Work in NZ

My visa is a Working Holiday visa. So, while I’m getting plenty of time to travel and see wonderful places and have exciting adventures, I do have to work a bit, since I have yet to figure out how to make the bills pay themselves.

I was here for about 6 weeks before I began working. I spent that time traveling, researching my options, and determining what I wanted to do. Once I chose to settle in New Plymouth, I began looking for a place to live, and a place to work. I’m renting a room in a lovely house with a big kitchen, and I now have a piano, so all is good on that front.  The job situation sorted itself out pretty quickly as well.

My first job in New Zealand was at a coffee shop, a place called Muffin Break. It turned out to be a good find because it was quite flexible, and shifts could be scheduled on a weekly basis. Although I have acquired full-time work elsewhere, I still fill in occasionally when help is needed and it’s nice to be able to save a bit of extra cash for upcoming travels. It’s also a good opportunity to interact with the locals. One day I was serving a young lady who seemed to be in her mid-teens. As she was about to leave, she asked if I was from America. When I said yes, she began jumping up and down and saying “oh my gosh, you’re really an American, that’s so cool, I can’t believe it, hey bro she’s an American, I just met an American, oh my gosh, this is the best day EVER!!!!” However, most people don’t have such an enthusiastic reaction to meeting me. One day an older gentleman made me repeat everything I said to him at least twice, if not three or four times. As he was leaving I heard him grumbling about “those darn Americans coming here to take over.” Just last week when I was putting in coffee orders with my co-worker who was running the coffee machine, a lady waiting for her coffee heard me talking and said “Oh my, how nice, there’s someone here who speaks another language!” 

To supplement the casual work I was doing at Muffin Break, I worked a couple days a week for an insurance broker. They were in the process of moving to a new office and needed extra hands for organizing, sorting, cleaning etc so it worked out to be a good short-term arrangement.

About a month ago I began working full-time for a company called PowerCo, which supplies electricity for the North Island. I have the pleasure of handling the scheduling and processing of all incoming projects, which can be anything from trimming trees that are too close to power lines to replacing entire substations. My co-workers are great fun, many of them are linesman or electrical engineers who are retired from the field.

I've also had the pleasure of doing a bit of accompanying. Yes, I've been busy, but it didn't all happen right at the same time J It’s my fun money, because it’s a fun way to earn it, and since it’s extra cash I can save it for going somewhere fun. It’s also been a good way to get out in the community a bit and meet some of the local musicians.

I have found the work environment to be more relaxed here than back home. Something that I noticed right away is the importance placed on taking breaks. The attitude is that you aren't paid more for working through your break so you may as well take it. In addition to the 30 minute lunch break, the entire office takes a 15-minute tea break in the morning and another one in the afternoon. Some people drink coffee, but tea, especially Earl Grey or English Breakfast, seems to be the favorite. Best part about the tea breaks is that the break room is pre-stocked with tea, coffee, hot chocolate, sugar, milk, cups, saucers, spoons, a fancy coffee machine that I can’t work, cappuccino mix, cookies, and a dishwasher, all supplied by the company. Far as I can tell it is a built-in operating expense. I think it’s a fantastic way to keep up employee morale. On busy days the break might get shortened down to 10 minutes, but it still happens. Another wonderful unspoken rule is that when you've worked your shift, you go home. If your work isn't done, that’s ok because you have tomorrow to finish it. I've been told the idea behind it is all that you go to work so you can live, not live so you can go to work. This means you go and do your best and when the day is done, that’s it, it’s done until you have to be back. This rule can of course be set aside when the need arises. There have been a couple storms since I was at the electric company and that meant longer days to ensure customers had power turned back on as often as possible, and so we could sort out what had to be repaired where and when and how soon. The company’s response to this was to treat all staff to tim tams, and a barbeque.

My co-workers have asked for a comparison of my work experience here compared to my experience at my job prior to coming to NZ. They were surprised at the difference in approaches, and thought it was ridiculous that I’d even consider working through a break. It’s their mission to ensure I do not work through breaks J I have definitely come to appreciate the laid-back approach to things here. Naturally things in the coffee shop are a bit different from the office, but even there, when your shift is done it’s done, doesn't matter if things are busy or not, you get to go home and whoever hasn't finished their shift will handle it. 

Forests and Beaches

The New Zealand countryside is wonderfully varied. The beaches are lovely, some with white sand and some with black. The mountains are endless and breathtaking. There’s farmland and forests. One lovely sunny day I visited a national forest called Manginangina. It was a forest of Kauri trees, one of New Zealand’s native trees. They can easily grow as tall as 65 feet, and have a circumference of 50 feet (assuming I did the conversions from meters correctly!). And they can live up to 2000 years!! There is a trail through the nature reserve that takes you to a rather young Kauri tree, where you can see it, hug it, photograph it, talk to it, whatever floats your boat. It’s only about 800 years old. Legend says if you hug make physical contact with a Kauri tree you will have good luck.

Later this same day I got to drive down 90-mile beach. Our bus driver drove off the road right down to the beach, and we drove alongside the water for about 30 miles. The beach is only 65 miles long, and it is not clear how it came be named 90-mile beach. One theory is that the name comes from the days of cattle herding when the distance along the beach plus the distance to the destination for selling the cows came to 90 miles. According to our guide, another theory is simply that it’s an awfully long beach and 90-mile has a better ring to it than 65-mile.

