I don’t have much to present. But that’s the essence of this interim report…
Maybe it is a little try on a ‘To-Do list for a year abroad’.

I am anxiously awaiting my new laptop, travel bag and credit card confirmation to book the first hostel.

My head is spinning quite well about the undertakings, duties, errands, plannings.

– You have to declare yourself unemployed if you are going abroad for more than one year. Otherwise there might be trouble with the receivables. And the Employment Agency doesn’t save on forms and paper…
I now have cancelled my job as planned and will be ‘unemployed’ after next week.

– Last appointments at the dentist and so on have to be taken, relatives have to be visited for the last times, farewells have to be planned and gotten over with…

– Any documents (especially for a trip longer than a year a certain health certificate for expample) have to be ready correctly.

– You have to think through the journey that lies ahead. After all many people tell me all the time that I do good, that they envy me, that I should do this for sure and that it is going to be the time of my life.
Sure, I am aware of that… But inbetween many theatre rehearsals and errands there is too little time to really sit down and think about it quietly. Though that should change for the better in the time of ‘unemployment’… 🙂

– My Audi will have to be sold at last. My first and only car… But as you have to part from everything eventually, he will have to go as well…

I have booked my fligth!!

From now on my days in Germany are counted.

On the 3rd of December I leave this patch of earth that was home to me for so long. After a few stop- and changeovers and 50 hours of flights I will arrive at my destination, Wellington.

My plan?
I will spend the first few days at a hostel. Resting and stuff. Discovering the city that for a long time (without further thoughts, believe me mum and dad) I was looking at on the map next to me head before I went to sleep. Meeting people (hopefully not as many fellow native speakers :P). Seeing the final Hobbit movie. Solving regulatory and document matters. For Wellington is known as culturally rich I might look for some concerts.

After 2 weeks I would like to get a car with camping gear and travel the South Island. Whether it is going to be a stationwagon and I sleep inside it or a good tent I will see there. With this I willingly submit to the school of flexibility and spontaneity. 🙂

First it will all work with the regular visitor visa and thus for only 3 months. (If my budget is not telling me off too soon…)
At the latest after that I will activate the Working Holiday Visa and IF I shouldn’t have found a host family by then I have the chance to work for 3 months in agriculture IN ORDER to extend the visa for another 3 months.
I think the paper-warfare will be worth 3 more months in the country of my dreams. If it should come to that…

The next days I would like to give you some details on my Gear and Gadgets, because NOW I finally have to say something (and to plan first and foremost).

Well well. A post without a cheesy picture of the sunset would’ve been boooooring, right? ;D