spargel, espárrago, asparago (ASPARAGUS!)

I’m writing to you again from Napier, and I don’t think it will be the last post from here either! Stu and I are starting to find a rhythm to the life here and it’s starting to feel more comfortable every day.

Job updates: Right now we are both harvesting asparagus 3-4 mornings each week with 4 other people from our hostel (2 Mexicans, 1 Korean, 1 Malaysian). This is something at least, but barely enough to cover rent so we’ve been looking for other things too. So far Stu has found pottery (obviously no income yet, but there is a good chance of selling things in the shop attached to his studio) and I have found a job at a café called Milk & Honey. It is a very cool café-independently owned and sort of eco-themed and pretty upscale, right on the beach. I think I will get on there pretty well. In general, things are pretty slow here in Napier on the job front….the restaurant business has not yet picked up for the summer rush and all the rain we’ve been getting has pushed back the start dates for a lot of the orchard work. We’re hoping that I’ll get lots of hours at the café (and if not perhaps a night time bar tender/waitress job to supplement) and that Stu will pick up either a full time orchard job or a restaurant job sometime in the next week or 2. Work is obviously good for the money but it’s also nice for meeting people and having a sense of purpose and structure to our time here. (Look at me, always trying to structure things…)

Life update: Life outside jobs is pretty awesome. It seems everyone (okay…most of the people) staying at our hostel are pretty cool. Like I said before we’ve got people from lots of different countries (Mexico, France, Malaysia, Korea, Germany, Italy, England, Scotland, Ireland, USA, Canada…) though Germany clearly dominates. Even as I write this, I am listening to a French guy try to explain to a Mexican guy about how to kill and cook a pig (something he did recently on a WWOOFing experience), both of them using a language that is not native to them (English). I love hostels. Most people staying here are above average cooks (with a couple full-fledged chefs!) so there is lots of cooking and meal sharing, which I love. Just today I made my own bread (an Italian recipe that I got by way of my German friend, Laura) and made asparagus soup for a few friends (I have eaten so much asparagus these last 2 weeks, I fear I may turn into one). I’m planning on doing a big Thanksgiving feast as well…if any Americans reading this have recipe ideas please send them along!! When we are not working or cooking, we go to the beach or watch movies in the big TV room (I have officially watched all three Lord of the Rings movies while in NZ) or sit around in the courtyard and enjoy adult beverages. It’s a pretty good life really.

Although it seems crazy, I have sort of enjoyed waking up at 5:45am to go to work. I like the feeling of waking up while the rest of the world stays sleeping. Plus when you leave the house by 6:30am you catch the sunrise and the gorgeous early morning light as you drive by the beach and all the orchards and vineyards….I don’t know it just feels nice to be a part of the early bird crew. Plus on days when you don’t have to work, sleeping in past 8am feels miraculous.

Well, that’s all for now. While we are here (in Napier) internet communication might be sporadic. Connection at the hostel is terrible and expensive so we have to go down to the internet café in town…so if you don’t hear from us for a few days you know why!