Last night, I wandered back to bed at 4.30am ... almost sure I wouldn't sleep but knowing the alarm was set for 6.45am.
Today I rode the bike to the Apotheek for more antibiotics, posted the letter with the doctor's visit refund information in it and then rode off through one of Antwerpen's big beautiful city parks on my way to the supermarket.
It's lovely out there. The highway traffic, as always, sounds like a spring tide back on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island(it's possible, if that's what you want it to sound like) and the leaves are putting on a fiery last gasp display as they fall.
I made a phone call while I rode and feeling fairly integrated into this Belgian way of life, and then in the supermarket I was buying some witloof to chop finely and eat raw with a little mayonnaise, pepper and stovlees tonight.
Smiling to myself, I was standing at the checkout, lost in my own little world as I waited to be served when a 'Kia Ora!!' boomed out somewhere nearby.
The big smiley-faced bearded shop guy had discovered I was from New Zealand a few months back. He calls me kiwi now but the 'kia ora' startled the life out of me. I managed a smiling 'G'day!' as is befitting.
He's one of many Belgians I've met who have entertained hopes of moving to my country ... the one that God gave to the Maori people, with a hasty amendment clearly added when my land-stealing ancestors moved there 6 generations before I was born.
'Agreement with God' because, by crikey, even New Zealand has brought into that immigration lock-down rubbish that's currently sweeping the world and spawning things like Australian citizenship tests.
Anyway, he's struggling to get in, as is my garden shop man round the corner.
So here I am, preparing for Clare to arrive, doing a bit of privately-motivated integration - practising making a phone call while cycling and the buying and preparing of witloof, with the confusion of being greeted in Maori thrown in for good measure, and all on about 2 hours sleep.
Greeted in Maori, and you didn't reply back in Maori. Di, you could at least do a haka or something. :D
ReplyDeleteA haka in the supermarket, god I wish I could ever witness that.
Great photographs, thanks for the link. Will be back soon.
ReplyDeleteSo is she "integrating" or "colonizing"? The Belgies want to move to NZ? Very interesting....
ReplyDelete: )
Hmmm it appears I might be colonising ... even Manic has listened to my talk of New Zealand. My government wouldn't be happy about me turning peoples heads to the point where they think that maybe NZ might be 'the' place to live. Let's keep it quiet ;)
ReplyDeleteSo did the maori orirs fall out of favour with god, or what. Yes I could get right up on my soap box. And anothert thing, if you really have a problem with the aussie citizenship test I'll fax you the bloody answer sheet. grrrrr
ReplyDeleteYes, I do still enjoy reading your blog. Not political BS.
You know who.
Stoofvlees, not stovlees :)
ReplyDeleteA Belgian ex-colleague of mine is planning to move to New Zealand as well, but is waiting for his old dog to die first, as it was too difficult to take him with him.
Back in the '80s my dad wanted to move to New Zealand as well, but my mom wouldn't budge.
"the one that God gave to the Maori people, with a hasty amendment clearly added when my land-stealing ancestors moved there 6 generations before I was born."
ReplyDeleteTalk about wearing your heart on your sleeve Di. If only it were that easy eh.
I never said I was moving to New Zealand, just it's the better place of the two down under since it lacks those venemous creatures and only has cute little birds like kiwis.
ReplyDeleteIf you have someone to blame for making everyone want to move over there, it's Peter Jacksons and the Hobbitsons.
These comments came in oddly and so I'm answering out of sequence ... sorry about that.
ReplyDeleteWell, it's Maori, Manic but it's New Zealandese too ... so the 'G'day' was fine
A haka is often a warrior act and so I wouldn't 'haka' him for saying 'Dag' :)
Hey Amanda, you're welcome.
Everyone wants to move to NZ, v-grrrl, specially since Lord of the Rings ... sigh, you should see what it has done to house prices.
Hey there Paul ... you don't have to fax the answer sheet, I got 5 from 5 in the sample test. Hopefully I can do the same with any version NZ comes up with.
Bedankt Kim. I'm ummmed and ahhed over the 'f' for a while and I remember Gert mocking me for using an 'f' last time but it must have been that I forgot the 'v'.
I had a dog like that ... she died at 16. I hope your colleague gets to move. Sorry to hear your mum didn't want to move - it's a lovely country :) (I'm only a little biased.)
It is that easy Mark - how else could things like citizenship tests exist if some government official didn't believe some sacred contract with God had been made, granting his race that particular part of the world?
Oh you did Manic, or maybe I just thought you were more kiwi than Belgian :)