Well as some of you know, I bought some flat boots last week in readiness for snow. While searching for these boots I kept saying to the OH (Other Half) "they don't do size 4 anywhere! Everyone must have big feet here." It turns out that NZ shoe sizes are all 2 sizes bigger than those in the UK. Therefore a size 6 is actually a UK size 4. D'oh! All these things you don't think about. So if you have size 2 feet then you'd be pretty much buggered over here cos I couldn't find ANY size 4's when I was looking.
It's the Winter festival up in Queenstown starting this weekend and will run for about 10 days. We're thinking of going up next weekend. So in readiness for this we found ourselves watching the snow boarding championships on the TV. Well well well the 'moves' they have in that sport have the most rubbish names. Seriously my youngest brother could come up with some seriously cool names for them if they needed them. Moves are currently called things such as nose bonk; pretzel (quite cool actually); backside; switch double backflip; melon grab (honestly!) and bag lady. See?! How ludicrous are these names? I know the majority of competitive snow boarders are about 12 years old (ok, 18) but these are seriously rubbish names for some really cool moves. On top of that the commentator (who sounds like the guy who says things like 'do you wanna go faster?! at the funfair) says things like "he's a goofy footed rider" like it's some sort of technical term...in fact I think it is! I'm watching it slating all of the silly names (but oohing and aahing at the actual tricks) and the OH's sat next to me wishing them all to fall. The other day it was quite eerie - his powers from behind the TV set were uncanny as all the riders kept falling. "This guy is ranked 4th in the world" hmmm.... not with the OH wishing the 'fally downy' trick on him.
Anyway, last week we were told that our application for the house with the big spa bath in the garden was approved - yey! Then the next day they rang us to say the house had sold - boo! We knew it was going to happen but did actually think we may make it into the spa before it did. Oh well, saves us moving again with all our stuff. So as of next Thursday we're actually homeless as we haven't found anything. Don't panic mum and dad - we have actually be asked to rent someone's house for a whole month as the owners are going on holiday to Europe! How amazing?! It's our coach (from the velodrome) and his wife's house and they've said they'd like us to stay there for a month. Then after that his daughter is away for 3 weeks so we're looking after her cats and house. Amazing! The kindness of strangers here is really overwhelming. We went to both houses this week and they're both just lovely. It means we get an extra 2 months to find a place we'd like to rent in Invercargill without just settling for something because we have to.
Another exciting thing that happened this week was that I was offered another job! It was for an organisation I applied for but it wasn't THE job I applied for. Although it was slightly more money than I'm earning at the cafe, it's only for 4-6 weeks so I turned it down. The owners of the cafe have been so kind to me and I don't want to let them down just for a temporary position so I will stay at the cafe until I find something longer term / permanent / my dream job! Unless of course they find someone full time, in which case they'll be letting me go. Oh well, everything happens for a reason.
One of the girls I work with often jokes that they will slander my name across town so that I can never leave, and she has said that she's going to make a voodoo doll of me to stop me getting a job elsewhere...I have had a very bad back recently...
More excitement this week came in the form of VEGETARIAN SAUSAGES!! I found them in Countdown and they are soooooooooo much nicer than Quorn! They're fresh and very natural (apparently) and they are just scrum-diddly-umptious. Yummy.
It's still buzzing in the cafe all day long. Every single day is heaving with customers and the day absolutely flies by, this week has disappeared before my eyes! I've worked 43 hours at the cafe this week (Mon-Fri) and every single minute has absolutely flown by. The people I work with are fabulous and I get along really well with them. Although there was a minor case of lost in translation this week. It went like this:
Me: "Do you know where the kitchen roll is?"
Stacey: (Looking at me like I've just dropped down from Mars) "Kitchen roll? What's that?"
Me: "You know, it's a roll of stuff you use to wipe down the kitchen surface"
Stacey: (picking up a rag) "This?"
Me: "No"
Stacey (Picking up a blue & white wipe) "This?"
Me: "No"
Scott: "What are you looking for?"
Me: "Kitchen roll....kitchen towel...you know it's like toilet tissue but for the kitchen"
Stacey & Scott: *Puzzled*
....Thirty seconds or so goes by with us all looking around, me knowing what I'm looking for, the others not sure what they're looking for...
