Here are some photos and some words to share with you my adventures in New Zealand where I am since June 30th. Because even if I would like it very much, it takes too much time to give news to each one of you...
I arrived in New Zealand after 10 months in South-East Asia, big change of atmosphere, both by the climate and the culture. Here it looks much more like what I know, with its advantages and its inconveniences obviously... I can again drink some water to the think (it feels weird at first!), the toilet paper becomes again the standard (it's not so nice for the butt!), we don't any more invite me eating everywhere I go, it is cold and it is windy, but when the sun appear we burn! There are people of all the colors, all the countries, I hear a lot of different languages... Here I am in Auckland, rather ugly according to my tastes, multi-cultural city with a pleasant seaside and a beautiful sky almost every day and night.
I arrive directly in Couchsurfing in a house held by an Australian who under rent to about 10 to 15 people. Because the atmosphere there is very good, I decided very fast to live here. Here I am flatmate with people coming from Mexico, from Czech republic, from Philipines, France, New Zealand, India, Finland, Peru.. And it is a beautiful mixture, here I had very beautiful moments: share good dishes of the world, begin the yoga, make fires, a little of gardening, some good evenings, etc. There are also these uncountable discussions which made me understand, grow up, laugh or cry.
Simultaneously of it, I worked in the hospitality for the first time as a waitress in a bar and restaurant in a district rather rich in Auckland. Thus I learnt waitress's job, interacted with numerous customers, worked with a multi-cultural staff (people coming from India, from Colombia, from Vanuatu, from Thailand, from England, from Russia) and finally I can now understand 85 % of what says Neo-Zélandais-e-s (it's still a struggle)! I also understood what it is that kind of job, to give my energy so that somebody earn money thanks to me, to have a small salary, to receive orders, to break my back, etc. However, I have appreciate a lot the experience.
During these three months in Auckland I was also able to see the presence of sexism everywhere, whether it is at work, in my house, in the street, with close people or not, girls and boys. I listened to women who told me their stories and I felt several times tears on my cheeks because I do not understand how these stories can happen. I often felt powerless, sad and angry in the face of all this and it continues almost every day. Whether it is in Europe, in South-East Asia or in New Zealand the sexism shows itself under various forms but is always very present.
Finally, after these three months in Auckland, I left my work, my flatmates and left for the island Waiheke: a small island about 40 minutes of Auckland with the ferry. A small island with 8000 inhabitants during winter and more or less the double in summer, a small green paradise with beautiful beaches, birds which twitter everywhere, a very relaxed atmosphere, where it is easy to do hitchhiking. There are numerous people coming from other countries because it is a place considered as easy to find a job, specially for those who were not able to obtain the working holidays Visa or work visa because they can work for black labor.
I thus landed (on the advice of a friend) in a community of around thirty people of whom a great majority are from South America (Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay). The community is occupied by caravans, vans, funny plastic houses, flowery gardens and my small hut where I sleep now !
The atmosphere is very great, rich in discussions and good moments. I can continue to practice yoga in a yurt, gardening, learn to live with all these people, I thus think of staying another one moment...
In the same time I am again a waitress but in a smaller restaurant with a view of the sea, what does not displease me!
In brief, the life continues, with all that it has to offer. There are of course some difficult times where I wonder what I'm doing there and why I am so far from my family and my friends but most of the days are all the same source of a lot of happiness. Here we are, thank you for reading me, I love you all and wish you a good life:)
Black sand beach
Black sand beach + rainbow
Amazing trees in New Zealand
Waiheke island
Waiheke island
