A little bit from work

Almost last two months I was working on a new library websites. And yesterday we went live :)

Wellington salsa windy weekend

The last weekend I was in Wellington - again :-) I know, I am going there quite often (well, if you can consider every two/three months often). It was really nice weekend, I enjoyed it a lot. One friend, salsa teacher, kind of organized dancing parties for me :-) There was a salsa party every day: one on Friday, two on Saturday and two on Sunday (one of them salsa on the beach). And on Saturday I met also Honza, Eva and Adamek. He is a big boy now :-) And as always it was really windy.

Something about New Zealand

I am already more than one year in New Zealand, exactly one year and one month. Here are some insights :-)

West coast and Arthurs pass

We had long, three days weekend last week. So, I went on a trip :-) Even though that I went alone, it was really nice. Nice, relaxing weekend :-) I went by train over the Alps and Arthurs pass and then stayed two days in Hokitika, really small little town on West coast.

Here some photos:

West coast and Arthurs pass

(click on All photos on top left corner)

Žofáček

This one is for her :(

Godley head trip

On Sunday we went on a trip with my flatmates. It was nice sunny Sunday, ideal for a walk around the coast and beaches. We went Godleay head, which is maybe 30 minutes far from Christchurch. It was nice 4 hours walk :-) But at the end we were so tired when we got home, that all of us went to sleep. Probably intoxication by oxygen and sun :-)

Czech lunch...yummy yummy :-)

I was thinking about the new post, what should I write. It will be just short short one.

Today I cooked Czech soup :-) Česnečku (I have no idea how to translate it to English, and "garlic soup" doesn't sound that good). It was really good :-) I think that next time it will be cmunda.

Bachatango weekend in Wellington

The last weekend in September I was in Wellington again, after long long time. There were international teachers of bachata and bachatango. They had workshops on Saturday and Sunday and parties on Friday and Saturday night. It was really nice to be back in Wellington and dance with all my friends there, still the best dancers I met here in NZ.

Bits and pieces about new work

Two months passed like nothing and I have already been more than eight weeks in my new job at the University of Canterbury. Everything is going well (I am knocking on my table now :-)). At the beginning it was really intensive, a lot of work, new information, new things to learn - not just the job itself, but also get to know colleagues, working environment, the way around the campus and how it works.

New photos Christchurch

I added some new photos to the album Christchurch.

Moving to Christchurch

This post is coming quite late, but better late than later.

My job in Hamilton finished on 19th July and I moved to Christchurch on 25th July. First four days I was in hostel, walking around the city and visiting flats. I think that I have seen more than six flats. It is quite hard here in Christchurch to find a flat. There to extremes - cheap flats, usually full of young students, old and dirty. And on the other hand nice flats, in good location, but quite expensive. I found one nice flat for resonable price and I moved there. The only problem was that it has no internet connection. But the owner told that it would be no problem to get it. I was there two weeks and later it turn out that we won't get the connection, because he has a lot of debts and noone will provide connection to him. So, I started to look for a new flat again...

Christchurch

I know, I am terrible, I haven't posted a new post for a very very long time. But finally I feel that I have a bit more time, since I am not looking for a flat anymore, and work is going well :-) Here are some first photos from Christchurch:

 Christchurch

Last photo from Hamilton

As you know, I have problem with the internet here in Christchurch, so I haven't been updating the blog so much. But at least I want to post this - especially for my daddy :-)

Škoda :-)

Last day at work

Yesterday was my last day at work. Six months passed like nothing! My colleagues were really nice, gave me a lot of gifts and prepare lunch. Thank you :-)

Hobbiton

Today we went with my colleagues - Arlyn and Abigail - to Hobbiton. We were worried about the weather, but it was beautiful sunny day. Unbelievable that is middle of winter. My work at Te Wananga o Aotearoa is almost at the end, just two more weeks. So, it was nice trip before the end :-)


And here are some photos: Hobbiton

Maori values

Today we went to farewell ceremony of CEO at the university. The ceremony was held in Te Awamutu, which is small town 30 minutes from Hamilton. I was not sure what to expect, it was the whole day, from 9 till 17. Everything started at 12 o'clock. Speeches, songs, maori traditional lunch, and again speeches, presents, songs.

Rainbow

I haven't been on a trip lately, so I don't have any new photos. I really need to persuade someone to go with me somewhere, some nice small trip/walk. The weather is still quite good during day.

NZ Pacific Salsa Congress

The last whole weekend I spent dancing, dancing from morning till evening, starting on Thursday evening and finishing on Monday afternoon. I arrived to Wellington on Thursday afternoon, I stayed at Honza and Eva in Lower Hutt. There were three other people going to salsa congress from Lower Hutt, so they gave a lift there and back.

Homesick

Today we had marautanga hui = monthly meeting of departments involved in students support and learning. It is usually about three/four hours of different presentation and information about other departments, what's going on, what are their plans, and also with some breaks doing exercise and playing some team building games. And there is lunch together after that.

Winter is coming

It is getting freezing cold! It was five degrees in the morning. On the South Island they have snow calamity. I hope that here won't be any snow. Now I am getting envy of coming summer in Czech Republic.

Project management training

Last two days the library was closed, because we had a project management training. The presenter was from New Zealand Institute of management. It was really good! He presented a lot of stuff in easy, interesting and interactive way.

Simply new post

I wanted to post some new photos, but I don't have any. I don't walk so much around as at the beginning, or if I walk, I usually forget my camera. I put it in my bag now :-)

I took this photo on a way to work one morning.

