Here it is almost a week later. Much has transpired since last I wrote, for instance, I now use the word transpire. But I've not gotten any funnier, oh well.

I was offered the position at Massey. The same day I was offered the position I was called and offered an interview at Otago. Then today, I was offered an interview for a position at Auckland. I'm going to stick with Massey as it is here in Wellington, is a sure thing (though still not official) and I think it pays more than any of the others would. I had originally asked for NZ$50k and when I was offered the position was told I would receive NZ$55k. I don't mind that so much.

Before I was offered the job, but after interviewing and all, the people I'm renting room from told me that they were going to start renovating the house in early July and they would need me to move out by then. I felt a little bit unloved. Like they were shoving me out the door, especially since I didn't actually have a job yet.

When I'm being logical I just understand that they really will need the space and they were giving me more than a month of notice. Not bad. So, at that point I started looking seriously at the ads online (I've been looking at them obsessively for months but without much intent). One day I ran all over Thorndon and Kelburn to see a few places as well as looking at a place here in Karori.

The places in Thorndon were too small and dingy for my tastes. The place in Kelburn was cute, but still a bit small and expensive while being inconvenient for work. The place in Karori I only saw from the outside, but it looked nice, it was clean and looked like it had some nice furnishings, but didn't look lived in so I assumed the furnishings might come with.

I had walked a lot that day, so much so that I was sore the next day. Now, when I lived in NYC I walked quite a bit as well, the difference is, no hills in NYC. Here when you walk around you are doing a lot of up and down, it really can be tiring.

That running about was on Sunday, then on Monday I was unofficially offered the job and told about the salary, that improved motivation. Unfortunately a storm hit Sunday night through Monday. It was incredibly windy and rainy so I just stayed in and did more apt. research online, I also had an appointment to see the inside of the Karori place that morning. Then Tuesday I did another day of running around. I was in the central Wellington area for around five hours just walking and walking and walking (once again, remember the hills). Most of that time was spent visiting realtors to see what they had. I also had a couple of visits planned. I visited one place on Kent Tce and it was obvious that I wouldn't like it from the outside and it was too far from Massey so I didn't bother trying to see the inside. Then I saw a very funky cool cottage in Te Aro but it was also too far from Massey and a little small and maybe too funky for the $350/wk they were asking.

I then went and saw the outside of another place that was quite close to Massey but it just seemed a little small and also more money than I really wanted to pay, though not too bad. After that I wandered around a bit on Massey campus, trying to kill time until the next place I could see which was an hour and a half later. After walking for maybe 20 more minutes I decided I was not going to make it. I was tired and hungry and burnt out. It was time to go home.

I walked awhile more to catch the bus. At the bus stop I ran into Jun, a friend of C&D (who i am renting from) and we talked for the bus ride home. During that time on the bus I started to come to the conclusion that I wanted to take the place in Karori. As I mentioned before, it is furnished, has 2 bedrooms, a deck with bbq, a dishwasher and good-sized fridge. No dining room, but a decent living room. One of the bedrooms is relatively large with big closet and then a smaller room that would be good as guest room/study. I is nice. The two things that were making me hesitant were the distance from Massey and CBD plus I found out that Telstra, the best provider of Cable and Internet services in Wellington, doesn't provide service to the apt. Finally I decided that commuting isn't so bad for the price ($250/wk) and I can live without Telstra for now. When letlet gets here we can decide whether we want to stay or move somewhere new.

Now I have a job that begins on the 26th and an apt. I will move into this weekend. Tomorrow my phone and internet will get connected. My power will start on Saturday. I'm excited to have my new home and even more excited for when letlet arrives to make it our home!

Quite a week.