I think that it is probably good that I haven’t tried to drive here yet, as I’m certain I’d be distracted by the scenery J

Farmland

Pride Rock? :)

Mangonui Wharf

Musical Adventures

My first week in New Plymouth I went past the historic cathedral, St. Mary's, and made a mental note to check it out when I had time, thinking it'd a fun tourist-ey thing to do. Little did I know that it would open the door to the world of music in New Plymouth.

It was sometime near the end of August before I had the opportunity to visit. I managed to plan well that day and had my camera with my to confirm the trip :) Upon entering the beautiful sanctuary, in addition to a colorful pipe organ, the architecture, and various cultural and decorative items, I noticed a lovely Yamaha grand piano. Naturally I had to check it out. When I got closer, I noticed a sign which advised the piano was available for use to local pianists as long as you contacted the cathedral's music director to make arrangements.

I promptly emailed the director, crossing my fingers for a positive response. I was pleasantly surprised when I was told that of course I could practice there, and while on the topic of playing piano, would I want to play in an upcoming benefit concert. I said of course so the practicing began :)

This past Sunday was the "Musical Extravaganza" at the cathedral, a fundraiser for the Taranaki Bible Society. Myself and 6 other soloists/groups performed a variety of styles and pieces. It was an important moment in my musical career for more than one reason. I hadn't performed as a soloist in over two years, so my nerves were making themselves known, but after it was finished, I was pleased to find I haven't completely lost my touch. This was also the first concert I have performed in that was publicized, with my name included. I also had the pleasure of opening the paper this morning and finding a review of the concert, which included comments on "Pianist Denise Wood, recently arrived from the United States..." Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, it was a special day because I felt as if the New Plymouth community embraced me. One of my goals in coming to New Zealand was to find a place where I could live; not be a tourist but become part of the community. As people greeted me after the show and asked when I might be performing again, I felt I had achieved that goal.

In addition to solo work, I've become a member of the New Plymouth Orchestra, at least for the upcoming fundraising tea-day and Christmas concert. I have been accompanying vocal lessons as school exams approach. Most recently I have been asked to accompany a vocalist visiting New Plymouth to perform and give master classes.

When I picked New Plymouth, I knew that it was by the ocean, and that there is a mountain close by, and that I know a couple people who live here. Now that I'm here I have discovered a close-knit community and lots of opportunity for involvement in music and the arts. It's a lovely place that is quickly coming to feel like home.

Bay of Islands

 The Bay of Islands. Well it's huge, it's beautiful, and there's lot of islands :) I took a boat tour out one afternoon; there are 144 islands. The Bay was the first part of New Zealand to be settled by Europeans. Some of the islands are privately owned by very wealthy people who have summer homes built on their island. The author Zane Gray stayed on one of the islands for a time when he was studying deep sea fishing. The highlight of my tour of the bay was the "hole in the rock." The water had gotten a tadbit choppy by the time we got out there, but we did get to see some seals playing at the edge of an island. On calmer days the boat can go through the hole, but due to the weather I'l have to go back for that :)

I stayed in a sleepy little town called Paihia.  Having grown up in a small town, I felt right at home. Everything was close by and the people were friendly. Despite the area being a popular tourist destination, the townsfolk were happy to trade stories. My favorite was the little Mexican shop I wandered in for a cup of tea. Turns out even though the open sign was out they weren't open. But when they found out I'd come all the way from America for a cup of tea from their shop, they insisted I stay :)

sign on the church door

Since I was in a lovely coastal town I thought fish 'n chips was a must have. It didn't take long to find where I'd be having supper!

Shippy's: museum on top, restaurant in the hold

Cape Reinga

Each country I’ve traveled had one place I visited that became my favorite. It wasn’t a place I lived, I might have only seen it once, but it was always a beautiful place that made an impact on me. In Japan it was the mountain I climbed during fall break in the city of Nara (it was a small mountain that only took part of an afternoon to climb). In Austria, it was the sleepy little riverside town of Krems an der Donau, which I visited on a day trip. In New Zealand, it’s Cape Reinga. I’ll take moment now to add a disclaimer that I still have a lot of the country to see, but so far this place is undoubtedly top of the list J

So Cape Reinga, what’s that? Well, it’s the tip of the North Island (so it also happens to be the northernmost part of the country). 

It is where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. 

It is a place where when I climbed the hill that is just above the lighthouse I felt as if I was completely on top of the world as I tried to take in the breathtaking view. 

Perhaps most importantly, it is a spiritual place for New Zealand. “Reinga” is the Maori word for underworld. The cape is believed to be the place where the spirits of the dead depart to the underworld. The cape was part of a one day bus tour I booked, and our driver had explained the significance of this place as we approached. He said that it did not matter whether you were religious or not, visiting the Cape always left you feeling calm and peaceful.  As I got off the bus and followed the trail down to the lighthouse, I found his words to be true. There was something that made you want to let your cares go for the moment and simply live in the moment. I could ramble on for quite some time about the beauty of the place and how I could have stayed there to explore for hours, but instead I’ll let you look at the pictures because they say it better than I could J