Things I'll Miss About NZ

Sunset from our living room.

It's funny how time flies. Almost a year ago, I was in Charlottesville, starting a blog when I should have been packing. Now I'm thinking about things that we'll miss when we leave NZ and writing about it when I should probably be packing.

Amy and I are excited about moving back for a few reasons. We'll get to see our friends and family, and we'll trade the cold, rainy winter for a summer at the beach. Hopefully the new job will work out, and I can quit worrying about the exchange rate when I'm paying my student loans.

I have to be honest, though; it will be hard to leave this place. Wellington is the best city we've ever lived in, and by a fair margin. That's saying a lot coming from Charlottesville. The people here are fantastic. We don't worry about much at all, and the quality of life is quite good. So, without further ado, here are the the things I'm really going to miss about this place, in no particular order:

1. The lingo. Sweet as, eh, bro? Push bike, lollies, gum boots, poku, wee bit, holliday, pram, diary, heaps, keen, brilliant, goss(ip), ripper, bach, mum, swimming togs, good on ya, trundel, flash.

2. The service. Un-freaking-believable. They don't tip here, but every time you go into any store you will be treated promptly and respectfully and people will go out of their way to make sure you're satisfied. Even in a fast-food joint.

3. Being awestruck by the beauty of my surroundings every single day.

This is one of several stunning views I see while driving to work. I'm lucky I'm still alive because I'm always staring out of the side window during my commute.

4. The good beers; Monteith's, Founder's, Three Boy's, and Mac's.

The back of the Mac's bottle. Worth zooming in to read.

5. The botanical gardens, which are superb. We need more gardens in the States. Oh, and you can walk through these gardens at night and not get freaked out.

6. My job, and the lifestyle that accompanies it. I actually got tired of taking vacations. Seriously. I worked hard but never felt overworked (I now realize that as Americans we have no concept of not feeling overworked). My colleagues are fantastic, too.

7. Playcentre. Like preschool, minus the schooling and those annoying rules. My boy isn't two yet, but he knows how to handle a saw and a vise, and Amelia can now build a fire. Sounds like anarchy but it's actually run by parents, with lots of theory and planning behind the scenes.

8. Roundabouts. They beat the hell out of stop signs once you figure out how to negotiate them. I'll also miss the prolific "give way" signs which mean that I go weeks without coming across a stop sign.

9. Trips to the South Island. I haven't been everywhere in the world yet, but I'd be surprised if there's a more beautiful place on this planet.

10. Common courtesy is actually common. Schoolkids and grandparents alike shout, "Thank you, driver!" from the back of the bus before they get off. I see ipod-clad teenagers offering their seats to women, and Amy is always surprised at how quickly young boys offer her help when she's out with the kids. It's refreshing.

11. Wellington. What a place. It has all of the benefits of a big city, with tons of activities going on all of the time and heaps of good restaurants. At the same time, we never worry about crime and it's like living in a big village. Traffic is a joke and you can walk straight across town in a half hour. Oh, and it's absolutely beautiful. I think I'll even miss the wind (which is blowing over 60 miles an hour today).

Our lovely city, from the Botanical Gardens.

12. Our new friends, who already feel like old friends.

13. Place names that compete with Thibodeaux and Natchitoches, as well as the Maori culture that is evident in more than just road signs.



Ka kite ano, whanau. We'll miss all of you very, very much.

Editors note: I've received a few kind requests to keep the blog up and running after we return to the States. I'm still documenting trips we took in January, so the posts will continue until I've finished writing about all of our NZ adventures. At the current rate, that means another few months at least.