Foreign Living Logue
We have moved into our house (as of nearly a week ago), but did not have internet access until last yesterday (also known as Tuesday). We also at the same time got a television and some cable, and conveniently (like I remember) television stations play the Simpsons and family guy during dinner hours. It was in New Zealand actually when my family started watching the Simpsons because it was always on at 6pm. We have channels 1, 2, 3, and Prime (4), and some other ones which don't have too much going on. Disney channel and Nickelodeon. TCM...an occasional movie channel... But it's all one needs. We have rented a few movies, and we watched Everything Is Illuminated a few days ago and I thought of you Audry in your officious premium glory. :-)
A side note. I have decided that calling this a "travel journal" isn't really suitable, as I'm not traveling I'm just continuing to live life, it happens to be in another country half way around the world, one which isn't so vastly unfamiliar. I could call this then, my foreign living logue. Or my acclimation diary. Experience journal. Daily record of how many plums fall from our tree each day and how the bus drops you off on the left-hand side notebook.
Anyway.
Our container does not arrive until the 18th of February. It isn't too far away now. And then I will have a proper bed, and my piano, and things to sit on. Will have more junk than I can probably fit comfortably into my room. For now I have a small mattress (exactly similar to the ones I used at the washington st. house, if people remember those [Steve should! hah]), it's quite comfy. I use the floor as my desk, and never hang things up. I am working on a Sudoku book. My main bedroom window is painted shut, but my other small one opens and often I feel that I am staying in a house near the sea, hearing bangs and echoes of a container yard and an occasional seagull or toot of a ship horn.
There is something that says ocean in the air, something fresh and clear smelling. And I only noticed it a few minutes ago when lying down that I haven't had to blow my nose in the mornings as I did daily in Ohio. That's kind of a big thing for me.
Honestly I haven't been doing too much (besides reading and Sudoku and enjoying one bathroom for four. No it's not really that bad. We have one bathroom upstairs and one downstairs, and even then everyone wakes up before me). Haven't gone down town every day, but a day or two ago I got some flip flops and some new ballet flats (as my old ones have been in considerable use since high school prom). It's been quite an adjustment so far. I'm definitely not used to being in a city, nor am I especially used to walking around with other people (my family) and having to talk to them and having to acknowledge their existences. I was spoiled in Athens, walking around by myself, to the library, renting movies, the dollar store...not having to wait for anyone or be impeded by another's slow pace. At times my head can't get around it and I get irritated. It's because I'm not in control, and when with my family I have no set agenda, it is spontaneous.
Maybe you've heard somewhere that I get nervous, or have problems with anxiety, tinged with obsessive appearance checking, or maybe you have not. But I find that my nervousness has been in the way of enjoying myself. It's still odd to think that I've moved here. Was it kind of a reckless thing to do?
Today made me think not, as I went into town by myself, mostly for the experience but also to eat a packed lunch and to get a library card, which has images of ferns on it and says, "Miss E Clink" on the back. Except that today there was a parade on Lambton Quay (basically the main street, business district, downtown) for the super 7 rugby, so it was something to avoid and I've had enough practice crossing streets in Athens to get by. ;-)
The few hours down there left me sweaty and tired, but it felt good to get some endorphins, to be out walking. My face looks fresher. The last time I was here, with my friend Aaron, I remember that at about the end of 3 weeks (coming back to wellington after doing s. island stuff), I felt really great when walking around and I suddenly settled in. It just takes time to adjust and experience.
But, one thing which has been giving me moods is the change from winter to a summer climate. I packed wrong clothes, and it has been fairly warm. Though January is the equivalent of July to those in the northern hemisphere, so I actually have been sweating whenever in the sun. But unlike Ohio, I find immense relief sitting in the shade. I like winter, and wrapping up in jackets, so I am missing that. Usually when visiting nz I get a double dose of winter, but this time is is backwards.
Yesterday I talked to Audry and Steve! What a surprise! You guys did lift my spirits considerably, up from feeling pretty hopeless and depressed/lethargic, and made me remember how important friends are. Through you all I have learned the importance of friendship, before college my friendship capacity was not very well developed, I thought I could do fine on my own, but now I am so glad that friends make me smile and make my heart leap when I hear and see them. It's too good a feeling to not go amiss.
Tomorrow I might go downtown again to perhaps get things for people. I know a few of you have February birthdays.
Tomorrow I may get a flatwhite as well, and read in a coffee shop somewhere at cuba mall. Maybe I'll wander as far down to a cafe called Midnight Espresso. I think all of you would love it; they have really great organic pies/pastries.
Many things are organic here, or many things that are 'not classified as organic' have higher quality than stupid processed foods. The apples we're almost sure come right off of someone's tree in their backyard, and they're the best tasting things in the world. We also figure they are fresh from someone's yard as we have a plum tree in the front of our house and my mom has made plum jam and cobbler already from the amount we've gathered. And people steal them! Grrr. So we have to make sure to get them all so people don't just stop and walk up our small path. I can't blame them though, they're really good. Food is quite accessible...we're a 15 minute walk from the downtown New World. There's also a far tinier New World way downtown called the Metro New World. There are so many yummy things!
I wish all of you could graduate and move down here... or we could all move to Europe somewhere and live in a big house together.
That's my dream as of now.
I have been looking (casually) at some University stuff here. Massey in Wellington is fortunately the Creative Campus, and they have Printmaking classes and a Thesis semester one can do in fine arts. I would love it if a lot of my credits transferred (they' are en route) and that I could just take the last few requirements. At Victoria U. they have creative writing workshops. So perhaps for next year.
I'll leave you with some pictures of our currently furniture-absent house.
This is the plum tree in our front yard. I should figure out how to send some through mail...
Every now and again one will hear a 'thud' outside the window and will know it was free-falling fruit.
This is the view from the front lawn, Nice eh? We figure maybe we'll be able to see our container when it comes in. heh.
This is the dining/living room
And the other end of it.
And the view from the living/dining room. We can see my dad's exact office room from our house, which is kind of interesting...
The stairs and foy-ay...
The kitchen. To the left is the kitchen door...
This is the door out from the kitchen to the back porch area. To the left in the alcove of sorts is the laundry room.
This is the back porch area, with the shed and the washing line. I like to eat breakfast out here.
And damn, photobucket and their site maintenance.
I will post the rest of the house some other time. (things like my room and the back of the house...upstairs bathroom...)
Wheeeeeee.