Lists.

Things Wellingtonians like to talk about:
How much they love David Beckham and the fact that he came to play the Wellington Pheonix with his LA Galaxy… and I quote, “Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham Beckham”

Things I like eating in Wellington:
Milo, Tim Tams, Hot Chips, Kiwis, Avocados, Oranges, Bananas, Biscuits (Bikkies!), A burger named “Bastard”, Gelato, Hokey Pokey, Indian takeaways.

Things I like about my flat:
Rainbow wallpaper in my bedroom. A pillow (actual real size, not camping fit-in-your-back-pocket size). Borrowed duvet since camping sleeping bag is like sleeping in a Ziploc bag. Buying groceries and not having to carry them around every day. The view of Wellington. The walk downtown through Central Park. The odd t.v. show. Musically informed flatmates and their radio show. Clothesline. Clean laundry that doesn’t have to be packed in a backpack. Free wireless Internet, even if it does occasionally seem to blow away in the mighty Wellington wind. A kitchen that is usually empty. Broken chairs in the back that have been reformed into loungey sun chairs.

Things I could do without:
The odd cockroach. Eek.

Things I have been doing in Wellington (a la graduation yearbook styles):
Te Papa museum, sharing sandwiches with Emma in the café (CHOW CHOW!), Santa parade, reading in the skate park (I heart Douglas Coupland), getting caught up and eating sushi with lovely Laura, lots of uphill walking – “mega-calves”, ska concert with zee Germans Jasmin and Christian – Offbeats rule, Ska Child drools (actually they were quite good too but the Offbeats were amazing), blowing away, overrated wind turbine with an awesome view, “Here is my hair. Here is my hair on Wellington”, cupcakes for Bart, playing with babies (“Goo gah spew” + cuddles cuddles cuddles), playing with toddlers (“I did poos”)(luckily dealing with that is not in my job description), playing with 4 year olds (reading lots of fantastic stories), Brooklyn Fair (“What, no clowns?”), Tui Tui Tui, I love you Lauren!!!, wishing Lauren would come live with me in NZ, trying to get Lauren a job in NZ, moa pose, drinking Canadian Club with a bunch of people I don’t know dressed up as various Russian things/people (remember the Kalishnakov?), feeling homesick at a party, missing you, Thorndon Fair (mini donuts and crafty things), more roses, the Bastard, gingembre.

Things I miss from Canada:
You. The Hour and anything CBC related, incl. Hockey Night in Canada. Snow. Snowboarding. Tobogganing. Snowpants. Toques and mittens. I love mittens. Poutine. Watching snow fall. Drinking hot chocolate when it’s snowing. Making Christmas and New Years plans with friends and family. Aveda hair products. Actually any hair product that isn’t either a) not doing my hair any favours, or b) a gajillion dollars. Community Foods food (not the store, just the food). After-hours banking. A salary. The ozone layer.

Some photos.