Thursday, April 16, 2009
So I suck at blogging...
I know, I know - I'm not very good at this. I just can't sit still long enough to recap all of my adventures!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Upcoming Blogs...
- Kiwi Christmas
- Adventures in Oz
- The Brigandi Sisters: Adventures in Auckland
- Me, My Dad and the South Island
- Adventures in Oz
- The Brigandi Sisters: Adventures in Auckland
- Me, My Dad and the South Island
As American as Apple Pie
As a white American in the US, I’ve always been a part of the majority. However, in NZ I seem to be this curious creature from a land far away that everyone knows about, but many haven’t actually seen. The office is mostly made up of Kiwis, Brits and South Africans, while the street are full of people from just about everywhere.
In the Auckland office I’m the only American and I get some questions here and there, but mostly fly under the radar. It wasn’t until I was working in Wellington that I met (gasp) another American! Perin is a manager from the San Francisco practice who relocated with her husband about a month before I did. Well, this sparked several questions from a member on the project team about what does it mean to be American…or more specifically, what kind of food do we eat? Seeing as how US culture is such a ‘melting pot’ of traditions, it was a bit difficult to come up with one main thing (that wasn’t McDonald’s). After having a think about, Perin determined that there’s nothing more American than apple pie. Who can argue with that?
So, Perin and I got together one rainy night in an effort to bring some ‘culture’ and ‘diversity’ to the Wellington practice. We gathered our supplies and allowed the great Betty Crocker to guide our homemade journey…
It’s important to note that New Zealand does not support the semi-domestic working gal. Meaning, no premade pie crust, apple pie filling, etc. In fact, the grocery stores go out of their way to make it complicated. High Grade Flour. Self Rise Flour. We’re not shopping for Petrol for goodness sake, where’s the friggin’ All-purpose flour that Miss Crocker mentions in her Classic Apple Pie recipe! Needless-to-say, our creation was made completely from scratch and by the time midnight rolled around we had 2 beautiful, deliciously edible apple pies ☺
In the Auckland office I’m the only American and I get some questions here and there, but mostly fly under the radar. It wasn’t until I was working in Wellington that I met (gasp) another American! Perin is a manager from the San Francisco practice who relocated with her husband about a month before I did. Well, this sparked several questions from a member on the project team about what does it mean to be American…or more specifically, what kind of food do we eat? Seeing as how US culture is such a ‘melting pot’ of traditions, it was a bit difficult to come up with one main thing (that wasn’t McDonald’s). After having a think about, Perin determined that there’s nothing more American than apple pie. Who can argue with that?
So, Perin and I got together one rainy night in an effort to bring some ‘culture’ and ‘diversity’ to the Wellington practice. We gathered our supplies and allowed the great Betty Crocker to guide our homemade journey…
It’s important to note that New Zealand does not support the semi-domestic working gal. Meaning, no premade pie crust, apple pie filling, etc. In fact, the grocery stores go out of their way to make it complicated. High Grade Flour. Self Rise Flour. We’re not shopping for Petrol for goodness sake, where’s the friggin’ All-purpose flour that Miss Crocker mentions in her Classic Apple Pie recipe! Needless-to-say, our creation was made completely from scratch and by the time midnight rolled around we had 2 beautiful, deliciously edible apple pies ☺
Can't Beat A Good Day in Wellington
Wellington. Located at the southern tip of the North Island, Wellington is the capital of New Zealand. It is a nice little city kept condensed by water on one side and mountains on the other. A typical day in Welly consists of rain, wind and bone-chilling cold. I had the great pleasure of spending roughly 6 weeks in Welly for work between September and November.
As my days on the project began to wear thin, I decided to stay the weekend to get a true look at Welly outside the business district and windy rainfall. As it turns out, I picked the most perfect weekend to stay – the sun was shining and it was a comfortable 70 degrees the whole time!
