I spent Christmas and New Years here which is quite unusual - I like to say that Im living in the future as Im always 12h ahead from Poland.

Since the time I came here I visited couple of amazing places. Coromandel is magnificent and Whitianga reminds me about small oversea town in Poland. My favourite place here (except beach) is Lost Spring - its a spa with geothermal outdoors pools but too expensive for me. However I can afford a coffee in theirs restaurant and at least enjoy an incredible waterfall next to me. 

With my bosses we went to opening of Cathedral Cove path with a little ceremony which later on we saw on a news so we could find us for 30 miliseconds in a National New Zeland TV News. 

Other day they showed me a place which is official named the most beautifull beach in New Zeland - New Chums Beach, but its tricky to reach it as there is no direct access to is (definitely not with a car) - you have to walk 2km through the river, rocks and fantastic jungle over the coast.

After my work shift my boss took me to jetskii <3 

On the weekend I decided to finally buy a car so I had to go to Auckland. I found a lift again for free - Indian guy wanted to explore a new area. On the way he wanted a coffee but in New Zeland everything is closing pretty early (around 4pm), but we were able to find only one open place and it appeared to be amazing touristic train rail in a bush - Driving Creek. Lots of landscapes, nature, ceramic and beautifull story of the inventor and owner of the place who died couple of years ago due to cancer. He dedicated this place to artists to create and scientists to grow a habitat and endemic trees. I did not buy the car this time.

One day I went to offline solo day to Shakspeare's Cliff with a ferry where suppose to be magnificent views. I went to the top (it was really tough peak especially bearing a bike), where was huge meadow and I went back as I did not see any arrow with directions. So I was there but not really there haha. As it turned out, I missed a spot...

The last place I want to go again - this time in winter, is Hot Rivers Beach. Basically in certain place on the beach, you dig a whole with a shovel and you have free hot "pool". I can confirmed its super hot, almost boiling so you have to be really careful not to burn yourself.

Anyway each time when I go outside and I look even at those unique and unprecedented trees with lichens on them I am so amazed.

My observations- Whitianga is a small town but with rich people, and when I say that I mean that each willa own a yacht or a boat... and everywhere you can see fancy, classic cars (mustang, ford, chevrolet, aston martin and etc.), and there are many, many properties for sale which costs minimum 800k$.

I am sure that New Zeland is the most magnificent country for its unique nature. The same as I hate being here on my working days, I love this place on my days off.

I randomly end up in this town but on purpose chose this country. If you want to know the reason you can jump here.

Practical Info about Culture

Kiwis spends lots of time outdoor. Nobody is surprised as the nature here is just part of their life - fishing, biking, jetskiing, surfing etc.

They assimilate "work&life balance" system which I dont really like as 70% of people work part time which means 20-30h per week, but that does not change anything as you still coming 5 days per week - just you have shorter shifts (3h per day). It does not make sens to me, but also I understand their meaning behind it. 

The culture is focused very much on being polite - lots of "please", "thank you", "have a great day", "how was your day hun?"... etc which I find very annoying as I do not have time to be as such when Im in rush or mood to smile to people and ask "how are you".. Also it reminds me about typical British people - fake kindness. In fact, it was the British who discovered this land, when was already inhabited. Even more similarity is when you look at them while they are drunk. Lots of toxic fighting on the streets - thats why when police catch you with an alcohol outdoor, they can arrest you and they do patrols everywhere and often!

Population is split between citizens - Kiwi and aborigines - Māori who are the Indigenous People of Aotearoa (New Zealand). They have their own language which is second official language of NZ, traditions, dance and lots of privelages from goverment. 

After being 10 days in the biggest city in New Zeland I moved to countryside to work and earn money for my next months of travelling.

I was suppose to work in Subway and I remember exactly that I said to myself - "No more gastronomy". Well.. here I am, settled in Whitianga for 3 months, working as a team leader and sweating every day when preparing the veges. It is tough job - always in rush, always something to do, lots of cleaning, lacking of staff (who have worked in hospitality, the circus is not funny anymore to them). I am physically tired every day as Im not used to such a rush anymore - my previous job in corporation contained duties like sitting in fancy office and watch series for 5 out of 8 hours of work with a break for chat with my cool workmates...

When I came on place I was a bit uncomfortable that I will be living with my boss family (he is providing me acommodation), as I was expecting them to look at my actions all the time or “controlling” but none of those things happened. Actually right now I feel super good with them, they treat me like part of their family - I talk every day with my boss, (he is very good person who takes care about close people, respects others and never cross a line) I go with them on a trips, to the pub, to visit theirs friends and etc. 

I was also soooooooooo stressed and nervous because the whole team is 100% natives so obviously I was insecure about my english. The first 2 weeks went quite ok ( I could hardly understand some of them because of the accent, fast speaking and their slung I suppose), but then labour weekend came and that’s when I had my first huge crisis. I didn’t have my breaks at work, it was so so so much to do, the girls there were not communicating on a shifts about what needs to be done - it was totally not like in typical polish gastronomy where you have a “zapierdol” but at least you know what to do and you help each other. Here you have a feeling like you are left alone and nobody is willing to help you, focusing on their job only. So yeah, I was so exhausted that I was seriously considering changing the job and actually looking for sth different also in another cities. 

But I was tired so I said to myself “ok girl, just rest a bit and think about it in 2 days because you are making decision in emotions and thats not objective”. After those 2 days I still wanted to leave a job :) But at the end I stayed as I didn’t wanted to disappoint my boss who was very fair to me. Also I went through thinking process and decided that anywhere I go, will be hard, as working in such environment is generally hard - same a life. Now I have left only 2 months and I can save a little bit of money on a room, so to sum up it was more profitable for me to stay. 

And then day by day I run into routine and starting to feel longing for my family, the dog, my ex boyfriend, polish food, previous job, my cosy room, basically anything what I left in Poland. (About longing you can read more in upcoming article, as its very common feeling during travelling).

I go to work on a bike of my boss and very often, when its sunny, after my shift I go to the beach just next to the corner. What was strange for me is that left side traffic is applicable also for the bikes, as they breaks opposite! You have to remember about that to avoid a painful surprise.

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