Professional Paradise

I have gone another step back, and still it is a step forward. My first step back being from a self-employed position into an employment, I am now starting as a registrar, that is a trainee. I have entered a GP (Allgemeinarzt) training programme that seems so much more practice orientated, intensive and individual than what I got in Germany 16 years ago. We are a group of 20 students who come together every Wednesday, and on the other days we are working in practices where we are to see a limited number of 13 patients (normally ~ 20) per day and are assigned to a personal GP teacher who has to spend a minimum time with us (90 min each week) - opposed to a lecture-based training with 200 others in Germany and a teacher who says: "here is your room, if you have any questions, ask me". The other good news that it is paid - less of course than what I got until now but we will manage to bridge that one year of less pay. After that I can go back into a normally paid employment and another two years later I can apply for a title that is accepted in some other countries as well (Canada, Australia, South Africa, Singapore and others) - among other local advantages.
My new practice is great and so is my teacher (who is about my age). Most of the clients are Pakeha, many are farmers. It is a 20 min drive through fertile flatland inland.
The weekly training sessions are held in Cambridge, about 90-100 min drive from Thames, also through flat land (Hauraki Plains) alongside a mountain ridge.
It is no problem to interrupt the training after the first year, when we will probably come back to Europe for at least some months. Even if we stayed in Europe it will have given me a lot of learning, expertise, additional skills. I have a mix of different reasons to go that step, and it would lead too far here to explain them - those who know me might ask me if they wish.

Christmas is coming closer - Advent in Thames

Familienfoto 2012

The kids wanted a fun version

Just so beautiful: Pohutukawa

Nice house in our neighbourhood

Valley with Pohutukawa

Pollen Street after 5 pm: not much going on

Kiwis love classic cars- at Santa Parade in Thames

Santa Parade

Everyone has fun at Santa Parade

At Kuranui Bay, Pohutukawa Festival

Kids at Kuranui Bay, with Daniel

Evening at Kuranui Bay (the Thames beach)

Adventsbasteleien bei uns

The Pohutukawa Blossom Has Started

Seasonal flowers in November

Although flowers are blossoming the whole year round, there is one unique indicator that summer is on it's way to NZ: the Pohutukawa trees are blossoming. For only a short period from late November to around Christmas they show their deep red flowers, and that is why they are also calles Christmas trees.
To celebrate this blossoming, there is a Pohutukawa Festival in Thames, which was opened yesterday with presentations and a procession of one of the Thames primary schools.
As you can see, adults take their part and dress up without shyness, and the atmosphere was very relaxed as it is so typical for this country.   

Pohutukawa Tree, Coromandel Western Coastline

Crazy Parade on Pohutukawa Festival, Thames

Even adults have their fun

Haka in the park

Daniel enjoys the relaxed atmosphere

Sunset approaches

Sunsel at Kuranui Bay, Thames

At Kuranui bay, Thames


Below, two videos of the Haka at the Kuranui Bay park - gorgeous!  

Not the big wide world...

Now, after more than two years in Thames, I notice that my attitude towards our emigration adventure has significantly changed. The exciting feeling of having moved into the big wide world has faded and been replaced by a feeling of living in just a different province. Now, this is natural, isn't it, as it is the truth.

At the moment, moving back to Germany is not an option, for several reasons, the strongest being that we do not want to interrupt the good way our kids are going at school and in private. That includes that we won't relocate elsewhere either.

As it is my very nature to look out for a change from time to time, and I do not see how to get involved in it or see that happen at my current employer, I have opted for something new – I applied for a training contract that will lead me to new experiences in overall two other practices – under training conditions. At the end of this 12 months period, I will sit an exam („Primex“) and hopefully, after one more year at another practice, attain a specialist title, the „vocational registration“ in General Medicine, or the fellowship at the RNZCGP, which means the same. It is roughly equivalent to the German „Facharzt für Allgemeinmedizin“. My formal employer will be a medical education organisation. It is awesome that I will be even paid during that year, although less than now.

This step I, or we, have taken in view of a possible longer stay here in NZ, although I will probably interrupt this training to spend some time in Europe, which would be no problem in terms of the training. But whatever decision we take, it will be enriching to see something different, and I will be able to learn a lot.

I will leave my German speaking colleagues and friends back at my former workplace, but we will surely meet often in private.  

Local and European Guests and friends are enriching our lifes

This is Hariata. We had her during the absence of her owners, Markus and Martina. Enriching not only by her eggs. 

View behind our house. 

We tend to have a full house with all sorts of friends and guests. This is Lucas with two New Zealander friends of our kids. 

These are friends from Germany.  

We took them around the Coromandel. This photo was taken at Hahei. Do you spot the bird (a Tui) on the flax flower?

Same view from a wider angle - flax flowers at Hahei, Coromandel 

The Tui, zoomed. 

Cliffs close to Cathedral Cove, Coromandel 

Iconic Cathedral Cove

At Cathedral Cove

Happy and proud

Typical view from a Coromandel shore (Cathedral Cove, but could be elsewhere) 

This is the gorgeous view from our friend's Eva and Patrick's home - which was our first home here as well, back in 2010.  

Happy kids: German and Maori. 

Again, full house. 

Thames' muddy shores with seabirds.

This is Stefanie, one of our most precious guests, after she just bought her car. 

Yes, we live at the (other) end of the world 

We bought a new car as well - for my new job at Ngatea, too far to walk. 

Some evening views from our bedroom:

High School Pricegiving: a very encouraging event! 

Clara receiving one of the recognitions at the pricegiving 

At Daniel's birthday, in our garage 

At Daniel's birthday, in our garden