercard endorsement, and they don't have our names on them. It is how most places accept payment. I was glad to have that step out of the way. We grabbed a few more groceries to get us through the week and headed back to the lodge.

Our goal was to link our NZ bank accounts with our US ones so that we could easily transfer money between the two, to be able to pay our bills here until we have jobs, and then pay our bills in the states when we start working here. Sounds complicated, and even we couldn't figure it out. It is practically necessary for us to have actual debit cards. Again, we headed out to yet another bank to open up an account that would allow us to qualify for debit cards in the near future. The work was tedious and unexciting, but I am incredibly thankful that we live in a technologically savvy age, because if it were any more difficult I don't know what I would do.

Besides that, we got a nice walking tour of the city in today, accomplishing our errands. Spring has nearly sprung, and the cherry blossoms are in full bloom and the trees are starting to turn green. The lawns here are quite small, but beautifully manicured for the most part with flowers, fruit trees, and palm trees. It is going to be very pretty indeed!

Which way to Omaha?!

Next on the list of busy work things to do: set up a tax ID number and get a job! Wish me luck!

The first week-and-a-half...

A slideshow wrapping up the first-week-and-a-half here in New Zealand, with photos not included in the blog! I will continue to add photos, and the slideshow will be available on my sidebar!

Beachin'

Today we went to the beach in Christchurch.  Now, before you go getting jealous on me, let me remind you that it was barely 50 degrees outside, and extremely windy and cold once near the water...and it's expected to snow on Tuesday!  So it was more for the scenic adventure than lounging in the sun!

We took our normal bus route all the way to New Brighton, which is the stop right next to the water.  The beach was bustling with families...children are currently on holiday from school (which I imagine is similar to our spring breaks).  There were even many surfers in the water.  I was bundled up and couldn't even imagine how cold the water must have been after feeling the air temperature!  The water was a beautiful clear-blue-green and off in the distance were the majestic snow-capped mountains.  We talked about how in the US, there are few places were you can be on a sandy beach and looking at snowy mountains.  It was pretty incredible, and a wonderful reminder of what NZ is all about, which is easy to forget living in the suburbs.

They had a long walkway built above the water, which we trekked out on, despite the gusty wind.  The view was spectacular, and something you have to see for yourself...my words can barely describe it!  The beach town area itself was similar to those in the US:  random shops, tiny cafes further in, with the nicer ones right on the water.  There was a huge library right on the beach with a two-floor cafe and restaurant, Salt on the Pier, where we stopped to warm up and take in the scenery without the wind.  After hearing several Chris Isaak and David Gray songs in the restaurant, I was delighted to hear Counting Crow's Omaha, a nice reminder of back home...somewhere in middle America.

                                                                                                                                                                      

I also spent a little bit of time playing with Amadeus, Tranquil Lodge's resident cat.  Our window was open to the room, and he probably would have jumped right on in, had I let him and Bret not been allergic.  He was rolling around outside in the sunshine (oh, to be a lazy cat!) and was so into it, he rolled right off the step.  He just looked at me like 'I meant to do that'.  Cats are not smart, from my overall experience, but entertaining nonetheless!

Rolling, rolling, gone!

Suburban Christchurch

It's spring in Christchurch (at least it was yesterday).  I ventured out in flip flops and my summer attire for a night out.  The flowers blooming here are BEAutiful but wreaking havoc on my allergies...itchy and watery red eyes, runny nose, sneezing in multiples of 7...not pleasant!  But the warm weather and green plants sure are welcome.

We had happy hour at Cocopelli last night.  The few restaurants outside of the mall were packed at the outdoor tables, everyone soaking up the sunshine.  Bret and I settled for a quieter booth inside where we had yet another pizza and round of NZ beers.  It was relatively inexpensive, with our whole meal costing around 25 USD.  We feel pretty fortunate to be able to drink 'international' beer to us, at a domestic (to NZ) price!  Not too shabby!

