Greetings From New Zealand!
I beat the trees, “I’m on a boat” and Glaciers=Russia, Trust Me
Rejection, Golden Beaches and Bartending 101
Tsunamis, Earthquakes and H1N1... Armageddon? No! New Zealand!
Sweet as bro; Good on ya mate
Begin Your Mental Drum roll...
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Greetings From New Zealand!
Kiwi-lovers, Coffee Cravers and Dinosaur Dreamers,Greetings from Queenstown, New Zealand!
I realize most of y’all receiving this email probably have some immediate questions, and I will get to those shortly but let me start with my last 36 hours:
I stopped reading. “Whoop-de-doo, you stopped reading” you’re probably thinking. Well, folks, I am a reader: I’ve read through scenic Italian countryside train rides, I’ve read through live, in-the-flesh major sporting events, a Nolan Ryan pitching performance, a Dodger’s game, and a Charlotte Hornets thrashing, and I’ve even been caught reading in Disneyworld and Kruger National Park. Reading is a part of me. But yesterday the 8 hour ride from Christchurch to Queenstown was so breathtaking, so stunning, so inappropriately beautiful, that I closed my book, looked out the window and tried to comprehend the beauty that was New Zealand’s South Island. I didn’t think it could get any better but it has, Queenstown is astonishingly beautiful.
Imagine combining Vail, Colorado with a lake, the hip-ness of Cape Town with more mountains, and San Diego surrounded by nature-on-steroids and ta-da, you’ve created Queenstown.
Unbelievable? Perhaps. But it is true. Queenstown is Vail, Colorado with a hypnotically blue lake, Cape Town (its nightlife and glory) with more mountains, and real-life, cute, polite, fabulously accented Kiwi boys added on for kicks. Ta da indeed. Inappropriately beautiful? Definitely.
I was supposed to spend today job hunting; instead I spent it pinching myself as each new turn had me arrive at a scene more beautiful than the last. I spent the entire day walking around, taking it in. Queenstown rivals the beauty of Cape Town. In fact, gasp, I hate to think it, much less write it down, but Queenstown may be the only city I have ever been to more beautiful than Cape Town. However, I realize at this point, it’s getting obnoxious to brag about the beauty of a place you are in, so I will try to refrain from continuing, and instead, I’ll work on answering your immediate questions:
What am I doing in New Zealand? The short of it: looking for work. The long of it? I know things have a way of working out when you listen to your gut. My gut said I needed a new beginning and a new challenge. So I bought a one-way plane ticket to NZ. And for my 25th birthday I’m giving myself the gift of overcoming my self-doubt while conquering a new country on my own.
Why New Zealand? They speak English (cute English at that), the work visa was free, I’d heard it was easy to find work and everyone I know who has been to NZ loved it. So why not?!?
When did I arrive in New Zealand? I left the USofA the day after my 25th birthday, arriving in Auckland June 2 and heading South ever since.
How long will I be in New Zealand? Excellent question indeed. That depends on my ability to find a job and what kind of job I find. I bought a one-way plane ticket and I have a work visa that is good for 1 year.
Any promising job prospect(s) yet? Fingers crossed, I hope so. But I don’t want to jinx it, so I’m not giving away any details at the moment. But hey, prostitution is legal here so if worse comes to worse… (Kidding, Mom and Dad, don’t worry, that was a joke)
Am I lonely, generally cold and questioning my decision to come here by myself? Yes, of course.
But I’ve already gone on some amazing hikes (i.e. the Coast to Coast walk in Auckland, the Huka Falls trail in Taupo, Wellington’s Mt. Victoria and today’s ‘pinch-me-is-this-real’ sunrise run by Queenstown’s lake to name a few), and met some crazy people (i.e. Tony the “100 marijuana plants in my backyard, brah” and Tom the porn star make-up artist who spent his work day “putting dildos on midgets heads, bro”). And after a New Zealand winter, there will be a New Zealand spring...
I came here for personal growth-- to give something to myself so I would have more to give to the world. I came here for a new beginning. Like endings, beginnings are rarely easy; they are chaotic and scary and challenging and overwhelming. So I know I must stay positive, persevere and trust that the Universe won’t let me down while I muddle through the rough start stage.