To kick the weekend off I started my Saturday morning off with a leisurely jog around the harbor. As much as I love New York, the view of crystal clear water and luscious green mountains around the footpath put the Hudson to shame (actually landfill was the word that originally came to mind). However, I suppose the true surprise was that I actually packed my running shoes…
I spent the rest of the day exploring…becoming acquainted with Oriental Parade and the bohemian charm of Cuba Street, taking advantage of its hip cafes and boutique shops. I later gave into a weakness at the popular Schoc Chocolaterie and made my way to The Embassy, a historic movie theatre that also hosted the premiere for Lord of the Rings not long ago. Feeling ambitious, I thought I’d take a stroll up Mount Victoria. After all, who goes to Welly and doesn’t check out Mt. Vic?! Well, let me tell you, Mt. Vic is one heck of a ‘stroll’…I’m pretty sure I found the one path with most vertical inclines on the mountain. Definitely worth the haul. The views were spectacular…not to mention how good the chocolate was by the time I got to the top.
Anyway, I rolled back down the hill just fast enough to meet a friendly work mate for my very first NZ rugby game. We were only a few rows from the field, so close to the action! Although I’m still a bit unclear of the rules, I think it’s safe to say I’m a fan of the players…I mean the game, of course ☺
After a great night out around Courtenay Place on Sat night, Sunday was dedicated to brunch and some low key sightseeing. A new Kiwi friend was happy to take me around starting at the notable Te Papa museum. Living in DC for 7 years, I’ve seen my fair share of museums, but I have to hand it to NZ - Te Papa was fantastic! A definite must-see if you’re in the area. Later on we took the cable car up to Kelburn and walked back down through the botanical gardens. Hard to believe such a peaceful place can exist so close to the city.
Although I’m glad I live in Auckland, I can certainly understand why they say, “you can’t beat a good day in Wellington.”
As my days on the project began to wear thin, I decided to stay the weekend to get a true look at Welly outside the business district and windy rainfall. As it turns out, I picked the most perfect weekend to stay – the sun was shining and it was a comfortable 70 degrees the whole time!
To kick the weekend off I started my Saturday morning off with a leisurely jog around the harbor. As much as I love New York, the view of crystal clear water and luscious green mountains around the footpath put the Hudson to shame (actually landfill was the word that originally came to mind). However, I suppose the true surprise was that I actually packed my running shoes…
I spent the rest of the day exploring…becoming acquainted with Oriental Parade and the bohemian charm of Cuba Street, taking advantage of its hip cafes and boutique shops. I later gave into a weakness at the popular Schoc Chocolaterie and made my way to The Embassy, a historic movie theatre that also hosted the premiere for Lord of the Rings not long ago. Feeling ambitious, I thought I’d take a stroll up Mount Victoria. After all, who goes to Welly and doesn’t check out Mt. Vic?! Well, let me tell you, Mt. Vic is one heck of a ‘stroll’…I’m pretty sure I found the one path with most vertical inclines on the mountain. Definitely worth the haul. The views were spectacular…not to mention how good the chocolate was by the time I got to the top.
Anyway, I rolled back down the hill just fast enough to meet a friendly work mate for my very first NZ rugby game. We were only a few rows from the field, so close to the action! Although I’m still a bit unclear of the rules, I think it’s safe to say I’m a fan of the players…I mean the game, of course ☺
After a great night out around Courtenay Place on Sat night, Sunday was dedicated to brunch and some low key sightseeing. A new Kiwi friend was happy to take me around starting at the notable Te Papa museum. Living in DC for 7 years, I’ve seen my fair share of museums, but I have to hand it to NZ - Te Papa was fantastic! A definite must-see if you’re in the area. Later on we took the cable car up to Kelburn and walked back down through the botanical gardens. Hard to believe such a peaceful place can exist so close to the city.
Although I’m glad I live in Auckland, I can certainly understand why they say, “you can’t beat a good day in Wellington.”
