Here is a typical day for me, followed by a typical week:
I wake up at 7:30 every morning. The boys are finishing breakfast and watching tv/wreaking havoc in the lounge. I tidy up the kitchen and prepare lunch and snacks for the day. Change the nappy, dress boys, and out the door. Around 2 or 3 ish the boys have quiet time (aka naps) while i have my own quiet time (aka facebook). I play with whoever is awake until 5 when i tidy up their rooms and the lounge. I may start preparing dinner and then Gendie comes to perfect it. We eat family style. After dinner I am off!
Monday
9am Get boys out of house asap, housekeeper is coming. Play at park.
10:30am Gym class
Lunch and activity - Museum with Theo and Danae
Tuesday
8:30 Walk Oli to school
10am Mom takes Sam to swim. I have free time!
11am Feed Sam and then activity - Zoo
3pm Pick up Oli from school
Wednesday
10am Playgroup with Theo and Danae
12pm Lunch and activity - Mission Bay beach
Thursday
8:30am Walk Oli to school
10am Music group with Sam and Theo,
11am Lunch and activity - Grey Lynn Park
12:30 Pick up Oli from school
1pm Play in backyard or special project
Friday
8:30am Walk Oli to school
10am Playgroup with Sam
12:30pm Pick up Oli
1pm Play in backyard or special project
3:00 Tidy both cars
5:00 Food Alley for dinner!!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
To the left, to the left
To the left, to the left, everytime you drive ya gotta get left....
I overlapped with the previous au pair by 4 days. She drove me around for 3 days and then on the 4th day I told her I wanted to drive us around so that she could scream at me if I was about to do something horribly wrong. Because the day she left meant I was the one driving the boys around and I wanted to feel confident.
I know some people who waited a few months to drive here before they felt comfortable. I figured it was one of those sink or swim things -- just throw yourself in the deep end and see if you float. If so, then excellent! If not, the nanny might be out of her job.
The hardest part about driving on the left is that you are no longer sitting on the left side of the car, you are on the right. Which means the gear shift, the windshield wipers, the brights, the rear view mirror, and all that stuff are on the other side! When reversing you don't look over your right shoulder, you look over your left. When signalling, you don't flick it up to signal a right turn, you flick it down. The door is on your right, your seat belt is on the right, the window buttons are on your right.... before you know it your brain is horribly screwed up. After being here 6 weeks I still feel weird sometimes driving on the left, but driving on the right now seems weird too.
A common thing Americans do is drift towards the left side of the lane while driving. I have to tell myelf to drift to the center of the road at all times otherwise I run the risk of sideswiping the parked cars on my left. And in NZ oftentimes the second lane turns into a parking lane suddenly, so you have to constantly be on the lookout.
For any kind of turn you have to have a green light or have a "give way" sign in order to go. Even when there is not a car in sight. If a car is driving towards you and you both want to turn into the same street, the car in the middle of the street gets to turn first... in the States, the car that is closer to the sidewalk gets to turn first..... just think about it....
I have not gone the wrong way on a roundabout or suddenly found myself facing head-on traffic. A couple times though, generally outside of the city, I have been merrily driving down the road when I realized I was on the wrong side. Once you get past the craziness of Auckland City the signs, lines, and other indicators become quite scarce.
Good luck to anyone about to face this new challenge!
I overlapped with the previous au pair by 4 days. She drove me around for 3 days and then on the 4th day I told her I wanted to drive us around so that she could scream at me if I was about to do something horribly wrong. Because the day she left meant I was the one driving the boys around and I wanted to feel confident.
I know some people who waited a few months to drive here before they felt comfortable. I figured it was one of those sink or swim things -- just throw yourself in the deep end and see if you float. If so, then excellent! If not, the nanny might be out of her job.
The hardest part about driving on the left is that you are no longer sitting on the left side of the car, you are on the right. Which means the gear shift, the windshield wipers, the brights, the rear view mirror, and all that stuff are on the other side! When reversing you don't look over your right shoulder, you look over your left. When signalling, you don't flick it up to signal a right turn, you flick it down. The door is on your right, your seat belt is on the right, the window buttons are on your right.... before you know it your brain is horribly screwed up. After being here 6 weeks I still feel weird sometimes driving on the left, but driving on the right now seems weird too.
A common thing Americans do is drift towards the left side of the lane while driving. I have to tell myelf to drift to the center of the road at all times otherwise I run the risk of sideswiping the parked cars on my left. And in NZ oftentimes the second lane turns into a parking lane suddenly, so you have to constantly be on the lookout.
For any kind of turn you have to have a green light or have a "give way" sign in order to go. Even when there is not a car in sight. If a car is driving towards you and you both want to turn into the same street, the car in the middle of the street gets to turn first... in the States, the car that is closer to the sidewalk gets to turn first..... just think about it....
I have not gone the wrong way on a roundabout or suddenly found myself facing head-on traffic. A couple times though, generally outside of the city, I have been merrily driving down the road when I realized I was on the wrong side. Once you get past the craziness of Auckland City the signs, lines, and other indicators become quite scarce.
