This has been brought to you by the letter W....

Did I mention I moved to Wellington? I have been living (by whatever definition it means to have lived somewhere) in the country’s capital for nearly two months now, and have settled in quite nicely to the ups, downs and blustery turnarounds of this funky, vibrant city. There have been highs and lows, I laughed and cried, and Peter Jackson made a cameo (as per usual when one moves to a new place). Here are a few of the main characteristics of life in a windy, dynamic town.

When I say this city is windy, I don’t mean a light sea breeze or an afternoon zephyr. Somewhere in the world a butterfly is flapping its wings constantly, and chaos theory is concentrating its effects on Wellington. This is no average turn-your-umbrella-upside-down sort of strong wind. This blowing air will take whatever sanity and stability on earth you thought you had and send it left! Then right! Then up and ... gone! I wish I could say I was exaggerating (but I’m not capable of it), and I really don’t mind it…. Truth be told I know I’m going to be blown off a hillside into oblivion on one of those days that I’m walking to work with a patio umbrella, but it’s how I always wanted to go.

Which reminds me of work. It’s nice to have a work to walk to. Let’s just say that finding a job in Wellington was about as difficult as finding Nemo, the ring… or meaning in a Pauly Shore movie. We moved here at a time when all the students were finishing up at school and were fully available to their current employers, leaving us working holiday makers on a very low budget holiday. Now some of us (Mike and Janelle) have practical degrees, and already had jobs lined up at the hospital. Hana was able to use her luck and charm to get a job quite quickly at a funky Cuban Café… which left the rest of us unemployable. Fortunately, there were a few leftover job scraps and I just so happened to score a position as a flyer hander outer for Butler’s Chocolate Shop. Luckily for my other jobless friends, Evelyn and Jeb, I utilized my excellent networking skills to get them jobs as well working alongside me in the gutter, I mean sidewalk. For 3 hours a day I would stand there offering people a coupon for a dollar off a hot drink and my dignity which they took quite readily. Now I know I sound disparaging and bitter, but I didn’t mention that it paid $12.50 an hour, and we received our choice of hot beverage at the end! And they say you can’t put a price on pride…

(Situation has changed and we all now have real jobs that we are actually happy in! Just so you know. But that could change too. Sigh.)

Now if I can put away the complaining stick for just a moment, I have to say that aside from the wind and the work woes, Wellington is absolutely wonderful. It’s walkable, whimsical, and wicked as. We go rock climbing frequently, attend Trivia nights regularly (they take Trivia very seriously here and the Guelph team could clean up!), and witness World Unicycling Championships on occasion (They’re on right now! So many people on one wheel! Too much to handle!…or none at all he he). It is a great place to be if you don’t mind the occasional earthquake, and like ukuleles (yes there is an international Wellington Ukulele Orchestra).