CarolineSwan

the stranger

sorry i havn't been on for sooooooooooooo long life has just been so busy the past year or so, i cant believe we have now been in NZ over 2 years it has just flown in, time flies and all that i guess

well for those oldies i will fill you in on what we have been upto

We moved into our new house last January and LOVE it though we have still to finish things off, outside etc,
Gary got a job last year on an on-shore rig and was great, he started doing 2 weeks on 2 weeks off, anyway the company ran out of work, the manager was a tosser and companies just didn't want to go with them so he ended up out of work for a few months, it was a nightmare as everywhere he tried he was told he was over qualified, they just didn't want to pay what he was used too. We were lucky enough that our properties in the UK covered our morgage here so we were fine, not well off but fine and at least i was working.
anyway he was told to sit his off shore exam thingy (bosiet???) and the same week he was given an off shore job and he LOVES it, says it beats wiring houses any day of the week lol, and the moneys not bad either .. so he has been busy doing that, in fact the old company have finally secured work and want him to go back but he turned them down. anyway a couple of weeks ago he was asked to go help out on the boat that powers the rig( i think that's what it does anyway lol) and within 10 minutes they asked him to stay pernamently so he is thinking of taking this offer, its still working for OMV so he knows how they are etc. He has 3 weeks to do in June of his instro tech course and that's him got his duel trade so he is very happy as he would of never done this in the UK

Ok with me i graduated in November with my management diploma and boy that was intense , i also got my NZ liquor license at the same time which was great, was working in the same restaurant/cafe that i worked in when i arrived. Anyway it changed owners last April and since then i havn't been happy but stuck it out as it was handy etc etc anyway after the Xmas Holidays i decided enough was enough and handed in my notice, i just thought i would do more with Lucy until she starts school this August. Well that same week i was approached by our local Ray White Real Estate firm and offered a job as his PA so i accepted, he told me to pick my hours so i do M,T,W and F 930 to 230 so i still see more of Lucy and i'm doing a job i always wanted to but was to scared to apply for here is the blurb about me anyway i am going to do my Real Estate License so i can work along side the 2 salespeople more college ha-ha, but again i would never of done the diploma i did in the UK i would still be a SAHM so im very fortunate to have been given this dream chance

Lucy is still loving it here, she does swimming 3 days a week and can swim like a fish and dive etc, better than i ever could or still cant lol, to think she only 4, she now goes to jazz classes after doing ballet for 18 months. next she wants to go to pony riding classes but i am waiting till after her swimming as she already out 4 afternoons a week and i think this enough.

we had a fab time last year in Disney LA and Mexico with Scottish friends at their wedding, though to be honest i hated Mexico itself, wont be going back. This year we are going to Disney LA for 3 weeks so we are very excited about that

We have met so many wonderful friends here and i feel as if we always going somewhere or doing something, i have practicly adopted a 16 year old, she is my baby sitter and has almost moved in lol, Lucy tells everyone she is her sister and also Ella's younger sister too, she just loves them and they are like family to us...

None of us have been homesick yet and still have no plans to return for a holiday, we will make do with face book and the occasional trip family/friends make over here oh and skype of course but to be honest i don't miss anything now, yes of course my gran but anything else just doesn't matter, we LOVE being here and our family just enjoys each other so much more being here, i know Gary works off shore for 2 weeks at a time but when you look at it, he also only works 6 months of the year, so we have heaps more time to spend and we skype every night he working off shore

anyway i know today isn't a nice day with whats happening but i finally had half an hour to sit and type up something to say hi and let you all know how we were doing.

luvwelly

Glad you are still so happy in NP!

BevK

So lovely to hear such a positive update-sounds like NZ is the perfect place for you.

j19fmm

Excellent update, thank you for sharing your news x

AngelaandJim

Hi Caroline

It's so nice to read how well you and your family have settled and everything is going right for you. All the best for your future

Angela xx

MnB

Hi Caroline....good to hear you've settled into Kiwi life and are living 'your dream' very best wishes for your continued happiness ....nice to see you back!

Am Loolah

Ooo, I love updates, particularly ones like yours! So glad it's all come together for you.