Stacey: (recognition spreading across her face) "Oh! You mean paper towel?? It's by there"
Me: "yes that's the stuff I'm looking for but these (pointing to the paper towels by the hand washing sink) are paper towels"
Stacey & Scott: "No, they're hand towels"
Another thing they all say here is "how are ya'?" when they come in the shop / pass each other in the street...it's a bit like us saying "alright?" in the UK. So I have to say this to customers when they come in...now when New Zealander's say "how are ya'?" it rolls off the tongue quickly and the emphasis is on the 'are' bit of the sentence (try saying it in a NZ accent and you'll know what I mean). When we Welshies say it the emphasis tends to be on the 'you' bit as we don't say 'ya'. So when I say "how are you?" I feel a bit like a counsellor or something but no-one has spilled their woes to me as yet. It's all good and apparently it's very much a Southland thing as opposed to the whole of NZ.
Well it's Saturday afternoon for me and I'm just about to get ready as we're going into Invercargill this evening with the OH's work and their partners for a night at a seafood restaurant. I'm very much looking forward to it, it will be nice to meet some of the other girlfriends.
This post's title has come from my pride in being Welsh yet again. You made the news over here this week....for your skills in creating the largest ever skinny dip. Be proud!
Saturday, 25 June 2011
Sunday, 19 June 2011
Part 5 - I'm a 'Sleb
Imagine my surprise on Saturday morning to find myself looking at a picture of myself on page A11 of the Southland Times. Yes you've guessed it - the press that came in on Friday decided to use a picture of me and Kate serving a customer - with our names printed underneath. I look really grumpy on it and Kate looks stressed and busy...hmmm - think they could possibly have chosen a much better one, maybe of the barista hard at work seeing as it is a coffee shop. Alas the guys the OH (Other Half) works with text him, and his boss said it's nice to have a celeb in the area. So there you have it "I'm a 'sleb"...albeit a grumpy looking one! I wasn't grumpy at all so I'm not sure why I'm looking like that - maybe that's just my normal face.
Well as you know I have been searching for a winter coat and with Snow forecast for the upcoming week down south my situation was getting desperate. Lo and behold on Saturday we went into Farmers and it was there staring at me (OK the OH found it really) - a gorgeous winter coat with toggles and a hood and everything. So I am now the proud owner of a new winter coat which even boasts 'a touch of wool' in the lining. It's beautiful. Plus it was half price in the sale (no queens birthday sale this weekend, just a sale) so double trouble!
I also invested in some flat boots for my new job in the coffee shop - I have 5 days in work next week so I'm sure I'll appreciate them so much more than the (small) heeled boots I wore Friday. So I'm sorted...let it snow! On that topic, we are hoping to head up to Queenstown for their winter festival in July and the organisers were concerned that it wouldn't be much of a winter festival this year as it hadn't yet snowed so they're very grateful for the forecast. Get that Britain - this country can rely on the correct weather happening at the right time of year! I know, it's a novelty for me too.
Although this whole business of it being winter but not yet Christmas is seriously messing with my mind. I had a dream the other day that in NZ they moved Christmas to August...I awoke very very confused and had to ask the OH whether Christmas was at 'Christmas time' here or if it's in August. This confusion is not helped when there are adverts on the TV saying 'don't wait for Santa, get it now!' and the 'Christmas Magic Shop' being open (not sure what Christmas Magic they have in there, I'll let you know in due course - my senses might just explode with confusion if I enter a Christmas shop in June).
Needless to say Christmas IS still on December the 25th over here BUT some people do have mid-Winter Christmas parties in June / July so that they can celebrate Christmas when it's looking festive. Now this completely defeats the object of having a lovely sunny Christmas. Who started this? For native New Zealanders Christmas has always been sunny so 'Christmassy' weather to them would be very different to 'Christmassy' weather for us Brits. Surely they don't even think snow is Christmassy?? It's so confuuuuuuuuuuusing! I must admit, it is very odd seeing snowmen and snowflakes in windows and snowmen plush toys around without the obligatory Santa / reindeer next to it.
A few of you have asked me about the shops out here. These are as follows:
Food shopping
No we don't have Asda / Tesco / Sainsbury's. We do however have Countdown / New World / Supervalue / Pak 'n' Save which are by and large the same thing. The main difference is that it's much cheaper to buy your fresh veg from a green grocers and your meat from a butchers than it is to buy them from a supermarket. It's the opposite in the UK.
