Moving around in Russell - Big Changes

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Well, it’s been quite a while since my last blog and a hell of a lot has happened! That means this is going to be a mammoth blog so I suggest taking a few attempts (I‘ve even broken it into chunks so it‘s easier…), anyway, for those of you short of time (or who know how boring this could be) here is a brief summary of what‘s been going on:
Christmas and New Year was spent working but I managed to get a bit of partying in too. Felt quite home sick though. New Years day I got offered a new place to stay and so took the opportunity to quit my job at the Thai. I left my job and my house and I moved into my new place with Bex and Jay and started working at the green grocers and did a shift at the local hotel. At the moment I’m doing two shifts plus a week at the grocers and generally chilling out at the new pad and around sunny Russell.

Christmas

I spent Christmas day working at the Thai restaurant. I knew this was going to be the case and I thought it would be better as it wouldn’t really feel like Christmas and I wouldn’t feel home sick. The days leading up to Christmas I was getting pretty annoyed with work so I spoke to my boss Charlie about a few issues and managed to sort out getting one day and one morning off per week and being treated a bit better (or so I thought). Anyway, Christmas eve was quite nice at work but Christmas day was actually weird. I felt so home sick in the morning. I opened my presents before I went to work, which was great, so grateful for all the gifts and cards guys - really cheered me up! Thank you! I decided at work that if I was away from home again over Christmas that there is no way I am working! Later on at work was okay as it was proper bookings and a lot of locals who I knew so it felt more friendly. To be honest Christmas just felt so weird in the sun and not being with my family and having to work! It didn’t really feel like Christmas at all but I still missed Christmas at home! Anyway, it was all made a lot better after work when I went round to my mates Liam and Joe’s aunt and uncles and got to have champagne in their hot tub. Plus I got to speak to people at home later too which made me smile!

New Year

Between Christmas and New Year work was pretty busy and intense. I finally got a day off on the Tuesday before hogmanay. Up until this point I had worked 15 days in a row, about 12 of which had been split shifts so I was pretty delighted to get a day off. I started to get thinking about Hogmanay plans. I knew I’d be working again but I’d never finished work later than half 10 so was sure I’d be fine to get out for midnight. The local guys I knew in Russell were going to be working and then going to the pub or some of the other happening night spots… Most people were going to head to the wharf to watch the fireworks. I had met Bex, the girl from the green grocers once when I had popped in. She’s from the UK and she knew two other girls form the UK that were working in town and had said we should all plan to make Hogmanay the night we all got together. A new girl called Miriam had started at work. She was over from Barcelona and knew no one in town so I said she was coming out with me. Work got pretty awful between Christmas and New Year and we were both getting a lot of grief from Jiraporn, the boss/chef who, I have now concluded, is just a crazy woman. I understand that it’s because she works all day everyday but that’s her choice and didn’t give her the right to take it out on us! And Charlie wasn’t much better, only telling us when we were working next at the end of each shift which meant planning any sort of social life was practically impossible and they weren’t really treating us that great in general.
So, I was at work on Hogmanay and Bex popped in to see if I was still keen and we swapped numbers. We got finished at work at half 10 - woop! I arranged with Miriam to meet back in town at half 11 and I popped home to get changed. We met Bex and the two other girls, Ella and Kat for a drink and headed to the Duke hotel to see Bex man Jay and then head to watch the fireworks from the wharf. I had a great night, I can definitely say that whilst Christmas in the southern hemisphere is just weird and odd for me, hogmanay was brilliant! It was so nice not having to wrap up in about a million layers and it was definitely one of my best new years, although I missed being with everyone I love, of course!