What should I do if I want a postcard? Duh, email me your postal address and a bit of snail mail (courtesy of me and NZ) will be headed your direction.
Can you, my readers, come visit me in New Zealand? Most definitely! I highly encourage anyone and everyone to do so, especially once I am established here.
Okay, this has become a very long first email… I hope it finds everyone happy and healthy, reading lots, and enjoying dessert.
Yours truly,
Amy
PS- fortune cookie time~The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit~
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I Beat the Trees, "I'm on a Boat," and Glaciers = Russia, Trust Me
Pirate Aficionados, Forest Explorers and Buccaneers-at-heart~
I hope this email finds you healthy, happy and dreaming BIG Dreams. Over the past two weeks, I have beaten the trees on the Kepler Track, gone cruising “on a boat” through Milford Sound, realized how much in common Glaciers have with Russia and applied for at least 100 jobs online.
New Zealand has these “Great Walks”—3-7 day hikes (hiking aka ‘tramping’ in Kiwi-speak) through some of the most gorgeous scenery on Earth. I want to do all of them while I am here. 90 kilometers and 5 days later, I can check one of them off my list. The Kepler Track was a motivating, blister-manufacturing introduction to Nature, New Zealand style. My camera has a “snow” and a “landscape” and a “beach” setting. After this walk, I must propose a new setting to Kodak, a “green” setting. My pictures just could not capture the colors, depths, textures and nuances of green found in Nature, NZ style. The first day was a hike along a river through temperate forests with the most amazing ferns and mosses I have ever seen. I camped in a hut with my own private beach along a secluded lake and walked through Beech forests the next day.
Then, the alpine ascent. Walkng uphill for hours, wearing a heavy, cumbersome backpack, trying to reach that magic point--where the trees stop, the fog ceases and the view opens up…to snow-capped mountains all around and Lake Te Anau below. It was stunning, to beat the trees and have the amber grasses and snowy path greet me at the top of Mt. Luxmore. 4 kiwis and brilliant display of stars (where is the Southern Cross?!?) and one alpine descent later, I can now proudly claim to be a tramper of NZ’s Great Walks.
After that, my blistered feet needed a break so I spent a day, cruising “on a boat” through Milford Sound. Cheesy and touristy, I know but sometimes there is a reason EVERYONE does something. Just like the Eiffel tour represents Paris, Milford Sound is the epitome of Nature, NZ style. The vastness, the immense scope of Milford Sound is why it is unforgettable. I saw dolphins and fur seals, felt the wind from the Tasman Sea sweep away all the warmth from my fingers and tried to capture on film Mitre Peak rising 1692 meters out of the sea with snow-capped mountains behind it and waterfalls higher than Niagara Falls splashing right and left of it. It was, needless to say, a day of incredible beauty.
Next, I headed to Franz Josef, on the West Coast. This 200 kilometer region has over 140 glaciers. I have officially walked 20 kilometers to touch one of them—The Franz Josef Glacier. This huge moving mass of old winter snow compressed is descending down a valley about 100,000 times slower than a river. That is neat. But, I’m not going to lie to you, Russia isn’t really my thing (no offense Anastasia, Tchaikovsky, and Anna Karenina) and glaciers remind me of Russia. Both are giant, slow moving and notoriously cold. And really, after seeing this one glacier, I had no intense desire to see the other 139 of them or buy a plane ticket to Siberia.
So I’ve spent the last few days applying to jobs like a person possessed. And possessed I am, with the desire to secure employment in this country. Applying for jobs is basically about embracing rejection. I have had several phone interviews but I am awkward on the phone and therefore I remain unemployed to date. However, there are several jobs I am super interested in (such as a Lab Assistant in Nelson, Shakti Women’s Advocate, and a Assistant Communications Coordinator for Environment Southland) and I am heading to Nelson tomorrow in the hopes of securing a face-to-face interview or two. I am trying not to get my hopes up but I really want to find an interesting, challenging job. So I am continuing to put my name in the hat, send follow-up emails and phone calls and reminding myself to stay positive while I embrace the rejection that is the job search.