After dinner, and just wanting to relax, we went to Reading Cinema for a movie.  We saw Step Brothers, and although a little raunchy, it was a nice way to wind down on a Friday night after a long week.  The cinema (movie theater) was pretty fancy, and located on the upper floor of the shopping centre.  Tickets were close to the same price as our meal, and I was surprised to find that they assign movie theater seating to you!  However, the seats are quite cosy and luxurious, similar to first class airline seating, except more  plush.  We also shared a 'green' bag of M&Ms (you know, brown bag=plain, yellow=peanut, orange=peanut butter, etc.) becasue we had never seen that kind before.  They were called M&Ms Mix-ups! and included plain, peanut, and crispy.  They also had fountain pop at the movie theater, which is a huge rarity here.  The only places that I have found where you can purchase fountain pop are American fast food chains (Burger King, McDonalds, Subway) and the movie theater so far.  Although I don't drink a lot of soda, a fountain Dr. Pepper is truly my favorite.

Today brings in a windy windy rainy day!  Our city tour of ChCh has been postponed...not exactly walking and photogenic weather!  So we're job searching and trying to keep warm in the unheated hostel.  Hopefully tomorrow we will be able to see the city on another warm and sunny day!

New Zealand Facts and Thoughts

Did you know:

• the sun exposure in NZ is much more concentrated and that kiwis have one of the highest percentages of skin cancer in the world  (I am making sure to slather on 30+ SPF sunscreen so I don't fry my freckles!)

• a convenience store is called a 'dairy'

• at a sit-down restaurant, you pay for the check at the host stand...every time!  And, you don't tip here!
  

• at McDonald's, you can be a drive-thru VIP member.  (I don't know how one qualifies for such, but I've seen it on several vehicles)

• bathrooms are called 'toilets' everywhere here.  And most of the toilets have 2 different flush buttons...which I haven't figured out yet  ***Update:  After researching, apparently one is a full flush, the other a half...use at your own discretion!***

• when kiwis recite web addresses they say:  "dub dub dub dot metrostar dot co dot n zed" which translates to www.metrostar.co/nz.  The z is pronounced zed, and they abbreviate www.  (Which finally explains why the first internet cafe we went to was called 'dub dub dub'.)
  

• at the movies, your seats are assigned!

• if there is a cross walk with white lines in the road and black and white poles with a yellow dot on either side, it is a pedestrian crossing that you can cross at any time---cars are required to stop for you (it's similar to a zebra crossing in the UK).

I will post more pictures of these random facts soon!

Settling in for a while...it's already been a week!

 Avon River, Christchurch

I'm now staying at the Tranquil Lodge, a small hostel outside of the city centre of Christchurch.  The room is great!  Two beds, a television, and wireless internet (for a small fee).  It's so comforting being able to watch tv and surf the net.  It makes it a lot easier to stay in touch and work on blogging...without having to drag my laptop around the city!

The highlight of today has been a bus ride to a local mall.  Although we are trying to maintain a relaxed and laid back lifestyle here in NZ, some of the traditional American items are almost unavoidable.  We sought out the local K-Mart (no Targets here!) to pick up some supplies to make the hostel feel more like home:  dishes, towels, kitchen items, a hairdryer (finally, yay! It's pink!), toiletries (kiwi-scented shampoo), etc.  It was quite the adventure.  We were required to shop smart, as we could only buy as much as we could carry back to the bus stop and the few blocks to walk home.  The mall where K-Mart was located had lots of fun stores, and I look forward to some retail therapy there in the future! :)  There are also some pretty cool restaurants and bars (might try and hit up a happy hour) and a cinema.  The restaurants and food court were much cleaner and nicer than those in the downtown city centre.  After all that shopping, we treated ourselves to smoothies and sushi!  Yum!

Tonight, I'm going to attempt to cook spaghetti at the hostel.  It's a communal kitchen with shared dishes and such, but instead of wondering whose germs I was consuming, we invested in the blue light special $16.99 20-piece dish set.  I'm very excited to put it to good use!

