Last week began with a positive meeting with Deaf Aotearoa for work possibilities and then a Team Interpreting workshop which was less productive as it was aimed at Spoken Language interpreters who rarely Team interpret. I went to Petone with my friend Carin, then on Thursday I went to a meeting about the vulnerability survey. So really so far not much to report on so this is why I have been slack and grouped 2 weeks into one blog. My next blog will be my Christmas road trip one so it works out well.
Anyways, last Friday was the WIN (Welly Interpreters Network) Christmas Party. I baked about 100 cookies as I had expected a few cookie thieves like back home (but none appeared!!!!) I also had some fun advising mum over the skills of Christmas cookie baking and also cookie thieves. The WIN Christmas party was good fun as a lot of the interpreters I had met already were there. Kiwis can definitely put on a good spread and I have realised the importance of bringing a homemade spread/plate. I saw a great idea on a cooking programme – yes I have time to watch such things!!! So I made edible Christmas crackers – well they weren’t as perfect as intended and I forgot the cranberry jam but they went down well in the end. At the party we ate, did secret santa and played Singstar (first time – it is a karaoke game on PS2 for people not familiar with the tech-game side of life). Secret Santa was also a first for me. It was not a conventional ‘know who you are buying for’ set-up but we all bought a present then put them in the middle. We then spun a bottle to take turns choosing a present. However there was a catch…The first person chooses a present and opens it. The next person then can either decide to open a present or steal the other present! And the game goes on like that. Everyone kept in good spirits and didn’t get too upset so that was good and there were only 8 of us so it didn’t go on for hrs. I ended up, by choice, with a crochet needle and merino wool! Ok so I’m not sure if NZ is turning me into an old woman or my creative side is coming back with all this cooking and now crocheting – make your own decisions. Before I moved here I had no desire to knit or crochet. Yet on arrival in kiwi land I had this desire to give it a go and now I am crocheting by sister her bday present! Also, as you Facebookites saw – I went to a Crafts night at one of my friend’s homes on Wed night! I can see it now – crocheting all my socks and knitting Christmas jumpers!!!! Don’t worry I do have some self-respect/restraint so I won’t get as far as the later – I will have a job to keep me occupied before that happens!
On Sat I went to the beach briefly then went to the Deaf club Christmas party which was fun. Sunday I tried to go for a walk near Eastbourne but ended up walking in the heat of the day through an industrial estate which was not an enjoyable experience. I realised that to access the route I wanted I needed a car! So in a grump and all hot and bothered I got the bus home. But I was determined to not be defeated and went to Mt Kaukau again and found a slightly sheltered rock in the sun and sat and read a bit of my book so that made up for the morning’s failed adventure.
Wednesday I volunteered to do some admin in the Red Cross office which was good keep in contact with people and pass the time. It also allowed me to get a bit more of an understanding of how things work here. Then Wed night I went to my crafts night! I cycled there as it was a lovely evening. Google maps started off being my friend but did tell me a bit of a fib at the amount of ups and downs there were between here and the house. But that is Welly for you and I didn’t mind too much. I meet another expat couple which was fun and I started my crochet. There were some very yummy mince pies and the conversation was fun and interesting but as I tried to count and do the pattern I got a bit preoccupied but it was good fun and I think I will go again. Then Brian and I had a nice night ride home together.
Yesterday was very hot. While the weather man said it was 24’C it felt much hotter. I met a friend and went to Eastbourne – this time by car! This visit was much better. We went to the beach and looked around the town. I also picked up some maps of the walking tracks and found a bus that could take me to the start of the track too! After some paddling, icecream and nosing at the fun looking houses, I headed home. With hope for great weather over Christmas, this hope was dashed as the remnants of the Fiji and Samoan cyclone are forecast to hit us just in time for the 25th. Also to really rub it in the South Island is predicting sun and the north is left with the rain – we chose the wrong island! But at least it will feel like a proper Christmas ;-) I am sure hot springs are as warm and smelly in the rain as in the sun too!
Tomorrow Tom and Zoe fly in and I do my first ever driving outside the UK!!!!!!!! Kiwis are you nervous?! Then on Sunday the Christmas road trip to Rotorua begins!
Merry Christmas, happy holidays and I wish you all a fun and exciting 2013!!! Oh and it is the 21st and I am still here so we have some more time for the human race to carry on living.
