For the past few weeks I have been trying to get fit. I dont like the gym and totally hopeless at any sort of aerobic class so I decided to start running (well trotting, really) along the beach. I have increased the distance from 10 minutes to 25 minutes and I am starting to feel fitter. Its great to be out in the sunny mornings and it fits into my daily routine so I am quite likely to stick with it. However, running can be a bit boring even if the view is very pretty so I started to practice my French via my MP3 player. Unfortunately I am the worlds worst at anything technichal and I am having real prbolems down loading some new lessons on to the player. I am getting a bit tired of 'Monsieur Albert goes to the cafe'. So today I decided just to run and not listen to anything but my thoughts..... There wasnt a lot going on there either. But anyway, what did strike me is how safe I feel in New Zealand. Theres no way in the UK I would run by myself along a deserted beach (or road, or field) every morning. But I don't feel nervous here at all. Anyone I do see generally just say hello and thats it.
We have several Brazillians that come in to our shop for pizza. They are a very happy, loud friendly lot and 2 regulars Michelle and Roberto like to pop in for a chat. They have been here for 2 years now and miss their country, family and frineds a great deal. When I asked them why they stayed here they say that although they love Brazil and it would always be their home they feel safe and free in New Zealand. A feeling of personal security and freedom are so important.
I read the local paper every day and although as the population slowly increases in New Zealand so does crime. But the fact that domestic violence and petty crime still make headlines here means something. Heres an example. On Saturday, a youth saw an oportunity and stole the cash box off the bus in town- front page news. It has now been decided that the bus stop in town is a rough dodgy place with chewing gum on the ground (heaven forbid) and mean looking hoodies hanging around intimidating people. So the paper sent a reporter out to talk to people waiting at the bus stop to see what they thought. The reporter asked 3 ladies in their 60's and one teenage boy and none of them felt intimidated, one lady thought they could tidy the place up a bit and one thought security cameras might be a good idea. These findings made headline news the next day! Two days of news out of a bus stop in town is pretty impressive.
Anyway, long may it stay that way.
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I must say we feel much safer, our 'home town' in the UK was supposed to be a nice place and where we lived 'upper class' but I would NEVER go out after dark, not even to the end of the street to the corner shop. We has 5 locks on each of the doors, window locks, and even a steering lock for the car!
Now I often sleep with windows open and hardly ever lock the car, last week I even accidentally left the car unlocked with my phone and purse on view!! Ooops, but in the UK someones GPS would have caught the signal of 'trusting person' before I even shut the door!
It is changing here though and sadly Welly has had some pretty nasty news lately and I have started to feel a bit anxious about it all. But people + trusting freedom = a worrying future. Lets hope its a long long long future before it happens!
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