Everyone, keep in touch- I love the updates on your lives. As they say in NZ, communication is “sweet as” (amy translation: it is baller). So keep me informed about your life! And make plans to visit me in New Zealand (there are marathons you can train for, hikes you can do, and Queenstown to experience!)
Until next time,
Amy K
PS- Fortune Cookie Time: “If you continually give, then you will continually have”
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Rejection, Golden Beaches and Bartending 101
Popcorn Consumer, Sandfly Swatters and Thriller CD Owners~
I have found my way to Nelson, a hippie-tastic town by the sea on the northern coast of the South Island. As I always say, "If it is for free, it is for me" and I happened to find the Mecca of Free Backpackers (Free Wi-Fi, Breakfast AND Dinner) in Nelson on my first night here. I've been sold on this town ever since. I spent the first few days doing touristy Nelson things: hiking up a mountain to the 'Center of New Zealand,' walking along the docks inspecting boat names, taking cheesy pictures, etc. I also took full advantage of the free hostel things while making plans to "tramp" another Great Walk-- The Abel Tasman Great Walk.
Abel Tasman National Park is New Zealand's newest and smallest National Park. Don't let those small details deceive you, the Abel Tasman lives up to its title, this 56 km walk is indeed great. I am a lightweight hiker--I do not want to pack any unnecessary items because I do not want to lug around any unnecessary weight. The forecast predicted sunshine for the week, so I didn't bother to pack any rain gear. Tactical Error. Three of the four days walking were rainy and overcast, if only the weather had cooperated this would have been a little slice of walking heaven.
This wasn't a hard hike, in fact I'm not sure you could even call it hiking/tramping, it was really more like casual walking with a little backpack. Casual Walking surrounded by Nature, NZ style. With beaches the color of Golden Retrievers, the sea an array of ever changing blues and greens, like a peacock's feathers, a ridiculously cold, up-to-my-knees inlet crossing and a 20 km hike to a seal colony, this was a wonderful way to spend four days. But it had to end as I needed to start hunting for jobs.
In fact, my hunt for a job has taken on a life of its own. Lets look at the numbers:
Jobs Applied for Online: 112
Follow Up Emails Sent to Jobs I was/am Interested In: 23
Rejection Emails Received: 47
Jobs I REALLY Wanted: 7
Of those Jobs, In-person Interviews I had: 0
Resumes Personally Dropped Off at Businesses: 50 (that was an exhausting day)
In-person Interviews I've Had: 3
Jobs They Resulted in: 3
Yes, you read that last number right, I now have 3 part-time jobs. My first in-person interview resulted in my first job: working for the NZ Red Cross as a CPR/First Aid Instructor. I also have a super part-time job, at Mountain Designs, an outdoor store similar to REI starting July 23. The third job, I lied my way into. The conversation went something like this...
Me: "Yes, I have bartending experience" (translation: NO, I do not, I don't even really go out to bars, buddy)
Frances: "Ok. Show up at 8pm. Look attractive. You start tomorrow"
Me (mental thought): Crap-ola! I don't know how to make a martini or a mojito and I don't even know what is in a Long Island Iced Tea. I'll get fired in the first hour. Fraud! They will say while they boot me out. And look attractive--what does that mean?!? Does that mean I have to wear make-up? Sh*t, I don't want to put gunk on the face. Oh, ames, way to get yourself in a pickle. Just stay calm and do your best tomorrow.
I showed up on Saturday night, their busiest night of the week, and rocked it. They were really impressed (or so they said) and invited me back to work part-time, on Friday and Saturday nights. This is totally rad for two reasons. Firstly, in my humble opinion, I worked hard, it showed and I deserved to be invited back. Secondly, the boys who frequent this bar are all kinds of cute and they have such fabulous kiwi-accents and many of them are rugby players! Yay! (Speaking of boys, I think I went on a date last night? I'm not sure AND I'm not interested...so if anyone has any tips or pointers on how to get out of dates, hollar at me.)
