United Colors of Auckland

Auckland is a very international city, not in a cosmopolitan way, just in a people from all over the world live here kind of way. I naively thought before coming to New Zealand it would be less Benetton and more Gap. I was focusing on the whole small island in the middle of the ocean, in a tiny corner of the world, too hard to get to thing, but how wrong I was. Kiwis are some of the most well travelled people in the world and New Zealand is one of the most desired destinations. Throw on top of that, some really bad conditions in other countries and people are scrambling to get to this little piece of paradise.

I have met more people from around the globe in two months here then in two years in Atlanta. For example, we recently had one of Adam's colleagues over who emigrated with his family from Zimbabwe. Forget reality TV try this on for size - his dog was killed because a cobra bit it in their backyard and by the time he left his country, inflation was so awful that a cup of coffee cost more then he had bought his house for. He shared how hard it was to get out and the things he missed most, like the first rain of the season over the African plains. No matter how great it is here, missing home is a common theme among expats, immigrants, and wayward travelers. He misses the rain, I miss Chick-Fil-A.

To keep things international, we went to the Chinese Lantern Festival in Albert Park over the weekend. We brought some wine and snacks, which are actually called nibbles here, but I can never say it with a straight face, so to keep my dignity in tact, I'll stick to snacks. We went with our Canadian friends and got to see dancing dragons and lovely lanterns hanging in big, beautiful trees. It was fun. See here is proof:

Me having fun.

Other parts of the weekend include an all girls dinner party where I was sent home with homemade nutella (thanks Erin and Danae!) and doing the walk from Milford Beach to Takapuna. It said it was going to take 2 hours, but it took us 20 minutes. And that was without our Go Go Gadget Skates. Regardless, it did not derail me from our planned coffee and muffin stop. Muffins are as common here as hot cheetos in Oakland or ganja goo balls at a Phish show. Naturally, I have made this a part of my new Kiwi lifestyle:

To top the weekend off, we went to a Super Bowl Party on Monday. Yes, you read that correctly. It was yet again, another holiday here so Adam had the day off. Last Monday was Auckland Anniversary Day, I mean why shouldn't every city have it's own celebration?! This Monday was Waitangi Day or as we have re-named it Super Bowl Monday. If you are curious what a Super Bowl party in New Zealand is like well then let me help you out: 

No that is not Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy

This was during the game people. But what can you expect in a country where Rugby and Cricket rule? Football is not so popular here, but I soaked up every American minute of it. After Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton got done singing, I needed a kleenex. And after the game was over, Adam and I planted ourselves in front of the computer to watch every Super Bowl commercial we could get our hands on. God bless the USA.