New Year's Resolutions
Before you start with the well-deserved abuse regarding my blatant negligence with the maintenance of this blog, let me first assure you that I swear I had the best intentions when I started blogging. Instead of preaching more empty promises to you of how I will be sure to post updates ‘just as soon as I find a minute’, I have made it a 2009 strategic priority to reform my ways. The difference? I actually blocked out a time on my calendar each month for blogging. This may not seem like a big step to you, but for me it’s epic. Ordinarily, the only personal events making it to Outlook calendar are LOST and kickboxing class.
Anyway, I know it’s been ages since my last update and so much has happened since then! The plan it to provide some mini updates of my past adventure, while still keeping the rest of the stories up to date. It’s slightly ambitious for my liking but lets give it a try and we can see how we go.
Before I get started, I’d also like to mention that although I’ll include some pictures here, the bulk of my photographic adventures will be posted on Facebook. And I don’t want to hear any of this “can you make an exception since I’m morally opposed to Facebook” nonsense either.
Without further adieu…
Anyway, I know it’s been ages since my last update and so much has happened since then! The plan it to provide some mini updates of my past adventure, while still keeping the rest of the stories up to date. It’s slightly ambitious for my liking but lets give it a try and we can see how we go.
Before I get started, I’d also like to mention that although I’ll include some pictures here, the bulk of my photographic adventures will be posted on Facebook. And I don’t want to hear any of this “can you make an exception since I’m morally opposed to Facebook” nonsense either.
Without further adieu…
Monday, October 20, 2008
Top Two FAQ's
It's been about a month and a half since I left the States and already I'm so far behind in blogging my adventures. However, if I wait until I've caught up, I'll never send the link to this blog. Instead, I've decided that I'll fill in the gaps with some pictures (soon to come) and start addressing some of the more popular questions I've been receiving. So, here are the most frequently asked questions I get on any given day...
From my friends and family at home: "What do you miss the most?"
Well obviously I miss my family and friends! That's a given. But I think most people who ask that question really want to know about day-to-day things that I simply can't call on the phone or buy in a store. I really can't say there's a whole lot I'm missing out on, but there are a few random things (in no particular order):
- Sugar Free Swiss Miss hot chocolate... to help me overcome that 3pm lull
- 24 hr kiosk banking... I'll address this at some point later in the blog
- Unlimited text messaging... almost unheard of here
- Yeungling... one of the finest things to ever come out of Pennsylvania (I'm still determined to find it)
- Costco / Sam's Club... we have Pak N Save but it's just not the same
- Naked Popcorn... my pals in McLean know what I'm talkin' about
- Watching Sex and the City before bed... guilt pleasure
- Charlotte, my 05 Scion tC... it's not about having a car (which I don't), but that car (Quick plug: Charlotte is for sale in both NY and PA, please contact me if you're interested)
- And perhaps the thing I miss the most is New York City... that's right, the Big Apple. I just can't get enough of it!
Before I get to the next question, I've had several people inquire about what i would want in a care package. First, thanks for thinking of me. Second, the list above shouldn't be considered the subtle response to that inquiry...Which is why I'd like to mention that NZ has very strict rules about what can be sent into the country from international locations. Unfortunately, my mom (and I, by default) recently learned the hard way after she sent me a package with one of my favourite things, choc chip pumpkin cookies (Never aligned with my diet regime but I ALWAYS make an exception). Yes, she's the best mom ever! However, I never got the package. Moral of the story, not a good idea to send food. You don't need an ID to board a domestic flight (no joke), but so much as bring an apple into the country and you're practically asking to be strip searched. Now back to the FAQs...
From my new Kiwi mates: "What are the biggest differences from the States?"
No, this is not the same question as above. After struggling to think of things I miss, this question takes a lot less thought. Three main things:
1. Crossing the street: huge difference! Cars do not care at all about pedestrians, unless you are in a 'zebra crossing' - path designated for pedestrians to walk that resembles a zebra because of the black and white lines. Don't worry, you've seen 'em. Let's not miss the point here - one mistake jay walking and you're engaged in a real life game of Frogger. Very scary!
