Country Living and the End of My Time as a Corporate Derelict

So, finally back with an update. Going chronological seems to be working for the moment, so let's stick with that (not to worry, I'm sure by the end of the year I'll be updating via abstract creative writing with picture interpretations..get ready)
So some real big news happened last Thursday.
I got a bed!!!


Wow! I'm on a bed!
Let me explain. When I first moved in the second day here, I was jetlagged to the point that a cement block looked eerily comfortable. So I was stoked that the flatmates had any sort of immediate arrangement for me (I was well aware coming in that the room wasn't furnished)
Said arrangement being a worn out as shit mattress from the pull out couch+random sheet+my sleeping bag+couch throw pillow.

And that ended up being my sleeping setup for close to 2 weeks. While I'm aware there is nothing classy in admitting this, it was partly due to being pretty content living like a squatter. (I blame an early indoctrination of punk music) The real delay factor, arose in the difficulties of getting a free flatmate and a free vehicle capable of lugging a bed purchased at a used furniture store.
So it went on for awhile, and I kept my patience over the whole matter, but soon NZ began feeling like home and it was such an oddity to have the place where I slept not feel remotely settled in. Plus it was disorienting as fuck* to wake up in a sleeping bag and put on a tie for work.

*Can I say fuck in here? Does Grandma read this? Does she even care?

So I caved, and one day while killing time in the cubicle, called up a store called BedTraders, and convinced this nice lady on the phone she wanted to help me pick out my furniture. Two days later it arrived and I have not a single ounce of buyers remorse; I'll just sell the thing for $ before I peace Auckland.
Wow. Long winded. Sorry.




Pictures to give you an idea of the room, as requested by mi madre. The reason why the bed isn't fully pushed up against the wall is because that little nook has the best potential for wireless. I've become a master at pirating my neighbors internet; we can thank it for this update.

We've reached that inevitable point where I'm taking more pictures than I can realistically post, so I'm gonna just show my favorites, and when I get home I'll happily bore anyone with interest for the whole experience.
At the top of Mt. Eden in Auckland. The sky tower is pretty easy to pick out. Also, the bridge in the left corner is the one I take from the North Shore to work everyday.

This weekend I went to Coromandel with Jo to stay at her mom's place and check out the area. J and D came as well, which was great because I hadn't seen them since that night of clubbing.
Side stop on the way there

Fun fact! Coromandel has only one police officer.


Jess, one of Jo's best friends and her mom's flatmate.
J, Jo and D

The land was absolutely stunning. It reminded me a lot of Ireland actually. Though the roads were even more narrow if thats possible to believe.

We decided to climb out onto the rocks.





An amazing exhausting weekend. Can't wait for the next.

While googling some research for an instruction manual I'm slowly drafting, I can across this Cali based charity organization that sends volunteers to Tibet. While its obviously not something that should be decided on impulse (like moving to NZ for a year. ha!) and there are quite possibly better ways to get over there, it strikes me on a gut enough level that it might be worth contemplating putting off the photo certification program one more year.



Taken today on the bus ride home.

Cheers! :-)

If English Majors were Jedi Knights, I'd be downing pitchers at the pub with Vader right about now

As part of my newsletter duties for the day, I was asked to ghostwrite our Director's introduction notes. I am legitimately disturbed that I pulled this out in under ten minutes.

If a central theme can be tied together from the stories in this edition of Pulse…, it is one of global exploration, education, and unity. From Grant and Gab's whirlwind trek through international fashion to Jane's experiences in London, Westfield is finding its role in the world; what we can learn, what we can teach, and what can be expected from the future (aside from the eager countdown to the opening of Westfield Stratford).

Having just come back from my own worldly travels, I am able to personally reflect on the aspects of culture that connect different nations together while still retaining the individuality that make us so excited to leave home and explore a new environment. While any that know me will not be surprised by the answer that comes to mind, it is my firm belief that art is the common unifier of humanity. Within each of us is the desire to create and hone a craft we can take pride in and this inherent trait can be found wherever one goes.

For any that might think I'm rambling at this point, I assure you my thoughts can tie directly into our busy jobs. Westfield was built upon the ingenuity and vision of two entrepreneurs, and this creative streak has gone on to become the lifeline of our company, that can be seen on any level of organization. A salesperson in one of our centre's stores employs just as much an art form interacting with customers as our design and marketing teams do with graphics and writing. Westfield understands the power in creativity, and encourages it wherever possible.

I'd like to end my note with a word of encouragement as well. Take pride in the artistic license of your job and the skills it entails. Praise those around you, and know that we are all working towards the same goal…while retaining our own individualism.

And if that's not enough to satisfy your artistic palette, might I recommend painting?

Justin Lynch

Forgive me Kerouac.

"I wanna sing that rock n roll, I wanna electrify my soul"

At this point my body has gotten over the jet lag/time difference adjustments, so now that I'm in proper fighting form again, the rest of my weekends on the North Island are going to be all sorts of fun, where I'll adventure explore roam wander converse and connect with as much as possible, hopefully bringing back plenty of stories and pictures.

For now though, here are a few pictures of the flat and the usual scenery in my day









Living Room/Guest Bedroom


This is where we try to spend most of our time at the flat, weather permitting


Where I write press releases, help edit newsletter articles, and do other odd jobs that make Westfield Malls look good. Blech.


Rum and cola in bottled/canned form. Kiwis you magnificent bastards.

