The cherries diaries.

Again, my second summer break as a student of Otago University , i spent one month as a cherry sorter at Roxburgh, Central Otago. It is 2 and half hours drive from Dunedin. This was my second time working here. I started working on the 1st until 26th of January. Almost three weeks. I had a very busy but simple life at Roxburgh. Live in an old house just at the foot of the hill, in the middle of acres of orchards, without internet, without transport ... But i love it. Love this simple and peaceful life so much. I love the stunning sunrise up the hills, love the full moon, love the sunset, love the fruits, love the lambs, love the wild deer ... When i was small i always dreamt of living in the middle of english orchards. haha. yes there we go, i lived here twice. First year summer and second year as well. It's like a dream came true. True :)

A note for me from Suraya. haha. she's funny.

Sunrise.

Full moon.

Woke up early in the morning because work started at 8am, but i always been the last person to wake up because i don't like waiting for the toilets and queuing for the breakfast. Worked from 8am until 4.30pm for cherries and 12 hours for apricots *die* I learnt to be tough. I learnt to accept my own mistakes. I learnt to give and take. I learnt to be patient. I learnt a lot of things. I'm stronger *built biceps muscle* haha . It was a hard work i can say, well kata pekerja buruh kan :p But i made money as well! So it's worth it.

Ahh nampak gemuk di situ!

My boxes (too lazy to write my name,so i just put smileys on my boxes)

6th day; Suraya Zubaidah (of course not the real name) , she's my supervisor , a kiwi and we lived in her house, she taught me driving. That was my first time driving a car. It was scary but exciting! How i wish to learn more and more and more and drive crazily like a drag racer! Okay back to reality, i just drove for a few minutes and it was a automatic car . Sigh. Never mind i will have my licence soon (entah bila entah kan) .

7th day; they (the owners and all the orang atasan la) asked me to go and help the apricots girls because they were too slow like an old rusting machine without grease! The apricots were falling heavily on the floor and they still working like that. So i had to work as an apricots grader now. More work but less money. But it's okay. Life is not just about money kan. At least i could do something else and learnt other things as well. yeehee.

8th day; It was a day off and Suraya's birthday!

I baked apricots tart for her.

On the same day, I went tracking alone climbing the Bullock Track which is 30 minutes walk from our house. i took almost 1 and half hour to climb up and only 30 minutes to get down. Alone! Mampu? Haha i did it ;D

Halfway! (Self timer .haha )

On top of the Bullock Track. *muka puas*

10th day; Kak Y's Birthday! She asked me to bake her a chocolate cake.

Love the colourful pebbles :)

18th day ; My birthday. My second birthday celebrated at Roxburgh :) Early in the morning when i woke up, Suraya kissed me on the cheek. She said, this is a mom's kiss as your mom is not here to kiss you on your birthday. She said, i've grew up. i'm a big girl. i'm not a little cupcake anymore, i'm not a girl but not yet a women. Terharu :' ) And i just knew that the present that i've got last year wasn't from all the girls but actually from her alone. And this year's present too. I'm touched .

A little duck with a card. She said, she couldn't find any butterfly at Roxburgh,so she bought a duck. She's funny,isn't she? :)

23rd day; The day i got very grumpy,upset and sad. The day i worked for twelve hours. The day that was my turn to cook dinner. I'm waiting for someone to cook for me, or swap the turn,but no one volunteered. Everyone could wait and eat later. Common sense. It's not the matter of you can wait and have the dinner later but it's the matter of how tired the person is after working 12 hours and you expect her to cook. Full stop.

27th day ; The day i left Roxburgh for Dunedin. It was snowing and the hills are covered with snow. I know it's summer, but well who can control the weather? Unpredictable. Beautiful.

I went to the pack house for the last time and said goodbyes to everyone :' )

Apricot girls!

I enjoyed the days spent at Roxburgh. Far from town. I forget about everything here. Working like a machine, enjoying the rest of the day reading fairy tales book up the hill accompanied by the lambs and the rugged nature. Who doesn't want to live a life like this? No one. InsyaAllah i will visit the kampung again. I promised Suraya to come back during winter break. Hopefully i can make it.

Alhamdulillah. See you again kampung :)

Bye.