Wow, 11 december, time flies ! Last update was from Welly, and quite a lot of things happened after that, so I'll try to give u guys a "short" overview.

Stayed in Welly for about a week, because I had to talk with some people about volunteering. So I took the train to Waikanae, bout an hour North of Welington, at the Kapiti Coast, to meet at El Rancho, a Christian Holiday camp. They picked me up from the station and offered me lunch first ! I could volunteer at their camp, and that means helping with all the activities (from climbing wall to canoeing to rifle shooting !), but also all kinds of other work, washing dishes, maintenance etcetera. Sounded good !

Two days later I took the train to Upper Hutt and got picked up to ride to Camp Kaitoke from the NZ YMCA. Cool place as well, a bit more primitive but in beautiful surroundings. Could do some project work for them, helping to build an art shed, help with their horses and get introduced to all their camp activities.

So two steady volunteer offers ! Could start both around January, El Rancho is more long term, YMCA more projectwise. So got december to travel around the South Island and do some tramps. My last day in Welly I walked the Southern Walkway, about 12 kilometres from the Mt Victoria Lookout (pretty steep !) along a ridgeline to South Bay. I kinda love Welly, and believe it or not....I even saw coyotes, monkeys and emoes along the way !!!! (Coz I walked along the fence of the Welly Zoo ;-) ) Nice warm up for my tramp later on !

Took the ferry to Picton on a Sunday, really nice weather. And I met Toos, a colleague of my mum, at Te Papa the day before, and on the ferry again. Checked in at Atlantis Backpackers in Picton, and surprised Tina and Noortje by picking them up from the watertaxi that afternoon. They had just walked the first leg of the Queen Charlotte Track, and didn't know I was coming. They work at Atlantis for free acco, and Tina also works at the local icecreamstore.

The next day the other group of girls arrived, I already met up in Welly, but they took the ferry a day later.

And yeah, just in Picton and planned to travel around and then start volunteering....but life is what happens when busy making other plans.... Got a phone call from Child Youth and Family in Invercargill about a job interview. They would pay a flight from Christchurch, back and forth on one day to attend the interview. Wow ! And 2 minutes later I got another call...from IDEA in Whangarei who alos invited me for an interview... so told them that I would get back to them after the Invercargill interview. And I already cancelled another jobinterview in Kaitatai ! So suddenly it happened all at once !!!

So I booked a bustrip to Christchurch fro the week after, and decided to do the Queen Charlotte Track in the Marlborough Sounds before that. The hardcore way, in 3 days, carrying all my gear. Normally people do it in 4 days, and the boatcompany transports the luggage. But ey...I'm tramping not just walking ! And I had a great time. 71 kilometres with stunning views, steep uphill and downhill parts and a lot of sunshine. It was heavy but awesome, and I met some nice people on the way, so we met up at the campsites at night. First solo tramp, and proud !!!!

Didn't have a lot of time to relax and rest my feet though, just one day to wash my stuff and chill out (very nice to walk on jandals again...), and watch some life Xmas carrols. Still think Xmas doesn't make sense in summer...just doesn't feel like Xmas at all.

Ow, and yeah, met Karlyn very shortly as well, driving through Picton. He had to clean up his bus so I got some very euhhhh usefull presents: a scratched Manu Chao CD, a non-working MP3player and a single sock...hahaha. Chatted for a while, and when on the tramp he txted that he got the whole month of decmeber off to spend Xmas with his family, and he got promoted (to his own surprise..he thought he was going to get fired haha), he's gonna ride for Adventure Tours. Way to go !

Well, and I just got back from my Christchurch-Invercargill-Christchurch-Picton trip. Pretty tired. Interview went well I guess. Had to roleplay a referral by telephone and write a report about it, and then had an hour interview with a panel of 3 people, with basically the same questions they asked at the interview in Christchurch. And now I'm waiting for the result. Invercargill is not the best or nicest place though, feel no vibe at all over there, and it kinda worries me. Can I cope living there on my own ? But on the other hand, if I invest in this job I will soon have my Residence permit.

And yeah..thinking too much right now. Realise I'm not really happy at this point. New Zealand is still cool as, but as long as 'm not doing something that gives me energy and a good feeling it doesn't feel that good. That's the differnce with last year, when I was so happy doing the snowboard course and stuff. I felt at the right place, and I don't have that feeling now. I feel kinda lost, and I even noticed that I started thinking about being back home again. Not that I want to be home now, but I just want to feel happy again. Kinda lonely as well. Good to meet up with people, but I'm just not that good with being around girls all the time..

And worry about getting a job as social worker. Pretty stressful, scared to get stressed out again. But it's my way in. But I miss the snowboardteaching right now, I guess my real passion is working with kids and teens in something like teaching and coaching. Miss the energy I get from that. So if the job doesn't work out the volunteering at El Rancho might be the best option !!!! Got mails from people from my course last year who are in Canada for the winterseason, after finishing their first season in NZ. Mmmm.

Booked myself on a Stray bus to Nelson on Sunday, have to stay around till I hear back bout the job. Coz might have to get back to Auckland to sort out the paperwork, or to have an interview in Whangarei. I hate these times where I can't plan anything because I have to wait for other people's decisions. Guess I'm just really tired right now, and some sleep will get me back in the positive mood. Coz I am in f##cking New Zealand, and I will find what I'm looking for !

Hi to all you out there, hugz !

Marlieke