NZ Update

I think its time for an update, and I'm in the mood for typing and daubling on about crap. I've been here almost 4 months. Its gone quite slowly to be honest. Its autumn here and its starting to feel cold. At home I suffer with in the cold confides of my cave, NZ houses are not warm, insultated or have any heating. It gets pretty chilly in my room at night (think Antarctic temperatures, well we're sorta close to it anyway) and hence I spend a lot of time in bed with the laptop on my lap and the electric blanket on (like right now)! As I type my hands are getting cold and I have to keep putting them under the covers to defrost. OK maybe I am just a wuss, a European used to her creature comforts, like central heating which I always used to get told off from my parents for having the radiator on the highest setting....but then I didn't have an electric blanket.....you see theres just no way to win.

Since I got here I have had some really testing times. Do I want to be doing this PhD? Do I think I can last 3 years? I felt a little odd being the non-geologist, studying for a geology PhD in a geology department full of geologists. I know nothing about rocks. I still don't. My problem is I have no inate interest in them. Sure they look pretty, can be rare, even millions of years old. But the truth is I like bugs much more. Its a good job that my fossils/rocks were once bugs. It stops the mind block with rocks right there. Starting here hasn't been easy. I've missed my family immensely, going out for lunch and the cinema and shopping with my mum, going to the pub with my dad, visiting my brother and going for walks in the countryside. I miss my friends from work and elsewhere. You lose all that when you decide to move to the other side of the world. I've felt completely isolated, to the point of insanity, and then I've had to tell myself why I am here and that if it gets bad I can always go home. I don't know if anyone reading this has ever upped ship and left everything they had behind, for a purpose, but it aint been easy. However, in the space of these few months, I have learnt a lot about myself. That I like my own company, but given the choice I am more social than I thought. I can make friends, and a lot of them are a mixture of Kiwis and ex-pats. I've also made a few enemies. There have been a few guys that have been a little obvious in what they want from 'friendship'. That annoyed me, I'm not a blow up doll.

Its been challenging here, but I've been able to explore a lot about myself than I thought, and although I have been weak and vulnerable, I am sure that this is all a good life building experience and at least I can say I gave it a go, even if it all goes to pot! I hope it doesn't. I'm growing to like Wellington, but its so not Manchester. I must stop making comparisons. When I get up in the morning I have a lovely view of the sea, and when I walk home the southern sky is lit with a million stars. I've passed my motorcycle proficiency test, something I wouldnt have the guts to do back home. But no-one knows me here so I don't care. I'm anonymous, a daft Mancunian with a strange sense of style, a bad haircut and some bright red trainers. What more do I need to survive but my wits, tea and a good man.

Yeah where is that man of mine? I seem to have left him behind somewhere in the UK. Can someone please find him and ship him over on the next plane. Best to sedate him though, he behaves better that way!!!!!!!

Netty