Hi

[missvee]

Hi everyone. I have tried a few times to post on here but kept getting chucked off.
Life is good. We live in a beautiful little place called Ohope and most of the poms live here because it is near the beach, hope there isn't a tidle wave.
Work is good, although today was a bit manic, they actually left me in charge.
I work with a good bunch, had coffee and been to a house warming. I would say that half the girls are from the UK, a lot of Kiwi staff go to the UK and Oz to earn the big bucks.

My daughter is settling in at high school. Says it is better than her old school, she has lots of friends. We aren't homesick yet although I do miss friends and family and the fact I can't nip round to my friends for a cuppa. As I hit the ground running, (started work a week after I got here) I haven't had much chance at sightseeing. My boyfriend is coming over in June, I have a few days off, so we are going sightseeing.
I bought a cheap runabout, need one to get from A to B. It is 16 years old, it would be in the crusher in the UK. Most people have a old car.
I get the chance most days to de stress watching the ocean. Walking on the beach, I feel very lucky. The scenery is beautiful, I don't htink I will be doing my job for ever, fed up of working shifts. I would love to work during the week and have the weekend off.
I will leave it there for now, hope to be able to post pics soon.
TTFN Vee

[Welshgirl]

Hey Vee, nice to hear from you and sorry to hear you were chucked off!

Sounds like you're settling in nicely and I'm so glad to hear your daughter is happy in her new school. I bet you can't believe how quickly the time has gone and how much you've achieved since you've been here - you should be very proud of yourself. Of course you'll feel a little homesick sometimes, but that's to be expected and will get less frequent eventually. You've got heaps to look forward to, especially with your fella coming next month . We will definitely get around to meeting up and having a cuppa one of these fine days

[MotherBear]

Vee, I was just wondering how you were getting on and here you are.

Wonderful news that all is going well for you and you seem a lot more settled now than when you first arrived. You've done very well in a short space of time and, hopefully, it will just get better.

Good luck with the 'visitor' in June and make sure you show him all the best bits to tempt him into making the move, too.

Looking forward to seeing your pics soon.

[Dawn]

Hey Vee, everything's going OK then? Those beach walks sound great. I love the sea. I love to sit and watch the sea, I don't mind what it's doing, calm pond, raging, crashing waves, I just lose myself in it. I take a pen and pad and just sit and write down anything that comes to me, I've had some of my best ideas for work sat by the sea. We are about an hours drive away from our nearest coast but often just pile everyone in the car and go just coz I need to see it, hopefully we'll be a bit closer in NZ.

Great to hear from you and really glad that your daughter likes school. I have to say that worries me a little. Poppy is only 5 she'll be fine but Charlie is 11 and he absolutely hates school here. He's looking forward to going to NZ coz he's going to get quite a long time off!

Keep looking in and letting us know how you're getting along. Let us know if that new boyfriend likes NZ in June and stock up on those choccie biccies for July!!

[Glenda]

Hi Vee,

Soooo glad you are getting on OK, even though I sense from your post that the hectic pace and hours of your job is tainting your enjoyment of life a tad. Let's hope you can soon alter that to your benefit. Great to hear your daughter is settling down well too - that is a big (usually unnecessary) worry for most parents.

Hope you and your boyfriend enjoy his visit, and he doesn't fall asleep in the car during the sightseeing!

I know what you mean about being 'chucked off' when typing a post, especially longish ones. I think Mother Bear said she does her long ones on Microsoft Word; I've got in the habit of just copying my posts before sending them, just in case the site has logged me off whilst composing my reply.

[Taffy]

Hi Vee,

Sorry you got kicked off! I've found the time limit and doubled it, so you have 30 minutes to post now! I expect novels from all of you about your experiences, on my desk first thing Monday morning....

[missvee]

I better start using 2 fingers instead of one then, think that has been it, taking to long to do my essays.

Work doesn't taint my enjoyment, I think that has been the hardest bit though. They work completely differently from the UK and I am having to do credentailing, basically I have been giving meds and injections for years. I am not allowed to do it here, I have to do some study. As well as study days, they are sooooo boring I have been caught falling asleep . I did get a Moari welcome which was very interesting.

My daughter really likes school, I was amased at how much. She hated school in the UK. She is never late here, in the UK it was hard for me to get her out of bed. The system here is to use positive re-inforcement. She is even enjoying woodwork.

I love the beach Dawn. I live in a really beautiful area. When I finish my shift and I am just coming over the hill into Ohope, I look down into the Bay, it is so lovely, I have nearly ended up having an accident, not paying attention to the road.

I tried to reply to you last night Welshgirl, bloody thing kicked me off again so I gave up. looking forward to having that cuppa with you. Maybe I can do it in June when my chap is here. i think I will have to do the majority of the driving when he gets here, don't want to be added to the statistics. i am looking forward to sharing the walks on the beach, and sitting on the balcony watching the sun go down.

Ultimately I would love a section, I am still finding my feet here, you never know I may move but the weather here in Bay of Plenty is great. The mornings have been a bit cool and the evenings but by mid morning it is hot again. I have invested in fleecy jamas, much to the disgust of my boyfriend. They are a very popular item here. Most of the women turn up in the middle of the night in labour, in their fleecy jim jams. they are warm and snuggly. You must get some of these Dawn, they are a real must. you will need your jumpers and cardigans, wooly socks etc. Don't forget your t shirts aswell because it warms up quick. Not long now eh! Are you excited or stressed because their is sooooo much to do? it will be worth it in the end.
that's me done, hope I don't get kicked off again.
TTFN
Vee

[johnty]

Good to here things are panning out well for you vee.
and your daughter doing well with the schooling and making friends.
my daugther is somtimes very anti about the move she is 10 , and very sporty (only girl in the footie club)she seems to make friends easily over here and when we have been on our hols but it is a worry .
Our son is 7 and as long as we can get him into a football team he will survive as nothing else matters that much to him.
All the best Johnty.

[LilAmy]

Hi Vee,

Glad you are enjoying BOP. It's a great place to live.

We're going to be up your way again after our holiday to the UK in Aug time so may bump into you

If you guys like camping about 20 mins from Ohope theres a great free camping ground that looks onto White Island. It's full of the Maori Xmas trees and is lovely you should try it out.

If you are looking for a newer but cheaper car pop into Opotiki. My friend's Dad works in the Mitsubishi Garage there and always has deals on the go.

Glad things are going well for your daughter as well. That must have been a worry incase she didnt like it after the move.

Keep us posted with your goings ons. Always good to hear how everyone is getting on.

[FingersCrossed]

Hi vee, glad you're enjoying Ohope! Its really beautiful there, when you get a chance you should try a drive from Whakatane to Rotorua via Lake Roiti, its really stunning and well worth the drive for the views, every corner you turn has the wow factor. We camped at Thornton Beach at New Year and its a great campsite and had fabby views of White Island.

Fleecy jams! I threw mines out when we left Scotland and here I am again wearing them, The Warehouse sell a particularly attractive fleecy number which looks like an adult babygrow

Carolynne