My Commmute to Work

After two months in Wellington, I have become accustomed to quite a bit. I have eaten many a fish 'n chips and I know how to get around the city without any trouble. It's starting to feel a lot like home - minus most of my closest friends and family, unfortunately. But the quality of life is still very enjoyable. I carpool into work in the mornings and I generally run home in the evenings. To give you a sense of what that commute entails, I've included a couple of photos.

Happy Thanksgiving

(L to R: Bridget, Teki, Leigh and Gus - Thanksgiving Dinner at home in Wellington, turkey and all!)

Toast Martinborough

Today, I went to Toast Martinborough with Teki and Gustavo. This annual event highlights some of the wineries in Martinborough, New Zealand (located approximately one hour north of Wellington). The weather was ideal for being outdoors, enjoying music and tasting some area wines.

Auckland and Problems up North

I just got back from a couple of days in Auckland - City of Sails.

In case you have heard about the recent terrorism investigations in New Zealand, I just wanted to let you all know that things are all right in Wellington and there's no need to worry. If you have not heard, then pretend like you didn't read this.

Absolutely, Positively Wellington

I went for a run this morning around Oriental Bay and saw hundreds of people out biking, running, walking and swimming in the harbour (with wetsuits)... it confirmed a sense of Wellington that I had already felt. The people here love being outdoors and active, and the City Council has done a great job of marketing city recreation and events with simple slogans, such as "Absolutely, Positively Wellington" and websites like http://feelinggreat.co.nz. As we head into summer, the skies are clearing and the wind is dying down. This is absolutely, positively a great place to be!

Christchurch, South Island

Here are a few photos from a recent business trip to Christchurch, including the Christchurch Cathedral, and the main square.

Guy Fawkes Night

Tonight was Guy Fawkes Night, and we celebrated with the biggest annual fireworks display in New Zealand, above Wellington Harbour. In some respects, we were lucky to have a fireworks display. Helen Clark, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, considered banning fireworks in New Zealand if New Zealanders "behave badly" on Guy Fawkes night this year (based on past behaviours, I guess). As far as I know, there will be no ban for next year, although I can't say that all New Zealanders were on their best behaviour.

Pao Pao Pao

Last night, I went to "Pao Pao Pao," a concert of Māori and Pasifika music. Nine performers played and danced for over 3 hours and most were very good. One of my favourites was Torotoro, a contemporary dance group. They have come a long way since their debut on youtube, but if you are interested in seeing two of their videos check out these links: Wahine (women) and Tama (men) [note: this is not traditional Māori dancing of music]. If you are looking for something more traditional, check here: Traditional Dance and Poi-E (one hit wonder in New Zealand - well worth watching it for the break dancing).

The song, Poi-E, was produced in the 1980's with two objectives: (1) to market Māori langugage and culture, and (2) to warn Māori youth about urban dangers. The dissolution of Māori language and culture was partially a result of a rapid shift of Māori populations from rural areas to the cities after World War II, when New Zealand had been experiencing rapid growth and manual labor was in high demand throughout the cities. Many Māori elders died at war and the younger generation moved to unfamiliar urban areas with very limited structure and family support. The economic boom in New Zealand didn't last very long, but long enough to displace a whole generation, causing a breakdown in culture for years to come. Some tribes have been very successful at re-establishing themselves, while others have a long way to go. The government has made some progress in supporting a cultural renaissance (for example, Te Reo Māori, "the language," was later recognized by the New Zealand government as a national language in 1987), but there is a long way to go.

Wanganui

On October 31 and November 1, I went on my first work-related trip to Wanganui and Palmerston North to speak with representatives from the Ministry of Education and Massey University. Over the next few weeks, I will head to Christchurch and Auckland to meet with similar representatives from the education sector to investigate the effectiveness and the efficiency of the Ministry of Education's spending on professional development services for teachers and principals. Some of the greatest rewards from this work come from speaking with high-level officials in government and the private sector to see how they handle challenging situations and how they make funding decisions in an environment of competing demands and limited resources. In addition, it has given me the opportunity to travel off the beaten path.

The photos above are from Wanganui, a coastal town which had been a major trading port near the turn of the 20th century. Wood carvings replaced Ginkgo trees of the past and a range of interesting styles make up the city's architecture.

