Moving up in the world

I am a proud Wellingtonian, born and raised (although some people do not believe me- that’s a whole other story). I don’t use the word proud lightly, as for those of you who have had the privilege to meet, or befriend a Wellingtonian, you can tell that we love (absolutely, positively, love) the city we live in. Remember when John Key called us a dying city? Well at that moment, we had never felt more alive, as our hearts beat faster in anger, pain, anguish (#emotional). If we used the metaphor for passion as a flame, how Wellingtonians feel about Wellington would probably burn the place down (you know, strong fire, strong winds).

You can’t beat Wellington on a good day #cliche, featuring my not-so-young, younger brother.

At 18, I moved from Wellington to Dunedin to become a university student slash #scarfie (and yes, actually, I did study more than I partied), and I missed Wellington every second of the day. No wind could compare to that of Welly’s, no street art as artsy, no cafe serving better fried-carbs and garlic-mayo accompaniments.

Most recently, I made the move to Auckland to begin my journey from graduate to yo-pro. I’m still working out how I feel about my new surroundings, but it has potential. In the place as big-smoke as New Zealand can get, I’ve discovered that hot chocolates are better than those in Wellington, groceries more expensive at my local Countdown, racist remarks are of greater occurrence, and although buses are much more confusing to catch, they come more frequently. Obviously, I have a lot more to discover.

The reflection from my neighbouring building #innercityliving, featuring Sky Tower.

I’m moving up in the world, literally: Auckland is much closer to the rest of the world than Dunedin, or Wellington. I feel that much warmer because I’m so much higher up, and that much smaller because I’m one living amongst over a million! But to be honest, contrary to my 7th-floor address, I’m living at the bottom. Learning to call a new city home, coming to terms with my new role in life: full-time worker, financially independent, student-loaner repayer. ‘Being a yo-pro in Auckland’ could be an accurate five-word description of myself right now, but in fact it’s slightly more detailed: ‘marketing and textiles graduate now marketing and product coordinator living in Auckland Central frequently feeling like a fish out of water.’ I’m making mistakes, at times I don’t know a thing, I get lost on the streets and amongst the crowds… But right now, there’s no place I’d rather be (I know, I’m surprised too).

Wellington will forever hold that special place in the trophy cabinet (#homeiswheretheheartis), but Auckland is my current location, where I’m checking in at this point in my life. I may never feel the pride for Auckland like I do Wellington, but I have it in me to call this city home. It’s different and boring, lonely and social, busy and chill, hard and easy, cold/windy/rainy/hot. To directly quote the Demi Lovato & Olly Murs song that I have been playing on loop this weekend, I know this love is heading in the same direction (as my love for Wellington), and that’s… up.

How do you feel about your hometown, do you have as much pride for it as I do? And if you’re not an Auckland-born Aucklander, how do you find it?

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This post was inspired by my current life (#missobvious), and the prompt in #BlogGreatness by #NZBloggers: “Favourite Part of NZ”.