The bits from my letters (which were to my sisters in America) are a bit disjoined, but I have cut out all the stuff that didn't seem relevant to this project - which is really about what it is like to live in New Zealand. I have left Philip's letters more or less as they were, because you get a different style of writing - and a different point of view.

Feb. 2

Well, the groundhog certainly saw his shadow here today. I hope we won't have to wait six weeks for good weather now. Actually I don't think they have any groundhogs here so maybe we're ok.

We got Andrea into a play group - 2 mornings a week, 9-11:30 for 35 cents a time. It’s about four blocks away and seems okay. I doubt if it’s worthwhile me looking for work for the amount of time that leaves me.

I'm looking out at the biggest brightest rainbow I can ever remember seeing. It’s a huge complete arc with a second paler one behind it. Philip's just gone to take a photo of it. We’ve taken four rolls of film already.

Then today we looked at primary schools. One we'd already eliminated because it was very big and looked rough. Another one we decided against because it was dark and dull and the head master seemed very bored and disinterested in the whole thing.

That left two - the small Catholic school just a block away with four teachers and 120 students. Stephanie would be in the mixed class of 3-4th graders, Jonathan in 2nd grade. The head is a young nun - very nice but green and the priest will undoubtedly be telling her how to run it. Him I don't much like. Too Irish. They have school uniforms which pleases Stephanie but it also has a lot of things against it.

The other school is bigger and public, somewhat snobby. It also has lots of nice things like swimming lessons and a beautiful library and a lot of parent involvement, a lot of school projects and possibly smaller classes. Philip really prefers that they go there but I somewhat prefer the Catholic one - because I'd like the kids to have some religious instruction and they could make their 1st communion and also its closer and smaller and therefore less frightening and the teachers seemed sweet and nice if not all that effective and efficient.

I think that’s where they will go at least to see how they get on and it they don't, we'll transfer them to the other one. Such big decisions we have to make. S’s uniform is a brown and white check dress, J's is grey shorts and shirt.

6 Feb

The kids are going to a small Catholic school about 5 minutes walk from here. We decided on it because it was small and close. It means Jonathan can easily come home for lunch until he feels settled. The kids both like their teachers who seem to be friendly and efficient.  I haven't thought of work and doubt if I shall be able to manage it. Just carting and collecting children and doing the washing and ironing and gardening fills my days pretty full. I've frozen a lot of vegetables and fruit. The peaches are only two cents each now so we can't miss them.

This is a long weekend - New Zealand Day tomorrow. We hope to go to the mountains to a hot springs place. We've gone somewhere each free day and have seen a lot of the country. It is very lovely and so empty. The climate is very pleasant although everyone apologises for the rain and wind and says it’s usually much better. But nearly every day has some hot sun and the weather is just very agreeable. 

Andrea had a nice birthday. She kept wanting her Marple Bridge friends to come over for cake. She's not quite clear on the idea of where we are and why. She was the most homesick of all the children and has still to make a friend - that will probably make her much happier.

Philip bought her a trike and Stephanie a second hand bike and the lady threw in a doll's pram, four dolls and another trike for Jonathan. So we have quite a few toys now.
 

8 Feb.

Dear Mum and Dad,

We lit a fire today as it was so cold - the house is not centrally heated and is rather large with 12' ceilings. We have 2 electric fires and a fireplace in the living room. Wood is very cheap and since the price of electricity has just gone up we decided to light the fire. It's not very good though, I can see we are going to be cold in the winter.

I expect Jean told you about the children' schools. Stephanie and Jonathan are going to a little RC primary school just down the road, which they seem to like. A bit old fashioned, with desks, bells, and lessons. Perhaps they will learn something this year. Stephanie had a spelling test on Thursday and came bottom, so she has spent all weekend learning words from the spelling books. The primary schools are very similar to ours, from the point of view of age to start going, type of work etc. so they will have no trouble fitting in. The only difference is that we have to pay for their books, paper, pencils etc. Andrea will be going to a nursery school two mornings a week, which she is looking forward to. That school is very close and Jean will have to help there two mornings each term.

I didn't tell you earlier that we bought a car a 1968 Vauxhall Viva for £800 which is a good deal more than the same car in England would cost, always supposing you could find one still running. Cars here last much longer than in England. The climate is better and they don't put salt on the roads, so our Viva has been 60,000 and not a speck of rust. We should be able to sell it for nearly what we paid for it. There are still 1950's cars on the road in good condition and a number of pre-war Morris 8 and Austin 7's. And they must all work, as you have to have the car tested ever 6 months at a government run testing station, and also if you sell a car you have to have it tested and passed before sale.

Yesterday we visited a place called Hamner Springs, about 80 miles N from here. Hot water comes out of the ground, and some of it is piped into a swimming pool (actually more of a spa). It smells rather sulphurous, and we bathed in this during a rather heavy rainstorm and cold wind (the pool is outside). The water is at the temperature of a hot bath, about 100º F and we stayed in about 40 minutes till the rain stopped. The village itself is right up in the mountains, but the weather was so bad we couldn't see anything. It was rather like the north of Scotland on a typical day - like the road past Balmoral.

The day before we went to a little fishing village at the end of the peninsula just to the south of Christchurch - a place called Akaroa. The only French settlement in New Zealand, settled in 1840 by a boatload of French emigrants and still retains a lot of the original character. We also visited the mountains to the west about 2 weeks ago (Arthur's Pass, about 100 miles due west of Christ church) You will have to wait to see slides of that. We are getting about, anyway, and all seem to be enjoying it although Stephanie is much happier now she is back at school.

Love from all of us,
Philip

February 15

The friends we had around to supper on Friday have offered us the use of a lot of blankets- even electric ones so maybe we'll be warmer soon. We've had an open fire three times and we use the electric fires a lot. We had a picnic with friends today. Stephanie thought it would be nice to swap Andrea and Jon for their 18 month old twins. She was serious. Andrea was very jealous of the attention I gave the babies. She kept saying, “I like you best Mummy.” Stephanie is deliberately picking up the most awful accent. I'm sure you wouldn't be able to understand her.

February 24

About our trip to Greymouth this last weekend. That is on the western coast - and we had quite a scarey drive over the mountain pass. Part of the road had been washed away and there was no protective railing, and it was a long way down if we went off the road. Greymouth was a gold mining town and is rather touristy in that it looks like the set of a cowboy film. We did have a go at panning for gold, but no luck. There was a wonderful walk we did along the coast to a place called the Pancake Rocks - and the sea was channelled up through the rocks and come out in huge spouts - rather like geysers.

Thursday I played tennis with an American University wife - great fun I won 4 out of 20 games. That's good for me.

On Friday I went for a job interview. It was at Christchurch Public Hospital not very near here. They want me to do Tues-Wed-Thur from 9-1 which sounds ideal if I can get sitters for Andrea. It would be an obesity clinic. Pays about $3 an hour and I would have to be on the lowest level as I would be listed as part-time - temporary but first I must have my credentials approved. The dietetic standards are very high here more so than in the U.S. and much more than England. I have mixed feelings about working. I find life fairly busy and complicated as it is but also I think the kids aren't really adjusted well yet. Andrea cried when I left her at play school last week. But I do like to get out and I really would like to make some money.