the vet's Blog; Wandering NZ

So, third attempt here at wrapping up my time in Wellington. Two times already I’ve finished my narrative and then lost the document. This time I will be smart about it and put it in a word document first, then cut and past to the site blog.

I don’t really know where to begin now. I feel kind of like a drunk, retelling my story over and over…anyway, back in the States I’m a vet specialist which means that I spent an extra poorly paid 4 years after graduating from Vet school, in academia to get accredited as a specialist—my specialty is neurology and neurosurgery of companion animals. There are only 2 or so existing vet hospitals in NZ staffed with certified specialists which are exclusively specialty hospitals. There are no practicing neurology specialists. Specialists in specialty hospitals see patients by referral only, and this is how I have been working in the states for the past 14 years. I applied for positions at these hospitals, but for a variety of reasons, no go. My backup plan was to take a general practice job and that is how I landed in Wellington; a 6 month locum for a vet going on maternity leave. You might think, easy, he’s a specialist and now he will be doing the routine stuff. Well, truth is I’ve never been in practice doing the ‘routine’ stuff. I’ve done nearly 1000 neurosurgeries, mostly spinal surgeries, but have probably only done 4-5 spays in my career, and none in the last 14 years. So the first few spays I had to do were a bit scary….pulling an abdominal organ out through a small hole without causing life threatening bleeding….at least with spinal surgeries I can see what I’m doing. And then came the rabbits, rats and alopecic mice with itchy skin…….itchy skin, gloppy ears, vaccinations ad nauseum. Suffice to say, I’m glad I chose specialization. The experience was a good one overall though, for a number of reasons. Least of which was the work schedule, which was erratic, weekends, shifting hours…sometimes starting at 7:30 am, sometimes finishing 7 pm. It didn’t allow much time for social life and so I did not have much opportunity to meet new people. When weekends came, if I wasn’t working, or playing Saturday Soccer for an over 35 men’s team, then I was exploring the region (Wairarapa, Cape Pallisar, Kapiti coast, Makara). I had also arranged some lectures in vet neurology which took me on a few weekend trips---Rotorua, Auckland, Christchurch and finally a ski week in Wanaka. I also spent the long Easter weekend tramping in the Tararuas and another long weekend in Nelson at an Irish Music festival or sorts. I hit the Courtney place bar and club scene once……just once was enough. Another weekend took me to Napier and back via back roads with a group of Kiwibikers from the region. That was the only time I managed to get away for a weekend organized ride.

I lived in two places in Wellington, both with flatmate(s)---which was a first for me since I was 27—apart from living with partners. The first place was perpetually cold and damp, and just as winter was getting really cold, I moved into a place with central gas heat---well the flatmate on the lease programmed the central heating incorrectly and heated the place to 18 degrees each day all day while we were all out working----$750 power bill. So much for the central heat, it was off virtually all the time for the remainder of my stay there…at least it was dry though.

2 weeks after I finished work I delivered 8 hours of lecture in Wanaka at a week long veterinary conference. 5 days after that I took the ute up to Waiheke island and then made a slow drive South over about 2 weeks visiting Waiheke, Hamilton, Raglan, Tauranga, Whakatane and a drive around the Coast of the East Cape to Gisborne, Napier, Palm North and then back to Wellington; actually upper hutt where I was staying with a friend…room and board free in exchange for some work around her blueberry farm…did that for a week while I was trying to sell some items on Trademe…one of which was my ute. I dropped the Ute off in Auckland yesterday, got on a flight back to Wellington this morning, picked up the V Strom and said goodbye to Wellington….here I now sit and type in New Plymouth, where I’ll spend a few days. I have about a month to see some of the bits I have yet to see, Northland in particular. So October will be a month of touring on the bike; ending my New Zealand adventure as I started. My residency application is pending. I have a return flight to the States that I will lose if I don’t use. I fly out of Auckland on Nov 7 and will spend holidays with family. I’ve lined up a bit of work already, and I will spend a lot of time contemplating how I can make it professionally here in NZ working for myself. Maybe working hard for at least half a year in the States, and then months of the year back here in NZ enjoying this beautiful country…that sounds like a plan….we’ll see.