There are some interesting things on TV here in NZ.  For example, we only get 4-5 channels.  I don't know if that's prior to cable, or all they have.  The shows are of a wide variety.  After watching Oprah yesterday (which I have never watched in the states before), I flipped over to another channel and found Days of Our Lives, a soap opera favorite of my mom's, and one that I know most of the story line.  I was watching it for a few minutes, and although I haven't watched in a while, I was confused to see characters on the show that I thought had been killed off, and story lines that I swear had already been used.  It wasn't until the end of the show, that the copyright date said 2003!  I was convinced, at this point, that all the shows are on a delay.  Ellen came on next, and they were talking about the election.  I was so confused.  Which election?  2004?  2008?  After a while, I realized that Ellen is current, right down to the day, Days of Our Lives, is not.  Good to know.  Wheel of Fortune in NZ lacks Pat Sajak and Vanna White, but is hilarious anyways.  They give clues for each puzzle in addition to the usual:  Thing, Place, Before and After, etc.  And last night I caught a few minutes of the Girls Next Door, which funnily, is called the Girls of the Playboy Mansion here in NZ.  There are lots of subtle differences here, between NZ and US culture... I will let you know more as I discover them!

NZ word of the day:

No worries:  You're welcome!

Busy time in Christchurch

We've been incredibly busy in Christchurch since our arrival, we really haven't had time to explore the city for it's known spots.  I had my interview yesterday with the nanny agency, and it went really well.  The lady who interviewed me said I wouldn't stay on the books for long; a family would snatch me up right away! That makes me feel really good, especially knowing that money will soon be coming in.

Yesterday in ChCh (how the locals abbreviate Christchurch), the weather was sunny and warm, and I got away without wearing a coat.  However, as it is the end of winter here, and spring is right around the corner, the weather can change quickly.  Today it is chilly with a brisk wind.  So I'm back to a sweatshirt and a coat.  We have moved out of  the YMCA hostel (thank goodness) and are currently looking for a long-term hostel.  We are thinking of settling at the Tranquil Lodge, near the water and quiet (hopefully).  On our last night in Wellington, our neighbors in the hostel were incredibly loud!  At midnight, they started blaring their music and girls were screaming Mr. Big's 'Be With You' at the top of their lungs.  Normally amusing when Jody and I do such, it was quite unpleasant in the middle of the night.  It continued for a while, and we had to call security twice.  It finally stopped, and when I woke up at 6 am to get ready to board the ferry, it started up again.  It was very annoying, but I'm thankful that it wasn't like that throughout our entire stay.

Hostel-living isn't the coolest.  At the YMCA, I found myself bored out of my mind.  The tvs are shared and there wasn't one on our floor, and the internet cost $2 for 30 minutes.  It really puts into perspective how much I relied on my Cox DVR and hi-speed wireless internet in Omaha.  I am unsure what to do with myself in a small room with nothing in it!  I need stimulation.  I hope we can find a hostel that provides internet (wireless would be a real treat!), so I can watch tv online (thank goodness for that) and Skype without having to worry about talking quietly.  So we'll see.  Taking it easy today, as we begin the job and long-term accomodation search.

After the interview yesterday, we had burritos for lunch.  I have pretty high standards after being spoiled by New York Burrito for so long...but this one was okay.  I am a hot sauce aficionado, and I miss my regular Cholula.  Yesterday I tried Kiwi-Habañero hot sauce.  A sweet sauce with a spicy kick!  I'm looking forward to trying new flavors throughout New Zealand!

Missing Omaha in autumn, Jody has been documenting the leaves changing for me.  I'll post photos of Omaha and ChCh simultaneously to show the different seasons on the two hemispheres...more to follow!

Nebraska's last summer sunset, and the leaves starting to change...

My friend Kiwi

When Bret went to New Zealand the first time, he brought me back an adorable stuffed kiwi bird.  New Zealand is known for the flightless kiwi bird, and because of the bird, New Zealanders are referrered to as kiwis.  I named the bird Kiwi, fittingly, and he has joined us on our travels.  Check him out in various photos throughout our journey through his homeland!  Cheers!

 Kiwi at Wellywood Backpackers (Hostel #1)














Kiwi after a long night of partying back in Omaha...

