The first HelpX in Invermay Ave with host Sandra

The journey to the first volunteering

We didn’t have the best weather to transport. It was a heavy rainy day but the check-out at the hostel was before 10 a.m. Fortunately, we were in the center and had a lot of bus stops nearby. And because we didn’t have a local ticket, we had cash ready to buy a ticket from the driver. But they are used here mainly cards and cash payment is not common. We were to pay 8 NZD and we gave 20 NZD banknote to the driver. The driver begged for the exact amount or minor because he had no cash. Unfortunately, we had in coins only 6 NZD.

As far as bus traffic is concerned, everyone has to wave at the bus to stop it. And in the bus, you must press the button before the stop. Unfortunately, you don’t see stops on the screen, which can be difficult for foreign people because they often don’t know exactly where to get off. Fortunately, nowadays you can download the bus service, thanks to the mobile applications, where you can see exactly where your bus is on the map, and if you specify which stop you are going to, it will also notify you of the exit.

Host Sandra and her request for help

Sandra asked us for help with housework and gardening because she was ill and very often tired soon. Previously, she worked as a school teacher. Work was arranged from Sunday to Friday, 4 hours a day, or if we work longer one day, we can have the following day off. In exchange, there were accommodation, food, washing machine and dryer, and unlimited internet access. Sandra lived with her 16-year-old son, her 2 daughters were older and lived on their own.

So what did we do for Sandra during those 5 days?

• We pulled out weeds in the garden
• We trimmed bushes and trees
• Cut grass
• Martin replaced the lights, added pictures and brackets to the wall
• I cleaned the kitchen more thoroughly (all shelves, hood, corners)
• I vacuumed the whole apartment
• Finally, we cleaned up the room together for her 16-year-old son (including windows and all corners), so I don’t even need to describe what his room looked like …

I took it as a preparation for being a mom and having a son, so I would have it at home too, and Martin evaluated it from that male point of view and found that even if he was untidy, his room didn’t look same when he was in of the same age. After cleaning, Sandra felt she had come to a completely different room. Finally, I and Martin congratulated to each other together for our great work : D

Czech Republic vs. New Zealand

In volunteering, I especially like the fact that one has the opportunity to get to know the country through the eyes of the locals. They will describe the country differently than the guides. And because they are always volunteers from different parts of the world, the topics are always the same. Where your country lies, what language is spoken, what currency you have, political system, education, work, prices, etc …..

Since Sandra was a teacher, we focused on the school system and when we said that they start at our school before 8 a.m. she was in a shock and only added: the weather is so cold before 8 in the morning and you are half asleep. In NZ they are at school from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. In any case, she praised our English, but Martin and I know very well that grammar is not at all good, but as self-taught, of course, we try to improve. Unfortunately, the saddest thing is that we have been learning English since the 3rd grade, but at school the emphasis is on grammar and learning a few columns of words. In our opinion, conversations and listening don’t practise enough. Nothing is taught in a fun way, but in our case, songs, movies, and series help us so much. In this finding, only Sandra said that English can not learn other than a fun way and that it is sad to hear how elsewhere in the world literally torture children in schools and ultimately do not know much.

Topic sad, but for us, the conversation, listening and responding to questions was great practice 🙂

Note: Of course, we talked of salaries of professions, etc. and for imagination – Sandra sometimes tutor at home and charged in one hour 100 NZD, which is the normal price (converted to our approximately 1500 CZK) …. quite a difference than in our country, what do you say?

5 days with Sandra escaped like water. She cared about us as own. She bought us fresh fruit almost every day, prepared food (Thai soup with rice noodles and coconut milk, spaghetti carbonara, homemade pizza …) like at home. At the same time, she gave us the last day off and because it was raining again, she eventually took us by car to our other hosts in Ponsonby.