New Facebook Status

reads: Theresa is 11 days and 8,190 miles from home.

Meaning: I'm typing this from Auckland, New Zealand. More to come!

Aaaaand We're Off!

Almost a year of going around saying "I'm moving to New Zealand," and we're hours away. My carry-on is packed, my purse will be soon (soon!), and for the first time in my life I'll be a true backpacker. My parents laughed uproariously when I first put the backpack on and toppled backwards onto the bed.

Tomorrow at noon I'm meeting my college pal Esther at the airport, where we fly to Tokyo. I would be looking forward to it a wee bit more if the friend we're visiting had given us a tad more information than just his address. When are we meeting? Which tube/metro stop does he live off? Is he even alive? Exactly.

Well, after our four days in Tokyo we'll be going off to meet two of our girlfriends in South Korea: Esther's Texan friend from her Master's program in London, and my English flatmate from when I studied in Wales. Activities will include going to a 'bang' (the word for rooms you can rent -- e.g. a DVD bang, where you watch, you got it, DVDs), and possibly getting a fish pedicure. Supposedly when the minnows eat the dead skin off your feet it feels like your foot's asleep.

Then it's farewell to Esther and hello to China -- for eight hours. I ran downtown and back twice on Monday to get my visa, so I'm set for tooling around Shanghai for a few hours. Now, if only my friend's friend would write me back and let me know where to meet her... Story of my life right now.

Finally, after a 10-hour flight to Sydney, a one-hour layover, and a three-hour flight, I'll be in Auckland, and in my homeland for the next 12 months. My visa program is putting me up at a hostel for a couple of nights, then I'll stay with a friend-of-a-friend. I've already arranged with another American to celebrate Halloween with her. I'm going as someone related to the election. Guess who.

At the moment, having never set food in New Zealand, I'm imagining it to be a mixture of Wales and Hawaii. Remote and seen as a bit of a backwater by its larger neighbor (Wales with England, NZ with Australia), but with the Polynesian culture and stupendous natural beauty of Hawaii.

I can't wait to find out if I'm right.

Forward, Ho!

After inquiries from friends and expressions of amazement from relatives, I offer you my official itinerary:

Mon. 6 Oct. - Last day of work
Sat. 11 Oct. - Farewell party (details TBA)
Fri. 17 Oct. - Fly to Tokyo with my friend Esther to visit our Swiss friend Mike (arriving Sat. 18)
Wed. 22 Oct. - Fly to Seoul with Esther to visit her Texan friend; take bus to Ochang to visit our English friend Lucy
Sun. 26 Oct. - Depart Seoul, with an 8-hour layover in Shanghai and a 1-hour layover in Sydney
Mon. 27 Oct. - Arrive in Auckland, New Zealand
1st week of Nov. - At some point, go to Wellington, find temp job
Dec. - My family visits for 20 days
Thurs. 25 Dec. - Find someone to spend Christmas with

On Sunday, when some friends and I stopped by to see my grandpa in Champaign, I told him Esther and I were going to Tokyo. "I was in Japan once," he said, darting a glance at Asian-American Esther. "But it was under circumstances I'd better not get into..." I wanted to shout, "SHE'S CHINESE! Don't worry!" It was actually kind of funny, the way he put it.

I'm looking forward to going to Asia, especially since I think the trip will be a nice buffer between uprooting my entire life and moving to a strange country I've never been to, where I've never met anyone. It's all to scary to contemplate, but go I must. I'm sure I'll be fine...especially if you all visit.

How can I not love New Zealand?

They have a bar that hosts this:

Saturday, August 16
Battleska Gallactica
Start: 10:00 pm
End: 11:59 pm
Battleska Galactica consists of some of Wellington’s premier musicians. Combined, they form a six-piece instrumental ska explosion! Their fusion of the best elements of ska and jazz creates a delicious musical cocktail that is sure to get you up and shakin'!

Ska. Battlestar Galactica. Wordplay.
Amazingness.

Oh, and there are free massages on Tuesdays. I think I've just found my new favorite place...

Taking Flight

I wrote something for a music blog -- me, Miss Musically Uninclined! Ms. Musically Illiterate!
Okay, so I co-wrote it with my friend, who's a professional music freelance writer. But still.

Read on, my friends, read on.



(And imagine me running into Bret and Jemaine in Wellington. I can tell them I was in the fourth row at their sold-out concert in Chicago in May.)

NZ, ahoy!

Most of you have gotten this over email, but I'm posting it on the web in case some hapless stranger stumbles across my humble blog and, on the strength of my narcissistic writing, offers me a job out of the blue. (Which, after reading my blog in its entirety, seems as unlikely as a unicorn giving an alien a backrub. Which the Vatican would probably be okay with.)

Dear friends & family,

Yes, it's true!

In October I'm moving to New Zealand for a year, after a visit to Japan and Korea to see friends who will be living there. I'm participating in the same work visa program, BUNAC, that I did when I moved to London after college.

I'm telling you now so you can start re-watching The Lord of The Rings and saving for a trip of a lifetime. Or heck, if you're American + under 35 you can get your very own work visa and come live with me. ;)

Now I just need two small things:
#1) a job (preferably in Auckland or Wellington)
#2) a place to live
Oh, and some friends might be nice as well.

If you can help me with any of these vital necessities, I would be grateful. And if you can visit, I would be thrilled!

Love,
Theresa

A friend passed along a blog she avidly reads, written by a former Seattle-ite who has been living in Wellington, I believe on the same program I'll be doing. This post, wherein the author describes her feelings upon being accepted to the program, so authentically mirrors myself that I hope you will all read it.

Back when I had all of my roommate problems in January -- when I was literally homeless and didn't know where I'd be living the next month, let alone for the next year -- I went to an open bar at a holistic spa in Wicker Park. Taking advantage of the free services (in addition to the free martinis), I had my chakras read. The woman doing it asked why I didn't feel like I had a home (whoa), and then told me that I wasn't listening to anyone or anything. I needed to understand that "the Universe will take care of you." And, as corny as it sounds, I think it has been and will.