Good luck to anyone about to face this new challenge!
Kiwi talk
Here's a brief list of kiwi words and phrases I have heard so far:
bach = beach house
bathroom = room with a bath, not necessarily a toilet
biscuit = cookie
bogan = hooligan
boot = trunk of a car
capsicum = bell peppers
chemist = drugstore, pharmacy
chips = french fries
crikey = oh my goodness! holy cow!
cruisy = mellow, no worries
dairy = convenience store
EFTPOS = checking card
flash = glam, upscale, trendy
good on ya = good for you
gum boots = rubber boots
hokey pokey = NZ's favorite ice cream
ice block = popsicle
jandals = flip flops
jersey = sweater
lolly = sucker, lollipop, hard candy
marmite = yeast spread (disgusting)
nappy = diaper
pavlova = creamy, fruity meringue dessert (delicious)
pram = stroller
puffed out = tired
snog = kiss or make out
sweet as = great, cool
ta = thanks
torch = flash light
wanker = jerk
yob/hoon = slob, jerk
zed = the letter z
It is also common for everyone to throw "eh" at the end of a sentence. The letters 'wh' are pronounced 'ph' in Maori words.
bach = beach house
bathroom = room with a bath, not necessarily a toilet
biscuit = cookie
bogan = hooligan
boot = trunk of a car
capsicum = bell peppers
chemist = drugstore, pharmacy
chips = french fries
crikey = oh my goodness! holy cow!
cruisy = mellow, no worries
dairy = convenience store
EFTPOS = checking card
flash = glam, upscale, trendy
good on ya = good for you
gum boots = rubber boots
hokey pokey = NZ's favorite ice cream
ice block = popsicle
jandals = flip flops
jersey = sweater
lolly = sucker, lollipop, hard candy
marmite = yeast spread (disgusting)
nappy = diaper
pavlova = creamy, fruity meringue dessert (delicious)
pram = stroller
puffed out = tired
snog = kiss or make out
sweet as = great, cool
ta = thanks
torch = flash light
wanker = jerk
yob/hoon = slob, jerk
zed = the letter z
It is also common for everyone to throw "eh" at the end of a sentence. The letters 'wh' are pronounced 'ph' in Maori words.
Monday, September 21, 2009
brave or just bored?
when i told people that i had booked a ticket for new zealand and didnt have a job or even a visa, i received a very narrow range of comments. they were generally comments of "i am sooo jealous" or "oh you must have saved for so long, good for you" to "you are so brave, i could never do anything like that." my answers were typically "yeah, you should be", "no actually i didn't", and "well, actually it was quite easy." some rather pompous answers in my opinion. but the fact is that coming here and leaving everything behind was one of the easiest things ive done. sure the two days after i booked the ticket i had a mini panic attack, but to quote a third grade teacher, it was easy peezy lemon squeezy.
when you don't love your job, you rent a room from grandmas, you drive a grandma car, you dont have the money to buy a house, when the economy sucks and you are about to lose said job, when you are independent, you dont have a romantic relationship that you have to be in the country for, when you have some pesos in the bank, and you are sick of not having a vocational direction, it suddenly becomes extremely easy to hit the purchase button.
i was not brave or courageous or even that free-spirited; i was just bored. i had seen enough of other places and heard enough stories from others to know that i was missing out on a lot. i am not the type that wants to learn through school or training seminars; i want to get out and do it. i dont want to get my masters in child development, i want to be a nanny and spend hours planning weekend trips rather than studying for an exam. i dont want to spend time trying to claw my way to the top by kissing up to the boss and completing paperwork on time, i want to have an educated conversation with a kiwi on the best way to support ones' self while traveling gypsy-style across the country.
eventually i suppose i will have to return to the states and find a ho-hum job until either marriage or winning the lottery saves me from renting from the grandmas again. but id rather be a travel show host or work on a cruise ship or SOMETHING more exciting than saving up for a mortgage or busting my booty to earn a 27 cent raise an hour. i am too young and too full of life to settle for the typical american dream - a white picket fence and 2.5 kids in the suburbs while being a soccer mom in a mini van. maybe in a few years, but not until i have seen more of this world and experienced what it has to offer....
when you don't love your job, you rent a room from grandmas, you drive a grandma car, you dont have the money to buy a house, when the economy sucks and you are about to lose said job, when you are independent, you dont have a romantic relationship that you have to be in the country for, when you have some pesos in the bank, and you are sick of not having a vocational direction, it suddenly becomes extremely easy to hit the purchase button.
i was not brave or courageous or even that free-spirited; i was just bored. i had seen enough of other places and heard enough stories from others to know that i was missing out on a lot. i am not the type that wants to learn through school or training seminars; i want to get out and do it. i dont want to get my masters in child development, i want to be a nanny and spend hours planning weekend trips rather than studying for an exam. i dont want to spend time trying to claw my way to the top by kissing up to the boss and completing paperwork on time, i want to have an educated conversation with a kiwi on the best way to support ones' self while traveling gypsy-style across the country.
eventually i suppose i will have to return to the states and find a ho-hum job until either marriage or winning the lottery saves me from renting from the grandmas again. but id rather be a travel show host or work on a cruise ship or SOMETHING more exciting than saving up for a mortgage or busting my booty to earn a 27 cent raise an hour. i am too young and too full of life to settle for the typical american dream - a white picket fence and 2.5 kids in the suburbs while being a soccer mom in a mini van. maybe in a few years, but not until i have seen more of this world and experienced what it has to offer....
