3 months

Hi there, almost 3 months ago i moved to Auckland, and I can hardly believe it was just 90 days ago.

It's been a tough time recently. 

Last weekend my mom who lives in Altay in the middle of Russia lost her dog. This dog, Lisa, was a true member of the family and she has lived with us for nearly 20 years. Now mom is officially there alone, and it was literally a physical pain to hear her crying on the phone. 

You know, time goes on and parents are not getting younger. Everyday you spend away trying to settle down in a foreign country or saving for a house to bring old ones to visit, your parents are one day closer to the other big day.

Mom feels her life has passed away and she doesn't have much to wait for. Her only concern is me being happy and us living near by. Here I am, as far away as only possible.

The second commitment is my dog Chiquita whom I had to leave in Finland. If I knew from the very beginning she'd have to be away for that long, I would never move to NZ by myself at first place. 

For now Chiquita lives with my good friend, but she has already gotten health problems because of the stress and all medical treatments she had to go through. It will take another month-two to bring her to NZ.

As you see, immigration is not going to be an easy way if you have commitments or strong emotional bonds  at home. I would really question the decision twice.

Speaking about me, there were times when i was going to bed thinking tomorrow i would buy a ticket back for sure, but life is not that easy, of course. In Auckland, and I don't regret it after all. Still a chance to beat them all.

On the good side, I've found a job, and I start on Monday. 

As most best things in life, it came all of sudden. They called me early on Friday and invited for an interview. I had other things to do, the place to see was far away, and it was about to rain, but well, a chance  was still a chance.

The company is a small family run business in selling and hiring machines and equipment like excavators. It doesn't happen often but I felt like being a part of the family from the very first minute. The best part is that people in the company are very open-minded and flexible. I'll be independent and I will have a lot of things to do and to learn. I've got my first task to do, the "homework": to learn driving rules and pass a test on Monday. Guys promised to get me driving in one month already, can you imagine.

Oh yes, my job has nothing to do with polymers, it's an administrative role with a touch of accounting and marketing - ideal case for me for now.

Polymers are here to stay though, and i have a plan for them too.

A few days ago I was coming back from another interview, got lost and had to use a train. Trains are much older here than in Finland, but for some reason I like them a lot, and coming home from the station I thought it would be cool to work somewhere I'd have to go by train. The dream came true :)

Another dream that almost came true was a hammock. I fell for the idea in Dusseldorf a few years ago when we saw it in a shop in the City center.

 And look what I've found on the Long Bay beach a few weeks ago

The cat on the following picture lives somewhere in my neighborhood. It's famous for being extremely fluffy, arrogant and photogenic. 

My first picture from the well-known around Mount Eden, and you can see the crater behind me.

Closing of the open air movies season in Viaduct. We watched old "Willy Wonka and Chocolate Factory "- major like.

On Sunday we went to pick up mushrooms. Yuki was there with us!

A few mushrooms I saw mostly looked like that one.

Basically, we found no mushrooms but met locals who let us ride horses instead. I was not complaining.

A Finnish touch in Auckland: korvapuusteja

A rainy day in Auckland, it's a middle of autumn already, oh boy.

On the way to my job-to-be I felt a familiar smell. It was so nice, I couldn't help but follow it. Guess what, guys were building composite walls. You can definitely state I miss Arcada, say hi to Rene from me.

 Superwomen don't cry.

P.s. Pasha, your taking-pictures-skills need an urgent improvement!

Bu,

Lena