Not a lot to post about these days eh. (if you take the intonation of the 'eh' down at the end instead of up the way we do it, you'll be saying it the Kiwi way - they say it just as much as we do) I guess I'm feeling a little uninspired and while I'm sure I'm doing new things that I could fill you all in on, it hasn't felt all that exciting to post for you, however, I will do my best this evening.
Today was a long one and I didn't get home from work at the bike shop til 8 PM. I'm getting more and more comfortable and confident at the shop. I have already learned so much, and continue to learn more every day. Yesterday I learned how we have a few bikes in stock that have all the gears inside the back hub. I actually don't really understand how they work and turn the wheel. Something I need to look up on-line to figure out. I learned how to tune up a few things on my bike now - like my derailleurs. Very handy and important to know. And I've taught quite a few people (including men - which I think they've been slightly embarrassed about) a skill I've been developing for a few years now: how to change an inner tube. I'm getting much faster at it than I used to be! :)
We had a Kiwiana party at our flat this past weekend. It was fun - many people showed up over the course of the evening and we enjoyed far too much kiwi junk food! We had L&P, RJ's licorice, cheerios (although I did not eat these) with Watties Tomato Sauce (this is what they call Ketchup, and Watties, while a kiwi brand, was bought by Heinz a number of years gone by), Pavlova, kumara chips, and other things I cannot remember. The party was much lower-key than I had expected, because from what I know of the Kiwis, they are real hard-core partiers. The bars stay open here til like 3 AM and people continue on til 5 AM quite often. I wasn't overly disappointed, however, that our party was lower-key because I cannot keep up with that. I had to work the next morning, so a 1:30 AM bed-time was plenty late for me to feel fried for the next two days.
This weekend is a long weekend, Friday being a national holiday called, Waitangi Day and I have opted not to take an extra shift at work (as tempting as it might be to be paid time and a half - I already worked the last stat holiday two weeks ago). Instead I will be spending the day in the Wairarapa with a few friends - finally exploring a little outside of the Welly area. The city itself hosts an annual International Sevens Rugby Tournament - pretty much the biggest event of the summer here. The whole place goes wild, I've been told, and there are costumes and mayhem in the streets day and night. The sevens tickets sold out within the first day or two that they went on sale, however I was offered some by a guy who hit on me at the gym last week - but they are far too expensive for my OE budget at this point. I will enjoy the festivities outside of the rugby field.
I have really been enjoying my time here immensely. I'm looking forward to exploring more of the country in the next few months as well. I'm quite sure that I will have mixed feelings when it is time to go since lately I have been missing some of my creature comforts and familiar things from home. Traveling has always, always reminded me how lucky I am and how much I love home no matter how lovely it is anywhere else in the world.
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