actually, a nelson resident

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the irony of the previous journal entry is now i am actually a nelson resident. at that time, i was a resident of three weeks still planning on leaving at some point in the near-ish future. now, my plans are to work here full-time at my organic green grocer, live in the apartment above, take care of jenny the dog, and apply for new zealand residency. whoa. little did i know that five weeks ago. or, maybe i did. no, i didn't.

so, quebec: you are on hold. french: you are also on hold. israel: it has yet to be determined if you are on hold; you are still a distinct possibility depending on which way the travel wind blows.

the general gist of my plans for the year include:
a. planting tomatoes and successfully growing a small herb garden in my currently overgrown, gone-to-seed backyard.
b. continuing to expand my cooking/baking knowledge; more specifically, i will make soup.
c. feed an organic dog extremely expensive organic dogfood and thinking of all the things i could be buying with that non-organic money.
d. continuing to grow my hair until ponytail length; then, perhaps cut it again.
e. touring new zealand on my time off; climb some mountains; maybe, cross a river. maybe, that's next year.
f. ah, make art; paintpaintpaint. maybe, work up to having a stand at the market next summer.
g. bike! walk! read!

so, as it is, i am no longer a backpacker. i've taken to the slow process of accumulating more things. i no longer have 2 t-shirts, now i have 5. i no longer have have 2 pairs of pants/shorts, now i have 5. i own a muffin tin.

it does seem my friends are all leaving me one-by-one. it's strange to become the permanent thing here. but i really do feel a part of nelson now. even if everyone else runs off to continue on their own separate path. as long as i'm not alone at christmas next year, it'll have been okay.

today, i took a long long walk up to the "centre of new zealand" (a big touristy hill with a beautiful view of nelson that is potentially somewhat close to the real center of new zealand). i tired myself walking up and down different meandering paths through the hills. i might've gotten my first potential new zealand sunburn; although, i doubt it.

i miraculously scored two days off on jan 2 and 3 and i am going-a-vacationing. i'm going to do a four hour early morning hike in abel tasman (major national park here) and then i'm staying at a place called aquapackers. a backpackers on a boat! on a boat! they pick you up in an inflatable boat and take you to the real boat. where they give you a barbecued dinner and breakfast in the morning. and then, i'm going to do the four hour walk back. this is sandwiched by a two hour beautifully scenic busride there and back.

i'm pumped.

happy new years. i'll be thinking of you all a day early; perhaps, you will think of me a day late?

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