It’s been a week already?

Jun 30, 2010 by Daniel Ross-Jones

I was made aware this morning that I’ve been in Auckland for a week.  I marked the event by pulling the rubbish can up the driveway to the street to be collected.  (A couple pie wrappers, the stickers from apples, and an ant-infested donut tray; I’m sure the rubbish collectors will enjoy the light week.)

It’s interesting to think of the past week, what I know now that I didn’t then:

• The city is not as unfamiliar, though I recognize how much I have to explore.
• People are genuinely interested why one finds themself in New Zealand, being at the end of the world as it is.
• 111 is 911, should I need to make use of it.
• The presence of sunshine does not equate the absence of rain.
• “Paracetamol” is what acetaminophen (Tylenol) is called in these parts.
• I do not like lemingtons, but asparagus wrapped in buttered bread is a good nibble.
• Using US credit cards, which do not have PINs as Kiwi ones do, will annoy most shopkeepers.  They understand, but they’re still annoyed.

Last night I spent some time with the church youth group; the kids were asking me what famous people I had met in the States (since there are a lot of them), and drilling me on the various Kiwi foods I had or had not tried.  Mafia is a church youth group game on both sides of the Pacific, and so it was fun to be re-introduced to it.

Yesterday afternoon, we also had an agape meal for midweek Communion, and I enjoyed hearing wonderful stories of St Lukes’ past.  Represented in the congregation are many pacesetters in the New Zealand church, including both the first woman ordained in the PCANZ, as well as the first woman who was elected moderator.  One of the forefathers of New Zealand psychotherapy was at the table, as well as other leaders in science, medicine, and society.  It was both humbling and awe-inspiring to be in their presence to get just a glimpse into their experience.

And yesterday morning was breakfast with the kindergarten staff.  One of the staffers spent some time in the states — of all places, in Wisconsin and Illinois!  So it was good to listen to her experience and be able to “talk Midwest” with her.

I’ve made a number of other connections, too.  I’ll be meeting up with a fellow Minnesotan that is here in New Zealand next week, a connection made through one of my former colleagues in Milwaukee.  I’m making appointments with church leaders in the coming days for conversations for my papers.  Other than that, I’m generally settling into life in Auckland.

It’s been a week already.  Glass half full view: I’m just getting started.  Glass half empty view: only five weeks left, and I haven’t even done all I want.

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