The End of Week One: Jobs, Gardens and Coffee oh my!

In the morning the hills all around the flat are picture-perfect, it doesn't matter if it's bad weather, good weather, mediocre weather, sleet, rain, sunny, always these hills are captivating. It's probably in large part because I'm from the Midwest. There are cats in the flats all around us that fight on our front lawn, scale telephone poles in the morning mist, and chase each other to our doorstep and then down Pentland Street. 

At night- 7 pm- it's as if someone has reached out suddenly and turned off the sun. You're inside reading a book, and then suddenly the windows are painted black. Night comes early this time of year.

It is always cold in the hallway of our flat. I take a shower every other day, not to conserve water (oh no, I'm a token American in that sense), but simply because it's too cold to be without layers. However, a little part of me loves this weather. It feels a little like fall (my favourite season) in the states: getting bundled up and venturing out on my own, puffing along like a steam engine.. Kiwis think this is the coldest winter they've had in twenty years, but it feels like the middle of fall or the beginning of spring to me.

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There's good news and there's bad news. 

Bad news: I lied.

Good news: I might have a job.

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I've been scouting casually for the entire week I've been here, and thoroughly searching for two days now. I live in a place in Dunedin called the "North East Valley", which is a 30-40 minute walk into downtown Dunedin. There are a few "dairies" (corner stores), vege shops, grocery stores, and cafes here. 

I know the names of quite a few of the people who work there. Mike owns the used book store, and is good for a talk about the Green Bay Packers ("they were meat packers, you know"), the woman at the cafe next door has an easy laugh, Emma at New World (the grocery store) keeps my CV (resume) and tells me she'll call me if there's an opening, Gordon at the "Jumbo Dairy" laughs when I write down my information, asking me if I've ever "done anything like this". Alex, my flat mate, works at the vege shop, I turn in my CV there, and they say there'll be work in four weeks. I smile, buy a cabbage for coleslaw (we're going to Simon's parents tomorrow night) and duck out.

Then there's the Mannequin Cafe. I go in there after the long search and order a Chai Latte. Out of my new found habit I ask if there's any work. The woman behind the register gets the manager, and she shows me the schedule. Here, here and here, with a smile. 

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Have you made coffee before?

Yes, a little.  (which honestly isn't that big of a lie, is it? I mean, I have made coffee... just not in a cafe, and it sort of tasted like burned fish). 

Oh, did you work in a cafe?

Um, sort of.  (This is when I wish I had spent half the time I spent Assistant Teaching making hot beverages). 

Okay well we'll have a trial run tomorrow from 12 until 2, all right?

And that's how I sort of have a trial run to get a cafe job. Maybe I didn't have to lie, maybe I could have played it straight. Instead, I'm going to be up for a few hours tonight searching the net for how to work an expresso machine and what a "Long Black" is versus a "Short Black". 

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Yesterday I filled out the application to volunteer at the Botanic Gardens in Dunedin. I'll be volunteering there next Friday from 1 until 4 in the afternoon. I'm really hoping the two jobs don't conflict. The gardens are really beautiful, even in the winter, and my job is to give out free duck food! Sweet as!

Simon's is listening to Alicia Keys right now and making a surprise dinner (I'm pretty sure it has something to do with tofu and burrito seasoning...). I'm reading "Crime and Punishment" which my other flatmate Tom gave me to read, so we can discuss it. 

It's been a rough week, I'll be the first to admit it, but things are looking better. Thanks to all of you for your support through email or phone calls, I really appreciate it.  Love to you all.

Cheers,

Abi