Category Archives: Help Exchange

You know those jobs that only you can do, like sorting your old high school papers, deciding whether or not to keep private journals or important documents? It’d be awkward for someone else to come in and try to clean out your storage because it’s all so personal, and they wouldn’t know what you’d wantContinue reading “kool kiwi.”

A few photos from my chilly walk on the beach today:

There were 26 people present at my host mom’s dad’s birthday party at her mom’s house. Got that? I was introduced to two of them about 45 minutes into the celebration. I happen to think that it wouldn’t have been too tough to walk in and say, “hey everyone, this stranger is Beth and sheContinue reading “curry stained carpet.”

And up the hill to One Tree Hill… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Tree_Hill,_New_Zealand  

‘Ello, mates! I’m scared to plug anything in anymore after the shock of 2013. Tonight as I was plugging in my computer, I saw sparks and froze. All is well. I hope I can still cook. A few odd things: My host doesn’t know what waffle fries are. The kids got off school today…for aContinue reading “fairies.”

Tiki-tour: a trip where instead of going directly from A to B, you make all kinds of detours and side trips, going to places you didn’t intend to go when you set out. Margaret (host mother) and I planned a tiki-tour (which seems funny to plan on going places you don’t plan on) after weContinue reading “tiki-tour.”

I walked to the library and have no idea how I got here. I had received written directions that missed a street, and from what I could figure, it was an important street. The library is a couple miles away, up and up a hill. I ended up walking through a gated school and thoughtContinue reading “not a knee slappin’ good post.”

It’s a strange thing, living with people you’ve chosen from a web profile. I’ve been with this sweet family for 4 days now. I know what they call their remote control, who loses said remote most often, how they hang up their pajamas on the clothesline, and where the cloves of garlic are kept. IContinue reading “mote/dial/controller.”

My host family borrowed a trailer from a friend and today’s task was to transport the pile of compost, tree branches, leaves, etc. that had accumulated in the corner of the yard over three years time. I shoveled spastic worms, sluggy slugs, disgusting maggots, a salamander, a Pepsi Max can, non poisonous spiders (New ZealandContinue reading “shovelin’ slugs.”

My body thinks it is 4:54am, while it is 8:54pm here. That is quite the discrepancy. I find that a walk on the beach and a lovely salmon meal help to keep me awake until a decent hour, to try to get into the swing of things here. I also haven’t had caffeine in aContinue reading “whang dang.*”