Christchurch, New Zealand

We arrived in Christchurch on the south island at a quarter til seven yesterday evening.  Early in the morning, we taxied to the ferry, a huge 10-floor ship that took us on a three hour ride to the south island.  It was majestically scenic, the mountains and blue water.  Bret tells me it is known as one of the prettiest ferry rides in the world, and although I haven't been on too many, I would have to agree.  The ferry accommodations were nice too...there was a bar, observation deck, cafe, food court, game room, playground, etc., scattered on the various decks of the ship.  Bret and I lounged in the food court area, with prime window-seat viewing.  We enjoyed a fully cooked breakfast while we read our NZ books, listened to our iPods, journalled, played cards, and of course took in the surrounding scenery.  We also spoke with a resident kiwi (New Zealander) about our trip and about my American food cravings...he can't believe that in America you can squeeze cheese out of a can!

View of Wellington from ferry








Picton

We arrived in Picton, at the top of the south island right before noon.  There, we boarded a charter bus bound for Christchurch.  It was a really nice bus, and we were glad to have some quiet time.  We drove through the winding mountainous and hilly terrain of the south island, with the ocean to our left and the mountains and hills to our right, dotted with sheep, lamb, and cow.  The baby lamb are adorably cute, so fluffy and white, prancing through the grassy fields.  We stopped in Kaikoura (whale-watching capital of the world) for a quick break, and were immediately welcomed by warm, fresh, seaside air.  The last half of the bus ride went by quickly (despite my motion sickness) and we arrived in Christchurch right on time. 

We hauled our luggage (see previous photo) through the city streets of Christchurch in search of the YMCA hostel where we were scheduled to stay.  Needless to say, after a brisk 30 minute walk with all of that baggage, I am certainly sore today!  I can't wait until we find the place we are planning to settle, so I won't have to worry about that at least for a while!  The hostel is not as nice as expected; it's dark and very sterile feeling, not as homey as Wellywood.  However, there is an electric blanket, which definitely comes in handy!  I capped the night off with a surprise Dr. Pepper from Bret (it's an import, and awfully expensive, but ALWAYS worth it!) and some fresh popcorn.

Today we began walking around the city early this morning, and the weather is sunny, warm, and refreshing.  It's overwhelming being in a new city, and it's hard for me to take it in all at once.  After paying to use an internet cafe earlier in the day, I was delighted to find out that it's free at the library, where I'm currently working.  I am going to spend the rest of the day exploring, and preparing for my interview with the nanny agency tomorrow. 

NZ word of the day:

Cheers:  thanks!  cool!

Day 3 in Wellington, New Zealand

Today we took a bus ride to the Weta Cave.  It is the studio where many of the costumes and artistry is done for Peter Jackson's films and other television shows (Lord of the Rings trilogy, Narnia, Prince Caspian, Hercules, Xena, Heavenly Creatures, etc.).  There was a mini museum and a behind the scenes DVD screening about how it is all made.  It was really cool...I know Jody would love it!

Afterwards, we had planned to go to Mount Victoria.  However, the bus wasn't scheduled to leave for another half an hour.  So we stopped in for a drink at the Establishment, a small pub right by the bus stop.  The city streets were buzzing with excitement, as there was a huge rugby match (or soccer?) on in the evening, so all of the bars were advertising that you could watch it there.  We finished our pints, and went to wait for the bus, only to find out that (duh!) the busses don't run on Saturdays!  So we decided to make the walk, and boy was it!  We trekked up the hills into a park and hiked the terrain.  I joked because I was hiking up a mountain in a cardigan, trendy shoes, my purse, all while eating Cheese Nips...

We made it to the top, and the view was incredible.  The sun was finally starting to shine through the thick clouds, and it cast a soft glow over the whole city.  The panoramic view was beautiful.  We hiked back down the mountain and had a quiet dinner in a quiant Italian restaurant called La Casa Della Pasta.  Cheese ravioli and Kim Crawford Pinot Noir was a wonderful finish to a sunny Wellington day.

Day 2 in Wellington, New Zealand

The rain has stopped, but it's still pretty chilly in Wellington. Yesterday, Friday, I woke up at 6 in the morning...after taking a nap at 4 in the afternoon on Thursday (sleeping the whole way through). I am still adjusting to the schedule. After lounging around for a majority of the morning, we set out to explore the city. Bundling up as much as possible, we ventured out.