Nelson reminds me of Asheville, but with a beach. There are yoga studios, thrice weekly outdoor markets selling organic produce and local honey, the smell of patuli (sp) lingers in the air, restaurants cater to vegetarians, the used book stores are abundant as are the folks with dreadlocks. I love Asheville, so I figure I am going to love it here. There are amazing running and mountain biking trails, great rock-climbing a half hour drive away, Abel Tasman beaches an hour away and oh, did I mention the cute rugby players? Now I just need to find more consistent work and I will be good to go. Conquering New Zealand, here I go...
I hope all is well with you. Please enjoy your summer activities, like swimming, canoeing, and building sandcastles, on my behalf. I miss everyone and I hope you are prospering, enjoying copious amounts of watermelon and surrounding yourself with good books to read. Keep in touch (books, life thoughts and daydreams are improved when shared :) ).
Cheers,
Amy
PS ~ Fortune Cookie Time ~ To accomplish great things, you must not only act--but also DREAM, not only plan, but also BELIEVE.
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Tsunamis, Earthquakes and H1N1... Armageddon? No! New Zealand!
If you have been watching the news over the last six weeks, it may seem as if I am in mortal danger all the time: there was an earthquake down south, that created an aftershock of tsunamis and the infamous H1N1 sweeping across the country. That couldn't be further from the truth. Nelson is perhaps the safest city in the safest country in the world. And the swine flu (they still call it 'swine flu' here) is just the flu and the flu is not a big deal if you are young and healthy. There are no poisonous snakes, spiders or scorpions, no large animals that may eat me and violent/petty crime is incredibly low. I am so safe here, I am bored.
In a nutshell, this past month I have been consumed with work. Right now, I am still working at a hostel, making beds to stay for free but that will probably change soon because I crave permanent, full-time employment and working from 10 am to noon everyday makes that hard to find.
My NZ Red Cross job is absolutely fabulous. I am getting paid to teach 1st Aid and CPR. I volunteered to do that in NC. They also covered all of my expenses while sending me to Christchurch for more training. I flew to Christchurch for a week, where I was paid to take another First Responder Higher Level Education Course and I stayed in a hotel where I had my own room and bathroom. The highlight of this trip was a toss-up: both the ability to feel confident in responding to an emergency situation and having a room and bathroom all to myself for a week made for a great mini-trip. It should definitely be the former but it was so nice to not have to put up with a stinky person or a snorey person interrupting my sleep that I, it might have actually been the latter. Unfortunately, this is a part time job and I am not able to work enough for them to survive with supplemental income.
So I work as a Bartender a couple nights a week. This job is wonderful because of the people. I really like the people I work with and never before have I realized how the people you work with make or break your experience at a job. Plus, I am learning how to make all sorts of fun drinks and I now that I have work experience, I could do this anywhere in the world. Sweet as, mate.
I have also been working a couple days a week at Mtn Designs, an REI-wannabe store. I HATE this job. I do not like selling overpriced, unnecessary gear and outdoor clothing to people while being made to feel like an inadequate, worthless employee by my manager. I really try to find the best in people and I have never worked at a job where I wasn't liked by my supervisors and didn't get along with my co-workers until now. Needless to say, as soon as I can find other work, I will be quitting this job.
I still manage to find free time to read books, do some cooking (new favorite recipes include anzac cookies, Okinimiyaki (sp?) aka Japanese Pizza, Veggie Burgers and Indian Dahl) and train for the Auckland Marathon. And then...my new favorite activity: HOT YOGA! [Warning: what I am about to write is going to sound like cheesy, new age nonsense but I swear, it is true.] Hot Yoga has made me a happier human being. I am nicer to people, I am less annoyed at little things, I am breathing better, I sleep better, I am taking less diabetes medicine, and I have more energy. I laugh more. So far, Hot Yoga has been the defining discovery of New Zealand. It has helped me find my sense of self again. As one of my yoga teachers recently said, "Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens." I feel like I am waking up to find me again. It sounds soooo cheesy but it is sooo true. I feel better about myself which, in turn, lets me help others more.
