TonnyTessa
3rd February 2009, 05:13 PM
OKay so about a month and 6 hours ago I landed on Christchurch airport, time for an update :)
The first weeks were as expected filled with lots of paper work and lots of it, but thank goodness the worst of that is over. Simple things that I used to know about all of a sudden became an adventure/quest to find out. Where does one go for an IRD number (AA office does them), where does one buy a plug converter to plug the old laptop in before it runs out (found mine at K-mart, one converter does most types, including my collection of UK and Dutch plugs) and how on earth does that strange looking washing machine work (top-loader from medieaval times....).
I started work pretty much straightaway (after 2 days) and it so far it has been really good. I am learning a lot, the colleagues are really nice and already managed to get some industry contacts for some research. The students are due back in 3 weeks, I bet life is going to get hectic by then :) Still need to prepare some more lectures, but thankfully most won't happen until the second semester in July.
Initially I really wanted to buy a house, but it turns out that if you don't have a deposit you need to have been in your current job for 6 months before they will give you a mortgage, so I am renting instead. I have found the most gorgeous little villa, so to be honest I don't regret it at all. My stuff unfortunately didn't leave the UK until about 6 weeks after packing, so my house is very very empty and will continue to be so for another 5-6 weeks. Good thing I have colleagues so I actually do have some diningroom furniture and two comfy arm chairs. A bed is on it's way, which should do until my own things arrive. My cat arrived about a week after me, so that is really nice (I think she likes all that empty space!).
I think the worst bit I find is the supermarket, never a big fan of shopping anyway, I find myself going up and down the aisles a million times trying to find everything and usually returning without half of what I had intended to get, may be it is time to make a shopping list. I spend a lot of time reading packages too, but that's because of being allergic to milk and grapes, on top of being vegetarian. That should sort itself out soon I think, after a while you just know what you can and cannot eat and on which shelf it hides.
I did manage to sort out a bicycle so I am trying to be more healthy and cycle every where. It's about 4.5km to work, so a nice little bit of exercise that doesn't involve me going to the gym. Especially in the beginning I walked a lot, so I feel healthier already!
I haven't spent much time going around yet, but now that most things are semi-sorted, time to do some exploring me thinks. Thought of going to the beach this weekend (probably along with everybody else in Chch...). And I saw there is a fireworks concert in the park on Thursday, anyone fancy meeting up for that?
Enough now, I have friends from the UK coming over tonight, so time to get organised and get home!
PS does anyone know of any crisps (other than plain salted) that don't have milk in them? Oh and I discovered diary free hokey pokey ice cream YUMMM!
The first weeks were as expected filled with lots of paper work and lots of it, but thank goodness the worst of that is over. Simple things that I used to know about all of a sudden became an adventure/quest to find out. Where does one go for an IRD number (AA office does them), where does one buy a plug converter to plug the old laptop in before it runs out (found mine at K-mart, one converter does most types, including my collection of UK and Dutch plugs) and how on earth does that strange looking washing machine work (top-loader from medieaval times....).
I started work pretty much straightaway (after 2 days) and it so far it has been really good. I am learning a lot, the colleagues are really nice and already managed to get some industry contacts for some research. The students are due back in 3 weeks, I bet life is going to get hectic by then :) Still need to prepare some more lectures, but thankfully most won't happen until the second semester in July.
Initially I really wanted to buy a house, but it turns out that if you don't have a deposit you need to have been in your current job for 6 months before they will give you a mortgage, so I am renting instead. I have found the most gorgeous little villa, so to be honest I don't regret it at all. My stuff unfortunately didn't leave the UK until about 6 weeks after packing, so my house is very very empty and will continue to be so for another 5-6 weeks. Good thing I have colleagues so I actually do have some diningroom furniture and two comfy arm chairs. A bed is on it's way, which should do until my own things arrive. My cat arrived about a week after me, so that is really nice (I think she likes all that empty space!).
I think the worst bit I find is the supermarket, never a big fan of shopping anyway, I find myself going up and down the aisles a million times trying to find everything and usually returning without half of what I had intended to get, may be it is time to make a shopping list. I spend a lot of time reading packages too, but that's because of being allergic to milk and grapes, on top of being vegetarian. That should sort itself out soon I think, after a while you just know what you can and cannot eat and on which shelf it hides.
I did manage to sort out a bicycle so I am trying to be more healthy and cycle every where. It's about 4.5km to work, so a nice little bit of exercise that doesn't involve me going to the gym. Especially in the beginning I walked a lot, so I feel healthier already!
I haven't spent much time going around yet, but now that most things are semi-sorted, time to do some exploring me thinks. Thought of going to the beach this weekend (probably along with everybody else in Chch...). And I saw there is a fireworks concert in the park on Thursday, anyone fancy meeting up for that?
Enough now, I have friends from the UK coming over tonight, so time to get organised and get home!
PS does anyone know of any crisps (other than plain salted) that don't have milk in them? Oh and I discovered diary free hokey pokey ice cream YUMMM!