We walked along the waterfront and explored the civic centre, home to many government offices, the library, and the visitor center. Along the water are lots of restaurants and ports. We stopped and had lunch at One Red Dog, a pizza place recommended in a guide book. I was starving...it was close to 2 in the afternoon and I hadn't eaten since breakfast at 7 in the morning. It's been difficult regulating my eating schedule. We had a pizza topped with (and these are quite interesting ingredients) pulled lamb shank, carmelised onions, pumpkin chunks, and rosemary. We are all about trying new flavors and local favorites. It was surprisingly good. I treated myself to a coca-cola, for a bit of a caffeine jolt, and it was served in a traditional glass bottle. However, I couldn't shake the cold feeling.

We ducked into a wine museum, featuring art and photographs depicting the wine history in New Zealand. Quick fact: Sauvignon Blanc comprises 67% of New Zealand's wine exports. Good to know! Upon arrival to the south island, I'm sure we will discover many vineyards where this wine is produced! Can't wait to tour the vineyards. We continued walking about the city in the windy cold. Wellington is comparable to San Francisco; there are cable cars, windy weather, and even painted ladies...there was even a salon called Haight-Ashbury. I was longing for hot cocoa or tea, but Bret and I had a long discussion about there being no Starbucks in NZ. Next corner we rounded, however, we ran right into one! I grabbed a Venti hot tea to warm me until we were back at the hostel. We peeked in to several shops on the journey back...lots of shopping all over the busy streets and plazas. The style here for the girls is skinny jeans tucked into flat knee-high boots, with long peacoats. Super cute, and I feel like I should go shopping or something!

After napping at the hostel and warming up yet again, we sought dinner. Night life in Wellington (especially on a Friday) was a little out of control. The streets were bustling with loud bar-hoppers, smokers, and music drifting out of the restaurants and bars. It was overwhelming and a total sensory overload for me. We settled for Pad Thai in a food court, some ice cream, and an early night in.

The sun still has yet to shine, as we spend our last day in Wellington today. Tomorrow we are taking a 3-hour early morning ferry to Picton (the top of the south island) and then a 6-hour bus ride down to Christchurch where we plan to settle and to prepare for my interview on Tuesday. I am excited to see the scenery of New Zealand throughout the trip tomorrow, and hopefully some sunshine and warmth!

We're in New Zealand!

We arrived in New Zealand early yesterday morning (Thursday NZ time), after time traveling completely over Wednesday. The long flight over was divine! We had an exit row all to ourselves with plenty of room to sprawl out and sleep, personal tvs with lots of movies, tv shows, music and games, and wonderful comforts throughout the flight. We ate salmon, peas, and potatoes for dinner, with a brownie and red wine. And right before bed we were served Cadbury hot chocolate and provided with socks, eyemasks, and toothbrushes. It had been a long day of travel and I was ready to sleep. I slept for 8 hours of the flight, and awoke to a hot spinach and mushroom frittata breakfast! Yum! We arrived in Auckland at 4 in the morning, went through immigration and customs, and took a brisk walk to another airport to depart for Wellington. I could barely contain myself; I was giddy with excitement! A short plane ride later and we were here!

We spent the first few hours settling in, finding transportation and a place to stay (we had SO MUCH luggage), and getting unpacked. The weather in Wellington is COLD and RAINY which makes me really thankful that I packed a heavier coat at the last minute. After getting the hostel all arranged and settled, we ventured out into the cold and wet day for a much needed lunch. Our first stop was Mac's Brewery. We couldn't think of a better way to celebrate our arrival than with some freshly brewed New Zealand beer. We treated ourselves to a sampler, and fish and chips (pronounced 'fush and chups') in NZ. I am still getting used to the money conversion, the metric system, and the toilets flushing in the opposite direction...just kidding. But there are considerable differences between cultures right away. Of course, the people here drive on the left side of the road, but the people also walk on the left side. I kept thinking I was getting bumped off the sidewalk, when in fact, I was just used to the American way! There are a lot of runners in Wellington, and I've already seen a few rugby players. The accent isn't too hard to understand; I rather enjoy it.

