chippy64

One year ago today, I was met at ChCh Airport by my husband and two sons (then aged 18 and 20). I arrived with mixed emotions - sad to leave my pregnant daughter, 2 year old grandson, mum and friends but so happy to see my men after being apart for 14 months.
The first few days was information overload, with my husband eager to get me sorted out with bank account, library card, metrocard and update me on all that had happened .
The house we are renting is in Parklands, an area quite badly hit in the quakes but aside from some very large cracks and some ill fitting windows/doors our house is fine. Parklands is a lovely area - near the beach and forest and with a good bus service into town. We have a supermarket, library post shop, pharmacy, gym, bank, cafes and takeaways just a few minutes walk. I really like it here and can't think of anywhere else in ChCh I would rather be.
Xmas was strange (and not just because of the bloody quakes that happened on 23rd Dec!!!) - we spent the morning on the beach messing around and the afternoon was spent in Hanmer, walking around eating ice creams.
February saw my very best friend come for a visit. We travelled around a bit and also had a holiday in Rarotonga - loved it there and can't wait to go back with my men . I did feel quite unsettled when she left after nearly 3 weeks. .
In April, after applying for several jobs I started work at a before/afterschool facility. I used to work as a Teaching Assistant in an Independent school in the UK. It is different but I really do enjoy it. Homework can be difficult, especially if there are Maori words in their reading books or spelling tests, although english words can also be a problem due to our different pronunciation. I say 'less', they write 'lass', so I change my vowel sounds. However, this can mean I find myself forgetting to change them back when I get home and often say 'yiss' etc .
For my family, some things are very much the same - my husband and I both work. However, I work part time and he does generally less hours. Travelling time is way less - he used to often leave at 5am to get to London for 7am. Now, it's never more than 30 minutes and only 10 for me. Both our boys work full time here. They are not in their 'forever' jobs but they are earning decent money. In the UK, one had a part-time job and one had no job at all.
Weekends are now spent enjoying ourselves. It can be going away for a weekend, or something much more basic such as a picnic or walk in the park or along the beach. However, in the UK we never had the time or money.

Things I find difficult are being apart from people I love. I have yet to see my granddaughter, born in June and my Mum has been in hospital a couple of times.
Things I have done that I wouldn't have in the UK - walked on the beach inbetween morning and afternoon shifts, run around at work with a polystyrene noodle whacking the kids! Fallen off a scooter and ripstick! Eaten lolly cake , have a savings account with money in it , experienced earth quakes and the 1400 plus aftershocks , have brown legs .
There are probably more but those are the ones that spring to mind. So, on balance, I have enjoyed the majority of my first year. I can't wait for my daughter and grandchildren to visit next year and look forward to them sharing some (not all!) of my experiences.

MrsFychan

you did have a baptism of fire what with the quake happening just after you arrived and see there was another one today.
You always seem so level headed in your posts and I think that makes for a good transition.

azakeen1980

Aint Lolly cake gooooooood!

skends

lovely to read right now, thanks for sharing.