One of the things I love most about NZ is that even mundane scenes have something spectacular peeking out on in the horizon. Its impossible to let your eyes down.

A shot from the neighborhood. Make a left down the hill and your on our street.

Wish all of you a great day as I end mine. Tomorrow I get to go around to all the different centres with my boss, seeing most of Auckland in a day. Super stoked.

Cheers! :-)

Working Man

So I promised myself this site wouldn't be updated daily with mundane details, but I suppose the first day of work is something to write home about, and if nothing else, I'm sure my parents are eager to hear.

I'm working in Newmarket (10 minute drive from my place, hour bus ride) at Westfield Mall Headquarters. I suppose its fitting after going on a month long binge of the television show The Office, that that's where I've now ended up, albeit lacking all the hilarious awkwardness.

I'm...getting used to it? (When do I get to go backpacking and pick fruit to earn a nights accommodation before moving on to a new location?!?! Whenwhenwhenwhen)

Though in all seriousness, its not bad at all, and actually gearing up to be pretty interesting. I'm personal assistant to a lady named Deb, who handles all of the public relations jazz for Auckland's Malls. For the most part, so I've vaguely been informed, I'll be helping her on the newsletter: proofreading, interviewing, and other related tasks (apparently they want me, at a later point, to write a piece on my experiences moving to NZ).

I say vaguely, because an hour and a half into it all, literally seconds after I just learn how to operate the office e-mail, Deb comes up to me and goes "So there's been a slight change of plans for your day." At which point, I hop in her car and she drives me to the mall in Glenfield, which is roughly 5 minutes from my place, after taking an hour bus into Newmarket, where I'm thrown into the frenzy, helping a lady named Monique with all sorts of odd tasks. These jobs including calling up 100 different stores to inquire about RSPs to a mall event ("Hi! This is Nathan from the Centre Management Office. I'm calling to see if you know how many staff from your store are planning on attending the Dinosaur Sand Sculpture event on Wednesday at 6:15") and counting out over a thousand mall contest submissions.

At this point I'm just expecting to wing it every day.

"Beginnings" OR "Why Crawl When You Can Sprint"

This has easily been the most intense, exciting, jam-packed surreal couple days of my life, so apologies in advance if any of this comes out muddled in the process of being related.
Let's go chronologically here (yay story time):

My adventure began at Kennedy Airport, where I said goodbye to the parents before getting on a flight to LA, which was an uncomfortable reminder of how rusty I am at long distance flights. Not that bad though. The only real misfortune was my genius idea to plug my plush headphones into the airport audio jack, which,uh, apparently kills them. All for a crappy Helen Hunt movie too. No tragedy, just a material possession.
(You can click on any of the pictures to get a larger version)


Killed a few hours in my layover at LAX sprawled out in a corner watching movies on my laptop.


I slept through most of the flight to NZ, which was the first of dozens of blessings to come.




Arrived in Auckland around 5 AM Kiwi time. At this point, the whole process of finding my luggage and getting through customs is a murky dream to me; all I know was it was hassle free. Took an airbus from there to the hostel I had reservations at and got to experience central Auckland right away and proper when I had to lug all my stuff five blocks after mixing up my stop ;-) It is worth noting that at this time I took the most miraculous shower of my life, even though the stall was cramped and the water only shot out in ten second intervals. Deciding sleep was for cowards, I hit up a Starbucks and went right into the three hour orientation on NZ that Bunac (the program that got me my work permit) had set up. After that I wrapped my head around the bus schedule and headed up to the North Shore to visit my potential flatmates, who I had first contacted while in the states through Flatfinder.com Two girls and a guy, between the ages of 20 and 23. We clicked and agreed it was a good fit, and I planned on moving in the following day.
Before that move though, I did a little sightseeing. Checked out Auckland's SkyTower, which is the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere at 328m (for reference, the Eiffel Tower is 324).

You get a great sense of Auckland from the top.



This is my first mate in the country, Dan, who was assigned the same room as me about an hour after I arrived. From the UK, super chill. We've exchanged cell numbers and might do some traveling together later in the year through the South Island.


I'm determined to do this before I leave.



Now onto the Flat situation. I think the best way to sum up the whole thing is that its equivalent is meeting your wife on an online dating site; you can't believe it actually worked out this great, but whatever, your in love. As I mentioned before, its located on the North Shore, in a suburb called Beach Haven. (The second I found that detail out I started getting wonderful butterflys in my stomach.) I'll take better pictures of my living arrangements, but to give you a quick, rough idea of my location, this is the view from my room's window.

I know. I'm too lucky. But wait, it gets so much more perfect.
What I learned from my initial meeting with the flatmates was that they are super sociable, love to live it up (they throw pirate parties!!!), and want a flatmate that wants to be just as social and involved in whatever is going on.
I've been adopted guys.
Hours after moving my stuff in, I found myself going out with one of the flatmates, Jo (short for Josephine) and a few of her friends, who are these crazy, fun loving Samoans who I immediately hit it off with. We ended up club hopping until 4 in the morning, where I was constantly assaulted with drunk hugs and told that I was now a "brother for life." To say that my expectations of where I was going to be my second night in the country were exceeded...


So that's life. :-) Great house, great mates, and a job I'm excited about starting on Monday. It's all a dream.

I'll leave you with a video that accurately sums up the accent around here (when they're trashed its more or less another language)


The embedded video seems to be on the fritz, at least at the moment, so here's the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdVHZwI8pcA

So much love to all of you; I may not be homesick but you're still in my thoughts.