New Zealand Weekly Update #37

03rd of July until 9th of July 2023

Approximate reading time: 5 minutes

Lets get it started

Good morning fellas, good morning guys. Hope all of you are doing great. Hope all of you are having a good time, some adventures, some crazy things going on and all of you are happy as well. Time is running. Just two weeks until I will make my way back to Germany, eventough it is just for a short time. But I am really looking forward. And I am really excited how it will be to meet friends and familiy after the long time of being away from home. It feels like ages since I left Germany, eventhough it has been just 9 months. Lots of adventures, lots of new people, lots of experiences. And I reckon, things will be different, I reckon the relationship to some of my friends will be different. But I will have a more look in detail later. Lets talk about the week and my adventures. And during writing the blog I will have some red bull and coffee, since it was a long week and a long night at the lake as well 🙂

Through the night

The week in a nutshell – working at OCULA, at the moment once a week in Queenstown to support the team down their as well. A smaller shop but still pretty exciting and new. And one of the staff members from Wanaka, Cinnita, is moving to Queenstown and will be working in the shop down there. Not as busy as Wanaka, not as big, less staff members. But still beautiful and a nice shop. Back in Wanaka, it is pretty busy in our shop at the moment since there are public holidays going on and we have heaps of people coming into our shop. Back in Germany during my apprenticeship, I was just responsible for retail. Selling frames and lenses. No administration. No orders. No E-Mails. Almost no phone calls. Not dealing with institutions, insurances, Southern Cross claims and so on. Here in Wanaka, we are responsible for everything. So while you try to finish an order, the phone is ringing, a customer is coming in and 5 mails pop up which you have to answer. And while you are talking to the customer, another customer pops in and needs your support as well. So you have to make sure to not forget about anything and stay relaxed and supportive as well. But our team is doing really great and I am really happy to work with some awesome and supportive people.

I am not sure if I was already talking about my idea to go to Ruby Island in the middle of the night, but here we go.
Saturday evening after work, it was time to realise this idea. Not quite safe in the middle of the night in the middle of the lake. Just with a headtorch and a paddle. Anyway.
Since I just had one kayak, I asked my collegue from OCULA Matt (thanks legend!) if I can borrow one of his ones and grabbed it after work. Prepared everything, attached one kayak to the roof of my car and put one kayak in the back of my car. Some food, tea, warm clothing and my company for the evening – Lisa. You might remember her from my update last week.
So we made our way down to the lake. Kayaks into the water. Life jackets on. Headtorches on. And action.
Darkness everywhere. Silence everywhere. And we in between. Trying to make our way to Ruby Island – about a 20 minute drive on smooth water. And an amazing sky above us, stars and some shooting stars as well. Of course I made sure that some of my friends knew where we are just in case something happens. And from time to time we stopped to make sure to drive to the right direction. And after about 25 minutes, we arrived at Ruby Island. And had some snacks and hot tea. Watching the sky, talking and just enjoying the silence in the middle of the lake. The way back was much easier, since we just had to drive to the direction of the lights in town.
Honestly, this adventure was not quite safe, since we have been at the lake in the middle of the night, in the middle of winter time. And I am more than happy that we are back safe and without any incidents. But it was one of the best adventures I have had so far in New Zealand. Definitely a memory that I will love to think of.
Idea – Preparation – Realisation – Memory.

Time and distance

Building up friendships and relationshsips does not happen in a couple of days. Long-term relationships and friendships needs a lot of time, attention, effort, interest. Shared experiencec, adventures, talks. And after a certain amount of time, a friendship may become a lifetime friendship. A relationshsip you don’t want to miss anymore. Something you are grateful for. Something that is part of your life, part of your identity. And be able to miss these kind of relationships is something quite special, since it means that you know how it feels like. Here in New Zealand, there are a few things I really miss. And one of those things are my longterm friendships and friends. The small and deep talks with those people. Shared experiences. Shared memories. Shared time. And eventhough you have some talks from time to time via Whatsapp, Skype and stuff, it is still not the same compared to spending time together at the same spot. It is different. And the more time is moving on, the more the relationship might change as well. Because it just lives from memories, from experiences and adventures in the past. And it gets even more difficult with distance. And time. And different lifestyles, ideas of life, activities.

There are some friendships back in Germany, I am sure off that they will last forever. Since some people and friends mean the world to me. Some of those people supported me whenever it was necessary. Whenever I needed support. Even without asking. With some of those people I shared some of the best adventures in my life, I shared some of the best moments, sometimes some of the worst moments. And we went through all of this together. As a team. As friends. As family.
And still, we are able to move on on our own, live our own live, without sharing lots of adventures together anymore. Without spending lots of time together, without building up new memories, new stories to tell.
Life is changing all the time, every single day. So relationships do as well. Friendships do as well. So how to deal with the fact, that some of those relationships and friendships are not the same anymore? Not that intense? Not that deep? How to deal with the fact, that some of those friendships are not meant to be forever? That the bond is getting less strong while time is moving on.
Well, my answer at the moment? Keep going, keep going what makes you happy, what makes you stay motivated and on the track every day. Eventhough friendships might change, relationships might change, real friends and family will support you. No matter wherever you are. Whatever you do. Whatever makes you happy. And you will do as well.
Real friendships , no matter what, will stay with you. In your mind. In your memory. In your heart. And in your future. It just takes some attention, honest interest and some shared and new experiences from time to time.
Well, friends, eventhough the distance is way too great, eventhough new experiences are far too less. And time is way too short. You are with me, I think of you, I miss you and I am looking forward to seeing all of you and be able to spend some time with you. And to try to keep the friendship alive 🙂

What else to say?

Two more weeks to go, to more weeks until I am back in Germany. Time is running, I am really excited and it’s gonna be tough, way too short and exctiting time. And I am gonna be tired, I am gonna be on the road a lot. And it will be worth it. For every single person. For every single friend. For all of you guys.

See you soon.

Your DingyInternational

Felix