New Hobbies for Winter

One thing I didn’t really think about before moving was how much my hobbies at home depended on warm weather. In Hawaiʻi, I could always go to the beach, lay in the sun, or swim whenever I wanted. But, as it’s getting colder and windier in New Zealand heading into winter, I’ve had to find different ways to spend my free time.

Lately, I’ve started coloring and watercolor painting, which has actually been really relaxing. It’s been nice having something creative to do indoors, especially on rainy or super windy days. I’m definitely not an artist, but that kind of makes it more fun because there’s no pressure for it to turn out perfect.

I’ve also been spending a lot more time walking around the city. Even though the weather is colder, I still like getting outside and exploring different parts of Wellington. I walk along the waterfront a lot, but I’ve also started wandering the streets I normally wouldn’t end up in. It’s made the city feel a lot more familiar.

I think one of the biggest parts of living somewhere new is adjusting your routines and finding new versions of things you already enjoy. I still miss beach days, but I’m starting to appreciate different ways of spending time here.