3 and half months....Life has normalized ...well a bit

Just of three and half months in Auckland and life is good. In these 115 some days (give or take), Auckland has become home. Monday through Wedenesday I go about my routine of preparing for lecture, getting ready, then trekking up the steep Victoria street hill to Sky City were I catch my bus to Hamilton. Most of the Intercity drivers know me by now as the Doc or the professor...some of them even removed thier personal belongings from the front two seats so that I can sit right up front (smile). I've become quite accomstomed to the scenery of green fields with grazing cows and sprinkled sheep. I even have my naps timed so I know that from huntly to hamilton, I have 25 to 30 minutes to catch some Zzzz's. I get to campus which is mainly a large plot of land with concrete buildings labeled with large human-size letters (The anthropology department and my office is located in building J) and divided by parking lots and a beautiful pond in the center of the university eatery. Most of the time I arrive with just a few minutes to check my email and print handouts for lecture. But on occassion, I arrive a few hours early and take advantage of my office and join collueges for lunch. I actually really enjoy those days and would have scheduled a lot more of those if I hadn't bought all my bus tickets for the entire semester the first week of class. Back then, I was of the "in and out" frame of mind. Now, I wouldn't mind hanging around campus a bit more and absorbing the scholarly atmosphere. Anyway, I go into class and do my song and dance...usually a mixture of lecture, sporatic pontification, youtube watching and discussion...how else can I keep a two hour class remotely interesting. I've really enjoy teaching this semester...especially since its the only job I am doing (sigh of relief). It's been great to focus on reading and the development of my lectures, especially since I've never taught an anthropology of religion or a polynesia course. My students seem to be responding well as well...though I can't be sure to till the end of the semester when I get the results of the student's evaluations. Either way, I know I am learning heaps (lots). Clinton pointed out to me that I've gotten better at deciphering the kiwi and pacific islander's english accents (it was actually quite difficult for me in the classroom to understand my students, especially because many of them are soft spoken, but I guess continual exposure cracked some of the mystery for me). After class, I quickly jump on the local bus t the terminal where I wait for the intercity bus back to Auckland. Now that the time has changed ( we lost an hour) the sun comes up earlier but then so do the sunsets. When I first arrived in the summer, I loved looking out the bus windows to see some of the most spectacular sunsets of oranges, pinks and blues. Now the sky is dark all I can see is the motorway lights up ahead. Walking back home is probably one of my most anxious of journeys. Clinton gets home around 5:30pm, relaxes, watches tv, sometimes excerises and then cooks dinner. By the time I get home its 8:15 or so and all I can think of getting home to Clinton to relax, unwind and eat. It seriousily the best part of traveling back n forth.

But before I get home, I usually walk (sometimes jog) down the victoria street hill. I pass the victoria park market and say hello to the Maori homeless man who sits happily with his shopping cart of personal belongings listening to his walkman. I told Clinton that I wanted to give him some batteries I found in my luggage because I noticed that he loved listening to music on his walkman and Clinton pointed out to me that he has seen him at the supermarket buying food and toiletries and that he probably gets government assistance which I later found out is called DAP. I don't know much at all about this man, but I know he makes me smile and feel at home in auckland with his enthusiatic hellos and how you doings.

So besides my 3 day work routine, I've continued to explore new areas, restuarants and places in Auckland and also meet new people (mostly other Americans living in NZ but I've managed a few kiwis as well). I began to paint with acrylic...my first and, so far, only painting is a two-canvas abstract sunset. I've always loved to draw, paint and color but didn't find the time. So when Clinton was in NYC, I went to the Warehouse and bought a few canvases, a set of brushes and acyrlic paint and started painting.

Part of my motivation, was that our flat (apartment) still had little color in it. It's been 13 to 14 weeks since we shipped our personal affects (clothes, furniture, paintings, etc) from NJ and they still haven't arrived to our home. Clinton and I have developed some deep coach envy. We miss having a coach sooo much, literally we fantacize its arrival atleast twice a week ...at least. Anyway, we've recieved word that the cargo has arrived to Auckland's ports and is undergoing customs and biosecurity inspections and then can be delivered to our house....whoohooo! In the meantine, I figured I add to the paintings and decorations that I know are coming.

Clinton has taken on learning the acoustic guitar (which he looks quite sexy learning though the tunes don't match the image...yet (I believe he'll make it happen). He also had become serious about learning the fundamentals of cooking. He bought the Culinary Arts institutes textbook and has dedicated himself to going through it and learning as much as he can by himself. Then maybe he'll take some classes to hone down more skills. I guess we've allowed our creative juices to run loose here in NZ.

Update: We FINALLY got our freight from NYC...we have furniture. Our place looks like a home...ohhh happy days (it only took 3 months and change to arrive...booo).