New Words for my Vocabulary
After a little over a week, I am discovering quite a few words that are different. This morning I took a Swiss Ball Class, and the other participants threw out some differences in our words. There is the car park, and that could be a parking lot, or a garage. While shopping in the super market, you see capsicums…not bell peppers, crudités, not zucchini, coriander instead of cilantro, tom ah toes…not tomatoes, Herbs pronounced as her bs, trim milk instead of non-fat, aubergine, not eggplant. Stuffing it up means that you really messed up, and I am a Yank, which is not entirely a bad thing…in fact much better than how we are classified by the Ozzies…the Ozzies call us Sepos…which means septic, as in septic tank. Ouch!! Best not to tell an Ozzie that you are American. And…American is pronounced A meeri can, usually with a high pitch in their voice. I think I would rather be called a yank.
The swiss ball class is quite a challenge, as our instructor, Derek, has declared that we will all be proud to show off our abs for Christmas. Maybe he will…and maybe I will be proud of mine by the time next Christmas rolls around. I could barely move the day after my first class. Derek is a retired University professor…kind of reminds me of a wild scientist…turned fitness trainer. He has a following of 50-60+ aged ladies who throw out heaps of praise on him. He is very mindful of all the exercise movements, and really makes sure you have the proper form. It is a great class to go to if you find yourself making excuses as to why you don’t do abs/weights after your cardio workout. So, twice a week I have entertainment and lessons from my exercise mates! Today after class I was invited to join some of the women in class to share a coffee at a local coffee house. These ladies will be my resources for setting us up here in Devonport. They had all kinds of recommendations, and my head was swirling just trying to keep up with their speech.
Last night I was Skyping with a friend back home when I noticed my patio neighbor, Dottie waving her arms, wildly at me. I gave her the signal that I would be done in a minute, and proceeded to finish up my call. Dottie was inviting me over to her patio for a glass of wine and some nibbles. Nibbles would = appetizers, or finger foods. Dottie is an Ozzie, who is married to Hamish who is from Scotland. They have two sons, Angus, 17 & Finn, 13, and an adorable Scottish terrier named Terry. He is like a little inspector, as he makes sure we are all safe from the traffic below on the street. So, I buttoned up over here, and went over to Dottie’s. She was enjoying a girl’s night, and her friend Jenn was there as well. They had a time with my accent…apparently, I wasn’t pronouncing things properly. Especially, Dottie’s name. Oops…so all day I have been practicing…she explained that it should sound like door ty. And Takapuna, a city to the north of us here in Devonport is pronounced…Takapuner. Don’t know where they get their r’s at the end of a word that ends with an a. Hmmn. I’ll just try to learn the proper way, and then they won’t be correcting me.
We had a wonderful time visiting…watching the world go by on the bay, and laughing at her friend, Jenn’s, stories. Rob came home and found us all rolling in laughter. Dottie broke her girl’s only rule, and invited Rob over to join us. She passed out blankets because by now there was quite a chill settling in with the wind. There seems to always be a breeze here…and, sometimes it is a gale. We sat listening to Dottie tell us of her trip to South Africa, and how they encountered wild animals on their journey. Not sure if I could handle so many dangerous animals on a holiday. Thankfully, New Zealand doesn’t have any dangerous animals…not even snakes.
So it is Friday afternoon here, and I am looking forward to getting some time with Rob for the weekend. He has been exceptionally busy at work with guys in from Napa. Arriving home after 9pm all week, so I know he is looking forward to the weekend. We still do not have our shipment, as the MAF has not finished inspecting it. I am crossing my fingers for delivery early next week. Sunday, we may take a ferry ride out to Waiheke Island & tour around. There are so many Islands around here to explore, it will definitely take us a few years just to get this area down.
Cheers!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Home in Devonport First Week In Devonport
Home in Devonport
Well, I started writing about our experiences since we arrived on Wednesday, December 3, but somehow my post disappeared into cyber space. So, I am going to post a short summary of what I remember writing.
