Our 1-Year NZ Anniversary

Our first picture on New Zealand soil

Ohhhhhhhhhh we're halfway there....woooooahhhhhh-ohhh livin' on a prayer! Bon Jovi...anyone??

So today officially marks the halfway point of our journey in New Zealand. It's hard to believe that on this day one year ago, we were stepping off the plane in Auckland for the very first time and there wasn't a soul in this country who knew our names or faces. Drew & I often talk about how...even though we might move other places in our lives...we will probably never experience that same feeling of having a completely blank slate and having to start all over and discover everything! We have crammed so much into our first year here and will hopefully have a lot more to look forward to before August 1, 2014!

There are so many things--big and small--that have contributed to our experience of living abroad this past year. In order to highlight some of the best things about our adventure (and just some quirky kiwi things), I thought I'd take you through the ABC's of NZ!

A: AMERICAN WOMEN'S CLUB -- the AWC has been a great outlet for me to meet people and get involved since we've been here. We went to a social mixer the first week we were here and we've met almost all of our friends through someone in the club or some event that they've held. I was elected to the Executive Board, I have redesigned and rebuilt the club's website, and I have also spearheaded a branch of the club specifically for women in their 20s & 30s. It really has been a great addition to my life.

                                    
B: BAY OF ISLANDS -- this was one of our favorite weekend getaways with our friends, Amy & James. Up on the northeastern coast of the north island, it's a beautiful beach town where we got to try delicious fish & chips and go kayaking through the little islands. Definitely a must-do!

C: CAPE KIDNAPPERS -- hands down one of the nicest resorts we've ever been to. We got to indulge for a whole weekend with Becky & Charlie and make a lot of memories at a spectacular spot in Hawke's Bay. Their golf course is ranked one of the best in the world, and even though Drew & I only rode along in the carts, it was breathtaking to see. The food, the wine, the service was all perfect. I wish we had a chance to go back, but grateful we got to go once!

D: DAIKOKU -- an epic fail of a restaurant that Drew & I still laugh about. It's a Japanese restaurant that I was very excited about trying as it is one of my favorite cuisines, but between the late reservation, a chef who was probably on day 1 of his career, being stuck at a tiny table with 10 other people, the exorbitant prices, and questionable taste of the food, we were less than impressed.

E: EARTHQUAKES -- unfortunately, earthquakes are quite common here...a little fact Drew forgot to mention before we committed to moving halfway around the world to the Ring of Fire! There have been quite a few since we've been here...one of the bigger once we actually felt while we were sitting in a movie theater. Fingers crossed that they stay small to non-existent for the next year at least.

F: FLAT WHITE -- even though Drew & I still haven't gotten into the coffee culture that's so dominant in New Zealand, the flat white is the ultimate kiwi coffee. I would be willing to bet that every menu in the country serves a flat white. Maybe we'll get around to drinking one before we move home...

G: GREAT FRIENDS -- surprisingly, most of our friends that we've made here are expats...mostly from the US, but some from Canada, Australia and South Africa. They truly have added so much depth to our experience here and I often tell people that I wouldn't survive here if it weren't for all of the amazing people that we've had the pleasure of meeting. It's so neat to meet people that you wouldn't have met anywhere else and to share the bond of living in a foreign country together.

H: HAKA -- the haka (which I've written about in previous posts) is the traditional war dance performed by the native Maori people of NZ. The All Blacks rugby team does it before all of its matches to intimidate their competition. In addition to scaring off their adversaries, some of their dances & songs are used to welcome esteemed guests. We've seen several performances & they have all been great!

This video is from the Auckland Museum....

This is a much better quality video than we one we took, but this is from the All Blacks vs. Australia game that we went to last year.

I: INTERISLANDER FERRY (right) -- we got to take the ferry between the top of the south island (Picton) and the bottom of the north island (Wellington) which was a lot of fun. It was cool to ride in style through the beautiful Cook Strait and be able to enjoy all of the scenery.
J: JANDALS (left) -- this is the kiwi word for flip-flops. It took us a while to know what in the world people were talking about, but everyone busts out their jandals as soon as the weather is warm--and actually a lot of people wear them year round...if they even bother to wear shoes at all!

K: KIWIS -- kiwis are everywhere here...Kiwis can refer to the people of NZ, the flightless birds that are native to the country and, of course, the fruit. Drew and I hadn't tried the fruit (that we know of) until we arrived here and they are quite delicious. We've seen the birds a few times, but only in zoos and such. They are nocturnal birds and...contrary to my original thoughts, they do not wander the streets like pigeons. As for the people, it is true when people say they are some of the friendliest folks you'll meet, but we have found that most Kiwis aren't necessarily looking for new friends. Regardless, the Kiwis we have met have been wonderful and have added a lot to our experience here.
                                     

L: LORD OF THE RINGS TOURS -- in both Queenstown and Hobbiton (of course) we have seen some of the beautiful scenery used in the filming of the LOTR movies. We went to Hobbiton on one of our first road trips last October and had a great time. I also got to go back with Becky & Charlie when they were here and it was just as pretty the second time around. Definitely a great thing to get to experience!
                    

