Happy New Year
Tomorrow is the start of another year, and personally I hope it’s a better one than the one just gone. It has been a very tough year for myself and my family, and I’m looking forward to a new one.
Today is also our 4th Anniversary of living in New Zealand. We arrived on the 31st December 2004, and celebrated our first New Years Eve as residents in Aotea Square in Auckland. There was an amazing atmosphere; it was just like a really big party, and everyone seemed to be in such a good mood. I remember a group of young lads standing next to us actually wishing us a happy new year when the fireworks went off. It was a real moment of difference between life here and in the UK.
The very next day, our first full day as residents, I did the Skyjump; off Auckland’s Skytower. I made a decision that I would start my new life here as I meant to go on, and to not let fear of doing something stop me. I can honestly say I have NEVER been so scared as when I walked out onto the ledge at the top of the tower. It took two attempts for the guy at the top to tell me to jump! But jump I did, and I’m really glad I did. Emigrating itself was a – truly terrifying experience for me – I’m such a homebody, and I always loved living in the Herefordshire countryside. So to give that up, to give up being close to my family, even for just a few years, was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I figured next to that – jumping off a perfectly serviceable building couldn’t be that hard!
Of course – then I decide to turn 18 months of forum posts into a book and sell it. Now I REALLY know the meaning of the word terror. But ho hum – it’s just another leap of another building. I’m pretty scared – but I’m doing it anyway.
That was actually our second New Years Eve celebration in New Zealand. We spent our honeymoon here, and were in Dunedin for New Year. We had a lovely meal at Corstophine house, and then went up into the Octagon for the party and fireworks.
These New Year events are very much family affairs, and generally Alcohol is banned, so there is almost no agro (at least not in our experience).
We will probably have a very quiet New Year, and not head into Wellington city for the celebrations. I fully intend getting up at a reasonable hour on New Years day and heading to the beach to do absolutely nothing except swim, laze around and be amazed that we live here.
Happy New Year – I hope it’s agood one for you.
Helen
Related posts:
- Happy Birthday – Avalon’s Blog is a Year Old.
- Are migrants in New Zealand really less happy?
- Masterton flight review
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