Exploring Nelson - Part 1

When we first thought to move to New Zealand for a year, one of the big questions that arose was “where would we settle?” You really can't go wrong in this country, but for us, a few factors came in to play. We didn't want to settle in a big city, so that took Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch off our list. But to be honest, the biggest factor that drove us to Nelson was this: it was the sunniest region in the country. Can you blame us? We come from Seattle.

Now that we've been in Nelson for a little over two weeks, there are a myriad of other reasons why we love this city. Here are just a few:

1.) The coastal scenery is beautiful- especially at low tide. Here is what we see every week driving to the grocery store:

2.) The city center has much to see and do. We got a chance to browse the downtown area briefly and to visit the outdoor market held every Saturday and Sunday.

3.) It is known for its vibrant local arts and crafts scene. From glassblowers and wood carvers to hand weavers and potters, Nelson is a community full of creative people. Hundreds of artists and craftspeople work (and showcase their works) in studios in and around town. Nelson even holds an annual Art Festival and is home to the “World of Wearable Art” museum. Ever since I was a kid, I have always been the creative type. I loved to draw and have always preferred making presents over buying them. Being in an environment where that is encouraged has really inspired me to pursue that creative side of me again.

So last week, Andy and I visited the Suter Art Gallery, which features a variety of artwork created by local artists (and has free admission on Saturdays!). Here are just some of the works we found there:

There is much more to say about Nelson, but I will leave that for part 2. But just to give you an update on what we've been doing for the past couple of weeks (other than exploring our new city), Andy and I have been staying at a very inexpensive campsite just a few minutes away from the city center and have been spending a lot of time at the local library where the job hunt is well underway. We found a small church at the heart of downtown that we feel is Spirit-led, and plan to look for an apartment as well once we get jobs secured. Though we are fond of this region, we are still very flexible and open to the possibility of moving, so please continue to keep us in your prayers as we seek God's guidance and direction.