Debbie Sealey » Auckland

Just a little more about myself here. I am from New Zealand, I’m 43, have 3 offspring (23, 20 and 15) and have decided I’d better finally settle down to one particular career after many years of dabbling in a million different things, i.e. scrubbing toilets (not recommended), beekeeping (interesting but painful), tip-truck-driving (a little scary at times), reflexology (12 years later I’m still loving it), managing a business for a travelling photographer/author (not for yer average mono-tasker), four varied jobs all at once in a Polytechnic (sociable but exhausting), newspaper photography (the money just doesn’t add up for time put in) and nowadays, teacher-aide/student support at an Alternative Education Centre (naughty teenagers - being completely mad is a prerequisite for the job) and literacy tutor, which I enjoy.

So having sat down and thought about things, such as what do I enjoy doing (reading, writing and more reading) and what will support my latest habit of travelling to different countries, I came up with The Answer. TESOL. After a flurry of organising the financing, accommodation, and various other logistics that need covering when planning to leave home for a month, I finally got on the bus to attend the TESOL course at Aspire NZ in Auckland, New Zealand.

Stay tuned to this channel for reports on my latest foray into Learning How To Do Something Properly…

The Pre-Course Experience

During the bus ride up to Auckland, we pulled up along the way at Thames for a rest stop and I sat on a bench to get some fresh air. Turned out I was sitting next to a woman is a TESOL teacher and has been teaching in Japan for the last ten years. How’s THAT for random?!

I got to the city having yakked most the way on the bus with the girl I sat next to, who is in Marketing and Advertising. We looked at photos of India on my laptop, and before we knew it we were in Auckland.

Chris from Aspire school picked me up – well actually, he gave me a lift in his van. He showed me the neighborhood and gave me the key to my eighth floor Apartment. That deserves a bold word because it’s so cool. I now have an important looking electronic thingy that I have to wave at the entrance and the elevator to enter the place. This is SO 007!

I settled in and perched on the balcony to have a look around. The guy in the apartment next door came out to his balcony and we chatted for a little while. He’s from Berlin, Germany, and drives a truck for days at a time as a job. I asked if he liked New Zealand and he said he did, but it’s too small. I suppose it would feel like that when you drive through various countries for a living.

I tested out my sense of direction and went for a wander down the road to the supermarket. I had a lovely chat to the checkout girl who is from Gujarat in India and made it back to the Apartment safely. So far, so good.

After a $2.50 frozen dinner in my Luxury Apartment (when will I ever get to say this again?), I decided to open the wine that I’d bought and swan about on the balcony. But I couldn’t get the cork out. After about ten minutes of pulling, writhing around and madly struggling with it, I jumped in the elevator and went down onto the street to see if I could find a man. A few doors from the apartment block is a miniature shop. I went in there and the lovely man behind the counter – from Jordan I think – struggled with it himself for about ten minutes, between serving customers. He finally resorted to using a screwdriver while I ducked down behind the counter in case things got out of control. I’ve had a mortal fear of wine corks since one hit me in the mouth once from a few inches away. I had to drink that bluddy bottle through a straw. Nd I ad to alk like is or a ew days. Never forgotten it.

Anyway, out the cork finally came and I padded happily back up the street, realizing along the way that I had bare feet and an open bottle of wine. Probably not a good look really, when one is in the neighbourhood of Luxury Apartments. Never mind, I’m back here now, swanning about as swanningly as I can on the balcony looking straight across at the Sky Tower. Well I would be if there weren’t a darned building in the way. I can see the top part of it though and that’s the best bit anyway. Tonight it’s a kind of lilac colour. Rather a fine sight while sipping cheap bubbly wine out of a coffee cup. Stylish, aye what?

It seems eerily calm here though, after being in Bangkok. And so quiet after New Delhi. I haven’t heard a single honk yet. Weird.

So that’s my first day in the Big A. I’ve met several people already and I’ve only been here a few hours. Gosh the city is a friendly place.

Tomorrow I have to find my way down onto Queen Street and start studying.

Sigh. Just one more cup of bubbly then I’ll go to bed. I promise…