Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Island Life

I'm on the countdown to finally going home to New Zealand after 6 1/2 years away in Australia and New Caledonia - only 3 weeks to go yippee!!  For the past two years we have been in New Caledonia, a small French governed island in the Pacific, and to be honest it has been a very long 2 years, I really can't wait to leave!

Things I'm looking forward to:
  • English speaking people (they speak French here and I don't, it makes everything so difficult!)
  • The simple pleasure of reading a Sunday paper or magazine
  • Fruit and Vege stores, where supply is plentiful and stock is fresh -some of the stuff they try to sell here is criminal!
  • Shopping - ah  to have variety, choice, cheaper prices, craft stores - credit card get ready for a thrashing!
  • Being closer to family and friends especially with new bubs on the way
  • Living in one place longer than a couple of years - finally I can settle, nest, decorate, start a business!

Things I'll miss:
  • The food - ah the pastries, baguettes, crepes, salted butter caramel sauce, mmmmm
  • The lovely mild winters - we are so going to freeze when we get back home, Miss4 has no idea what cold is, shes in for a shock!
  • The beaches along with their lovely warm water
  • The simple stressfree lifestyle
  • My daughter will miss being able to run round in just her undies 95% of the time!

Things I wont miss:
  • The humidity and the rain (just has not stopped raining here for months!)
  • Shops closing for lunch - lost count of the number of times I was caught out by that one - grrrr
  • The simple stressfree lifestyle - not much to do round here especially when its raining!
  • Not being able to communicate with people, no more pigeon english and charades required!
  • Waiting for the ship to come in - most things are imported here, and you often have shortages on the basics
  • French bureaucratic red tape - they love their paperwork here.
  • Cheques - they are king here, hello NZ circa 1980's - bring on the EFTPOS.
  • The expense - wow this place is really expensive, and I hate being ripped off! 


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