Shipping Is Booked

We have booked the shipping container. There’s a lot of moving parts, a lot of companies involved. Someone to pack it locally and get it on the container. Take the container to the US port and on the ship. Across the ocean. To the NZ port. Off the ship. Container shipped to the house. Never mind that we haven’t found a house yet. It will be fine.

Right now it’s taking 2-3 months for a container to go from California to New Zealand. About 3 x as long as normal because of the challenges created by the pandemic. So we need to find a furnished place to rent for a few months. Or, if we find a truly great place to rent but it is unfurnished, we’ll do that and just get a few pieces to get us by. The most important thing is the school zone for the kids. We’re looking at 3 different options and 1 of them has very few rentals. As in the US, you have to show proof of residency in the zone you live in for your school. You can apply to a different school outside your zone but the availability changes every year as that puts you at the lowest priority. The second most important thing is a garage. Hubs has a classic car he’s bringing and doesn’t want it out in the elements. Based on initial research, with just the school and garage being the priorities, I think it’s going to be slim pickings. Every kiwi from around the world is trying to get home right now and there is a housing shortage.

I watched a video of a woman who is a US citizen living in NZ with her family and she did a list of 10 things different about the two countries. I was hoping it would be a little in-depth, maybe insight into how the education system works from a parent’s perspective. Or interesting kids activities. But no. She lead with hokey pokey being a different flavor and then bravely sang a rendition of the song, Hokey Pokey. So, fun, but not what I was looking for. It probably exists but I’m kind of looking forward to just jumping in.

You know what I will need is other women who want to meet for a coffee or a cocktail. Someone that doesn’t care that my house isn’t tidy but it is full of love and fun. That everything is not organic or home made but there are always healthy snacks. There are also always vodka tonics. Maybe someone that wants to try tennis for the first time or join a book club. Or do one of those paint and wine things. It’s hard to be the new kid, no matter how old you are.