Punto

Before going to NZ, I have prepared myself to kiwi accent, yun bang parang bisaya na may long "e" palagi - "are you feeling bitter now", "ixcillint!", "sivin", "tin", etc.

I really struggled with accents when I started the NZ workforce. Pano ba namang hindi, there are 6 of us in the team and you could hear 5 different accents. Merong kiwi, Indian (parang ilocano sa pag-rponounce ng “r�), chinese (kulang naman sa "r" at "g"), scott (mabilis magsalita at matigas ang mga vowels) and pinoy (americanized, naks). Except for a little difficulty with the scott-twang and the head-gesture of the indian, I am now ok communicating with people here. Ang problema ko na lang eh yung pagka-shy ko (yup, believe it or not). Well, that’s a different story.

Winter, Spring .....

We conquered winter. Will we survive spring?

A few weeks ago, some Aucklanders complained about paint spills all over the Auckland Region. After the pollution scientists checked the water samples, they found out that it not paint but pollen! The pollen in the water has a greasy texture between the fingers and may spread out across the surface in bands and whorls. It is a natural phenomenon and occurs on a regular basis.

Spring is a few days away kaya naglipana na ang pollen. If you leave your car outdoor for a few hours, you’ll notice some yellow dust on it. May mga asthma ang kasama ko sa bahay. Vince and Henry have hika while Shannen has skin asthma (mas delikado sya pag-winter). Vince has mild asthma for a few days now. I hope it’s not caused by pollen.

Ito ang mga tips na nakuha ko to prevent pollen allergy.
- keep windows in cars and homes shut when pollen counts are high
- Wear sunglasses to avoid irritation
- Keep your home dust-free as possible, regularly dusting surfaces and frequently washing linens, stuff toys and pillows in hot water
- Use a quality vacuum cleaner with HEPA filter

Our first NZ car

Matagal ko nang gusto I-blog tong kotse ni Henry kaya lang baka batukan ako non pag nalaman nya. Nawawalan daw ng dignidad yung kotse.

4 weeks after he got here, nakabili na agad si henry ng kotse. A friend of a friend sold him her family’s spare car. The car is a black Honda Legend 1991. The price…. NZ$400! Ginastusan ni Henry ng $700 para sa WOF, tires at solenoid, and presto, may matinong kotse na sya. Walang problema, walang kalampag. May CD-changer, sun-roof, programmable seat-setting, automatic transmission, all-power, aircon/heater, etc. Poging-pogi itong kotse na to nung kabataan nya.

Pwede pa daw i-trade-in tong kotse for $2000. Tutubo pa kami. However, we’re keeping it. Kahit makabili na kami ng maganda-gandang second car, di namin idi-dispatsya itong si Legend.

Note: Kamukha ng nasa picture yung kotse pero hindo ito yon.

BOB in QS

Dinumog ng mga tao ang Queen Street, Auckland City kahapon. May parade ng Boobs-On-Bikes (BOB) which has been a yearly thing. Topless girls (and boys too) went on parade in 26 motorbikes and 2 tanks. This event is actually a prelude to this weekend's Erotica Expo at the ASB Showgrounds in Greenlane.

Hindi bawal sa NZ ang topless as long as no indecent actions yung tao. Sari-sari ang nanood ng parade. May mga locals na talagang inaabangan ito, meron mga tourist na curios at higit sa lahat, may mga conservative groups na kino-condemn ito.

(sorry, I’m not attaching any pictures)

Whakapapa holiday

Two weeks ago, two of my high school classmates visited Auckland for a 12-days holiday. Ronald came with his bubbly wife Berna, while Noel was with his best friend Ollie. They stayed in one of our classmates house in Albany. It was some sort of reunion for the 4 of us. 1987 ko pa huling nakita yung dalawa.

These guys were are really great. No dull moment with them. Sayang at di ko sila nakasama sa lahat ng lakad nila (which happens to be every single day of their stay). I promised to take them around on their next visit (sana nakakapag-drive na ako non).

On 11-13 August, sumama ako sa kanila sa Whakapapa, Mt. Ruapehu (poor Henry, naiwan sa bahay para mag-alaga sa mga bagets). We had a grand time in the snow mountain on Saturday. Ganon pala ang snow, parang yelo sa freezer. Una worried ako na baka mangisay ako sa lamig pero kung properly clothed ka pala di naman pa masyadong inconvenient ang yelo.