First of all...it is a long flight here for any of you who want to visit. After 10 hours you wish there was a personal masseuse to rub out the knots...and your ankles just puff up like you have never seen. Definitely do not take your shoes off or they will be very difficult to put back on. I just do not sit still for that length of time. So when the plane landed I was gearing to get off & walk! Customs was an adventure. Here is a hint...when the mark your arrival/declaration page with a red marker, not a green one, you can figure that you will be asked to show your luggage. The MAF (Ministry of Agriculture & Farming), has very strict bio security rules. You can not bring with you any forein soil, any foods, plants, seeds, pods, plant cuttings...and the list goes on and on. They had to take Rob's hiking boots & sterilize them. Thankfully, they checked our other shoes realatively quickly, and we were on to the x-ray machines. Traveling with 6 huge carry on bags was a bit of a circus act, and when we cleared customs and found a super shuttle, I was really grateful to be done with all that lugging of luggage. We just had to get all that luggage up to the apartment once we got to Devonport. Taking a super shuttle was the best plan ever...they took the luggage & they did the driving. Much better than my last experience here when Rob rented a car & then for the first time ever drove on the opposite side of the car, and the opposite side of the road. That was quite terrifying. This was a breeze, in comparrision. We were greeted by Margaret, the land lady as she was leaving for work. She is a third grade teacher in Mt. Eden which is across the bay in Auckland, City. She & Paul had decorated the table & mantel with flowers, and left a pitcher of milk in the fridge in case we wanted to make some coffee. Very sweet! Rob promptly fell into bed to get some rest, and I started trying to figure out how to get set up electronically. Because, without my computer..I have no contact with home.When Rob awoke, we ventured into the village to try & sign up for a PO Box. Rob also needed an IRD#. An IRD# is a number sort of like a social security #...You must have one if you have a job. While he was waiting in line for all that business, I was signing up for a gym membership at the local gym. I will be having my first personal training session this morning! Yay! We then stocked our tiny fridge & cup boards. You can only fit a quart of milk in this fridge, so it is nothing like the mega fridges we have in the states. You really have to think hard about what you are buying, because there is literally no space here for overstock. Luckily the market is only about an 8 minute walk.Speaking of space...putting away all of our luggage was like doing a puzzle...and we haven't even received our shipment yet! We may need to have a garage sale to deal with the excess. It took me a full day to organize all that luggage. Now it seems like we are not on vacation...even though this place has an absolutely incredible view. You could watch the boats all day long...the scenery is changing by the minute. Sunday was the most spectacular showing of boats. It was a post card kind of day. We started off the day by going to the Santa Parade. The most adorable children were there waiting for Santa to arrive.They had the Navy band playing in the park, and the floats in the parade were precious. I think the whole town was there!I went exporing around town after the parade & Rob went back to the apartment to catch a nap. We hiked up around North Head in the afternoon. This is such an active lifestyle here. So many people were out sailing, boating, swimming, cycling, running, walking, hiking, playing crickett...you name it, Sunday is the family day out. Well, time to get active & get on to the gym!! I hope you are all doing well, and staying warm. I still can't wrap my brain around the weather here...my mind says I should be in Winter, and the weather is warm, sunny with a light breeze! Cheers!PS...Many of you have asked what a Flat White is...that would be their term for a latte. A trim flat white is a non-fat latte. A parking lot is a car park...and many words are spelled differently. Luckily it is all english, and I can figure out most of what is going on.
Labels: First Week In Devonport
Home in Devonport
Well, I started writing about our experiences since we arrived on Wednesday, December 3, but somehow my post disappeared into cyber space. So, I am going to post a short summary of what I remember writing.