So, it is getting cold...

... yesterday it was 6°C in the morning. During the day it is still quite nice, warm, around 17°C, but the mornings and nights are cold.

It is a bit strange feeling. It is May, it should be getting warm, flowers in blossom everywhere, but it is middle of Autumn here. Really strange feeling. I (my body) haven't been confused when I arrived or during summer, but now I feel that it should be spring outside, but it is not.

1st May = Day for love

It is first May and every girl should be kissed under cherry blossom tree to be beautiful all year long. Where can I find the cherry tree in blossom here, it is autumn. And where can I find anyone to kiss me? So, all that remains is hope that I will last till next year ;-)

Sending kisses to all my family.

Wellington, Christchurch and a lot of dance

Tak to zase zacinam nejak flakat (I have no idea how to say this in English). It has already been three weeks since my last post. So, what happened since then...

How the world sees the New Zealand?

I saw this photo on Facebook today:

Fashion hell?

I know from the begining here that I don't like the New Zealand fashion. You can find some nice pieces of clothes, but overall it is really not my style. So, maybe I will start to write new section of my blog - fashion hell - on the advice of Janca :-)

Easter weekend

In NZ people have Easter Friday and Monday off, so it was nice four-days-long weekend :-) We went on a trip with Honza and Eva. We met on Friday afternoon at lake Taupo, walked around for a while and then moved to small town Turangi, where we had accomodation in one motel. The woman at the reception was really nice, helpfull and enthusiatic, she recommended us several short and long trips around Tongariro national park.

Happy Easter

Wish you all happy happy Easter :-) I have thought that I would never say this, but I miss our Czech tradition a little, even our "pomlázka". I hope that I won't get dry ;-)

Dejavu

Again, I am writing cover letter again...I hoped that it won't be so soon. But better early than sorry :-) I am almost in the middle of the project and even though my manager said, that he will think about some options that I can stay there longer, I can't count on it, it is not for 100%. So, starting again.

Rain

So after several weeks without rain, it finally came....it was raining almost the whole weekend. And I wanted to go out, for a walk, catch some sun. I hope that the summer is not over yet :-)

Brown land

New Zealand is usually called the green land. But this summer, which is really unusually long and hot (a lot of people told me that they don't remember such a hot summer), everything is brown, yellow and dry. Here is a photo comparing NZ March 2012 and March 2013.

Visit from the Czech Republic

Last weekend I spent with my two friends from Czech Republic (Olda and Martin, my ex-flatmates from Kajetanka). It was great :-) They arrived to New Zealand one four weeks ago. They spent few days at my place and then they went to South Island. Unfortunatelly I couldn't go with them, I couldn't take three weeks off from work. So, they stopped on their way back in Hamilton again. We spent the whole weekend at Coromandel Peninsula, travelling around the west coast to east coast. Even if the land is really dry and everything is brown/yellow, it was really beautiful :-) I was really happy that they were here. I hope that they were not the only ones.

New photos - Hamilton

I uploaded some new photos to album Hamilton.

Hamilton

Finally another article :-)

It has been quite a long time since I published the last article. Almost one month! So, I am going to change it :-)

My everyday NZ morning

Every day we start the day with Karakia - something like staff meeting and welcoming of new day together. The whole university staffs gather at one hall, standing in the circle and singing one or more maori songs. Then they exchange the news from different departments and again one song/prayer at the end.

This is one example of the song (found on Youtube, it is not from my work):

Hamilton photos

After two weeks I finally downloaded photos from my camera, here they are :-)

 

Hamilton

First day...

at work! :-) After three months doing nothing (except for dancing, walking, going on trips, reading and so on), I was at work. It was first day and there was held oficial welcoming of new staff. There were two other new girl, both english. I should say oficial welcome, but in Maori! This institution is strongly oriented on Maori people, half of its website is just in Maori, Maori carvings are everywhere...

Hamilton

So, I am finally here in Hamilton, start working next Monday. I arrived here on Sunday morning, accomodated in one hostel and then went to city to view the flats. One was really good, for good price and nice location (10 minutes walk from work), so I moved in already on Sunday evening.

Last Salsadrome?

Yesterday I was at Salsadrome, I really really hope not the last one! It was great night, I arrived home at 2am. I danced the whole night. I sat maybe for two songs of merengue, otherwise I was dancing. I will miss them all, I will miss Robert for dancing bachata. I need to find something in Hamilton; and I will definitely come back to Wellington for salsa congress.

Last few days in Wellington

I am moving to Hamilton on Saturday evening. Last few days in Wellington. I will miss it, the people here, but true is that I am looking forward to work. The holiday was nice, but too long :-) Today I sold the bed, table and drawers remaining - hope to sell them even for a half price, better than nothing.

New photos in album Wellington

I added some new photos to the album Wellington. Probably the last ones before I leave.

Here is the link: Wellington

Happy New Year

I wish a Happy New Year to all! Let all your wishes come true :-)

So, we have new year, 2013. It is not so far in the past, when we celebrated 2000. How quickly time runs...so let this year be happy and full of love and peace and friendship and success in all new things. I was out with Honza and Eva. We sat for a drink in one pub and then went to waterfront in expectation of firework. We waited and waited and waited (with us other 200 people), but nothing came. Next day I read in news that the firework was cancelled because of the strong wind...how typical for Wellington. But I made this photo, almost like firework ;-)