House, Mate

For those that expressed interest in 'seeing' who I was living with, this is my house mate Mike. The other two are getting back from the South Island next week. Mike teaches at the poncy boy's high school down the street (but before that he taught Maori kids in the middle of nowhere and lived in a tiny cottage on the beach). This is him before changing out of his work clothes, but after taking off his tie. In fact, he was saying "Let me just unbutton the collar so I don't look like a yob". Unfortunately, I am not a kind or patient photographer. Please note out dirty dishes in the background: I couldn't get the hot water tap to work today (he fixed it when he got home).

Self-Portrait with Mummy Blanket

I have laundry and cleaning and library-book-returning (and fine-paying, oops!) and student-handbook reading to do this morning . . . so I stayed a few extra minutes in bed with the little blanket my mother made me tucked around my shoulders. Someone was trying to show me snow on their web cam last night . . . ah, that put a little lump in my throat!

love, school & other odd couplings

Today was my orientation day at school and I admit I spent most of the day delirious with contentment. I actually couldn't breathe a couple of times, I was so caught up in it all. There is a distinct feeling that things here are special and different. Every single thing I heard affirmed the choice I made about this particular school and these teachers and this location. Such a wonderful feeling when you have taken such a crazy leap from the places and people you are so attached to. I really am still buzzing with it all! I also got my placement, which was handpicked for me, and I must say, handpicked exceptionally well. I have Mondays off and then one day a week on a PM shift at the local hospital (2:30 to 11 p.m. - my Holiday Inn working hours!). This is great because it delays having to buy a car, and it means I'm not on call so I can work part time on the weekends. It's hilarious how quickly I became nervous not having a cash flow. That money-in-the-pocket thing turns out to be quite addictive. . . hmmm Anyway, the main part of my placement is for 4 weeks in June/July in the beautiful Hawke's Bay region on the East coast of New Zealand. I'll stay with the midwife there (in her house! that's how eager she is to have a student with her) and accompany her to all her clients - home birthing and in rural birth centers. One other student (one I've already 'ear-marked' as a person I'll like) will be in the area at the same time with another midwife. I'm so excited that I get to see the country and get an education at the same time. . . . good stuff, that. And the other great part about this arrangement for my placement is that I'll be done as soon as my last exam lets out in mid-November, so I can jet straight home for a good long chunk of feeding up (and I mean soul as well as body there). In the meantime there are 2 weeks off at Easter, and another 2 in Sept (i.e. 'reading week') so plenty of oppotunity to be visited. . . hint hint hint. .. .HINT . . We also put in our order for our student kits today (stethescope, pinard stethescope - for baby's hearst in-uterp, etc). When they come in next week, I promise I'll do a big post of all my "school supplies" for a certain sweet reader who has requested this:) In other news, this weekend my housemate and I are planning a giant pillage of the market, and then a trip up to his parents in Hawke's Bay (Havelock North is the village) which now is so much more meaningful given today's news. Scoping out is on the agenda. . . . Anyway, I have a massive pile of handouts to read before my first real day of lab/lectures on Wednesday, and I really think my happy day needs to end with a curling up in bed with this and some nettle tea and maybe some nice Arnott's biscuits. Forgive the poor quality writing. . . I am tired. But very very very happy. (and about school too. . . . who would have thought?)