Also, for those of you not on FaceBook you won't have seen the 'Swede Shed' pictures. Basically on the side of the roads there are little tiny sheds filled with a certain veg (in this case it was swedes) and there's an honesty box where you put your money and you take the veg you want. It's lovely. In the summertime you find all sorts (avocados, fruit, etc) but I have only seen potatoes and swedes so far at this time of year. It wouldn't work in the UK because the veg (and the shed!) would most likely be stolen...by the minority I hasten to add, but it spoils it for everyone else. These swedes were only $1 (about 50p) so you drop your cash in the box and away you go. These are set up buy whoever grows the veg. It's a great idea and makes me feel in some tiny minute way that I am contributing to local farming and not all the imported stuff.
On the subject of food they have these chocolates over here by Cadbury called 'jaffas'. They're like orange smarties but they're bigger and ball shaped, they are amazing. I remember loving them when we cam here last February and my love was reignited the other day. They are gorgeous. I'm not sure why they don't do them in the UK - I'll bring some back with me next year and get you all hooked ;-)
On the flip side I bought a Nestle 4 finger KitKat the other day and have eaten half of it. Yes - HALF! There is a reason for this lack of KitKatKitKat however has a fair bit of chocolate on it. I even bit the 2 ends off and sucked my coffee up through it but alas no joy, it's just not the same. Also, I think KitKats are smaller out here you know - don't get me wrong, I am glad - but if someone could let me know the weight of a 4 finger KitKat in the UK it would abate my curiosity. Enough about the KitKat.
Clothes shopping
None that I recognise from home in this category either. We have some big companies like Farmer's / Postie / Number One Shoes / The Warehouse (where everyone gets a bargain so the song on the advert says) and this is only my limited knowledge so far based on adverts on the TV and what I've seen in Invercargill - I'm sure you'd have a completely different account from someone who lives in Auckland! Some shops have real random combinations of things for sale - take The Warehouse as an example. Now they sell everything from chocolates, sweets, pop, etc to perfumes, workwear, clothes & shoes to mops, cleaning fluids and garden furniture! It's a bit of a catch all really.
Fast food shopsHere is where the similarities to the UK / US come out in force. We have Subway (with some extra options though like 'seafood supreme') and we have a 24 hour McDonald's, we have KFC too and all the usual suspects.
Coffee shops
We have Starbucks but there are much much better local coffee shops that you should frequent instead ;-)
Any more questions on shops or anything else then fire away!
We had some fabulous news yesterday - our shipping items have left the UK - yey!! So they are expected to dock in New Zealand at the end of July. How exciting to have my own things back :o) I didn't think I'd be so excited but I really am. More clothes and shoes - yey, yey and more yey!!!
We went out last night to a fund raiser night for St John at the local RSA (like a workingmen's club). It was a fab night. We went with Tim and Bernie (our neighbour's daughter and son-in-law) who are so lovely! We had a fab night but if you've seen the pics you will have noticed it was a very drunk evening - therefore I have an ill man on my hands today. He's currently asleep in bed and it's 5pm Sunday afternoon. We got home at about 1:30am and we slept through 'til 12:30pm this afternoon! I am feeling fine (that's what happens when you're only in your twenties) as I think I slept it off. So today has mainly consisted of being in my PJ's all day and wondering what I can eat next (the KitKat remains in the fridge).
On that note, I'm off to scour the pantry to see what I can find. Have a great Sunday all!
Well as you know I have been searching for a winter coat and with Snow forecast for the upcoming week down south my situation was getting desperate. Lo and behold on Saturday we went into Farmers and it was there staring at me (OK the OH found it really) - a gorgeous winter coat with toggles and a hood and everything. So I am now the proud owner of a new winter coat which even boasts 'a touch of wool' in the lining. It's beautiful. Plus it was half price in the sale (no queens birthday sale this weekend, just a sale) so double trouble!
I also invested in some flat boots for my new job in the coffee shop - I have 5 days in work next week so I'm sure I'll appreciate them so much more than the (small) heeled boots I wore Friday. So I'm sorted...let it snow! On that topic, we are hoping to head up to Queenstown for their winter festival in July and the organisers were concerned that it wouldn't be much of a winter festival this year as it hadn't yet snowed so they're very grateful for the forecast. Get that Britain - this country can rely on the correct weather happening at the right time of year! I know, it's a novelty for me too.
Although this whole business of it being winter but not yet Christmas is seriously messing with my mind. I had a dream the other day that in NZ they moved Christmas to August...I awoke very very confused and had to ask the OH whether Christmas was at 'Christmas time' here or if it's in August. This confusion is not helped when there are adverts on the TV saying 'don't wait for Santa, get it now!' and the 'Christmas Magic Shop' being open (not sure what Christmas Magic they have in there, I'll let you know in due course - my senses might just explode with confusion if I enter a Christmas shop in June).
