Hello! Welcome to July’s monthly blog… This month was a really exciting and eventful one. Very fitting for the half of the year and Maori New Year season “Matariki”.
Among the things happening as you can see from the title, Jono and I moved from Upper Hutt to Wellington CBD and I got a new job which I may add was my goal or “dream” job when I first came to New Zealand, but I’ll tell you more about it in a bit so keep reading to find out!
Week 1: Move to Wellington CBD & Matariki – Maori New Years
Moving to Wellington CBD
At the end of June and start of July we moved to an apartment in Wellington CBD. Instead of having a big moving day we kept going back and forth with bringing some of our things to make sure we only brought what we need. We’re still doing some final touches but you can see some photos of the final organization and decore in my Wellington Apartment Blog.
It’s been great living in the city and being able to move around on my own, since I don’t own a driving license yet. Everything is much easier and central than back in Upper Hutt, were we used to live. I’ll be talking more about how it is to live in Wellington in future blogs.
Matariki
Matariki signals the Māori New Year. It is a time of renewal and celebration in New Zealand that begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster. Matariki is a star cluster which appears in the night sky during mid-winter.
Te Papa
Week 2: Hanging out and catching up with friends
Living so far from the city, it was difficult for us to go out and hang out with friends but now that we move we took the chance to catch up with a couple of friends and check out some restaurants and cafes around the area.
Everybody Eats
Everybody Eats is a pay-as-you-feel dining concept for everyone. We serve delicious, chef-prepared meals that feed bellies, not bins.
Everybody Eats
Gypsy Kitchen
Rainbow picnic benches and outdoor string lighting are early signs you’re in happy gipsy territory here, and tucked just off the main street in Strathmore doesn’t deter curious visitors who have no doubt heard of the café’s laid-back vibes, easy-going staff and damn good food.
Rosie Morrison, Neat Places
Soul Shack
Ask any Wellingtonian where to get the best fried chicken and chances are they’ll point you in Soul Shack’s direction. Rick Unuia’s Nashville-style outfit is both a David and a Goliath in the capital’s takeaway scene – a small scrapper housed in a cozy central city nook, but with a fierce, formidable fan base that belies its size.
John Son, Neat Places
Mr. Go’s
A happy mix of West meets East , pink meets green, and beer meets bao, Mr Go’s is proof itself an eatery needn’t stick to one concrete theme. Tiled floors, exposed ceiling and stick fluorescent lighting are background to the attentive staff who are happy to help you through the extensive menu, and provide any encouragement that’s needed for the slightly more conservative eaters. Marinated tofu, crispy squid, popcorn chicken (Taiwanese style) and salmon skewers are just a handful of the sharing ‘bites’ available, while the unique dumpling menu is a welcome change to the usual dumpling scene.
Rosie Morrison, Neat Places
Southern Cross
For over 100 years our place here in Te Aro, Wellington, has been a favorite meeting place for locals. We love being a part of the community and we are ready to throw in the hard yards to make sure everyone who visits us has a great experience. The Cross has something for everyone – have a look around and choose the perfect spot to suit your mood. Each area has been designed to create a different experience, a different ambience. Bring in your team from work, your mates, your kids, your grandparents, your study group, your special someone, your laptop, your dog (in the garden bar!) or your party guests – we can set you up with a space, top-notch food and drinks to suit your occasion.
Southern Cross
Week 3: Work Interviews & Aro Valley Market
Work Interviews
Paintvine Artist Assistant
Te Papa Tour Guide & Host
Aro Valley – Plastic Free Market
The third Market from Aro Valley Community Centre’s series, the “Plastic Free Market” was supposed to happen this week but the weather was so bad the Community Centre had some issues in the indoors with leaks. The event was postpone for August 21st.
Even though it didn’t happen, the week prior I got a variety of products ready that would align with the theme of the Market. It was a bit of a challenge because I was pressuring myself to do a variety of products that I wasn’t fully familiar or comfortable with. I decided to choose the ideas that I’ve used and made for myself before like my cloth menstrual pads. As well as a couple of extra items that don’t require too much precision such as grocery and tote bags.
I feel like I pressure myself a lot to have a product and brand figure out when I’m still experimenting with different products. I still feel like its good to put myself out there and try different things to know what type of products are more enjoyable to make that are at the same time something that people can use and would like to buy.
As with the past craft markets, once the Aro Valley Plastic Free Market happens, I’ll be letting you know how it went and what products I ended up showing up with. Wish me luck! 🤞
Week 4:
Cable Car & Wellington Gardens
Cuba Lighthouse: In the Heights & Black Widow
Embassy Theater: Spirited Away
Week 5:
Female Entrepreneurs
Dentist Appointment
Shows
Shows I liked
The Serpent
Atypical
Shows I didn’t like
Lupin
July Review
July in one word: New
“This month, I took steps to get closer to my goals & dream life” (10/10):
Lavendaire
Highlights of July:
- Move to Wellington
- Applied to be an Assistant Artist at Paint Vine & a Tour Guide Host at Te Papa
- Plastic Free Market at Aro Valley & Facebook Market
- Wellington Gardens & Cable Car
- Latin friends in Wellington
One thing I learned:
I learned I have to be patient and wait for the response of the interviews and in general from opportunities in life. My mind would start wandering about having done something wrong or not being good enough even when I knew I did really good and I just had to wait to hear back from the jobs.
I realized I’m better, more capable, skilled and so much more than I thought.
One thing I’m proud of:
Being confident in my abilities regardless of my mind telling me otherwise. I got the two jobs I applied for.
How can I improve for next month?
Continue to be confident in my abilities. Be humble. Keep learning and improving.
August Goals
August will be:
Top 3 goals for August:
If you like this don’t forget to share or pin for later!
Thanks for reading and see you next time! ♡
For more content, follow these & more projects, check out my social media:
Personal YouTube | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook
Travel YouTube | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook
Art YouTube | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook
This post may contain affiliate links which means I may receive a commission should you choose to sign up for a program or make a purchase using my links. It’s ok, I will only recommend products that I have personally used or care for – I love all of these products, and you will too! Learn more on my Private Policy page.
