New Zealand, At Long Last, 1.11.07

Flying in to New Zealand, Beth got all tearful finally seeing the land below. At last we were here. Conversely, Jesse elected to be concerned. Months and years of plans, hopes and expectations were to be put to the test. Little were we prepared for the struggles that awaited us. After one week in Auckland, we are quite discouraged and wondering how much longer we want to do this. Luckily(?) we take turns being bummed and\or resilient. Auckland is terribly expensive (think NYC or Frisco and then some on some items--gas is near $6 a gallon). Apparently it will be cheaper outside this city--even in Wellington, the capitol. We’ve been applying for jobs, searching for apartments, trying to decide which town to put ourselves in, all while dealing with really pricey edibles; rainy, cool weather; the inability to do any work or trade without a work visa; and an approaching high season.

Uncle Mike’s friend, Warren (a Kiwi) who is here with his family from Mexico, has given us hope in his and his family’s kindness and optimism, and hosted us for a warm dinner one evening.

Yet it's plain we’re simply on our own without anyone to really help and spending, spending our savings on what feels very futile. Dep't of Immigration is close to impregnable; you can’t talk to them by phone because they don’t answer. As yet no one will entertain giving us a job because we don’t have a work permit.

Political and economic news from the States is a worry, as well.

We’re taking the Overlander on the 12 hour voyage across the north island to Wellington over the weekend. Blown by the wind as we are, we hope for things to become clearer, and soon.

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Things we miss: Family and Friends, good beer, exercise, free WIFI, cheap goods, and entertainments

Things that are better here: Air, courtesy, variety of vehicles, korean pancake snacks, tea time, pastries, cafe mochas

Things that are just plain weird: kebabs, pronounced like "babs", not "bobs", everywhere; slightly off takes on sports that we know: netball is women's basketball played in little skirts with a basketball net without a backboard, lower than the usual height we recognize, and cricket; hundreds of varieties of yogurt in the grocery, and not one box or bulk box of granola; palm trees with snowy mountains at 5000 feet; a nation healthier than most parts of the world, that is based on meat and dairy (but the women here don't seem to be as afraid as the thighs as others), magazine covers (think 80's mode "I'm Excited!").