It's Official

It’s been an exciting few weeks for me in New Zealand. After several months of searching, interviewing, inspecting, and negotiating, I’ve finally found a new job and a new place to live in Hamilton. At times I wasn’t sure about the prospects and even less sure about the potential opportunities, but fortunately it’s all come together. This means in less then two months I will be moving four hours north to Hamilton, extending my stay in New Zealand, and hopefully not deterring Jason in my attempt at cohabitation. Throughout this process I’ve learned a few things:

1. Putting a price on one’s value is not an easy task. There is a national doctor shortage in New Zealand. This means that anyone who inquires about a position will be eagerly pursued. At one point I had four offers on the table, all asking me to name my price. What was I to say? I’ve only had two paid positions since finishing training. Both at equal salaries and so much higher then I’d been making during training I thought I’d hit the jackpot both times. Now, I was meant to name the pot. Easier said then done.

2. Real estate is hot commodity. Housing prices are booming these days, and investors are finding good value in buying properties and renting them out, hoping to turn a profit in the long run and get a tax break at the same time. This means those without the cash base or not wanting to buy currently are left fighting for the rental properties. On more then one occasion Jason or I would phone to inquire about a property listed that morning in the Saturday paper to find it’d already been rented. After a hot tip to look on TradeMe, the New Zealand equivalent of Ebay, we found a property that wouldn’t be available for several weeks and hadn’t hit the papers yet. Fortunately, we were able to view it and beat everyone else to the punch.

3. Immigration will always be the rate limiting step. Thinking I’d get ahead of the game, as soon as I gave an email acceptance of my new job, I started arranging my work permit extension paperwork. Sending it in over two months before my deadline to leave the country, I was kindly greeted with a friendly text, “Hi Jennifer, Thxs 4 your work appl received on 23/5/07. Your appl No is *******. We will be in touch within 45days. Immigration NZ.” This text is disturbing on a number of levels. One, the friendly nature of the text would imply that they might expedite my application. Especially since I’ve been through this process twice before. Second, think if I’d been a procrastinator? I might have been kicked out of the country before I was permitted to stay. Good thing I have a new place in Hamilton to hide out.

4. I will not miss my biweekly four hour car trip from Hawera to Hamilton. Now having made the trip two weekends in a row and nearly biweekly for the preceding seven months, I have memorized almost ever curve, town, and tunnel on the 300 kilometer journey. While initially it was fun to admire the scenery, as winter has approached and a majority of my trip has taken place under darkness, I’ve learned to time myself between destination points. Often grumbling as I’m trapped behind slow travelers, I’m equally lucky to follow vehicles that find the 100 kilometer speed limit a mere suggestion. And universally, I’ve found truckers are very kind at pulling over to let me pass. Still its four hours each way I’ll be happy finding something else to occupy my time. Oh, and perhaps keep me out of danger of obtaining another speeding ticket.