Ronald had ski lessons while we played with toboggan. We were scheduled to go back there on Sunday but it was cancelled because of a snow storm. Ok na rin yon, at least nakatikim ako ng snow.

May mga exciting places pa kaming napuntahan, next kwento na yon.

Kiwi Goodness

Last Friday, I took the day off to take my MIL for a blood test. Walang bayad ang Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) despite declaring her visa status (tourist). Libre daw ang blood tests sa NZ.

Since Henry has work that, MIL, Shannen and I took the bus (takot pa akong magmaneho). Instead of bringing a bus route map with us, tinandaan ko na lang yung bus # at lugar na bababaan – 2 bus rides papunta, 2 bus rides pauwi. We did ok going to the clinic which happens to be in the corner of Apollo Drive and Rosedale. Nang pauwi na kami saka nagkawindang-windang ang lahat. Pagsakay namin sa bus, sinabi ko sa driver na ibaba kami sa bus stop na papuntang Forrest Hill. After nyang i-confirm sa radio kung saan kami dapat ibaba, sabi nya “ok�. Ang kaso, mali ang instructions sa kanya. Sa ibang stop kami ibinaba, sa Constellation Station. @#$*#$%^!

Nagtanong ako sa isang bus na nakaparada kung dadaan ba sya dun sa area namin. Oo naman daw. Iba ang routa nya pero dadaan sya malapit sa amin.

Ibinaba nya kami malapit sa kanto ng Wairau at Tristram. Mga 50 meters na yung nalalakad namin nang nakita kong tumatakbong papalapit sa amin si mamang driver. Nang makalapit sya, sinabi nyang di daw kami pwedeng dumaan sa Tristram kasi walang footpath doon (ibig sabihin, bawal ang pedestrian). Sakay na lang daw kami ulit at ihahatid nya kami sa bahay. Buti na lang at kami lang ang pasahero.

Kasalanan ni Tsuper-man kung bakit napunta kami sa lugar na yon pero he could have just left us there and let us find our way home. But instead of that, he went out of his route to ensure that we get home safe. That was really sweet. O di ba mababait sila.

My first Maori 101

I had my first Maori lesson last week courtesy of my kiwi officemate. Maoris pronounce “Wh� as “f�. So Whangarei is “Fangarei� and Whakapapa is “Fakapapa� (ay, bastos).

Go home and plant Kumara

Pag-sinabihan ako dito ng "go home and plant Kumara" (or camote in tagalog), I won’t get offended. Bat kamo? Ginto kasi ang camote dito. Ang grapes nasa $3/kg, broccoli $1.5/kg and Kiwi fruit $0.99/kg (minsan $0.59 lang) pero ang camote, tumataginting na $4.00. My gulay, camote lang yon! As in camoteque.

Isa pang mahal na gulay dito ang baguio beans. Nasa $11 ang isang kilo. Iniisip ko na lang na mahal ang pamasahe mula Baguio hanggang NZ. For prices of veggies and groceries, check out www.foodtown.co.nz (pero cheaper sa Pak 'n Save, wala lang silang online shopping)

DIY haircut

$10 ata yung pinakamura, most often asian ang taga-gupit. Kung sa parlor na puti ang haircutter, nasa $20 to 22 ang patabas. Nakakamiss yung friendly neighborhood barbero naming si Jimmy na P40 lang ang singil.

Gamit ang $19 na clipper from Hill&Stewart plus 10 minutes na free tutorial kay Jimmy, nangahas akong gupitan ng buhok si Vince. Noong una, nagaaway pa kaming mag-ina kasi naiipit yung buhok nya sa ngipin ng clipper. Nang patapos na kami, nakuha ko na rin kung pano gamitin yung lintyak na clipper. Final result: parang gupit din ni Jimmy yun nga lang kung may hangover sya. (picture to follow)

Fog

I never realized how uncomfortable and dangerous foggy environment could become until last week. Paglabas naming ni Henry ng bahay para pumasok sa trabaho (mga 6:00am), nagulat ako sa kapal ng fog (mga 7:30 simisikat ang araw). Sabi ni Henry hindi pa raw yon ang pinakamatinding na-experience nya.