First of all...it is a long flight here for any of you who want to visit. After 10 hours you wish there was a personal masseuse to rub out the knots...and your ankles just puff up like you have never seen. Definitely do not take your shoes off or they will be very difficult to put back on. I just do not sit still for that length of time. So when the plane landed I was gearing to get off & walk! Customs was an adventure. Here is a hint...when the mark your arrival/declaration page with a red marker, not a green one, you can figure that you will be asked to show your luggage. The MAF (Ministry of Agriculture & Farming), has very strict bio security rules. You can not bring with you any forein soil, any foods, plants, seeds, pods, plant cuttings...and the list goes on and on. They had to take Rob's hiking boots & sterilize them. Thankfully, they checked our other shoes realatively quickly, and we were on to the x-ray machines. Traveling with 6 huge carry on bags was a bit of a circus act, and when we cleared customs and found a super shuttle, I was really grateful to be done with all that lugging of luggage. We just had to get all that luggage up to the apartment once we got to Devonport. Taking a super shuttle was the best plan ever...they took the luggage & they did the driving. Much better than my last experience here when Rob rented a car & then for the first time ever drove on the opposite side of the car, and the opposite side of the road. That was quite terrifying. This was a breeze, in comparrision. We were greeted by Margaret, the land lady as she was leaving for work. She is a third grade teacher in Mt. Eden which is across the bay in Auckland, City. She & Paul had decorated the table & mantel with flowers, and left a pitcher of milk in the fridge in case we wanted to make some coffee. Very sweet! Rob promptly fell into bed to get some rest, and I started trying to figure out how to get set up electronically. Because, without my computer..I have no contact with home.When Rob awoke, we ventured into the village to try & sign up for a PO Box. Rob also needed an IRD#. An IRD# is a number sort of like a social security #...You must have one if you have a job. While he was waiting in line for all that business, I was signing up for a gym membership at the local gym. I will be having my first personal training session this morning! Yay! We then stocked our tiny fridge & cup boards. You can only fit a quart of milk in this fridge, so it is nothing like the mega fridges we have in the states. You really have to think hard about what you are buying, because there is literally no space here for overstock. Luckily the market is only about an 8 minute walk.Speaking of space...putting away all of our luggage was like doing a puzzle...and we haven't even received our shipment yet! We may need to have a garage sale to deal with the excess. It took me a full day to organize all that luggage. Now it seems like we are not on vacation...even though this place has an absolutely incredible view. You could watch the boats all day long...the scenery is changing by the minute. Sunday was the most spectacular showing of boats. It was a post card kind of day. We started off the day by going to the Santa Parade. The most adorable children were there waiting for Santa to arrive.They had the Navy band playing in the park, and the floats in the parade were precious. I think the whole town was there!I went exporing around town after the parade & Rob went back to the apartment to catch a nap. We hiked up around North Head in the afternoon. This is such an active lifestyle here. So many people were out sailing, boating, swimming, cycling, running, walking, hiking, playing crickett...you name it, Sunday is the family day out. Well, time to get active & get on to the gym!! I hope you are all doing well, and staying warm. I still can't wrap my brain around the weather here...my mind says I should be in Winter, and the weather is warm, sunny with a light breeze! Cheers!PS...Many of you have asked what a Flat White is...that would be their term for a latte. A trim flat white is a non-fat latte. A parking lot is a car park...and many words are spelled differently. Luckily it is all english, and I can figure out most of what is going on.
Labels: First Week In Devonport
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Are we really moving away?
If you would have told me a year ago that Rob & I would be moving to New Zealand on December 1, 2008 I would have thought you were nuts. We have lived in the cozy town of Sonoma since 1982, and we are always grateful to return here after our travels. Sonoma is our home. We have raised our children here...we are very connected to this place and all of our friends and family. Sonoma is a place that when you go to the market, you literally visit with half the town before you even get to the check out stand. So, when Rob came home one day in May and asked me if I would consider moving to New Zealand I said yes without even blinking. And then I started thinking...would this really happen? Could we really leave Sonoma? After Rob went back to the corporate office in Milwaukee to interview for the position it seemed remotely possible as they told him that he was one of many applicants for the assignment. Then, in August, the company sent Rob & me to check out NZ to see if we could re locate there. They even set us up with a relocation company to show us houses/apartments should Rob be the chosen one. All this uncertainty...until August 28, 2008 when Rob was formally offered the position of BEP Marine site leader. That day was just a blur ago... Since then there has been a mountain of paperwork and events that have led up to our departure date of December 1, 2008.
We have leased a small, 2 bedroom apartment that is part of a larger, victorian house on the waterfront in Devonport. We have an incredible view of the waterfront, and the Auckland City skyline. I have always wanted to live near a big city, so this is fulfilling one of my dreams. From our house we have a short, eight minute walk to the ferry building, and then a very short, 12 minute ferry ride to Auckland Harbor. My plan is to be able to cycle, walk and use ferry service to get around. I will not be rushing to drive anytime soon, as everything about driving is really quite terrifying...and completely backward from what I have ever been taught. Being a passenger is a daunting experience...my brain just has not accepted the fact that you drive on the opposite side of the street, on the opposite side of the car, yielding to the right in the roundabouts, remembering to look over the right shoulder...not just the left shoulder...my head is in constant look out mode. Just plain too stressful. It will be interesting to see how long I stay out of the driver's seat. Hmmn...
