Another update...

My unprolific posting continues....

You would be shocked how many vocabulary and pronunciation differences continue to crop up. Car tires being spelled "tyre", seeing "learnt" appear in many a newspaper article, Herefords being spelled (Hair-eh-ford), etc.

An update from the immigration related files. It took a meagre month plus for the finger printing unit to reply via email that they haven't yet processed my application- apologising for the delay in responding. Current wait times are apparently 4 months. I'm over 3 now. I have put in an application for a general work/ visa. I've also recently submitted my residency form missing the record check; I'll have to forward that when I get it. I'm only 1 month away from my current visa expiring, so here is hoping I hear something back on this front soon!

The days are getting shorter here... and colder. My flattie was scraping her car wind shield (wind screen as they are known here) with a credit card. I can't seem to track down a real ice scraper. Blenheim does get frosts so it would come in handy. Now I've finally tracked down a pressure guage for my car tires at the car stuff store, only to find out that the guages are at all the air spots at the gas (err, I mean petrol) stations... :) Gas prices, for your interest are currently in the neighbourhood of $1.51 for regular. I can't recall offhand the diesel prices.

In the news, there had been several earthquakes overnight in the region. They didn't wake me up so I'm unaware if I felt them.

I can't recall if I've posted much about the vehicle rego process. Things are interesting here. Insurance is not mandatory (although there have been recent discussions about whether making this mandatory would help crack down on the "boy racer" problem that has been rather prevalent in the papers.) There are 2 types you can get, basically- 3rd party, and full. I've had various friends have trouble as they weren't covered by full insurance. Insurance discounts at the company I'm insured with (AMI) can be as high as 60% based on your driver record. I wish I had one here in NZ to save some cash...

When you get stopped by the police here you don't get asked for your registration - because it sits attached to the wind screen. When you sell your car- the plates are attached to it and you simply pay a fee of something like $10 to change ownership. The actual reg. carries with the vehicle. (I was lucky- my reg on the car I bought goes all the way to Jan 08!) Reg's are typically renewed for 6 month periods- luckily my car owner predecessors appeared to have gone for the one year option. The other thing mandatory here is a WOF (warrant of fitness). Depending on the age of your vehicle you have to get these every 6 months or year. They are mechanical checks for safety- and again these are attached to the wind screen for all the world to see. There are quite a number of foreign (esp Japanese) imports on the road here. The used car market seems much larger than back home- maybe because leasing/buying new cars just doesn't seem to happen as much here.

If you drive diesels, you also have to get RUCs (road user charges)- kilometers- which you can buy by the thousand at the post shop. The diesel price is lower than petrol- but it is partially offset by this charge...

In new and exciting news, the day of the Marlborough great treature hunt is quickly approaching. It should be great fun!! Hopefully the weather cooperates...

Until next time.

Unprolific blogging...

Okay- so I've been really really bad at posting...

First a wee update on the immigration tales...

I finally made it in to get my immigration medical form completed complete with urine test, blood test, and other standard tests. My birth certificate came impressively quickly from Saskatchewan (under 3 weeks!!!) and I have the proper one with both parents names... I continue to wait for my criminal check. They have not replied to my last 2 queries. All I know is that when I first inquired it was going to take about 4 months. It has been about 3. As such i didn't have time to get my residency application in before my visa expired. I have since put in an application for a general work visa/ permit. They sent me a text telling me they will get back to me within 60 days. Here is hoping. I'm in no great mood to leave the country...

I spent last weekend in Nelson... visiting the lovely Rabbit Island for the first time, as well as the market and going for a great walk to Tahuna beach with the girlfriends. I miss that walk so much... It was my running route- and I find it much harder to get motivated to run in landlocked Blenheim....


I'm into the watercolours now. I paid $50 for a special paintbrush, so I'm hoping I get into it hard core... :)

Ooh- this is a call for fun costume ideas for a team of 4. We're entering www.treasurehunt.co.nz - the Marlborough Treasure Hunt. Our team is kican (kiwi-canadian) ...Help with any sort of exciting costume ideas would be much appreciated.

Until next time...

More politics...

Isn't it interesting... . From stuff.co.nz:
"A bill that would have allowed shops to open on Good Friday and Easter Sunday was defeated 84-37 on its second reading in Parliament last night."

Another little interesting tidbit for Saskatchewanians reading this. The boys and girls here wear uniforms at school. You often spot the boys in knee socks and shorts, with a sweater - usually a school crest is contained as well. The girls more often are in skirts. I'm told that the highest forms (sort of like grades) don't actually have to wear uniforms, but the youngin's do. Apparently it is due to the british ties- which seem much stronger here than in good old Sask.

Today I spent $326 on medical tests to support my immigration NZ application... Blood/xray and checkup- all in the course of an hour. Impressive rate/hour, yes no?? There appears to be a wee bit of a doc (as in GP) shortage in Blenheim as well. I went to the accident clinic- but it is closing in a few months... As the paper noted yesterday it will leave a bit of a hole, and hopefully they will find ways to fill it elsewhere.

Another update...

Reading the Edmonton Sun tells me Facebook is the latest craze:
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmonton/2007/05/01/4146248.html

It hasn't taken off in NZ, however, if my friends list is any indication.

I didn't update after the Anzac service last week. It was rather similar to certain Canadian services, lots of people attended. The NZ anthem was played, the mayor spoke, a hymn was sung, the Last Post was played, wreaths were laid, a prayer was said. It was a little strange to not be BBRR freezing cold throughout the ceremony, instead having to step into the shade with the sun overhead.

But things have taken a turn towards fall/ winter here... Much to my chagrin. The morning runs are a thing of the past. This past weekend we spent in the sounds, but Saturday was a rainy day, as was yesterday, as was apparently overnight. (Although I didn't hear anything.)

In the news in NZ, one of the hot areas of debate has been the Anti smacking bill- the issue of physical discipline of children has been raised. The proposed amendment - late breaking- is as follows: the Police have the discretion not to prosecute complaints against a parent of a child or person in the place of a parent of a child in relation to an offence involving the use of force against a child, where the offence is considered to be so inconsequential that there is no public interest in proceeding with a prosecution." (From stuff.co.nz)

Dog's are heros too. Read a story http://www.stuff.co.nz/4044905a11.html

The ever political issue in SK - day light savings, is flying through in this country- with an extension coming. Daylight saving will start a week earlier, on the last Sunday in September, and will end on the first Sunday in April, two weeks later than at present.
Internal Affairs Minister Rick Barker said regulations were being drawn up - a law change is not needed - to ensure changes would take effect this year.

I continue the fun of trying to collect all of the required docs for immigration nz. For anyone who might be trying in the future- a full birth cert including parents names is required, not the little one...

Until next time...