Mga 15meters lang ang nakikita ko ng malinaw. Further than that, blurred na. Yung naramdaman kong excitement noong una ay nawala. I suddenly felt suffocated. Hindi ako makahinga. I think it was a psychological thing. Henry didn’t have any problem with it except that he couldn’t drive as usual. Nag-on na yung fog light nya pero palabo pa rin yung paligid.

Well, this is one of the things that I have to live with. Masasanay din ako.

Overheat

Yesterday, I woke up in the middle of the night with a big panic. Shannen, who sleeps beside me, was kinda hot. When I took her temperature, it was 38.1 degrees. Her cheeks are so red. Gosh, I didn't know what was happening. She was very ok went we went to bed.

Esep-esep ako kung ano ang gagawin. Tinanggalan ko sya ng kumot (duvet), baka ma-dehydrate. Then gave her a bottle of milk. I checked her temp after 10 minutes. Bumaba na, 37.1 na lang. Although mainit pa rin, di ko na kailangang bigyan ng paracetamol. Gising ulit ako after an hour, nasa 36degrees. Nang nasa-trabaho na ako, minomonitor ko pa rin si Shannen. Normal naman daw sabi ni MIL.

Naikwento ko to sa kaibigan ko. Sabi nya, baka daw nag "overheat" ang katawan ni Shannen dahil sa kumot. Maybe the duvet was too hot for her. Mukhang tama sya, di kasi sanay nagkukumot si kulasa. Nung gabing yon ko lang sya nakumutan, duvet pa.

Malaking lesson sa amin yon. Kids' bodies don't work like adults'. Mas kaya nila ang lamig. Overclothing (in our case it's over-blanketing) them could make them generate more heat which can lead to dehydration. Hayaan lang natin sila kung saan sila comportable.

Chinese? who? me? Part 2

This actually happened in Henry's workplace. Na-assign si Choi (syempre di tunay na pangalan) sa isang installation project. Not long after he left, eto na sya sa pintuan ng planta bitbit lahat ng gamit na dala nya noong umalis sya. Ang nangyari, di sya pinapasok noong puting customer because he's different. Choi is chinese. Di lang minsang nangyari sa kanya yon. Ngayon, di na sya mautusan na lumabas para humarap sa mga kliyente.

Aside from the fact that there is no single drop of chinese blood in my body, some chinese here are somewhat discriminated. Yan ang iniiwasan ko kaya ayaw kong ma-tag kami na chinese. Oo, meron ding ganyan dito pero di naman kasing lakas kumpara sa ibang parte ng mundo. Hanggang dito na lang ang sasabihin ko. Mahaba at malalim kasing usapin ang discrimination. Sino ba naman kasi ang naka-imbento nyan?

Chinese? who? me?

Siguradong pagtatawanan ako ng mga kapatid ko pag nalaman nilang 4 na beses na akong napagkamalang chinese dito. One 2 occassions I was asked translate chinese script. Yun namang 2, basta na lang akong kinausap ng 2 chinese.

Oo ngat medyo maputi ang balat ko at darkhaired ako pero naman-naman, me kalakihan ang mata ko. Di naman ito side-effect ng goiter ko. Sadya lang maraming nasasakop ang tingin ko. Ang ginagawa ko ngayon, naglalagay ako ng eyeliner para lalo pang dumilat ang mata ko. Plano ko ring magpakulay ng buhok. Ano ba ang maganda? brunette, redhair or blonde?

Ngayon pa

Kung kailan ako may trabaho na, saka naman dumadating ang ibang employment opportunities. Since late last week, nakaka-walong na calls na ako. Naku, ngayon pa, nakakahiya ng umatras dito sa trabaho ko. Isa pa, may potential growth tong ginagawa ko. Ang downside nga lang talaga nito ay nasa city ito. Mas malayo, mahaba ang travel time.

Ganun daw talaga yon. Don’t expect the employers/employment agents to contact you 1 or 2 weeks after sending your application. Mahihinog pa lang yung mga itinanim mong CV mga 3 to 4 weeks later. Don’t get depressed kung isang buwan na ay wala ka pang trabaho. You really need patience when applying for a job, lalo na kung wala kang local experience. Sanay naman siguro lahat ng new migrants doon (lalo na kung VO mo yung lovely VO namin).

If you get rejected after an interview, ok lang yon. The interview alone is a good sign. Ibig sabihin non, your qualification/experrience is good enuogh for them to notice you.

Shhhhhhh....

