The Christmas season is in full swing. Whereas last week, I was wondering whether Christmas would feel true despite the opposite season down under, I am now certain that that will not matter. I had been suspecting that my increasingly endearing friends in Wellington would ease the homesickness during the approach to the holidays, but now it is no question!
We had our company Christmas party last Friday, and what a blast it was. During the day on Friday, everyone was abuzz in preparation: we compared ugly jumpers, prepped our decorations, and wrapped our secret Santa gifts. By the evening, and after a couple of warm-up cocktails, we stuck together like peas in a pod while we danced and laughed the night away. I am at ease with these coworkers now, and though these are my professional colleagues, the late night antics and somewhat sloppy memories may make for a tight-knit atmosphere. Going to work with your friends is so much more fun than going to work with a bunch of strangers.
Although another wild night out with coworkers (one of many already had and to come in the future) meant a half a day wasted on recovery the following morning, my weekend ensued with more intimate moments with friends. Saturday evening, I went to dinner at the chic Osteria del Toro with Linda, Manu, Brian and Kristina, two married couples from my work and non-work worlds that I have now brought together. Linda and Manu especially have become my surrogate family in Wellington, but amidst another bout of their light-hearted bickering, I was reminded of my mother and Father's dynamic. Especially when Linda began asking me lovingly criticizing questions about how, where, and why I would ever want a tattoo, followed by Manu's silent nods of agreement, it was made official that they are faint echoes of my parents. Kristina stood up for me like an older sister. And when the other Christina, a new friend that we had invited along to dinner that night, complained to me later that Brian had kept her from the rest of conversation by talking too much, I found myself defending him--that's my bro you're talking about!
And then, when I awoke to an unseasonably cold and dark Sunday morning, I made the decision to put my usual weekend exploring to a rest. My cozy early-morning breakfast with my flatmates solidified my decision. Anthony, in particular, had earlier made the same decision for that day, and we spent the afternoon grocery shopping--via a 1 km drive down the road to Countdown--cooking, movie watching, and finishing our chores around the flat together. When AJ was around during spots in the afternoon especially, we all three swooned over the good-looking actors in the movies we ogled over. And other times, we sometimes simply sat quietly, enjoying the quiet, lazy Sunday.
Yes, indeed, this holiday season is festive! My friends here have indeed begun to feel like family. Although my friends are of a wide range of countries and cultures, I must attribute this feeling--so soon and so intense--to host culture that we are all living within: the kiwi psyche and the Māori family basis. Their emphasis on "togetherness", on the balance between work and fun, and taking it easy, especially within the confines of one's home, makes this holiday season easier to take while away from my family. With a merry jest and dance, it's jolly Christmas in New Zealand!
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