Home and Away

It's been more than two years since we decided we had had enough of the constant crime, lack of job opportunities and general unsavoury conditions back home. Our logical choice for a new home was New Zealand, as Paul was born here. Within months we had resigned from our jobs, sold furniture, packed our bags and here we are.

Here are the twins on arrival
at the airport, surrounded by
our worldly belongings
-all 7 suitcases of them!

It has not always been easy. Like many others we started with a couple of plastic chairs, borrowed mattresses and a hastily bought second-hand station wagon.

The first shopping expedition was both overwhelming and exciting. I remember standing in the bread aisle at Pack & Save, totally lost as to which bread was the best to buy. I bought a tin of Nescafe for $20, thinking it was a bargain, and later realising that I had made a conversion error (we were still buying with our precious few Rands) and that it was equivalent to the price of about 6 tins of Riccoffy back home. That tin of coffee lasted for ages - we were too stingy to use it!

Life in New Zealand is very different from that in South Africa. The greatest difference is the lack of crime. The annual crime statistics have just been released, and there have been 46 murders in the past year - in the entire country! I can live with that!

It's Friday!

It's been such a busy week! Paul had Monday off, so he was running around paying bills and getting things done. (He works from Tuesdays to Saturdays - In New Zealand there's no such thing as a 'normal' working day.) On Thursday I took the day off to get our Visa's sorted out. The immigration office is only open until 3pm, and I work until at least 5pm every day, so it's impossible to get there unless I take the day off. Luckily my headmistress is very understanding.

Life on the home front is, well.... settled. Niel had a bit of bad luck this week. He decided that it was way too boring to be at school during the lunch hour, so he and a friend left the school grounds for a little walk to a tunnel somewhere near the school. They thought it would be much more fun hanging around in there, than playing team games at school! The bad luck was... they were caught. By the other kid's Mum! Now both of them are 'on parole' and have to sign in at the office at every break time! Life's tough when you're twelve!

Also had Hallowe'en this week. We don't go in for it much in New Zealand. All the kids get dressed up as cheaply as possible, and during the afternoon they knock on countless doors and get given handsful of 'lollies' (you know, sweeties). Which is a bit silly as normally no-one is allowed lollies and kids come to school with carrots and celery sticks to chew on for a treat. New Zealand is health crazy, but on Hallowe'en anything goes! The moment it gets dark, all kids are called in, curtains are drawn and we all watch Shortland Street.

Bye 4 now!