I am coming to realize that I am happy with myself and on my own but at the same time PEOPLE can make or break an experience, a moment, a job, a place for you. I am trying to be more present in the moment and more appreciative of the here and now. I am trying to stress less about what comes next and what I should do next and enjoy just being. But I am not perfect and I can't help thinking about India or Indonesia, Cape Town or Casablanca, surfing in Nicaragua or snowboarding in Colorado before joining the real world. I must admit that part of me is already bored with NZ. There is not enough diversity or danger for me. I am actually safer here than I am in NC. So I find myself trying to plan what comes next which defeats the purpose of this journey, to experience and be and let the future unfold in due time.
I would love to have anyone and everyone come visit me! I am planning on running the Auckland Marathon in the beginning of November and going sky diving in Taupo and exploring the Nelson region during springtime. If you do not have a job (or need a vacation from your job) and are looking for a little life adventure, head this direction!
Keep in touch. Emails, letters and fb posts are greatly appreciated! I hope you are finding joy in the small things, where ever you are.
Cheers,
Amy
PS-My Book Recommendations at the moment:
Shantaram (the most beautiful book I've ever read), The Inheritance, David Sanger (about the world challenges Obama faces) and The Celestine Prophecy (Ishmael-esque in the sense that it explains the history of man and where we are headed, find the energy within you)
PSS- I have an address now, so you can send me snail mail:
Amy Herron
335 Trafalgar Square
Nelson, NZ
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Sweet as bro; Good on ya mate
Greetings Stargazers, Music Lovers and Truth Seekers~Yes, I am still alive. In fact, I am learning to speak like a Kiwi:
My mates and I took our togs and jandals to Tahananui for some fun in the sun. But rather than have Tea, we just took some scroggin, bikkies and pavlova. The boys had to leave early though, because they had a stag do to attend where we all knew they would get chopped. But 'good on ya,' I say--living life to the fullest and enjoying the now. I'll just walk myself back to the car park and maybe head to Maccers. Basically, life should be 'sweet as bro.' Cheers, ta.
Say what?!? The translation:
My friends and I took our swimsuits and sandals to the beach for some fun in the sun. But rather than eat dinner, we just took some granola/gorp, cookies and pavlova (a popular dessert here like pumpkin pie or peach cobbler are popular in the states). The boys had to leave early...because they had a bachelor party to attend where we all knew they would get drunk. "Good on ya"- Way to go, Nice work, Nicely done, Neat, Interesting, High Five. I'll just walk myself back to the parking lot and maybe head to McDonalds (obviously this is a fictional tale, I do not really eat at McDonalds). Basically, life should be 'sweet as bro' - the kiwi substitute for America's 'awesome.' Cheers is a hello, goodbye and thank you. Ta = thanks.
I am still in Nelson, New Zealand working as a bartender and as a CPR and 1st Aid Instructor for the Red Cross. I am really enjoying both of these jobs. I have moved into a flat with two rugby players and a Finnish girl. The rugby players both have girlfriends and training/matches so I hardly ever see them and the Finnish girl is a riot and really into yoga, so it is a lovely living situation.
Recent developments in my otherwise cruisy life include:
1. I've realized I want to be a yoga instructor. So I want to get my yoga teacher certification asap.
2. The joy that is finding the best bargain ever on a washing machine! What?
I am volunteering with Refugee Services, an organization that helps refugees relocate in NZ. Me and 3 other volunteers are sponsoring a family--helping them with everything from setting up a bank account, to enrolling the kids in school and the parents in English lessons. My refugee family from Myanmar (Burma) arrived last Friday. A mom, a dad and three daughters (with two twin sons still in a refugee camp in SE Asia), we picked them up from the airport and took them to their new home. It is a spacious, albeit drafty, 2 story, 4 bedroom house with a fireplace and a nice backyard. We had put furniture, beddings, sheets, towels, tv, set up the power, etc before their arrival; basically we took an empty shell of a house and attempted to make it feel like a home for them. Walking through the house, the mother started to cry. And next thing I know, I to am crying. Neither one of us spoke the other's language but tears are a universal communication. I knew she was grateful and overwhelmed. I felt like it was the least we could do to right the injustice of her life over the last 20 years.