Leaving the Thai

I woke up on New Years day feeling great, not too hung over and the sun was shining and I just felt happy. I got to work and everything was great, for about 15 minutes! Jiraporn ended up being in a really special mood and making me feel like rubbish and it was really awful being there! I was kind of upset about it and just felt really hacked off at the attitude of my bosses. Bex, Jay and Kat came by at one point during my morning shift and asked how if everything was okay and I explained how bad it was. Bex had said the night before that I should move in with her and Jay and they both now said I should quit and move in with them. I asked them too meet me on my break. At that point I decided if they were actually serious about it I would take them up on their offer and get out of my rubbish job! And that’s how I came to quit my job and move house. I decided I’m out here to have fun and not be taken advantage off at work, or work with crazy, selfish people. Kat and Bex said I should just quit but I felt I should give a little notice so I said I’d work till the end of the week and be out the house by the Monday. I was quite apprehensive about all the changes but the 3 shifts I did before I finished for good confirmed I had definitely made the right decision! Charlie was very good about me leaving to be fair, but I think he just knew it would happen eventually - some people in town have told me that I lasted the longest they know! Those last few shifts were mad, badly organised, Charlie was so rude to customers and working with Jiraporn was like walking on egg shells, I couldn’t wait to be done! Charlie was actually very civilised about the whole thing and I left on very good terms with him which is good since it’s quite a small town here - probably covering his own back there…

New House and Job

I moved in with Bex and Jay on the Sunday and checked out I hadn’t left anything at the old house on the Monday and that was me done! I thought I might miss it but I don’t and I really like this new place and living with people again. I had to buy a few things like a duvet and pillow but Bex, Jay, Kat and me went over to Kerikeri (the next big-ish town) in Bex and Jays campervan thing that is about 25 years old and just about manages hills but makes you feel like you are travelling the proper way as a backpacker! If you know what I mean! They have this great store over here called Warehouse where you can get just about anything you need really cheap, so I got my Manchester (that’s what they call linen over here - not the only weird thing about Kiwi’s…) there and a few other bits and bobs.
Bex got me a few help out shifts a the grocers - she pretty much runs the shop in Russell to be honest. They have a bigger shop in Kerikeri and the owner comes over to Russell a couple of times a week but Bex is in charge over here really. I ended up doing quite a few shifts the first week (last week) and started to get the hang of it - there is a lot more to learn than I thought! For example, all the different names they have for veg - it’s called a pepper, not a capsicum!! Anyway, I’m getting the hang of it now and starting to enjoy it. It is in my blood after all! I also thought I would start witnessing at the local hotel but after doing a trail shift there I decided against it. I found the place really unprofessional and the hotel really naff. They didn’t even go over the menu with me before chucking me into service even thought they had plenty time too, which I just thought was really bad management. I spoke to Bex and Mum about it and decided I had enough money saved up that I didn’t have to be doing something I didn’t like again. So now I’m keeping an eye out for anything else but mostly enjoying bumming around now and enjoying my time in the sunshine (I am not white anymore, Bex says I’ve made it to cream…) and getting in a few hours at the grocers. I have enough money saved up to stay up here a bit longer but if I don’t find a bit more work I think I’ll move on mid February (but my plans do change every 5 minutes).

So that’s basically the drama of the last few weeks! I’m having a lot more fun now and now I know tonnes of people here in Russell so it’s really great and I’m happy to be staying here a bit longer. Bex, Jay and me are going to do our PADI course together with a local woman who seems really clued up and it will just be the three of us so I’m really looking forward to that. Most evenings me and Bex chill out and have dinner and have even started a new fitness routine. Kat and Ella come round a lot too, I’m loving the girly time! A bunch of us went camping on the beach at the weekend and it was great fun. Ella’s fella, Dave is a chef and cooked us an amazing dinner- on the beach! We even woke up to dolphins jumping out at sea in the morning!

Generally, I’m now having a great time in Russell and hopefully I’ll get a bit of extra money to stay longer but if not I now have a pretty good network of friends who are going to be travelling around New Zealand for the next year, just like me!

Thanks for reading this enormous blog! Just wanted to keep you up to date.

Miss everyone, love you. Happy 2010!

Charlotte x x x

PS My new address in Russell is:

Charlotte McFadden
c/o Russell Post Centre
Traders Mall
Russell 0202

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Photos

Christmas Eve at Work
Jack, Tang Mo, Poon, Jiraporn, Chef

Christmas Presents
My little Christmas pile. Thank you so much for all the presents and cards.

Nikki and Dougie, Christmas Evening
Dougie is originally from Haddington...!!!

Me and Nikki
Night off! One of few.

Bex, Me and Miriam
Fun on Hogmanay!

The Girls on Hogmanay
Bex, Kat, Ella, Me and Miriam

New House Mates on Hogmanay
Bex, Jay and Me