NCC Christmas Party

You’re probably wondering if we are still alive … yes, we are. It’s just been a week of reintegration back into the real world, perhaps. This was my first week back working full-time, while Don has been at it for a few weeks now. I have been assigned to a special project over two weeks (one, the week just passed and again next week) and all I can tell you is these 8-5 days are freaking killing me. Fortunately for me, I will go back to part-time work, filling my weeks with about 30-35 hours for the foreseeable future.

The week did have its perks … I moved into an office with a window overlooking the hills over the Maitai River and below down to the Central Business District (CBD), and it opens up with fresh air!! Now just wait a minute before you get all excited, I am still a temp. So I’m office-sharing with my co-worker Jungle, so I have a desk and one set of drawers in a much larger office. But still, I went from looking at a wall to looking at green hills and the Centre of New Zealand, not bad for a temp.

Today was the first casual dress day since late-August (when my tenure began) and it was in honor of the Council-wide Christmas party. The party I wrote about previously was my department’s party. This was the big one, and we had a BBQ theme with food that didn’t seem too barbecue-y, really, but it was food. We had a DJ who just sat there and twirled his thumb on his ipod, and a great view of the local rugby stadium where our very own Tasman Markos (a shark) play.

You can’t beat two free drinks (unless you’re at an Abacus party where the bar stays open until after even Hazel Miller finishes her set AND has two drinks), free food (I only cooked dinner once this week, awesome!), and chatting with really nice people. The goal, of course, is to make an effort to get my job permanently. I have to continue making a good impression, especially on the social end where Kiwis excel (and I do not). But I think we’re making some good friends too.

My officemate Jungle is from Santa Barbara and he is totally unique and his own person, but a really good guy. He’s lived here for 13 years and we’ve become fast friends. His quirks are entertaining and he’s got me hooked on the cool Kiwi game of Tantrix (NOT what you are thinking, it’s similar to dominoes in a way). Another department colleague is Jade; she and her partner Chris and Don and I spent a lot of time chatting tonight, following up on a dinner out last week together at the swankiest place in town, Harry’s Bar.

We left before the liquor flowed too long (wouldn’t want to feel pressure to join the table dancing) and totally pooped out by 10pm (how very un-kiwi), me especially, exhausted from the week where it felt like I worked 24 hours straight for 5 days, and Don because he went on his first 2-hour cycle ride on typical New Zealand roads made of rock and tar, bumping the whole way. As long as they aren’t cobbles, right?

Anyway, we’ll stay in touch about weekend activities and we have many upcoming plans to share about Christmas, the New Year’s break, and summer!