Fiafia Fa'asamoa!

It's official... I just bought my flight to Samoa for the 10th Festival of Pacific Arts (Su'iga'ula a le Atuvasa) from Friday, July 18 - Sunday, August 3. So... if you would like to visit New Zealand, don't plan on coming during these dates (meet me in Samoa instead). The festival takes place once every 4 years and brings together Pacific Islanders from Samoa, Palau, New Caledonia, the Cook Islands, Australia, French Polynesia, Papua New Guinnea, New Zealand and Fiji to share arts (tattooing, wood carving, print making, culinary arts, film, literature, music, dance, architecture, and traditional medicine) for two weeks. This offers a great way to see the best cultural offerings from the Pacific Island countries in one central location.

Dance magazine wrote an article reviewing the 2000 festival, which provides a nice overall description of what can be expected. If you are interested in coming to the festival, look for flights to Pagopago, American Samoa (PPG).

Interested in Coming to New Zealand?

I have been tracking fares for March/April and there are still some available from the East Coast USA to Wellington for under $1700, but they may not last long! The best month to visit would be March. Check Sidestep for flights (it searches Orbitz, and 600 airlines). I know the prices seem high, but the trip takes nearly 30 hours (24 hours of flying time), so that's just over $70 per hour of flight. Flights are likely to go up as time passes. [NOTE: Also check flights into Christchurch or Auckland, if that's any cheaper, but I live in Wellington, and it is a central location to start a New Zealand holiday].

If I Could Turn Back Time...

Since I didn't make proper entries during the past few weekends, I am going to take you back in time....

On the weekend of October 13, I spent time in Wellington with Teki (Tongan), Ben (Aussie) and Gustavo (Venezuelan). All we really did was walk through the city, try out some cafes, pubs and visit the Botanic Garden.

Last weekend, October 20, was Labor Day weekend. In addition to a barbeque, I went for a great hike, originating from my backyard and ending at the ocean (see photos - click on photo to enlarge).

Lost in Windy Wellington

I'm a terrible blogger.... This is about the easiest way to keep in touch and share pictures with friends and family at home, yet I have only made two entries during my first four weeks here.

In hope of redemption, I can tell you a funny thing that happened today: I saw a woman get blown over in the wind! Seriously. Winds can gust up to 130 km/hr (80 mph) on a somewhat-regular basis this time of year. As I was on my way to work this morning, I saw a young woman topple over in the wind. I had mixed feelings. Naturally, I wanted to laugh, but then I felt bad, and then I thought to myself, "that's some wind!"

House and a Beehive

This morning, I attended a committee briefing on a report issued by the Auditor General titled, Sustainable Development : Implementing the Programme of Action. Without having had a chance to read the report prior to the briefing, I assumed that it covered topics of development in the Pacific or Southeast Asia. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that the report addressed sustainability in NEW ZEALAND! With a focus on the energy and water sectors, the report looks at the New Zealand government's response to the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. Although one key finding is that the government has lacked accountability on this front, I found it refreshing that the whole notion of sustainability is being considered in a country that many would prize for its pristine state and its environmental awareness.

After work I went for a run and happened to pass Katherine Mansfield's birthplace, Te Puakitanga. Although she didn't live or write for long in New Zealand (she found life in Wellington to be boring and complained that people in New Zealand “…do not know their alphabet”), she is considered New Zealand's most accomplished writer. (She redeemed herself somewhat with the Kiwis by writing fondly about New Zealand in her journals and in letters to her father; but she never returned after having moved to England as a young woman).

10 Days Down

I have been in New Zealand for 10 days now. Here are 10 things I like about the place so far:

(1) fish and chips, wrapped in newspaper
(2) bike-friendly Wellington, with many mountain bike trails
(3) the wind turbine and hiking trails near my house
(4) views of Wellington Harbour (Pacific Ocean) from my office
(5) the weather (a little windy, but summer is just around the corner)
(6) kiwis (nocturnal, flightless birds and fruits). Incidentally, the name also refers to New Zealanders.
(7) cafes with great coffee
(8) the Office of the Auditor General provides its employees with coffee in French press, a variety of teas, Milo, bananas and apples
(9) karori wildlife sanctuary and native forest just behind the house
(10) easy access to the Pacific Islands