2. Banking: a) No fees banking is a concept reserved only for students - which means that no matter which way you do it you get charged for accessing your money; b) Debit Visa/MC's are not nearly as common nor are they easily available to non-residents; c) I have yet to find a bank with a 24 hour ATM kiosk that I can both withdraw AND deposit money; d) no after hours banking and limited weekend hours; and, e) A situation I'm most intrigued by - It is common to provide one's bank account number to someone else in order to receive payment even if it's a total stranger, e.g. buying something on trademe (similar to ebay). To be fair, I have a bit more research to do on this, but still this is a huge difference in my financial and online shopping life!
3. Mobile Plans: yes, mobile = cell phone and it's pronounced 'mo-by-ill'. As I mentioned in the first blog, they are CRAP. There is almost no competition so the big provider, Vodafone, milks their power for all it's worth. Let's compare. In the US, you can get about 1350 mins and unlimited texts for roughly $80. Here, the highest plan they have is around 600 mins and it'll put you in the hole over $200 a month...texting is extra. What?! I'm still outraged every time I think about it. This has truly changed my life. I am no longer assumed to have my cell phone stuck to my ear, but more likely to leave it at home entirely. Once recovered from the initial withdrawal, I've come to see this as a positive development (but I still miss my Verizon plan).
So there you have it. I'm probably missing something very obvious, but now I have this flash new blog that I can use to update you all whenever I want! OOh I'm excited :)
I'll do my best to keep you posted with new pics and plenty of stories. My intention is to send out the link every month or so. Don't forget to keep me posted with all the wonderful things going on in your life!
From my friends and family at home: "What do you miss the most?"
Well obviously I miss my family and friends! That's a given. But I think most people who ask that question really want to know about day-to-day things that I simply can't call on the phone or buy in a store. I really can't say there's a whole lot I'm missing out on, but there are a few random things (in no particular order):
- Sugar Free Swiss Miss hot chocolate... to help me overcome that 3pm lull
- 24 hr kiosk banking... I'll address this at some point later in the blog
- Unlimited text messaging... almost unheard of here
- Yeungling... one of the finest things to ever come out of Pennsylvania (I'm still determined to find it)
- Costco / Sam's Club... we have Pak N Save but it's just not the same
- Naked Popcorn... my pals in McLean know what I'm talkin' about
- Watching Sex and the City before bed... guilt pleasure
- Charlotte, my 05 Scion tC... it's not about having a car (which I don't), but that car (Quick plug: Charlotte is for sale in both NY and PA, please contact me if you're interested)
- And perhaps the thing I miss the most is New York City... that's right, the Big Apple. I just can't get enough of it!
Before I get to the next question, I've had several people inquire about what i would want in a care package. First, thanks for thinking of me. Second, the list above shouldn't be considered the subtle response to that inquiry...Which is why I'd like to mention that NZ has very strict rules about what can be sent into the country from international locations. Unfortunately, my mom (and I, by default) recently learned the hard way after she sent me a package with one of my favourite things, choc chip pumpkin cookies (Never aligned with my diet regime but I ALWAYS make an exception). Yes, she's the best mom ever! However, I never got the package. Moral of the story, not a good idea to send food. You don't need an ID to board a domestic flight (no joke), but so much as bring an apple into the country and you're practically asking to be strip searched. Now back to the FAQs...
From my new Kiwi mates: "What are the biggest differences from the States?"
No, this is not the same question as above. After struggling to think of things I miss, this question takes a lot less thought. Three main things:
1. Crossing the street: huge difference! Cars do not care at all about pedestrians, unless you are in a 'zebra crossing' - path designated for pedestrians to walk that resembles a zebra because of the black and white lines. Don't worry, you've seen 'em. Let's not miss the point here - one mistake jay walking and you're engaged in a real life game of Frogger. Very scary!