Aside from being friendly, one Kiwi characteristic that I am really awed is the manner they speak. They speak so softly. I observed this in the grocery, park, school and even here in the office. Parang boses pang library. Kaya nga nagbaba ako ng “order� sa bahay na dapat ay laging malumanay at mahina ang usapan namin. Gosh, ang hirap palang masanay sa ganon.

Yehey, di na ako jobless

Nag-start na ako ng work noong Friday (June 30). May naawang isang kaibigan, ni-recommend ako sa trabaho. Ang gara nga eh, when I accepted the job, saka naman nagdatingan yung reply sa mga inapplayan ko.

About my job. Casual lang naman ako but it's very exciting . Related kasi sa experience ko sa Pinas. Medyo nangamote ako nong Friday. Sana by tomorrow, adjusted na ako.

Kulo-kulo

Eversince dumating kami dito, lagi na lang kumukulokulo ang loob tyan ko. Di naman ako nababanyo, tumutunog lang na parang may drum and buggle sa loob. Well, di lang naman ako, lahat kami sa bahay ganito ang nararamdaman. Sa tubig kaya ito? Sa lamig? I really don't know. KU, Kiwinoy and KP, ano ba tong phenomena na to?

The boxes have arrived

Gone are the nights when Henry and Winnie would sleep together. Hindi nakakatulog si Henry pag di katabi si Winnie (malapit na nga akong magselos). Limitado kasi ang gamit namin kaya pinatyatyagaan nyang gawing unan yung Winnie the Pooh na stufftoy ni Shannen. Buti na lang dumating kahapon yung boxes.

Our things were shipped thru EMCS. It left Manila on May 22 and arrived in Auckland port on June 25. Mga 3 days ang processing/releasing sa customs. Para makatipid, sabay kaming nagpa-ship ni Bubut (hi, Bubut). She has 8 boxes, while I have 5 (7 if included yung fishing rod at cue stick). Approximately 0.8cbm yung gamit namin. I paid P9600 to EMCS. Nasa P11k ata yung kay Bubut. Upon delivery, nagbayad pa kami ng NZ$525 for the whole thing to EMCS' NZ counterpart, NCT Freight Services. None of our things was taxed. Mga electronic devices at commercial items lang ata ang subject doon. Panay personal effects ang laman ng mga kahon. Some are used, some are now.

Walking School Bus

Problema ko ngayon ang work pero pag may work na ako, problema ko naman ang paghatid-sundo kay Vince. Buti na lang may program na Walking School Bus ang mga schools dito sa North Shore. This is how it works. Instead of riding a car or bus to school, naglalakad lang ang mga bata but under the supervision on one or two adults. "Driver" ang tawag dun sa nanay o guardian na-chaperone ng mga bata. This saves gas, promotes camaraderie among the kids and, of course, is very healthy. One requirement though is that you have to take turn in sending/picking up the kids.

Sa school ni Vince, may ilang buses na nag-o-operate. Sa routa namin (Becroft), may 2 school buses. The big one has 18 kids and 2 drivers. The smaller one, on the otherhand, has 8 kids and 1 driver. Ilang beses na rin naming sinabayan yung bata. Vince prefers the small one because he has 2 classmates there. I'm sure it'll be fun "riding" the school bus.

Updating NZIS

Magta-tatlong buwan na si Henry dito, kahapon lang nya nakausap ang NZIS para malaman kung ano ang procedures for converting WTR visa to PR. Actually, he made sevetral attempts to contact the Keep-In-Touch (KIT) manager on his first week here pero lagi daw recording ang sumasagot sa kanya.

This is what one should do upon arriving in NZ (on WTR visa).

1- Advice your visa officer in Bangkok that you have already arrive in NZ and that you want your application transferred in NZ.

2- Call KIT manager to know where to mail the request for Welcome Kit. Also, confirm with him/her about the transfer of your application.

3- Once you have a "relevant" permanent job for 3 months, ask your employer for an employment contact and letter of offer.

4- Send the above plus 2 payslips to NZIS in New Zealand. Tell them that you are requesting for the upgrade of your WTR visa to PR. Dito daw sa Akl, the approval takes around 1 to 3 months.

Dalawang buwan pa lang si Henry sa trabaho nya pero ngayon pa lang inaalam na namin yung mga dapat gawin pagtungtong nya ng 3 buwan.