When a window opened up for G.R. to book her plane tickets to Lithuania, she took her chance! This was her first update from her new residence since her departure from NZ in late July 2021.
”Leaving NZ was a bit of a nightmare. I won’t bore you with the details except to say that the biggest issue was that my pre-departure COVID test wasn’t at the airport for me to pick up as promised. However, all was finally resolved to the satisfaction of the airline at which point I breezed through passport & security due to no lines, and ran to the boarding gate, arriving 5 minutes before the scheduled departure time.
Note to anyone thinking of travelling out of NZ: don’t think you will get through the departure formalities faster because of empty airports! The airlines are being meticulous in making sure you have done everything needed to get into the country you are travelling to – which I had done, but they queried and checked everything to the minutest detail.
Thankfully, the rest of my trip was super straightforward. Thank you to those of you who prayed for some empty rows of seats – I got that from Auckland all the way through to Frankfurt, so was able to lie down and even got some sleep. That made a huge difference to how I felt upon arrival in Lithuania.
Despite having to self-isolate for 10 days, I travelled in a van with 6 other passengers from Vilnius to Klaipeda. A little different to NZ!! Haven’t managed to see anything of Klaipeda itself, but I enjoyed being able to see the countryside as I travelled from the east of the country to the west.
My neighbours in the accommodation on campus have all been super helpful and they, along with the university staff, have directed me to various places where I can order food online. It is all very efficient and easy – so much so, I will keep ordering delivery online even once I’m out of isolation – beats having to walk or catch buses with heavy bags of groceries!!”
We received a more recent update from G.R. since she completed isolation and is now out and about.
”I finished my 10 days of self-isolation without incident, then had a couple of days out and about sight-seeing and finding my way around, unfortunately on the second day I was so busy looking around I didn’t see a small step, missed it and went over on my ankle, pulling a tendon in the process! I was able to put weight on it so managed to catch the bus home but then had to spend another 3 days inside with my foot up. It healed quickly, though still swells each day, but I was really ready to get outside after that.
This coming week is the official start of work for faculty, with 3 days of orientation for new faculty plus departmental meetings, then more the following week before classes start in 2 weeks’ time. The university is well-equipped with technology so I will be having some crash courses in all the technology I need to learn to use after years of teaching in low-tech environments!! Most of the students will be on-campus but some will be online, so I will also have to learn how to teach blended classes!! Teaching in low-tech environments is much more up my alley but we are told it is good for the grey matter to keep learning new things!
I am hoping to return to NZ in December to teach my annual course at EW College in January. Those of you in NZ know how it is almost impossible to get a place in MIQ, particularly in December. I have registered and am checking daily to see if rooms for December have been released – which they haven’t yet. Please pray that God would do the impossible – and make it possible for me to get a room once they are released.”
Originally written 30 August 2021.
Revised May 2024.
Comments