A very blue New Zeland June tune

New Zealand June
should be the name of a tune.
For a New Zealand June
is quite cold and full of gloom.

For, while the grass may be green,
the skies, they are grey,
And, while the mountains are white,
the fingers, they are blue.
Oh a New Zealand June!

There are raindrops on the window,
but alas, they're on the inside.
There's a wind-gust from the door...
or is it coming from the floor?
Oh a New Zealand June!

So, let us sing a little song,
through a winter that is long.
It might help to keep us warm,
or at least, it does no harm
in a New Zealand June.

One month in...

A student's desk

One month out of twelve has already flown by. What have I done? By the looks of it, readings.

That time of the year again

Oh, it’s that time of the year again, and I feel a strong need to write. Not a news-paper article this time. But a blog post. A little ‘blip’ on the radar from the little island far, far away. 

I don’t know why it has become this way, but June seems to have become the month where life changing events take place. 

5 years ago, in June, I moved to New Zealand. That is probably one of the craziest thing I have ever done in my life:

June 2008, First week in New Zealand

4 years ago, in June, I stared dating a New Zealander. Maybe the second craziest thing that I have ever done!

June 2009, "Last week" in New Zealand

3 years ago, in June, was just horrible! (My husband can vouch for that). I guess that explains why there are no photos...

2 years ago, in June, I had one of the most exciting times in my life. My New Zealand boyfriend finally was moving to my home country!!

June 2011, Dad taking a photo of us

1 year ago, in June, my home country asked my New Zealand husband to leave.

June 2012, Packing up to move to NZ (again)

This year though… nothing! As another June comes around, we find ourselves puzzled, and surprised, and relieved that, it seems (at least at this stage in late May) that nothing special will happen this June! 

Our news article. Thanks bro for getting it published! 

A photo journal from the national day

A peak through the window to the lunch buffet in our home.

Smoked salmon, and smoked ham were the stars of the show.

Two flags in a pot. 

I am not entirely sure why we do this, 

but I saw that the crown prince and his family did the same, 

so it must be a legit tradition.

Outside our window it is now autumn.

Inside, the marching bands which are thousands of miles away 

bring the sound of spring into our home.

The wonderful thing about having 17th of May in the autumn in New Zealand...

Fejoas! 

A foreign,

but very fabulous addition to this traditional celebration.

The best thing about having 17th of may in New Zealand...

My husband :-) 

Hipp, hipp, hurra!

It is coming up to 17^th of May! A date that holds a special significance for many Norwegians (me included). On this very day, just one hundred and ninety nine years ago, our forefathers got their own constitution and even a random king!

Here is a photo of some of my forefathers:

Back left: My great, great grandmother. Back right: My great, great, great grandmother.

Front left: My grandmother. Front right: My great grandmother.

This momentous occasion was not really celebrated until a couple of poetic guys rocked up and gave fiery speeches and wrote poems and songs in the mid to late 1800s, one of which was to become our national anthem. 

One momentous 17^th of May was in 1906, when for the first time in history, the king and queen joined in the celebrations. My great, great, great grandmother was 57 years old that year (Whereas she would be about 75 years old in the photo above).

Another very sweet 17^th of May celebration happened in 1945, just 9 days after the second world war had ended, and peace had been declared in Europe and much of the world.  17^th of May celebrations had off course not been allowed during the time of the occupation, and so I think it held a special significance to many Norwegian grandparents (mine included). 

To me, a very sweet  17^th of May celebration happened last year when I finally got to show my husband what the fuss was all about. 

Here is a photo of my husband and me getting ready to celebrate: 

Why do I write this? 

Well, my wise auntie once said that "some occasions suit big words", and so, as another  17^th of May comes around, it seems fitting to write a few words of history, and so to share in the tradition of speech making which started the whole thing. 

Gratulerer med dagen, kjære gamle Norge!

52 weeks & a whole lot of words

Tomorrow will be the first of  many days devoted to reading, writing, and researching. I look forward to this new journey, full of challenges, defeats probably, a lot of fun, and hopefully some helpful results.Tomorrow a thesis commences!

Visa Expiry: Indefinite

I am a NZ resident!!!
I'm looking for the right words to describe what that feels like, but it is not so easy. Joy, relief, excitement!!