Another Blood Test

Back in Auckland now.  I spent the past 2 weeks staying at a petting zoo farm.  Immigration NZ requested that I do another blood test, which I just completed this morning.    I was requested to do a Hep C Serology, Ferritin Test, Microalbumin: creatinine ratio, and Antinuclear Antibody test. I have no idea what this means.  I will get the results back tomorrow.  The nurse told me that my visa application could be stretched out longer. She said I could go to Wellington to get a liver scan, but that is not likely. 

Kiwi Idol

I watched an entire American Idol episode for the first time yesterday.  NZ channel 3 had the program on.  I cant understand how this show can continue.  When half of the contestants say that they grew up watching the show, then the show has been on too long.  Simon was the only good judge. Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, and Randy Jackson would have not made it as contestants on the show if they tried.  I really don't get it.  Most pop stars don't even write their own songs.  Pop stars voices are digitally enhanced, and most don't play an instrument.  The only thing that would make the show watchable would be to bring back Wacko Jacko in a  séance and have him tell bedroom secrets, but even that would be a push. I will never like pop music and never watch a full episode of Idol ever again.

Trim is the New Skim

Milk, the little 4 letter word I like so much.  Milk in New Zealand is classified differently in stores.  Whole milk is known as standard milk, and had a blue cap as opposed to a red cap in the States.  2% milk is known as slim and has a light blue top, as opposed to a dark blue top.  1% is extra slim and has a dark green top, not purple like back home. Skim milk is known as trim and in held in by a light green cap.  Skim in the States has a light green top as well. This is the only cap that is the same.  I'm confused easily.  I like milk, but because skim is my "standard," I have bought it once or twice by mistake. I thought that the labels were custom made for me!  How many times do we look at milk tops anyway?  The average 1 liter of milk is NZ$2.75 at the cheapest.  I don't remember what prices for a gallon are in the states, but I think around $4. Milk is a little more expensive here, even though there are many dairy farms around the country. Oh and by the way, a "dairy" is also known as a local corner store, even more confusion.  

Waiting in Wellington

I have decided to evade the law and take my chances by staying in New Zealand.  I called the immigration NZ hot-line, and I was told that I could stay in the country for up to 42 days after my visa expires as long as I have a work visa application pending, which I do.  I can also claim amnesty, but to do that I would have to explain to the removal authority board that I was persecuted in the Unites States.  I am thinking of the options that I could claim to do this.  I am in Lower Hutt, a suburb of Wellington for the time being.  I have rented a room for another week to wait it out. 

Aspartate transaminase

I may have to leave the country because of my liver.  I have applied for the New Zealand Working Holiday permit twice now.  The first time I applied was Sept 4, about 5 weeks before I arrived in Auckland.  For one reason or another it was withdrawn in mid November.  I was camping in the woods and had no e-mail contact with the outside world and could not correspond with the immigration officers at the time.   I applied for the visa again on December 1st.  This time because I was already in the country I had to pay NZ$140 for the application, plus have a comprehensive medical exam, which cost NZ$250.  As part of the exam I had a blood chem test, which revealed that I had elevated ALT and AST scores.  this means that my liver had been damaged and I need to possible have another evaluation.  The immigration officer told me that because of the holiday season it may take 4-5 more weeks to process.  My last day on my tourist visa ends Jan 14th.  So I have the choice to overstay my visa or fly to Australia.  I would like to stay in NZ, the country is a great place and it is in the middle of summer now.  Australia is super hot now.  Ok so the choice is simple, be killed be the Aussie heat or let my liver kill me in New Zealand.