New Zealand - One year in Middle-earth

This post is dedicated to my experience in New Zealand while I was living there for one year.

Since I left Germany in 2007 to travel the world, I was in Thailand and two years in Australia. In September 2009 my visa expired and I moved to Auckland in New Zealand. My first day was exciting. When I arrived at the Airport, I took the bus to Auckland City and enjoyed the long ride while looking out of the bus window, curious and excited like a child. I did not know what to expect in this new country but somehow I knew that it will be amazing and fun.

I checked in the YHA in Auckland and then I took a city tour with the bus. The amazing skyline and the busy streets full of shops, restaurants and so many people made the city look huge and fascinating. Auckland is great for eating out and to live there. The best thing is the city library where you can use the internet for free if you have a membership card. I applied for my tax file number, opened a bank account and converted my european driver licence into a New Zealand driver licence - now I was feeling almost like a local.

After three weeks I was able to find a job in a central hostel as a receptionist. I had no previous experience but I was able to score with my Japanese language skills. The hostel owner was Japanese and most of the customers as well, this is how I got the job.

The time there was the most exciting and interesting experience so far. As a receptionist you learn to know so many guests from all over the world. The work was very busy and I spend my free time on learning how to trade Forex, improving my Japanese and dating.

Working in a hostel I made so many new friends (and some enemies) and eventually started dating one of our guests. Work and private life should be separate and the beginning was challenging. Keeping the relationship secret is not easy and avoiding gossip is even harder. But you become creative in finding opportunities to get what you want without getting caught. At the end everybody knew about us and it was fine.

I decided to leave New Zealand after one year and I took a flight to Japan to live for a while in Tokyo. It was a first time for me to be in Japan and the next post about this interesting country is coming soon.