So as our year ends and we prepare for reentry into life, what have we learned? Have our lives changed? Was it worth it? What now?
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| Logan, Ellie and Jordy at Tai Rd Beach |
Interestingly enough as I reflect on the year the first thing which comes to mind is, "Why?" As in "Why are you going to New Zealand?" Often asked before we left, I clumsily attempted to answer this in the months leading to our departure. I would babble about having read about the experience while in residency, about how we needed to time it to try to minimally disrupt the kids' lives and how New Zealand was doable in a year and Australia would be too big but I never really answered the question. I continued to wonder this even as we travelled across the globe and moved into a new life down under.
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| Eli, Coach Kingsley Young and other U-15 Kaponga Soccer Team members enjoying the Hawera Pools |
Now, I believe I can answer the question. If I had not left my practice temporarily, it was only a matter of time until I would have had to leave it permanently. What I was doing professionally and personally was not sustainable. I felt I needed a change but could not change things while in the middle of it all. I needed to step out of my life in order to reclaim it. Now, do not get me wrong, it was not as if my life was horrible or anything, it was just...not...what I could do for very much longer. It was a life of my own creation and I had no one to blame but myself and therefore it was I who needed to deconstruct it in order to reconstruct it. I needed Clarence the Angel to show me what life would be like "without" me in a sense. So here in New Zealand I have found "Zuzu's petals".
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Peter under some waterfalls near Omapere
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I did try to get my personal health in order, to lose weight and become more fit. I decided early on to make this a year to change myself. And I am happy to say I have been successful! I had never really tried to lose weight...I paid it lip service and tried to eat healthy but always ate too much and never really tried. I think I was afraid to try and fail. So at the time of writing this entry I have lost 28 kgs! (55 pounds) The secret to weight loss is no secret. The simplest change was to actually weigh myself periodically and then respond to the data with a change of behavior. If I lost weight keep doing what I was doing and if not then CHANGE something. You cannot do the same thing and expect a different result. This in turn fueled the rest. Diet changes=way smaller portions! Like 2 tablespoons of yogurt+nuts and berries for breakfast. Two carrots or celery sticks for lunch + some peanut butter or salad dressing. And generally try to stick to, no more than 2 cups of what ever we were having for dinner. And try really hard not to snack or eat mindlessly before, during or after dinner. A wholesale change in the perception of what constitutes 'enough' food. Exercise regularly=walking became, walk-running and eventually, running, 3-4 times per week. Thank goodness for the book, "Running For Mortals" which taught me it is ok to run. Throw in a little bit of weight training with Eli and just like that (12 months later) a new body! Was this Peter's mid life crisis? Well, I don't have a new sports car (but that amazing Bugatti on Top Gear would be nice), I have not left Shelley for a teenage girlfriend and I have not given up medicine to sell hats on a beach in the Caribbean (hmmm that's an idea?) Maybe it was. It was at least the time for me to re-examine my life to date, to examine my life for the near future and to perhaps establish some new dreams for the far off future. So yeah this year will be counted on as life changing for me just from that accomplishment alone.
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| Logan, Ellie, Shelley and Naniseni |
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Oh Christmas tree...
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In addition, we believe we have found a way to "retire" and travel in a way which is desirable for us. In other words rather than working to be a tourist, we hope to travel and WORK and LIVE among other peoples in other places. We had expected to have a rich cultural experience and lots of fun and adventure but what we did not expect was to create a another home, another community, frankly another 'family' and so the realities of doing this over and over again is not one any of us relish. We hope to return someday to our wonderful friends and the special place that is Opunake, New Zealand in the not too distant future.
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| Relaxing after their Urenui Mud facials |
Now we are in the midst of re entry...happy to be home but sad to be away from our new found friends and other 'home'. Right now we are a bit out of sorts. It feels like home but everything takes a bit more time and thought in terms of our 'flow'. How do we get the kids off to school? How do I do my notes at work? When do I take off my boots, in the mud room or just inside the kitchen door? Never had to think about these things before. How to run/walk on roads that are covered in ice? Eli was welcomed with open arms, the basketball team desperate for another body, squeezing in his 10 mandatory practices before he is allowed to play, straight to the mountain for a Friday snowboard, off to the 10th grade semi-formal on Saturday, and then off to the Patriots game on Sunday! Logan, thrown into a new school, not quite sure how to get to his new classes or to get himself lunch? Izaak welcomed back to elementary school, forgot his sneakers the first day, could tell he was a bit shook up by this minor glitch but recovered nicely once we found some spares in Mr Hebert's office!...and Dad did not get him to the bus on time on the second day (thanks to Mr Hayford for the bail out and quick drive to his school). Today was easier than yesterday which was better than the day before so it will come with time but right now is a bit uncomfortable. Well see ya until the next time, I am not even sure if we will continue this blog as we are now home, but I suspect it will be nice to write things here when feeling reflective on our bi-hemispheric experiences and to keep in touch with those down under. Until then, cheers!