                             


M: MARTHA'S BACKYARD -- the 'American Store' has been a lifesaver for us when we have cravings for a taste of home. Drew has been stocking up on Life cereal since we moved here and it presents quite a challenge when their latest shipment doesn't include a new stock of it. We've also been able to get brownie/cake mixes, Thanksgiving supplies and other treats that they don't carry in stores here. So glad someone told us about this our first week here!


N: NINETY MILE BEACH (left) -- we just visited 90-mile Beach at the beginning of June and had a great weekend. It was a beautiful, sprawling beach and a great jumping off point to get to see Cape Reinga and the Te Paki sand dunes. Great weekend getaway!

O: ORBIT -- the revolving restaurant at the top of the Sky Tower where we have been for dinner many times. We first went on my birthday last year and the fog/clouds were so dense that we couldn't even see the outer ring of the building! We have taken lots of visitors there and really enjoy the 360-degree views of our city (and the yummy food!)


P: PIES (left) -- pies are literally everywhere...although most of the time they are savory pies, not sweet! Just like the flat whites mentioned above, pies can pretty easily be found on almost any menu in the country. There are a couple of good cafes near our current apartment that we like to walk to some weekends. Drew & I have different favorite spots, though, so sometimes we have to stop at both.


Q: QUEENSTOWN -- this is a ski resort town in the bottom of the south island, and we've been lucky to go down there twice. We haven't been during ski season, but we've had fun doing other things during our trips. We've been luge-ing, jet boating, skeet shooting, wine tasting and we had to eat at Fergburger, of course! Not sure if we'll get to go back again, but it's definitely a great spot in NZ!
                      

R: RUGBY -- rugby is definitely a way of life down under. We haven't learned all of the rules, but getting to check out some live matches has been really cool.


S: SAL'S PIZZA (left) -- if Drew could eat at one place for the rest of the time we're here, it would without a doubt be Sal's. We discovered this little gem the first week we were here and have indulged more than a few times. They have awesome NY-style pizza, pepperoni wheels, garlic knots and mozzarella sticks. I'd actually love a slice right about now...

T: TIM-TAMS (right) -- these are a Kit-Kat like cookie...or biscuit, as they call it here. They have lots of different flavors, but the white chocolate and caramel are my two favorites. I have to limit myself!

U: UNLIMITED INTERNET -- this is a concept that is completely lost on the Kiwis. Actually, unlimited anything really. Everywhere you go, even at home, you are limited to a certain amount of data usage. It's quite the rip off when you travel to a hotel and have to pay around $30 a day and that really only allows you to check the headlines and a few emails. They'll get the memo eventually.
V: VISITORS -- we have absolutely LOVED hosting various visitors in the past year and look forward to the ones we'll have coming in the next few months! We know it's a big commitment for people to take time off of work and pay to fly halfway around the world, but we love to be able to offer people a free place to stay and free tour guide services in a city they might not otherwise visit. So the offer still stands for anyone to come visit whenever they'd like!

 W: WAIHEKE ISLAND -- Waiheke is one of our favorite day trips from Auckland. Just a quick 30-minute ferry ride over to the beautiful island is a nice way to kick off a day of wine tastings at some of the best vineyards in New Zealand. We've gotten lucky that every time we've been out there, the weather has been spectacular, but the views and the food and the wine are all top-notch!


X: X-MAS IN JULY -- I hate using the term 'X-mas', but I was struggling to find something else that started with X. Anyway--we just had our Christmas party a few weeks ago and it was so lovely. Even though Christmas is still 5 months away, we got to indulge in (almost) all of our favorite Christmas pastimes with our wonderful friends. Can't wait to do it again next year!

Y: YUM CHAR -- this is the Kiwi's word for dim sum. If that still doesn't ring any bells...it refers to Chinese 'brunch' of sorts...extremely popular on Sunday afternoons here in Auckland. We have been a couple of times even though I would never have been able to drag Drew there back in the US. Both times we've gone have been with people who were seasoned pros and knew what and how to order. Pretty much, the servers bring around carts with various dishes on them and you just split them between the people at your table. The first time we went, one girl we were with ordered chicken feet and...yes...they are exactly what you're thinking. We're proud of ourselves for branching out when it comes to dining options, but that branch only extends so far.

Z: ZORBING -- Zorbing was a fun outing we got to do down in Rotorua last October. They stick you in a giant plastic ball filled with warm water and they roll you down a big hill. Calm down...I know how fantastic that sounds, but it truly is a fun experience. Plus, knowing that there are only 5 places in the world where you can do it (and this was where it was invented) is pretty cool!

I wish there were more letters in the alphabet because there are so many other fun, quirky, exciting, unforgettable things that we have seen, done, eaten, drank, and experienced that wouldn't fit on this list. Just think of what will be on the list by this time next year!

In closing, I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to Drew, our family and friends back home, and especially to our friends here in New Zealand--this experience would not have been what it was without each of you contributing...maybe in ways you're not even aware of. I can confidently say that this has been the biggest learning experience of my life and I know that God is teaching me so much through this.

The countdown has officially begun...only 367 days left to soak up as much as we can...

Cheers,