"They discovered that it was easy - easier than it should have been - for life to swallow up the extraordinaory and weave it into normality."
"Scissors Paper Stone" written by Elizabeth Day
It seems that it is human nature to develop some sort of routine. Even if the routine seems chaotic and spastic, everyone has a method of routine in their lives. It is what gives us structure and awareness of what is expected of us. Whether those expectations were developed by society or by ourselves. This is how I found myself feeling recently, that this "extraordinary" trip I am on had become "normal", ordinary and regular. Nothing unique or riveting or inspiring about it. What an easy trap to fall into. Isn't it a bizarre fact that a person can take a situation that they truly enjoy, that truly makes them feel good and, over time, begin to view it as simply just a situation...no longer one that brings great joy or good feelings. It just becomes something that must be done... something on the day's checklist of activities to be completed. Life began to feel this way in New Zealand. And... as is the way of the intricate and mysterious ways in which life tends to work... a solution was produced even before the problem was fully realized. :o)
And here begins the story of finding our third home in the Mount (the first being the terrible disaster of a place we called home for only a few hours - click here to read about it)
Luke and I had been living in Mount Maunganui for four months... in a wonderful home with two wonderful roommates. We were content and happy. Nothing to complain about. And yet, we weren't ecstatic about life. Even living in a beautiful, comfortable 'posh' apartment became a bit dull, simply just a part of everyday life. And then our roommates asked us to move out. They simply wanted the chance to live on their own. At first we were shocked and saddned by the news. As I said, life was good. Nothing to complain about. And this news brought on a dilemma - the stress of finding a new place to live.
Will it be affordable? What's affordable? What if we don't like our new roommates.
What if we can't find a place that we like.
The questions went on and on. It didn't help that at this time I was exhausted and frustrated as I had just begun taking antibiotics to kick the strep throat that set up camp in my tonsils. Yippee! If there's one way to ensure that you will not react well to negative information... its to already be exhausted and frustrated. Anyways... Luke took a much appreciated leadership role in our search for a new home and diligently called and texted as many places available as he could find. We, - him, excited at the prospect of a new home, and me, wanting to drop down to the ground, curl up in a ball and cry out for mommie's comforting touch, - viewed a few potential new homes, only to groan and sigh as soon as we got back into the car, exhausted by the disgustingness of the flats. It seems that it is common for landlords in the mount to cram as many foreigners into one little dirty, dingy, dark and moldy apartment as possible. I found the entire process extremely tiresome and depressing. The only thing keeping me engaged was Luke's relentless positive attitude, re-enforcing that we needed the change and that it was likely to end up being a really good thing for us.
Finally we found our new home... equipped with a wonderfully friendly new roommate from the Czech Republic, literally in the heart of downtown and a few steps from the beach. It has a real bed fit for two whole people, an actual wardrobe meaning our clothes are not folded on the floor of our closet and best of all... a big sliding glass door from bedroom to sunny patio. YAHOOO! And so, here we are, beginning a new chapter of our adventure of living in Mount Maunganui, with excited anticipation for what the summer months will bring our way!! Suddenly.. the "normal" once again is viewed as extraordinary !!
And here begins the story of finding our third home in the Mount (the first being the terrible disaster of a place we called home for only a few hours - click here to read about it)
Luke and I had been living in Mount Maunganui for four months... in a wonderful home with two wonderful roommates. We were content and happy. Nothing to complain about. And yet, we weren't ecstatic about life. Even living in a beautiful, comfortable 'posh' apartment became a bit dull, simply just a part of everyday life. And then our roommates asked us to move out. They simply wanted the chance to live on their own. At first we were shocked and saddned by the news. As I said, life was good. Nothing to complain about. And this news brought on a dilemma - the stress of finding a new place to live.
Will it be affordable? What's affordable? What if we don't like our new roommates.
What if we can't find a place that we like.
The questions went on and on. It didn't help that at this time I was exhausted and frustrated as I had just begun taking antibiotics to kick the strep throat that set up camp in my tonsils. Yippee! If there's one way to ensure that you will not react well to negative information... its to already be exhausted and frustrated. Anyways... Luke took a much appreciated leadership role in our search for a new home and diligently called and texted as many places available as he could find. We, - him, excited at the prospect of a new home, and me, wanting to drop down to the ground, curl up in a ball and cry out for mommie's comforting touch, - viewed a few potential new homes, only to groan and sigh as soon as we got back into the car, exhausted by the disgustingness of the flats. It seems that it is common for landlords in the mount to cram as many foreigners into one little dirty, dingy, dark and moldy apartment as possible. I found the entire process extremely tiresome and depressing. The only thing keeping me engaged was Luke's relentless positive attitude, re-enforcing that we needed the change and that it was likely to end up being a really good thing for us.
Finally we found our new home... equipped with a wonderfully friendly new roommate from the Czech Republic, literally in the heart of downtown and a few steps from the beach. It has a real bed fit for two whole people, an actual wardrobe meaning our clothes are not folded on the floor of our closet and best of all... a big sliding glass door from bedroom to sunny patio. YAHOOO! And so, here we are, beginning a new chapter of our adventure of living in Mount Maunganui, with excited anticipation for what the summer months will bring our way!! Suddenly.. the "normal" once again is viewed as extraordinary !!
Our new bedroom - photo taken with my blackberry
enjoying a glass of wine in our new living room
Our view of the Mount from our patio
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