Happy New Year!
Trip Start
May 06, 2006
1
68
81
Trip End
Mar 23, 2009
Christchurch,
New Zealand
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Well, I'm pleased to say I finally have a job. It's not the best pay and the hours aren't too regular but it's a job which is more than I had before! Working at the sock factory was plain painful. It wasn't at all difficult but that's what made it so boring - I hadn't realised how much work goes into sticking those damn stickers, hangers, labels etc on socks - they should really be more expensive!! That finished just before christmas meaning I've had to do a few more killer night shifts at the press lugging papers around - now that really should be more than minimum wage (which, by the way, is less than I was earning in the UK when I was 16!)!
Anyway, christmas was a lot of fun! We had a big party and dinner on Christmas eve (European Christmas being as most people were from the 'wrong' side of Europe!) with about 25 of us. Dinner was the typical roast but also with a bunch of salads for the South Americans (by the way, trying to please everyone when you're all from somewhere different is an absolute nightmare! People really need to relax!). It was supposed to be ready for about 8pm so we were all happy with a few glasses of wine before dinner... we didn't end up eating until about 11 so everyone was pretty tipsy by the time we ate! It did make us appreciate the food a whole lot more though 'cos we were starving!! I ended up sleeping over as usual 'cos I didn't wanna bike it home at 3am!
Christmas Day was a little odd but also fun. I headed home to reassemble myself before going to the beach with my South African (kinda kiwi!) family Eugene, Jeanine and Nikita. There were quite a few of us and it felt weird but so cool to be on the beach on Christmas Day! We spent a few hours there before going back to the Big Red House to exchange gifts. I received a gorgeous charm bracelet from my best friend here, Coti, with an angel on it for protection and a heart for love, a travel journal I wanted and a very nice top with kiwis on it! I also got a wooden bracelet from Lucy and a few other bits from friends! In the afternoon we had a kiwi christmas BBQ with about 30 of us - not so much alcohol that day 'cos we were all in recovery! I was feeling a little sad without the family so I headed home pretty early but it was a fun festive few days in all!
I'd decided a while ago that I was going to work on New Years Eve. The main reason being to top up the funding (although, again, they don't pay what they would at home!) but also because all but about 4 of my friends were heading north for a huge 5 day festival which neither appealed to me or was financially feasible! I went around the week before and managed to get a job at a bar called the Dux De Lux in town. They were hosting what was pretty much the biggest event in town so I figured that would probably be the best place to be. I got home and found that 2 of my housemates had both been interviewed and accepted too! We started at 6 to help set up and then people started arriving around 7pm. I was in the beer tent outside with a girl called Alex. I was given 2 minute till training and then sent to work! It wasn't until Alex joined me that I discovered neither of us had ever worked in a bar before (she was a waitress there and had only just turned 18) so I thought we'd be in for an interesting night. As it turns out we did really well and made the bar a lot of money - we were also 'allowed' to drink the 'mispours'... we were well behaved until about 11 and then we caved! The bar closed at 1 and then we had the fun of cleaning up - that took about 2 hours! Madness! It was then free bar for all the staff - we stayed for a few more drinks (I could finally get the cocktails and other drinks I'd been craving but couldn't afford) but most of us were so tired we headed home pretty soon after that!
A few days later the manager called me and offered me a permanent job! Yey! I told him I was looking for office work 'cos it pays better but that I'd love to work until then (and I'm not even sure they're ever gonna find me anything before March!). They're pretty flexible so that was fine and then we're just gonna cut my hours down if I get anything else! Perfect! To be honest, I could use a few more hours but I'll work that out when I finally get to see the manager again (we seem to be on opposite shifts a lot!). It's been a lot of fun so far but tomorrow night will be the tester 'cos it'll be a lot busier! I never thought I'd enjoy bar work but I really do!
My only other piece of news is the addition to my family! Actually, 3 additions - one to my family here and 2 to my home family! First addition - on Christmas Day my cousins told me they were having another baby so, congratulations to Simon and Nicky. Second addition - on New Years Day I got a text from Eugene to say that Jeanine had gone into labour - I went into panic, overhelpful mode and he told me to chill out, that it would be ages yet. 2 hours later I got a text saying his daughter had been born! So, quickly recovering from a lack of sleep and a hangover we headed to the hospital to meet 3 hours old Skyla. She's adorable and so tiny! I have to say it was off that out of the 7 people in the room, Skyla was the only New Zealand citizen! How weird is that?! I then found out from my mum that Lisa Jane and Kevin had their second baby so congratulations to them and also to John and Lorna on being grandparents again! Now, if you could all stop so my mum stops nagging me about grandchildren then that would be great!
And I think that's about all my news for now! I'm busy planning my travels around the south island now and hoping that dad is busy organising their trip to meet me in Oz (once he's recovered - hope you're feeling better now!). Until then it's working as much as I can to save the cash! A lot of my friends have abandoned me to go fruit picking so I'm feeling a little lonely in Christchurch now but I'm sure I'll find some new friends! Hope everyone is well - Helena and Sheri was great to speak to you both this week! Miss you all!
