Today is a special day. Today is our 6 year wedding anniversary and also marks 6 months since we landed in New Zealand. Happy day, happy day.
We can't believe 6 months have gone by in NZ already. On the one hand, it's flown by and feels like we just got here. On the other hand, we feel so settled in our lives and our jobs that it kind of feels like we've always been here.
We've been reflecting on the move and the ways in which life is better, worse, or just different now. We made this list of pros and cons:
Pros
1. The work:life ratio for us in NZ is definitely more favorable. We work fewer hours per week, and the hours when we are at work are pretty freaking laid back. We have no doubt that both of our companies could do more work faster, but what's the need, really?
2. The outdoors are a bigger part of our lives. This is not only because we are outside more, but also because everyone around us is outside too. People spend a lot of time outside. No matter what the weather, outdoor tables at cafes are full. Heaps of people are always walking in the parks and on the beaches. Even when they're inside, Kiwis have their doors and windows open. And open means open - there are no screen doors or screens on the windows. You open the door and let outside come right in.
3. Food is better in NZ. Generally speaking, our produce is fresher because it didn't have to travel very far to get here. Packaged foods have very few additives. High fructose corn syrup, an ingredient in just about everything in America, does not seem to exist here. Cows are raised on pastures, not in "confined animal feeding operations," and they eat grass, not antibiotics and cornmeal/other cows.
4. Politics are not so ... political. There are two main political parties here: Labour (left) and National (right). But they're really not that far apart in ideology. Power changed from Labour to National shortly before we arrived, but as far as we can tell, no one really noticed much of a difference. Most people seem pretty happy with John Key (the prime minister). America's incredible political divide, and all the hysteria and rhetoric that was the norm -- that just doesn't happen here.
5. Smaller is better. There are some clear advantages to living in a small, relatively powerless and non-influential country. For one, things get done. New Zealand is not paralyzed by an unmanageable bureaucracy. When there's outcry about a law or system that isn't working, it's really easy to fix it. It usually just takes a few days. And no one wants to bomb the Kiwis, so airport security is almost nonexistent. Also, there are fewer signs in public places telling you what you can't do. The smaller population here makes it possible to manage with a lot fewer rules and restrictions.
6. Gareth can watch rugby and cricket, and he can use British English like "ta" for thank you and "mate" for friend. This makes Gareth happy, and in turn, Lindsay is happy too.
Cons
1. Many of the people we love are really, really far away. We've been far away from them for a long time, but now they're a lot further away. Like a day's travel away or more. It's difficult to arrange phone/skype calls, and we probably won't see most of them in person more than once every few years.
2. Our house and our car are not as nice as what we had in America. We have a small, economical (i.e., slow) car. We're renting a small townhouse with gross blue carpet now. When we move into our new house, we'll have to cope with a pretty hideous peach bathroom. Our place in America was modern and beautiful. We will eventually be able to bring our new house up to our standards, but it will be some years before we save enough to do everything we'd like to do.
3. The cost of living relative to wages is more beneficial in America (at least, in Phoenix. Maybe not everywhere in America). We took pay cuts to move here. In New Zealand, we make less money but spend more for shelter and utilities.
4. Mexican food. We miss it. New Zealand would be better if it were closer to Mexico.
It's weird, but even as we make this list of cons, we're talking about how these cons really aren't all bad. Except maybe the one about loved ones being so far away. But a small house is easy to keep clean. We make less money, but we have everything we need. We pay almost nothing to fuel our little car. And let's face it: Mexican food is not that good for you.
Overall, things have gone incredibly well for us down here. We can both say without hesitation that we are very happy we made the move.
New Zealand pretty much shuts down for Christmas. Both of our offices are closed from tomorrow until the 5th of January. Even our local fish 'n' chip shop is shut until January 14th. Some people in my office are going away til February. Yes, it's the good life...
It's a gorgeous drive. This is a photo from Summit Road, looking down onto the Bay. It's a pretty crazy windy road out on the Peninsula with lots of dips and turns - it's not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. Sheep or cows would sometimes charmingly wander into the road. 
