Off to Work I Go...

Here, they call it a “northwest freshening”. At home, we call it annoying. It is a wind gusting to 75 km/h. And that’s what is in store for most of my first New Zealand work day. Good thing, I guess. Get down to work without that distracting sunshine and beckoning warmth.

My first (half)day at the School of Curriculum and Pedagogy in the College of Education at Massey University went quite well, overall. I have an office with a view and an uncluttered desk—much like at home at U of R (yeah right). Margaret and I worked hard this morning, making sense of my research data… looks like we have some ideas of how to proceed. In a nutshell, we will study the transitions of one preservice teacher during her internship using the theories of Bourdieu and Lacan. (I’m sure you’re dying to know more, but that’s all I have so far. Stay tuned.)

The northwest freshening blew me home (my Awatea Park motel room) for lunch and an afternoon with my research data.

I promise that my next entry will not even mention the wind.

Wind Chill(ing)

Woke up this morning to +16 degrees. A walk in t-shirt and shorts helped me understand more about the New Zealand “wind chill”. (I’m not expecting much sympathy from SK readers at the moment.)

Lots of sightseeing the last couple of days, thanks to Margaret’s hospitality. And lots of new words to learn—for example, Tui (a New Zealand bird and the name of a rather smooth amber india pale ale).

In the picture to the left you can experience a bit of the west coast of lower North Island (and the wind I’m talking about!) at Waikanae Beach, where Margaret and I stopped for coffee and “outrageously good seafood chowder” (menu’s words, not mine). I think that bay eventually becomes the Tasman Sea… anyone want to correct me on that?

Try to see the world beyond your front door.
Pinch me.
Try to figure out what all this is for.
Pinch me.
-BNL

First Field Trip

After rejecting the idea of taking an afternoon nap yesterday, I decided to wander to the CBD (Central Business District) of Palmerston North. Destination: Crank It Cycles. My research prior to coming here indicated that some bike shops have a ‘buy-back’ policy in addition to the more traditional daily/weekly bike rental program. After inquiring as to how far I might want to ride this bicycle, the store manager showed me a well-used hybrid bicycle—one that still needed “a bit of work” before it left the store. Indeed. The deal would go like this: I pay them $250 and, assuming no ‘surprises’ in my journeys, they would pay me $125 upon its return at the end of my 4 week stay. Sounds good to me… providing the rear wheel doesn’t still wobble like that when it leaves the store with me.

I discovered a couple of other things during this first field trip beyond my motel room.

During some rather casual chit chat with the store manager (when, by the way, I was easily identified as Canadian) I was informed that I missed the 4:00 am earthquake that day. Margaret had informed me upon my arrival that Taupo (a town about 250km north of here) just experienced an earthquake, but somehow this did not translate into a reality that affected me until the store manager said that he felt it here, in ‘Palmy’. With a slight smile and shrug, he said “it was only about a 4 or so.” I see.

The second revelation for me during my field trip relates to the directions of left and right. I’ve visited many places where vehicles drive on the left side of the road. New Zealand is, of course, one such place. As a pedestrian, crossing a street here should really be just a matter of doing all the same things as I would in Canada, except in the reverse. Look one way, then the other, step off the curb and walk. There are only two possibilities: either the traffic is aiming at me from my right or from my left. Simple. So, why is it that my head moves back and forth so many times, left to right to left to right to left… in such a frantic manner? And then, just when I think I’m in the clear, I step off… and then immediately back on the curb to dodge a vehicle. Not so easy to disrupt and unlearn the learned, is it?

As I write this entry, I am listening to Radio National New Zealand on my clock radio. I’m picking up tidbits of news that prompt me to do a quick internet search on “Cyclone Wilma”. The headline reads: “Cyclone Wilma bearing down on the top of the North Island.” Hmmm. I was just there yesterday, taking photos of the sunrise. The good news (for me) is that Palmy is situated at the bottom of North Island. The rain falling ever so gently outside my motel room now seems like a blessing. And, so far, the earth is also still.

Missing Thursday

I left Regina on Wednesday morning and arrived in New Zealand on Friday. It seems that Thursday has gone missing. I know that I had a lengthy sleep (thank goodness!) during the 13 hour flight from San Francisco to Auckland, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t sleep through the whole of Thursday. Anyway, I’ll work on finding Thursday on my way home—no sense worrying about it now.


I include the photo of the sunrise over Auckland airport— not because it represents beautiful photographic composition or even the most stunning of sunrises, but for the simple reason that I was able to breathe in the exotic New Zealand air as I watched the day begin from a small bench just outside the airport terminal building.

One flight later, I was greeted at Palmerston North airport by my colleague Margaret. She brought me to my motel, treated me to a wonderful breakfast, and then watched me drop over NZ$100 at the local grocery store. My motel room kitchenette is now well-stocked with bananas, peanut butter, jam, bread, eggs, milk, coffee, mustard, pasta, Saint Clair Estate Vicar’s Choice Sauvignon Blanc (one must experience this important aspect of the culture right away, you know), and two boxes of the cereal I forgot to bring from home.

Tips on Packing?

TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2011

I would have to say that I’ve been travelling—I mean seriously travelling— since I was 23 years old. I’m more than double that age now (though just barely) and my travel experiences are many. I must admit that I used to travel believing in, and living, the advice that as long as you had your passport and credit card, you were set to go. Not so any more, I note as I glance into my packed suitcase. If I had packed just my passport and credit card, I would not be wondering if my suitcase will be under the 50 lb pound checked baggage limit. That would be a given. Oh, sure, part of the weight is due to our wonderful technological age—I have a laptop computer, with power cord, an MP3 player, special noise reduction headphones, a portable hard drive, several thumb drives, a digital camera, flip cam, web cam, and who knows what other cam. These things definitely add to the weight, but they are not the things that have me reflecting on what could possibly have happened to me over the second 23 years of my life.

In my suitcase also lies many, many additional ‘necessities’: two different types of orthotic insoles, a plethora of natural remedies for what ails me (zinc lozenges to keep sore throats away, papaya digestive enzymes, turmeric–filled anti-inflammatory capsules, ginger pills for turbulent times, etc.), not to mention the over-the-counter traditional fare (ibuprofen, asa, Aleve, etc.), the ‘right’ kind of toothpaste for my sensitive teeth, special conditioner for coloured hair, a golf ball for my plantar fasciitis, a tennis ball to work out back muscle spasms, a piece of rubber tubing to avoid getting back muscle spasms, etc. etc. And that doesn’t even include my journal, reading material (including Bourdieu, Lacan, & Foucault—definitely NOT in my suitcase at 23), shoes, extra shoes, and extra extra shoes.

So what has happened to me over those 23 plus years? That’s a good question, and one worth pondering before I decide to write a book on ‘packing tips for travelling and aging gracefully.’ J

I have a friend who once told me that his parents bring their own box of cereal with them when they come to visit and stay overnight. Rest assured; I still do not carry my own cereal when I travel. When/if that ever happens, I might consider giving up this travelling gig once and for all.

With my bags now fully packed, it’s off to New Zealand I go…