Hello everyone,
finally I found some time and quicker internet to write to you and update my blog! A lot has happened since my last post. Some of you might have heard already but for those who havnt, here's the story! Well, as you know I have started my work placement mid november, at a horse ranch in New Zealand. Before hand I have been in contact with them, arranging my stay, daily activities and assignments. Once I arrived, however... things were not going as expected. The first two weeks were ok. I was settling in and being with the horses all day, bringing them in from the fields, brushing them up, taking them on a speedwalks to the beach and back were fun. being outside, with the fresh air and the great scenery around... it was fun! But since I did come here as a work placement from my uni I decided to talk to the owners to discuss the future process of my work since this could not only be what I was here for. Surprisingly, thier and my expectations went into two different directions. Weird, because we had discussed these things through email before... but ok! During our conversation we then came up with some more uni related assignments which actually seemed to be interesting. The annoying thing was however, that the hours spent on those assignments was still just too little to make it valuable for my reports and my personal development. After a while I just had the feeling that if I werent to say anything more I was going back to only groom work. And having to remind them constantly about what I had initially came for... seemed just too much of a one way communication and interest! So, after trying to improve things... but not seeing any changes... I decided to leave for good and look for a new exiting placement in New Zealand. I guess I could have stayed there for another while, but that would have just costed me time. Since work hours were very long, it only enabled me to search on the web one or two hours in the evening. And since I wasnt even paid...why stay? Funny, because the morning of my birthday I was working till midday, and then I went into the office and quit! My own birthday present for myself ;-) So, the week after I quit I still stayed at where I was living, spending the days on the internet looking around for new options and then meeting up with friends in the evening. All those days I was hoping to receive a package sent from home... unfortunately it still hasnt arrived! So, last Sunday...the 4th Advent, I packed my bags, filled up the tank and left to Auckland. It was such a beautiful drive up!!! By accident I went on a detour, but I am just soo happy that happened. It was the most beautiful stretch of the ride!
So here I am now... in Auckland with friends of my family, Alan and Carol, again sending off emails for new placements.
Tomorrow I Christmas!!! What??? I am soo not in x-mas feeling! I am walking around in shorts, flip flops and tank tops! The sun is shinning, people lying on the beach... thats not Christmas? ;-)
I am actually at work with Carol... listening to Christmas Carols with the air conditioning on, hehe... but there is a little more wintery feeling in the air!
So, the next couple of days I will stay with Alan and Carol, go up North with them on the 27th December, celebrate Christmas with thier family, look at another horse ranch there (potential placement). And then see how things go. I have a friend down South, north of of the south island... maybe go down there for new years? or back to Waikanae where I made some friends... see where it takes me ;-)
finally I found some time and quicker internet to write to you and update my blog! A lot has happened since my last post. Some of you might have heard already but for those who havnt, here's the story! Well, as you know I have started my work placement mid november, at a horse ranch in New Zealand. Before hand I have been in contact with them, arranging my stay, daily activities and assignments. Once I arrived, however... things were not going as expected. The first two weeks were ok. I was settling in and being with the horses all day, bringing them in from the fields, brushing them up, taking them on a speedwalks to the beach and back were fun. being outside, with the fresh air and the great scenery around... it was fun! But since I did come here as a work placement from my uni I decided to talk to the owners to discuss the future process of my work since this could not only be what I was here for. Surprisingly, thier and my expectations went into two different directions. Weird, because we had discussed these things through email before... but ok! During our conversation we then came up with some more uni related assignments which actually seemed to be interesting. The annoying thing was however, that the hours spent on those assignments was still just too little to make it valuable for my reports and my personal development. After a while I just had the feeling that if I werent to say anything more I was going back to only groom work. And having to remind them constantly about what I had initially came for... seemed just too much of a one way communication and interest! So, after trying to improve things... but not seeing any changes... I decided to leave for good and look for a new exiting placement in New Zealand. I guess I could have stayed there for another while, but that would have just costed me time. Since work hours were very long, it only enabled me to search on the web one or two hours in the evening. And since I wasnt even paid...why stay? Funny, because the morning of my birthday I was working till midday, and then I went into the office and quit! My own birthday present for myself ;-) So, the week after I quit I still stayed at where I was living, spending the days on the internet looking around for new options and then meeting up with friends in the evening. All those days I was hoping to receive a package sent from home... unfortunately it still hasnt arrived! So, last Sunday...the 4th Advent, I packed my bags, filled up the tank and left to Auckland. It was such a beautiful drive up!!! By accident I went on a detour, but I am just soo happy that happened. It was the most beautiful stretch of the ride!
So here I am now... in Auckland with friends of my family, Alan and Carol, again sending off emails for new placements.
Tomorrow I Christmas!!! What??? I am soo not in x-mas feeling! I am walking around in shorts, flip flops and tank tops! The sun is shinning, people lying on the beach... thats not Christmas? ;-)
I am actually at work with Carol... listening to Christmas Carols with the air conditioning on, hehe... but there is a little more wintery feeling in the air!
So, the next couple of days I will stay with Alan and Carol, go up North with them on the 27th December, celebrate Christmas with thier family, look at another horse ranch there (potential placement). And then see how things go. I have a friend down South, north of of the south island... maybe go down there for new years? or back to Waikanae where I made some friends... see where it takes me ;-)
Now, here are some pictures from when i was still on the ranch until the drive up to Auckland! The pictures are in the wrong order. So, best if you start from way below. ;-)
To all of you, where ever you are... Germany, England, Holland, USA, Australia, New Zealand... and the rest of the world...
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!
Sophie and me in Wellington! She also quit working at the horse ranch a week before I did. And since she had a lot of stuff to take back home I offered to take her to Wellington, spend a night there, discovering its night life, sleeping in the car and then taking her to the ferry the next morning! And thats what we did! I will never forget that... it was amazing!!!
A great view over Wellington
Party time in Wellington! We went bar hoping, from one dance floor to the other! Great fun! FarOut as Soph would say ;-)
This was our cosy, little accommodation for the night! We found a great place, quiet but with people close...safe!
As you can see, the car was full!!!! This is where we got ready for the party. As my mom said: We tarted ourselves up in the car, and then hit wellington downtown with our "dancin shoes" on... hehe
I am sure that every tourist in Wellington took the same picture ;-)
On the way to Wellington! With music loud and smiling faces!
Danke Wissi. A friend made this for me. I will try to make it part of my blog layout. But till now I havnt figured that out yet;-)
These were my work mates. Anna on the left, Sophie in the middle and me on the right. Enjoying the sunshine the horse fields spread out in front of us!
The ground of the horse ranch... beautiful as long it wasnt raining, hehe!
On the big stem looking over the roudn pen and the stunning scenery around me!
These were my work mates. Anna on the left, Sophie in the middle and me on the right. Enjoying the sunshine the horse fields spread out in front of us!
The ground of the horse ranch... beautiful as long it wasnt raining, hehe!
On the big stem looking over the roudn pen and the stunning scenery around me!
Horse whispering demonstration for a Christmas Party
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