Bits and Pieces
Just some bits and pieces (they say that often, I love it!) of goings on in the last few days.
Money
It’s taken a little time getting used to the currency and its conversion. You get about $.73NZ to $1US so our dollar does go a little further here which is nice. Something that costs $50NZ is about $37US. It’s hard going into a store and shopping because I used to have no idea how much things were costing.Thankfully my trusty pay-as-you-go mobile phone has a currency converter on it.
Also, they have fewer denominations so they do a good bit of rounding. They have $100, $50, $20, $10 & $5 in bills and they have $2, $1, .50, .20 & .10 in coins.
Rounding – If your total is $10.38 and you give them a $20, your change is $9.62. However, they will give you a $5 bill, 2 - $2 coins and 3 - .20 coins totalling $9.60. Crazy isn’t it but the way I look at it is simple. They don’t worry about the pennies…the small stuff. That really seems to be a universal mantra.
$20 & $10 bills (didn't have a $5 or $100 to show)
Petone Toy Library
This has to be the best idea ever! Today we ventured to the Petone Toy Library. (Petone is a little town about 10 minutes from our house and where we set out to go on our bus trip the other day. J) It is a “library” for toys where you can borrow toys just as you would borrow books from the regular library. They have lots of toys to choose from: riding toys, legos, baby toys, puzzles, kitchen playsets, even a trampoline and much more. The kids were so excited to choose some ”new” toys to bring home. You pay a yearly fee and can “borrow” up to 10 items at a time. You have 2 weeks to use them and bring them back and then you can “borrow” more toys. What a beautiful concept! This way the kids can play with new toys, return them and get different toys. They get tired of the same toys anyway so this way they have more variety and it costs us very little. I will have to start one in the States! We will be frequenting the PTL as often as possible.
Tea-Time
Ben had a clinic up north yesterday and he said at 10am they stopped their clinic, stopped seeing patients (which is a really neat story in itself and quite efficient) and had a cart wheeled in with hot water, teas and coffee. Yes, they had tea time right in the middle of clinic. For about 30 minutes they enjoyed their time and then got right back to work seeing their patients. They also take 1 ½ hour lunch breaks. I think we have a lot to learn from this culture. How much less stressful would we all be if we stopped in our hectic, crazy days and sipped hot tea, took a good lunch break and just enjoyed ourselves?
We are invited to our first Tea Time on Sunday at 3pm with the program director, Ben’s boss. I can’t wait! It will be a learning experience for sure! What do you wear to Tea Time? I hope jeans are acceptable because that’s all I packed!
Skype
How fun is technology!? We’ve been able to stay in touch with family and friends through email, FB, etc…but Skype has really been so fun. Today we talked to Ben’s parents and to his Grandfather and his wife. We talked to my parents this week as well. We were able to show them around the house with my netbook/webcam and give them a feel of how we are living. Of course, the kids always put on a good show when we get anyone on video or the phone so that’s always interesting. Ben’s grandfather was saying how he never imagined 65 years ago he’d be able to talk to and see someone clear across the world so clearly, if at all. He was in the South Pacific during the war and as you know, letters were the main source of communication, so being in this neck of the woods and being able to do what we can today is just amazing. I think it was a really neat experience for him. It’s always neat and special when we get to see anyone from home!
Figuring it out
I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to be around such laid-back, no-frills people. It’s wonderful. Also, time seems to go so slowly here as well. Ben and I have commented to each other numerous times how long the days seem to be. By 6pm we’ve eaten dinner, taken baths and are reading books or playing the rest of the evening until bed. I have read more books to the kids here than I have in a long time. I am so happy to be able to do that and just enjoy them.
I’m really trying to figure out what God is trying to teach me while we’re here. I have so many things I want to accomplish in my business so it’s hard for me to be away for so long from my consultants and my personal business. However, I know God always has a plan and a reason for putting us in the places that He puts us in. I just need to figure what that reason is and in the meantime enjoy this uninterrupted, special time with the kids and Ben.
Maybe this is the year I really focus on our family and figure out my big goals and dreams. I just pray for clarity and vision and patience and I know it will come to me.
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