My role is to help the family with WINZ- Work and Income New Zealand. Basically I help them with all the beaurocratic paper nonsense so that they can receive money to get on their feet. The first WINZ meeting went like this:
Tobias (WINZ rep)- "All we can give a family of five for food is 150 a week"
Me- "I spend almost 150 a week on food, that just isn't enough"
Tobias- " I'm sorry, that is just the general amount for 5 people"
Me- "Look, I know you can help them out...give them 200"
Tobias- "Okay, but don't tell anyone"
Me (mentally)- "That is soooo awesome. I want to hug you."
And today, I had to find a quote for a washing machine for our WINZ meeting tomorrow. I was told it had to be less than 400 dollars. New washing machines run from 700 to 1200 dollars. It is insane to think anyone can find a new washing machine for that much; I had been told not even to bother to look for a new one and just hit up the second hand shops. But off I go, flirting with insanity, determined to find a new machine for my family. I explain what I'm looking for to Drew, the Salesman at Noel Leeming. He plays the salesman card, I play the girl card. He plays the boss-won't-let-me card, I play the refugee injustice card. Boom! Next thing I know I am walking out the door with a quote for 399 on a brand new washing machine normally 699 with a free five year warranty that normally costs 179. Victory is mine and it is delicious!
3. What to do next? That question is the only real stress I have in my life at the moment.
Options include but are not limited to: A.) Stay here through Feb/March/April, enjoying summertime which everyone tells me is amazing and not to be missed. B.) Go back to CO for another winter as a snowboarder. All of my CO buddies are going back and I just bought a new board at the end of last season and I have a job if I want it. Perhaps travel a bit to OZ and SE Asia before returning home in Dec/January? C.) Go back to Cape Town, I would be welcomed with open arms at PASSOP again and I miss Cape Town. D.) Go to India. The yoga inspires this desire. I don't know what I would do there but the gut wants to go to India. The gut wants to do it all. E.)?????
If you have an opinion, feel free to help a sister out. I need to be making decisions sooner rather than later.
I'd love to hear how everyone is doing, don't be shy to email, snailmail, fb or practice your telepathic skills.
Cheers,
Amy
PS- I have a new address:
Amy Herron
83 Collingwood Street
Nelson, New Zealand 7010
PSS- Looking for a good book? Check out The Cellist of Sarajevo and Beasts of No Nation.
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Begin Your Mental Drum roll...
Greetings Hipsters, Trivia Gods and Casual Cartographers,For months I have been trying to figure out where and what I wanted to go and do next. I have grown too comfortable in Nelson—I like both of my jobs, I like my flat mates, I like the bit of life I have started to create for myself here. I do not want to settle just because I am comfortable and I have been worried about doing just that for the last few months. Finally, two days ago, I woke up and my heart had spoken. I knew where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do and the only thing stopping me was fear: fear of the new, fear of the unknown, fear of the uncertain, fear of all alone, financial fears, and fear of failure.
I refuse to let fear rule my life. The gut beckoned and I answered the call. I am moving on instinct, to the birthplace of yoga, the birthplace of the religions I studied at Duke—Sikhism, Jainism, Hinduism, to a land steeped in the history of colonialism, poverty, oppression, power and hope, a land of extravagant variety and incomparable beauty, where the Africa’s wildness combines with Asia’s hecticness. I am going to India.
Once again, I am listening to my heart while making a financial blunder in the hopes of Karmic returns and personal growth. I can only say that I have no idea what I am getting myself in to and that is precisely the point.
I fly into Mumbai on the 21st of November and have a week to make my way south to Goa where on the 28th I start a month-long intensive Yoga Teacher Training Course. Hopefully on December 24th I will be a Yoga-Alliance RYT-200 Certified Yoga Instructor. I then return stateside, arriving in NYC on the 26th of December. (Speaking of NYC—anyone planning on being in the city then, or nearby and could I potentially crash with you for an evening before I bus it home?). I’ll be in NC briefly before heading to CO for another winter season, snowboarding, kicking Justin’s ass at everything and hopefully also teaching Yoga.
So that is the scoop from my hemisphere. I hope this email finds you happy, healthy, and cultivating an attitude that encourages boldness. I love reading and hearing about what is going on in your lives.
Cheers,
Amy
PS- If anyone has any tips/pointers on India/people to stay with in India, all information/help is greatly appreciated.
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