Livin' in New Zealand: September 2008

Well... after a year + of paperwork, it seems like God is opening the doors to one of our long-term dreams of exploring New Zealand. Thomas has signed a contract with CHEAL consultants, an engineering firm in Taupo, New Zealand: http://www.cheal.co.nz/

If all goes as planned, we'll depart the U.S. in mid-October, undergoing a 2 day flight that travels through Chicago, Los Angeles, Fiji, on its way to the final destination of Aukland. We hope to stay in a hostel or camp for the first couple of days while we doing some car/scooter shopping and get ourselves oriented in New Zealand's largest city. Then we'll immediately put our "new" used car to the test as it moves us and our luggage eastward, about a 6 hour drive to the center of the North Island. In Taupo we'll begin our quest to find a rental apartment or house (hopefully one that allows for a dog! :)

Because the seasons of New Zealand are opposite of those in the Northern Hemisphere, the school year runs from February-December. Carrie is currently applying at several schools for the 2009 school year in Taupo and the neighboring larger city of Rotorua. Depending on how it all progresses, she may also try to find some temp work in the local national forests or within the outdoor tourism industry for the summer (summer = November-January). It is likely that we may rent through December and then move to the school's community once its determined where she will be teaching.

We'll keep you posted on our developments, including snail mail addresses and phone numbers when we receive them. Our e-mail addresses will remain the same. We're hoping to find a 2 bedroom place so there will always be a guest room waiting for you! After 2 transient years with World Teach, we're really looking forward to joining a community for longer than a school year.

As always, we appreciate your prayers as we make a new transition. God bless!

~Carrie and Thomas