dualism

Things I miss about home:

1. Cheap, reliable, unlimited internet access. Here there's a monthly cap on data usage, and the cheapest I can find is about $58 USD for a 2GB cap.

2. Cheap booze (and cheap aleve for after the booze)

3. Having a car, and therefore only having to go to the stupid grocery store once a month. I can't explain why I hate grocery shopping, but I totally hate it. So far that's the only thing that makes me want a car here.

4. Having an oven and loads of kitchen equipment

5. Being able to use my beloved iPhone as an actual phone. Stupid AT&T and their stupid monopoly and stupid party line that iPhones cannot be unlocked no no no.

Things I love about here:

1. Everything is awesome.

2. My shower water pressure at home is incredible.

3. I thought city living might overwhelm me, but it turns out that it's pretty great.

4. Weird food is everywhere and available all the time.

5. The people are startlingly, unstoppably friendly.

6. Lots of days are rainy, but on a brilliant Auckland day, life is like walking through a series of postcards. My mom says the photos I send her look like they belong in a calendar, and it's so true.

7. Accents.

8. I saw a firetruck filled with kiwi firefighters. That's all I have to say about that.