Needless to say Christmas IS still on December the 25th over here BUT some people do have mid-Winter Christmas parties in June / July so that they can celebrate Christmas when it's looking festive. Now this completely defeats the object of having a lovely sunny Christmas. Who started this? For native New Zealanders Christmas has always been sunny so 'Christmassy' weather to them would be very different to 'Christmassy' weather for us Brits. Surely they don't even think snow is Christmassy?? It's so confuuuuuuuuuuusing! I must admit, it is very odd seeing snowmen and snowflakes in windows and snowmen plush toys around without the obligatory Santa / reindeer next to it.
A few of you have asked me about the shops out here. These are as follows:
Food shopping
No we don't have Asda / Tesco / Sainsbury's. We do however have Countdown / New World / Supervalue / Pak 'n' Save which are by and large the same thing. The main difference is that it's much cheaper to buy your fresh veg from a green grocers and your meat from a butchers than it is to buy them from a supermarket. It's the opposite in the UK.
Also, for those of you not on FaceBook you won't have seen the 'Swede Shed' pictures. Basically on the side of the roads there are little tiny sheds filled with a certain veg (in this case it was swedes) and there's an honesty box where you put your money and you take the veg you want. It's lovely. In the summertime you find all sorts (avocados, fruit, etc) but I have only seen potatoes and swedes so far at this time of year. It wouldn't work in the UK because the veg (and the shed!) would most likely be stolen...by the minority I hasten to add, but it spoils it for everyone else. These swedes were only $1 (about 50p) so you drop your cash in the box and away you go. These are set up buy whoever grows the veg. It's a great idea and makes me feel in some tiny minute way that I am contributing to local farming and not all the imported stuff.
On the subject of food they have these chocolates over here by Cadbury called 'jaffas'. They're like orange smarties but they're bigger and ball shaped, they are amazing. I remember loving them when we cam here last February and my love was reignited the other day. They are gorgeous. I'm not sure why they don't do them in the UK - I'll bring some back with me next year and get you all hooked ;-)
On the flip side I bought a Nestle 4 finger KitKat the other day and have eaten half of it. Yes - HALF! There is a reason for this lack of KitKatKitKat however has a fair bit of chocolate on it. I even bit the 2 ends off and sucked my coffee up through it but alas no joy, it's just not the same. Also, I think KitKats are smaller out here you know - don't get me wrong, I am glad - but if someone could let me know the weight of a 4 finger KitKat in the UK it would abate my curiosity. Enough about the KitKat.
Clothes shopping
None that I recognise from home in this category either. We have some big companies like Farmer's / Postie / Number One Shoes / The Warehouse (where everyone gets a bargain so the song on the advert says) and this is only my limited knowledge so far based on adverts on the TV and what I've seen in Invercargill - I'm sure you'd have a completely different account from someone who lives in Auckland! Some shops have real random combinations of things for sale - take The Warehouse as an example. Now they sell everything from chocolates, sweets, pop, etc to perfumes, workwear, clothes & shoes to mops, cleaning fluids and garden furniture! It's a bit of a catch all really.
Fast food shopsHere is where the similarities to the UK / US come out in force. We have Subway (with some extra options though like 'seafood supreme') and we have a 24 hour McDonald's, we have KFC too and all the usual suspects.
Coffee shops
We have Starbucks but there are much much better local coffee shops that you should frequent instead ;-)
Any more questions on shops or anything else then fire away!
We had some fabulous news yesterday - our shipping items have left the UK - yey!! So they are expected to dock in New Zealand at the end of July. How exciting to have my own things back :o) I didn't think I'd be so excited but I really am. More clothes and shoes - yey, yey and more yey!!!
We went out last night to a fund raiser night for St John at the local RSA (like a workingmen's club). It was a fab night. We went with Tim and Bernie (our neighbour's daughter and son-in-law) who are so lovely! We had a fab night but if you've seen the pics you will have noticed it was a very drunk evening - therefore I have an ill man on my hands today. He's currently asleep in bed and it's 5pm Sunday afternoon. We got home at about 1:30am and we slept through 'til 12:30pm this afternoon! I am feeling fine (that's what happens when you're only in your twenties) as I think I slept it off. So today has mainly consisted of being in my PJ's all day and wondering what I can eat next (the KitKat remains in the fridge).
On that note, I'm off to scour the pantry to see what I can find. Have a great Sunday all!
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