Hey everyone – I’m back from my break. Miss me? It was good to take some time off and step away from the computer for a few weeks. I think I may do it more often! I’ve done some more reading and spent time doing other things. It was nice and relaxing 🙂 I’ve looked… Read More …and I’m back
Hello My Lovely Readers, I’ll be taking a leave-of-absence from my blog. I’ll be reading and commenting, but no new posts for a little while. Thanks, Jenny P.S. People can still feel free to email me with questions regarding moving to New Zealand / becoming a nurse in New Zealand.
Do you remember the first apartment tour that I took you on? Back when it was empty and there was basically no furniture? Well, I finally got around to taking some more photos now that our gear has arrived. It’s still not finished, but I wanted to show you our work-in-progress. Over the next year,… Read More Apartment Tour
I have this thing about expectations – I try not to have them. Self-preservation method? Yes, but I’ve also learned that sometimes it’s easy to make the jump from expectations to judgments, and I don’t like to judge something until I’ve experienced it. When I knew that we were going to move to Auckland, I… Read More Meeting My Needs in a Fantastic Fashion
We moved into our apartment Monday afternoon 🙂 I’m ridiculously precise when it comes to time to the point of arriving 10 minutes early and pacing around, just to make sure that I’m not late. Our housing agent was 10 minutes late, which wouldn’t be a big deal except for the fact that we were… Read More Be It Ever So Humble…
I want you all to know that skipping Summer stinks! Here is Auckland’s forecast for the week: I know, I know – I shouldn’t complain. This is apparently as “winter” as it gets around here, which is way better than the most typical winter day in South Bend, Indiana {and I guess the Midwest is… Read More Skipping Summer Stinks
While we’ve had to give up some of our old favorites, we’ve definitely found some new, yummy foods here in New Zealand. Here’s a sampling! McVities Dark Chocolate Digestives These cookies are so, so good. Chris isn’t as crazy about them as I am, but that’s because he has a much sweeter sweet-tooth than me. … Read More Yum-Wonderful Food Finds
The internet is a crazy thing. Through it, you can meet all sorts of people and form lots of random, seemingly unrelated connections. It’s how we’ve met many of the great people we’re coming to call friends in New Zealand. First, there’s Travis and Brooke. I “met” them online through an old high school church… Read More So, How Do You Know Each Other?
Welcome to our {entirely unfurnished and as yet unlived in} New Zealand apartment! Sorry, no addresses listed! I’d rather not have any unexpected visitors 🙂 This is the view from the second bedroom into the main hallway/entryway. Excuse the bad photo quality – I was in a hurry! This is the kitchen/dining area. The table… Read More Knock, Knock… We’re Home!
Today is National Nurse’s Day! If there’s a nurse in your life, give him or a her a shout-out and let them know how much you appreciate what they do. To celebrate, I thought that I would share 5 things that I love about being a nurse {these are in no particular order}: The level… Read More Happy Nurse’s Day!
I was tagged by the lovely Juli over at Wellington Road {another expat American living the life in New Zealand} to post 7 thing that I like. I love stuff like this! Right now, I’m really liking my dark chocolate digestive biscuits. I may have made menacing noises at Chris when he took one. He… Read More 7 Things
Hello, my lovely readers! I was surprised to find time for this month’s book review + giveaway, but I’m so glad that I did. I’ve had this book on my nightstand for the last 3 weeks. I was incredibly lazy one day and read the whole thing through without stopping, except once for a little… Read More Francine Rivers: Book Review + Giveaway
I have loved working at my current hospital, and I’m very sad that tonight is my last night there. When I first started looking at jobs in South Bend (this was when we were still in Massachusetts), I knew that I wanted to work in an ER. I was one year post-nursing school and had… Read More 10 Things That I’ve Learned in the ER
I had such a horrible night last night. I got in my car after work, was halfway home, and burst into tears. When I walked in the front door I was close to sobbing. I scared poor Chris half to death. He had woken up about 5 minutes earlier and was sitting at the kitchen… Read More What a Horrible Night
Another reason why I don’t like living in a managed townhouse: maintenance men. Imagine that you’re sound asleep when suddenly, someone comes in to your bedroom!!! You open your eyes and there’s some big, sweaty guy looking at you, and there you are under the covers in your PJs! Augh! That’s how I woke up… Read More That’ll Wake You Up in the Morning
So guess what? Our visas were returned. Apparently, some things that Chris specifically asked about (whether or not certain forms needed to be re-signed by his doctor back in Massachusetts) did need to be re-signed, even after they told him they didn’t. So, he has sent off these forms to his old doctor in Massachusetts… Read More Weekend Plans and More NZ News…
Good Things I’ve sent off my NCNZ application. Fingers crossed! Our Visa applications arrived yesterday at the NZ Embassy in Washington, D.C. I started P90X (not doing it every day because of my work schedule, but doing it at all is better than not) I finally got my last schedule for work – I’ll only… Read More Good Things, With a Few Not So Good Things
Thanks to everyone who read and commented on my book review. I enjoy doing them and hope to keep reviewing one book a month and giving it away for the rest of the year! My latest book review and giveaway was for “Beguiled: A Novel” by Deeanne Gist and J. Mark Bertrand. This is my… Read More Book Giveaway Winner
I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating – if our apartment were to burn down, I wouldn’t be too distraught. Oh, I’d be upset about having to replace certain “memories” – photos, mementos, etc – and I’d be annoyed at the cost involved with replacing our clothes, books, and electronics. But if all of… Read More Finding Furniture
Oh, the life of a rambling college professor. Chris has already been to several conferences since December: New York once, New York again, and now Chicago. Well, he’s not going to have all the fun without me! I’m planning to tag along to Chicago this time. It’s one of my favorite cities, and even though… Read More Chicago in February