2. Banking: a) No fees banking is a concept reserved only for students - which means that no matter which way you do it you get charged for accessing your money; b) Debit Visa/MC's are not nearly as common nor are they easily available to non-residents; c) I have yet to find a bank with a 24 hour ATM kiosk that I can both withdraw AND deposit money; d) no after hours banking and limited weekend hours; and, e) A situation I'm most intrigued by - It is common to provide one's bank account number to someone else in order to receive payment even if it's a total stranger, e.g. buying something on trademe (similar to ebay). To be fair, I have a bit more research to do on this, but still this is a huge difference in my financial and online shopping life!
3. Mobile Plans: yes, mobile = cell phone and it's pronounced 'mo-by-ill'. As I mentioned in the first blog, they are CRAP. There is almost no competition so the big provider, Vodafone, milks their power for all it's worth. Let's compare. In the US, you can get about 1350 mins and unlimited texts for roughly $80. Here, the highest plan they have is around 600 mins and it'll put you in the hole over $200 a month...texting is extra. What?! I'm still outraged every time I think about it. This has truly changed my life. I am no longer assumed to have my cell phone stuck to my ear, but more likely to leave it at home entirely. Once recovered from the initial withdrawal, I've come to see this as a positive development (but I still miss my Verizon plan).
So there you have it. I'm probably missing something very obvious, but now I have this flash new blog that I can use to update you all whenever I want! OOh I'm excited :)
I'll do my best to keep you posted with new pics and plenty of stories. My intention is to send out the link every month or so. Don't forget to keep me posted with all the wonderful things going on in your life!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Nicole blogs??
It's true. I didn't know I was the blogging type either, but it seems even the least tech-savvy can handle a bit of blogging from time to time. And truth be told, I was inspired by none other than my friend and colleague, Melissa, who is sharing a similar adventure up in Sydney (we're practically neighbors...sort of).
Let me take a few steps back for those of you just tuning into what's going on here. About a year ago I got a crazy idea to apply for a position with my company in New Zealand. What's even crazier is that they offered me a job for a couple years in Auckland! So like any other 25 yr old with an incessant need for adventure, I took the job and packed my bags (and boxes and more suitcases, etc).
That brings us to the beginning of September. My dad and I got on a flight and 2 days later arrived in cloudy, rainy, end-of-wintery Auckland...my new home away from home :)
Within 5 days we managed to:
1. Find a flat - A fabulous villa in Ponsonby / Grey Lynn, a popular suburb of Auckland, with 3 of the best flatmates anyone could ask for (Jon, Emma, Anneka). The only drawback - kiwis are not as keen on central heating as we are back home, but it's nothing an electric blanket can't fix
2. Get some furniture - After several trips to several furniture stores we finally found what I was looking for...and a few things that I just like a lot
3. Check out mobile plans - They are crap...all of them. Just think what would happen if the US only had some huge company like Verizon with barely any competition...not good for consumers (grrr)
4. Used public transportation - Although the Kiwis tell me the transport here is terrible, I've found the Link bus quite useful and I will continue to use it and the functioning legs that i was blessed with to navigate my way around until I have a life or death reason for having to buy a car
5. Experienced Cafe Life - I didn't know this before, but NZ is home to some of the best cafes EVER...at least from what I've seen. Not only do they have great hot chocolate/tea (and I'm sure coffee to, but i don't drink the stuff), but you can get breakfast all the time...and there are cafes EVERYWHERE. For a person who ranks breakfast in her top 5 things of life, it's like I've died and went to eggs-on-toast heaven! And yes, I'm committed to finding the best eggs and bacon on grainy (aka multigrain) bread in Auckland
6. Other - Dad and I covered a lot of ground. It was truly a whirlwind and I'm sure he'd say the same
I took the next few days after dad left to get more comfortable with my surroundings. I went on jogs, walked the neighborhood, and took in the nightlife. I learned that there are a lot of hills..LOTS..and i need to get in shape just to walk around this place. I also learned that the Ponsonby area is perfect. It have everything - shops, cafes, families, young people, cute houses, bars, dogs....everything. Love it. And yes, the nightlife has been great, but I'm still investigating (stay tuned for updates).
So, I finally had to end my month long holiday of no work. I started my job on Sept 15th...
To be continued...
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