Folks, I conquered
the harbor. A couple of weeks ago I completed my second open-water swimming
competition, which was a 2.4km race across the Waitemata Harbour just west of
the Harbour Bridge. What an exhausting, but fun challenge! The water temperature
felt quite pleasant, and I improved my pace from my first swim two weeks prior
to finish third in the women’s non-wetsuit division. The only real drawback
about the race was that once we completed the swimming portion, we had to climb
a dozen slick stone steps to reach the finish line—which is tough to do when
your muscles feel like jelly. For full disclosure, I’ve included very
unattractive photos of myself just after I crossed the finish. I defy you to do
a swim like that and be camera-ready.
Another challenge I flung
myself into: baking a pie. On Thanksgiving, I mentioned to my host parents that
it was the first time I was spending the holiday away from home, and they said,
“We’ll have a Thanksgiving here, then! Tomorrow. Make a dessert.” I initially
agreed to a pumpkin pie, but because that’s not a popular ingredient here, it’s
not available in cans. Sweet potato pie, it would be then! I quickly found a
simple recipe online, hit the local grocery store the following day, and
nervously assembled the ingredients that evening. I must say it turned out
better than I expected, but my family is full of talented kitchen-folk, so admittedly
my standards are pretty high. My host family complimented it, and they made a
wonderful meal, so I’m glad I could contribute something to our
mini-Thanksgiving feast.
I was glad to give a little culture back for all that I've taken in, particularly vocabulary. The latest:
- kumera – sweet potato. My host family and I had a debate about the differences among sweet potatoes, kumera, and yams—I had nothing to contribute other than a firm belief that they’re all delicious.
- tin – can (as in, “tinned tomatoes” instead of “canned tomatoes”)
- chilly bin - cooler
- singlet – tank top
-
jandals – flip flops; a portmanteau of “Japanese sandals"
- togs – bathing suit
- arvo – afternoon
- wag – to cut class
- throw a wobbly – throw a tantrum. The girl I take care of will turn two in February, so I may become quite familiar with this…
It hasn’t really felt
like the holiday season, of course, since it’s approaching summertime here. I’ve
been wearing shorts and tank tops for most of the past month, which I find
necessary not only because of the weather but because I still have to chase two
kids around all day. In addition, central heating and air isn’t that common
here, which means that when the weather is hot, you can’t always escape into
the icy refuge of a building. Instead most places (including my host family) simply
open the windows and doors, without worrying about screens, either, so we keep
bug repellent and a flyswatter handy. This cultural difference still surprises
me sometimes, but it really isn’t too bad; I have spent most of my summers
sweating in the Georgia heat, y’all.
The weather also
means I can spend time somewhere I love: the beach. Unfortunately I haven’t
gotten to visit the sands as often as I’d like yet; I took the kids there for a
short walk through the waves one afternoon, and I’ve gotten some quality time
on the shore during my open water swims. However, I know I’ll have ample
opportunity in the near future to sprawl out on a beach towel and listen to the
surf. In addition to time on weekends to take some trips to the water, I should
have opportunities around New Years to travel around, but I haven’t quite made
up my mind where all I’d like to go.
 |
| a North Shore beach view of Rangitoto |
I’m thrilled about
all the exciting things I’ll get up to this summer!
—Lenora
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