We stopped at a museum on the waterfront yesterday called Te Papa. It is a historical museum that explains about New Zealand, its animals, and its traditional Maori culture. They had a whole section that looked like a zoo, with models of the animals. You could press buttons to hear children explain each of the animals. Their accents are adorable! My favorite was, "Dolphins are mam-mals, that live under-neath the wa-ter..." Their accent sounds like a cross between Australian and British, and they tend to slur their vowels together. I think that with practice, I could successfully speak New Zealand! ;)

NZ word of the day:

Sweet or sweet-as: cool, great, thanks...

I miss home and long for the last few days of summer there, that I've been told are quite warm! I miss yoga too!  Maybe I'll try Hot Yoga for 'cool kiwis'...

It's almost here!!!

I have been working feverishly on preparing to leave. My days have been jam-packed with packing boxes, lunch and dinner dates with family and friends, my last yoga classes, and, if there's a second, attempting to wrap my brain around this whole adventure!

I have had the best times with my close friends, family, and families I babysit for during these last few weeks in Omaha. Everyone has been wonderfully supportive and excited for my upcoming journey. As I reflect on the recent times spent with these people, I feel energized and encouraged by their outpouring of support. I realize my 'family' in Omaha is a lot bigger than I thought. Although I am saying good-bye, for now, I know that the same people will always be here when I come back (and I promise I will).

Today is Friday and we leave on Tuesday. It looks like a tornado has swept through my apartment; the walls are bare, boxes packed, and clothes scattered everywhere. My voice echoes off of the empty walls of what I have called home for the last four years. My mind is reeling with questions and thoughts: What am I going to pack? How do I decide? Can I take an entire suitcase of shoes?! :) Am I really going to be ready on Tuesday? How much does it cost for additional luggage items? Do I need red or purple high heels in New Zealand? And what is going to match my yellow dress?! Okay, so they're not the most important of questions, but in my quest to simplify my life in this move, the clothes and shoes packing is quite the conundrum! I just feel bad abandoning my outfits like that...

As I attempt to pack, and say my last minute good-byes, it's hard not to think about how much I really will miss Omaha. I am going on a date with my city on Sunday night, one last time (for now). I have so many memories of all the girls night outs, week-long birthday extravaganzas, celebratory dinners, dates, and random fun times at the bars, restaurants, parks, and hotspots across town. I will miss Pacific street the most, especially as fall rapidly approaches. Driving west near sunset during fall is one of my most favorite memories, as there is a brilliant array of colors of changing leaves. So, if you get a chance to drive there, enjoy it...for me! That's all for now...

T minus 15 days until departure

I am eager with anticipation to finally embark on the journey that has been overwhelming my mind for months now. 38 days ago, I created a very pre-school countdown of post-it notes for the actual departure date of our journey, and until last Friday, the number stayed at 53. I finally peeled a giant stack of the numbers off, to find that there was a little over 2 weeks left before it's go time.

Bret and I will be departing for down-down under...New Zealand! An entirely separate country from Australia, and pretty far south, it's a beautiful scenic land. Lord of the Rings was filmed there, kiwi the fruit and the bird run rampant, and anywhere in the country is 100 km from a beach. Pretty nice. Just to clear up the incessant questions: yes, there's running water, electricity, and they speak English. (I mean really...would I go somewhere for a long period of time where I couldn't (A) diffuse my hair, (B) watch tv, or (C) talk on the phone?)...

I have a few things left to do: pack my apartment, move, see friends and family one last time, and somehow decide which clothing and shoes are deemed important or imperative enough to be stuffed into my two oversized suitcases. I am nervous with excitement, and a slight hint of fear. Fear of the unknown, something I have never done before, but always dreamed. Fear of not finding a job, running out of money, missing home, feeling lonely. All completely rational fears for anyone embarking on such an experience, and ones that I am continually striving to overcome. But I promise, it's more excitement than anything, as well most of you know, that I can't focus on one thing for too long before my mind jumps to something else!

This is my first blogging adventure as well, and I hope that I am able to update regularly about my findings, thoughts, and photos. Suggestions are greatly appreciated!!! More later!