Rob has been down to NZ for the better part of October to get started on his assignment. I have been busy wrapping up the house here in Sonoma...finishing all the remodeling and completing the front yard landscape...just in time to move away! Now we are both here in Sonoma busily wrapping up all loose ends. If you have not moved recently, you will find that you accumulate ridiculous piles of stuff. Since early October I have been donating masses of stuff to anyone that will take it. It is shocking how much stuff we hang on to...it is very liberating to purge. Then, there are the hours & hours pouring over the sentimental bits of our lives...pictures, journals, albums, treasure boxes that we have been saving since our own childhoods...and they go back in another cleaner, more organized box on the shelves in the garage. We will encounter these memories the next time we need to "organize" our stuff. I never knew we could have so many photos!!
We are now deep into my office, clearing out files, cleaning out the desk. Our moving shipment to NZ was only 200 cubic feet, so we really couldn't pack that much. The day the movers came I had inventoried everything even down to the # of pairs of underwear...really! I also had to place a value on the whole lot...just in case it get lost at sea. Our shipment is currently somewhere out to sea between here & NZ. It is expected to arrive at Auckland Harbor on Dec. 6th. Then we will be in the queue for customs, as NZ customs & immigration will be going through our shipment with a fine tooth comb. That is according to the NZ Vanlines moving company that is scheduled to deliver to us.
I am just looking forward to getting there, and nesting. It seems that our house here has been in such a flux since we started the final phase of re-modeling that I do not know what settled is anymore. Once I get settled...the kids will be arriving for Christmas, and our adventuring will begin. We are really looking forward to Ross & Emmy's visit. And...I am really stoked that we will miss the wet, dreary winter season...it is springtime in NZ right now!! Flowers are blossoming, birds are singing! So...we really are moving, and I'll be updating this blogspot periodically to let you all know how we are doing half a world away from here. We will miss all our wonderful family and friends, and hope that you all stay in touch while we are gone. If by chance you find yourself in NZ, we hope you look us up!
We have leased a small, 2 bedroom apartment that is part of a larger, victorian house on the waterfront in Devonport. We have an incredible view of the waterfront, and the Auckland City skyline. I have always wanted to live near a big city, so this is fulfilling one of my dreams. From our house we have a short, eight minute walk to the ferry building, and then a very short, 12 minute ferry ride to Auckland Harbor. My plan is to be able to cycle, walk and use ferry service to get around. I will not be rushing to drive anytime soon, as everything about driving is really quite terrifying...and completely backward from what I have ever been taught. Being a passenger is a daunting experience...my brain just has not accepted the fact that you drive on the opposite side of the street, on the opposite side of the car, yielding to the right in the roundabouts, remembering to look over the right shoulder...not just the left shoulder...my head is in constant look out mode. Just plain too stressful. It will be interesting to see how long I stay out of the driver's seat. Hmmn...
Rob has been down to NZ for the better part of October to get started on his assignment. I have been busy wrapping up the house here in Sonoma...finishing all the remodeling and completing the front yard landscape...just in time to move away! Now we are both here in Sonoma busily wrapping up all loose ends. If you have not moved recently, you will find that you accumulate ridiculous piles of stuff. Since early October I have been donating masses of stuff to anyone that will take it. It is shocking how much stuff we hang on to...it is very liberating to purge. Then, there are the hours & hours pouring over the sentimental bits of our lives...pictures, journals, albums, treasure boxes that we have been saving since our own childhoods...and they go back in another cleaner, more organized box on the shelves in the garage. We will encounter these memories the next time we need to "organize" our stuff. I never knew we could have so many photos!!
We are now deep into my office, clearing out files, cleaning out the desk. Our moving shipment to NZ was only 200 cubic feet, so we really couldn't pack that much. The day the movers came I had inventoried everything even down to the # of pairs of underwear...really! I also had to place a value on the whole lot...just in case it get lost at sea. Our shipment is currently somewhere out to sea between here & NZ. It is expected to arrive at Auckland Harbor on Dec. 6th. Then we will be in the queue for customs, as NZ customs & immigration will be going through our shipment with a fine tooth comb. That is according to the NZ Vanlines moving company that is scheduled to deliver to us.
I am just looking forward to getting there, and nesting. It seems that our house here has been in such a flux since we started the final phase of re-modeling that I do not know what settled is anymore. Once I get settled...the kids will be arriving for Christmas, and our adventuring will begin. We are really looking forward to Ross & Emmy's visit. And...I am really stoked that we will miss the wet, dreary winter season...it is springtime in NZ right now!! Flowers are blossoming, birds are singing! So...we really are moving, and I'll be updating this blogspot periodically to let you all know how we are doing half a world away from here. We will miss all our wonderful family and friends, and hope that you all stay in touch while we are gone. If by chance you find yourself in NZ, we hope you look us up!
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