No ordinary thing

One year. One year in Christchurch. One year in New Zealand. Though the idea of being here has progressively become less of a novelty thing (I wonder less and less "am I living on an island, Down Down Under, on the other side of the word, at the far end of everything?"), it is still much no ordinary thing.

My love, no ordinary thing. This is no ordinary thing.

This song (No Ordinary Thing), sung by Opshop, a group founded by Invercargill born and Christchurch bred Jason Kerrison, symbolizes very much this year: no ordinary thing.

The beautiful side of things: the kids. They did not know English and now they speak - and correct us - when we do not pronounce words in Kiwi English ("No Dad, it's not eleven, it's eliven."). It is amazing to see how quickly they have learnt it and it is so beautiful to hear them. They have integrated well and are doing well at school.

These are difficult times and the recession has hit us hard: my husband still has no job and our house in Belgium remains unsold. I work for a telco company, which was also a new area to me, but one which I appreciate as I have learnt a few things.

The language. This is indeed a big factor in terms of integration for a non-native English speaker. Although I thought I had a fairly good command of the English language, it is naturally something else to live the everyday life and work situation. Specially when most people "speak like a machine gun and talk in their moustaches" to use two French expressions for "they speak very fast and do not articulate". Add to that the different culture, in its subtleties and fine distinctions and one realizes that his year has been a whole process of learning and adjusting.

What else?... The nostalgia... still very strong (were I to follow my gut feelings I would be taking the next flight back to Europe) but I suppose this is part of the process and it takes time to adapt.

So... on to the next milestone.

La rentrée des classes

La rentrée... or what has become a yearly ritual after Summer vacations in Europe. The end of Summer, to come back home from foreign, distant and faraway lands, to resume work, to take kids back to school... When it comes, everyone is concerned, everyone talks about his or her rentrée...

For us la rentrée takes place in its original meaning: la rentrée des classes, when children get back to school. The kids seem to have enjoyed their rentrée: the sun was shining all day and there were cuddles and hugs in the morning as they met their classmates after the long Summer break. It was beautiful to see them happy to be back at school. Very exceptionally, Mom and Dad took them to school this morning and went back in the afternoon to take them home. Very exceptional, but it was la rentrée...

Most certainly, their last rentrée here ...

Premature nostalgia

That does sound contradictory, I know. We have not left this country yet, we have no precise date as to when we will set foot in New Zealand and yet... The idea - and repercussions - of leaving Europe and ultimately the idea of leaving the proverbial home has struck for some time.

Curiously enough this was one of my first concerns since we were mulling over the idea of emigrating to New Zealand. I remember asking the question in a forum, "were you not homesick going to the end of the world and leaving Europe behind?"

This can be more or less understood. To live in Europe was not a fact of chance - I was not born here - but a choice, I chose to live here. I have had the experience of living in and leaving a few countries and the process requires a certain amount of adaptation and personal investment. Moving to New Zealand will mean leaving the old continent and its history engraved in the walls, in the ground, in the way people act and react here. History is something so palpable when you walk through the streets here. And history is but one aspect of it all.

But yeah, the decision has been made: I'm giving my resignation to my boss next Monday, Guy will be doing as well shortly; the first floor of the house was painted, we are going to put the house for sale on the Internet and things progressively move to the fait accompli.

New Zealand, here we come!

It's been two weeks today, 29 May, that we know we are allowed to migrate to New Zealand. "We" is a family of four: Rosângela, Guy and our two sons.

More than two years after our initial decision that New Zealand is the place where we wanted to live and work it was with a mix of relief and incredulity that we read the letter starting with: "I am pleased to tell you that we have approved in principle your application for a New Zealand residence visa."

The purpose of this blog is mainly to register this milestone period: the various aspects of a transition from a life in Europe and the move to New Zealand. If it can help other prospective migrants, it would definitely add value to this blog.

Kind regards,

Guy and Rosângela