First week in Auckland

My first week in Auckland!

Date: February 2018

You must be wondering, what did this girl get up to?

I think it was a good mixture of a lot of something and a lot of nothing.

When I arrived, I was plopped into a Caribbean community from the connections I had made before I even landed. Everyone in the house I was staying in could understand my accent without it being a big deal – and that’s cause half of them were from the Caribbean themselves.

I took the first couple of days to chill out in the house. My life two months prior to this was extremely hectic and so it was nice to take a break and do nothing. There was also this persistent weight of tiredness that was with me (which I learnt afterwards was jet lag) so I figured, best I sleep it off huh?

In the end though, my friend Matesha (Mo as she is affectionately known) ensured I got out the house. Here’s what I did:

1. I got a personalized tour of Auckland city with Mo 😀 (The Caribbean link for Auckland if ya eva need one) and her daughter to include – A lookout point of the Auckland Harbour, Auckland Domain, One tree hill and Cornwall park among others.
2. A day trip for Waitangi Day – this involved a 2 hr drive up North (beautiful!) with 3 other people I’d just met (all fellow Caribbean people – Jamaican, Vincey & a Trini) to watch the festivities of the holiday. Waitangi day commemorates when the indigenous people of New Zealand called the Maoris (learn it and remember it) and the British people signed an agreement called the Waitangi treaty. This treaty determined how the country would run with the two groups. There’s controversy to this day surrounding the interpretation (some Maori words don’t directly translate to English words and vice versa which lead to different interpretations), but they’re making it work (for the most part). So there’s no independence day as such. But this would be the closest thing.
   
3. A little kid’s birthday lime hosted by a couple from Zimbabwe. They love dancehall music so of course dat was di ting. I was playing dominoes and having drinks while reggae was on in the background within only 5 days of me being there.
4. Met up with a family friend (whom I’d never met previously) that lives out here. Turns out my Antiguan family knew two NZ families, as the families both at one point lived in Antigua. The families have all kept in touch throughout the years. I met up with one of them to do some introductions and swap family stories.
5. Took another tour of Auckland with Mo and a new Caribbean student that had just arrived (I was no longer the freshest off the boat). This time we took a drive around the city and to Mt. Wellington.
6. Went to a WHOLE Charlie Blaxx concert. First time being at a dancehall artist concert where 97% of the crowd was from no where near the Caribbean – instead they were from the Pacific islands. Who knew?
7. Watched the launch of Black Panther (before many other countries ’cause we’re just THAT far ahead in time) with an entire Caribbean contingent.

My first week in New Zealand was definitely NOT what I expected. I didn’t expect to be enveloped into this Caribbean and ‘black’ community so quickly. I didn’t expect to have met and vybed with everyone so well. I didn’t expect to meet people over here who knew people I knew back home! I didn’t expect that friends and family members in the Caribbean would message me out of the blue with contacts they had in NZ that I could reach out to. I didn’t expect that as much as I was on the other side of the world, when ya with certain people it would have the vybe of home too.

Part of me wondered though if I was doing the right thing. I felt as though I flew to the other side of the world to experience something COMPLETELY different. Yet, here I was surrounding myself with what I know – what’s comfortable. Was I living up to what I was hoping to achieve?

But at the same time, I wasn’t about to complain either. A piece of home so far away is always a good thing. So I also thought, I should embrace it while I can 🤷🏽‍♀️.

As much as I was surrounded by Caribbean people and culture though, I couldn’t for one moment deny that I was somewhere else completely. ‘Cause 1. No one’s awake when you are and 2. When you look outside, it doesn’t look like what you’re used to on your island that’s for sure.

My first week was a twist of activity, sleep, adventure, chillin, fitting in, stickin out, chattin up and trying to convince myself that I’d made it. I made it to New Zealand.

What a ting eh?

Have you ever been surrounded by your own culture but at the same time still had this feeling that you’re not ‘there’? That you’re somewhere different? Do you ever feel torn or weird about it? If so, do share your story. I find it all so interesting to hear!