I thought I might give you a glimpse of a normal week for me:
Last Friday, I met up with a crew downtown after work for a drink and got a salad with four pieces of lettuce for $8. Good thing I have a little extra body fat to get me along. I made some new friends, mostly Canadians (maybe I’m destined to move there someday after all).
Saturday was Pasifika, which is a cultural festival of the Polynesian Islands (Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands, Tahiti, Tonga, etc). It’s mostly just a lot of food booths. I’d planned to meet Ursula and crew but they kept having car troubles, so I ended up soloing it. The highlight of the day was the fresh cold coconut water that I drank out of the shell under the shade of a tree in Tonga and the opera music. (Don’t ask.)
The following day (Sunday), I took a bus north of town to Long Bay, stopping at Takupuna on the way to check out their flea/farmers/craft market. Once at Long Bay, I started out the afternoon with a fantastic salad and coffee on the deck of a restaurant overlooking the ocean. I sat under an umbrella, munching and journaling with the din of conversation, ocean waves and Norah Jones in the background. It felt a little like heaven. After lunch, I hiked along the coast trail for some great views. I didn’t take my camera, deliberately. I just wanted to enjoy myself. I did. After suffering the effects of the heat, I felt like taking a swim- the water was warm. But I hadn’t brought a suit. I came upon a nude beach… figured may as well see what it was like. It was fine.
Monday I went to my first Spanish class. I wasn’t overjoyed with it- it lacked structure (the woman who teaches it is a psychologist). I wished I were in German or French. I really don’t have the drive to learn Spanish, but I think it’s a practical choice. Sometimes practical is not the choice of your heart. I’d originally signed up for French but switched, because I couldn’t really justify it. Later, I started to read my “Africa on a Shoestring” book and realized lots of countries in Africa have French as one of their national languages. So I could have taken it after all! (By the way if I go to Egypt someday, Ross, you are welcome to join me.)
Monday night after class, I got ambitious and hung up a mosquito net. I was tiring of 6-20 new mosquito bites every morning. In the middle of the night, I was attacked by a falling mosquito net! I am destined to be a red-spotted girl.
Tuesday eve I attended a University lecture, entitled, “The uses of the university revisited” by Sheldon Rothblatt, a professor emeritus from UC Berkeley. I was expecting some sort of discussion of modern universities and their place in society. Instead I got a review of the history of the University of Auckland. I was disappointed and decided I wouldn’t attend his other two lectures in the series. After a little refection, I realized that he was a history professor and he gave a history lecture. I should not have been surprised. (No hard feelings.)
Wednesday after work, I walked to Fraser’s to meet Michelle, my Canadian friend who I met my third day in Auckland. She’s returning to Canada for a while, while waiting for Papua New Guinea to decide whether they are going to grant her a research visa- she’s been waiting ten months already and her whole PhD is hinging on this. Stressful.
After that, I walked to an Irish pub in town to meet up with Ursula, Nick and her sister Hannah (who's also moved here now from the UK) and listen to open mic singer songwriters. I beat them there so stood and chatted with some folks at the bar who immediately asked, “Which part of Canada are you from?” It seems I have an indelible Canadian accent. Of course, I answer, "North Dakota, Canada’s left testicle." Ha.
That puts me at tonight. Reflecting on the week. Thinking about the weekend and where I’ve come so far.
Two months in New Zealand. Two months of students.
I’m still not in love with optometry. My students are mostly rewarding though. It’s hard to believe that they are all about 10 years younger than me. I’ve got some good friends on staff- Ursula and another woman, Anny- both are sharp-minded and energetic women.
I think the remainder of the staff probably underestimates me. It bothered me a little for a while but I decided then I could just do what I want. It’s not really any different than any other time in my life. All the people who didn’t think I could do it… starting back in first grade when I was in the bottom reading group, to university when they didn’t think I could get thru calculus (even though I’d already done calc I & II with As) to my final year of optometry school when my advisor told me he thought I’d never opened a book and didn’t know anything… it just continues. But the positive about people thinking the least of you is that you can surprise them since they have no expectations.
This week I decided I was going to use my downtime productively to think about what I’m doing and where I want to go and then work on my own goals. No sense sitting here treading water.
Next weekend for Easter, I’m headed to the Cook Islands. I read they have snorkeling and relaxation. I’ve reserved a hostel on the beach. Watch for the next update.
Until then, peace to you.
“If you wish to see others smile,
Smile first.”
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