Freedom in simplicity
As i think about what im about to write, id like to suggest to my mother that perhaps she doesnt read this. and come to think of it, neither should my father. not that it contains anything scandalous or shocking, just that i dont need any criticism or "oh nicole, you are such a slob" type comments. or any more "nicole, you need to stop dressing like an athlete; you need to start dressing sexier". (A direct quote from my conservative father). but basically, you figure out that if i dont do my laundry every 7th day then there might be some concerns as to the state of cleanliness of the things i am wearing on the 8th day. i choose not to sweat it. but for someone who used to do her laundry once a month this is an adjustment.
there is something extremely liberating about waking up in the morning and not worrying about what to wear. i packed very simply for my 7 month stint in new zealand. i left extra space for souvenirs. i packed icky things that can be thrown away after using them heavily for a few months. i have no strong attachments to any clothes, items, or accessories. im feelin' the need for a list:
1 pair rainbows sandals
1 pair running shoes
1 pair hiking shoes
1 pair everyday sneakers
1 pair everyday jeans (worn at least 5 days a week)
1 pair going out jeans (holey/ripped jeans are not in style here)
black leggings (for hiking, dressing up, everyday, dancing, etc)
1 pair running shorts
1 work out t-shirt
1 tennis outfit
shin guards
7 long sleeved shirts (here for 2 weeks winter, all of spring and most of summer)
1 thick jacket
1 hoodie
1 summer jacket
5 pairs socks (mom and dad, dont do the math)
7 pairs underwear
1 pair track pants (for sleeping, casual wear, and on airplane)
1 pair baylor casual shorts (for when im doing laundry, and sleeping in summer)
4 t-shirts
2 work out tank tops
4 summer tank tops
3 summer dresses
jewelry
travel scrapbook (gift from back home, perfect for mementos)
3 summer shorts
binder for important documents
toiletries (very minimal)
computer and equipment
camera and equipment
cell phone
1 black everyday purse
2 bras
1 sports bra
1 comb
6 toothpastes (2 special fluoride ones for me and 4 special american kinds for my host family)
alright, im not sure who would really read this and care. maybe someone who is planning a similar trip and desperately needs to learn how to travel lightly. my sister once visited me in hawaii. i was there 4 months, she was there a week, and yet she brought more crap than i did. maybe thats why she consistently looked better than i did all week.
but come on. im a chick. how many girls do you know can pack 4 pairs of shoes for 7 months? and lets remember that i am extremely frugal. i have definitely pinched some pennies in my day. so the plan was not to buy things here, the plan is to go without!! who wants to spend 15 minutes every morning picking a new pair of pants that goes with just the right shirt and compliments the ear danglies and picks up the subtle hues of the purse? NOT ME!
Monday, September 7, 2009
how it all came about
At this moment i look around this two-toned wood-floored room and wonder how i came to be here; in this place, with these people, with this plan-without-a-plan. merely three weeks ago i was working as an after-school kindergarten teacher in irvine, california. i rented a room from two grandmas (neither of them my own) and happily drove around my 1991 pontiac grand am, affectionately known as 'betty'. my family lived 20 minutes to the south, my boyfriend lived 20 minutes to the north, and world-famous laguna beach lay 20 minutes to the west. life was good.
Except that it wasnt. i was bored. deathly bored. i realized soon after college that the world we live in, this huge ball of neverending adventure, culture, and the unknown, is ours for the taking. i could sit in irvine and be content merely paying my bills and slowly saving up for something in the future, or i could do something wild, something unexpected, something a little drastic. like buy a plane ticket to a random country, hope to get a job and somewhere to live, and then sell nearly everything i own and take off. and then just see what might happen next. so thats what i did. i opted for the risky, unknowing, "courageous" path (more on the courageous bit later). i bought a ticket to new zealand. i applied for a visa. i posted my resume on various online employment sites. i had some garage sales, made some trips to thrift stores, and gave things away to friends. i quit my job, told the boyfriend we'd keep in touch, and packed two bags.
Worst case scenario, id get to auckland and have to live in a hostel for a week or two. i could find a job in a cafe or supermarket, search gumtree (the local craigslist) for some free local activities, and then build from there. id be arriving the first day of spring, just in time to miss california's fall --- a fun time of year but something i've already done 25 times.
Everybody asks; 'so why new zealand?" the answer is pretty logical. they speak english, it's safe (when was the last time you heard of shooting sprees or serial killers or sex trafficking in kiwiland?), it's a very outdoorsy and active country, and I can have 3 summers in a row. what have i got to lose?
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