Here we go

the story:

The best part about this move so far has been the reaction I get when I tell people what I'm doing. Everytime I tell someone I'm leaving Hattiesburg, I invariably get the standard question: "Where are you going?" Then I answer.

"I'm headed to New Zealand."

And immediately the face goes from the normal OK-standard-polite-conversation-mode, generally into a double-take and a mixture of envy and confusion. It's fun stuff.

New Zealand's working holiday visa application went online July 4. We applied late July 5, and I think I was approved as soon as the immigration office opened and someone could hit OK. It may as well have been instantaneous, and certainly took less than 24 hours. Much better than what would have happened before, when NZ required you to send the application - and your passport - to the embassy.
I was approved by the time I checked on July 6. Kirsten (thanks to spending too much time in Mexico) was required to get a chest X-ray and mail the results to New Zealand. She got her approval today, so we can each officially work for a year from the time we enter New Zealand. Of course, we're leaving on August 28 and as of yet neither of us has any idea what we'll do, or where we'll live.

I'm looking forward to it.

the leap

Eight days left until I leave Hattiesburg. I'll be three months shy of four years spent in Mississippi.

The heat index was 110 today. I think I'm all right with leaving.