Yes--winter has definitely arrived in New Zealand! The other day we even had snow falling. I've been told this doesn't happen much here in Masterton---must be all of the global warming! It was pretty though to see it falling--unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me at the time. In planning my trip here I never gave any thought to what the winter might be like here. I just pictured what paradise would be like in January. When you look at the map though you realize that we are quite close to Antarctica--so you can imagine how cold it gets during the winter! :) And to top it off many New Zealanders don't have good heating in their homes. I have been getting to work on my fire starting skills as most homes have a wood stove--which are quite nice--but can be a lot of work to keep up with all the firewood. I miss my gas fireplace at home!
My flat I live in is quite cold, but thankfully I have a small heater I plant myself in front of every night! I also bought an electric blanket which has been a lifesaver! I have even learned about inventions such as a hot water bottle! Speaking of the cold, I got to enjoy New Zealand's number one sport last weekend in the cold and the rain. Growing up in Portland my parents were told to get their kids into soccer since this was Soccer City, USA. Here in the country of NZ most of the kids grow up playing rugby. This is a sport which I am not very familar with. I have seen one game when I was up in Canada looking into a nursing school up in BC. To me it just looked pretty brutal. Last Saturday I traveled to Wellington (the capital of NZ) to witness the All Blacks (NZ's national rugby team) play France. They were playing in what is known as a test match. Which is like a preseason game. The week before they had played France in the South Island and had lost which was a huge disappointment to the nation. So the game I got to watch was a big deal in that the All Blacks were now playing for national pride. And thankfully the people weren't disappointed---they won! I still didn't fully understand what was going on in the game, but am glad I got to experience a bit of Kiwi culture!
Here in Masterton I have been able to join a men's soccer team which has been a lot of fun. I had wanted to play on a women's team, but unfortunately they don't have any teams organized. Soccer is a winter sport here--along with rugby---so needless to say some of our games have been quite cold. Another winter sport here is netball which is like basketball, but without the dribbling and the backboard. I got to play a couple of games with one of my co-workers, but wasn't very good at following all of the rules! Another big sport here is cricket which is quite foreign to me. It is like baseball---but then again---very unlike baseball. I would say that rugby and cricket are probably the 2 national sports here. I think I will stick to soccer--something I can understand! By the way---I have to mention here that the US men just pulled off an upset by beating Spain 2-0 in the South African Fifa Cup. Very exciting stuff! Maybe the men are finally going to make us proud like the women!
Well there isn't else to report here in Masterton. My contract finishes in a month and I am definitely ready to do some more traveling. I think that has been on the negative aspects of my traveling assignment here. I wish I could have done more traveling in the midst of my hours at the hospital. I am pretty sure I am going to come back here next January so hopefully I will get the chance to travel when the weather is a bit warmer!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Winter is officially here.....
Once again I am overdue with updating you all on my latest adventures! My holiday seems like a long time ago. Must be time for another holiday! I have been keeping myself busy working 4 days a week. I can't believe I only have 2 more months left of my contract. Then I will have a whole month off in August to travel down to the South Island and hopefully over to Australia before I head home in September. Right now as I sit at my computer on this cold and rainy Saturday evening September seems like a long ways off, but I'm sure the time will fly by!
Last week I got to celebrate my birthday with my co-workers. I was a bit bummed to be working on my birthday, but was thankful to surrounded by my new friends at work. They have a tradition here on your birthday that you get to bring morning tea for everyone. I thought it would be fun to bring something American---so I brought bagels and chai tea. It ended up being a hit with everyone. After work I went to my friend's house to celebrate with her twins who turned 1 on my birthday. It was a great way to end a special day.
As I contemplate my time here in NZ sometimes I am amazed that I am actually here. At times I feel like I am back home in the States. And then there are other times when I realize I am far away from home! Coming to another English-speaking country you wouldn't think there would be much of a difference for me, but it is interesting how the accent can make such a difference. Coming from the NW I always felt like I didn't have an accent, but as soon as I open my mouth the locals are quick to ask if I am from the States or from Canada. The Kiwis also have some interesting sayings. When someone asks, "How are you doing?", the other person commonly responds, "Good as gold!" Another common saying is "Good on you" which is something people say to express something good that you have done. Another saying is "Sweet as..." which is like saying something is cool. The Kiwis also have a lot of "hard cases" over here which refers to someone being a character. There are plenty of other sayings, but these are some of the more common ones.
Last week I got to celebrate my birthday with my co-workers. I was a bit bummed to be working on my birthday, but was thankful to surrounded by my new friends at work. They have a tradition here on your birthday that you get to bring morning tea for everyone. I thought it would be fun to bring something American---so I brought bagels and chai tea. It ended up being a hit with everyone. After work I went to my friend's house to celebrate with her twins who turned 1 on my birthday. It was a great way to end a special day.
As I contemplate my time here in NZ sometimes I am amazed that I am actually here. At times I feel like I am back home in the States. And then there are other times when I realize I am far away from home! Coming to another English-speaking country you wouldn't think there would be much of a difference for me, but it is interesting how the accent can make such a difference. Coming from the NW I always felt like I didn't have an accent, but as soon as I open my mouth the locals are quick to ask if I am from the States or from Canada. The Kiwis also have some interesting sayings. When someone asks, "How are you doing?", the other person commonly responds, "Good as gold!" Another common saying is "Good on you" which is something people say to express something good that you have done. Another saying is "Sweet as..." which is like saying something is cool. The Kiwis also have a lot of "hard cases" over here which refers to someone being a character. There are plenty of other sayings, but these are some of the more common ones.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Holidays are so nice---especially when you are in NZ!
I have been told that I have been a bit slow about updating my blog. I need a secretary to come help me with my correspondence. Anyone keen on coming over to fill this spot! Seriously though I apologize about keeping you in suspense about my comings and goings! Mostly my life in Masterton is not very exciting---just normal everyday work! But after working my butt off for the last 2 months I finally got a 2 week break for Easter.
Easter weekend I traveled to Otaki (which is on the west coast of NZ) with Gwyn and her family to an Easter camp. This was basically a family camp on Easter weekend. It was fun to be back at a camp environment with Gwyn, since this where we first met and got to know one another. It was also fun seeing the kids enjoying the camp atmosphere. The theme of the weekend was Sherwood forest. One of the nights we all dressed up in costumes. There were plenty of Robin Hoods and Maid Marians running around, along with a few monks thrown in. They even did medieval dancing one night which I thoroughly enjoyed. The speaking team was a father and son who did a great job of pointing us to God and his Word. Very encouraging. It was a great way to start my time off.
On Monday I started my road trip up north. I was a bit nervous to drive on my own since I tend to get lost and I am still getting used to the idea of being on the "wrong" side of the road. But thankfully I did fine on my way up to Taupo which is in the middle of the North Island. Lake Taupo is the largest lake in NZ. It is 160 km around the lake. This was my first chance to stay in a hostel. It was a cool experience to be surrounded by travelers around the world. It made me realize that I am not the only one traveling around this beautiful country!
The next day I went to Huka Falls which is close by the town of Taupo. I also went on a jet boat. That was quite the rush. The boat goes up to 100kmh and then does a quick 360 degree turn. I was holding on for dear life! I ended up getting soaked. The driver was trying to get the Australian wet, but got me instead!
After that I went on a nice relaxing walk called Craters of the Moon to dry off. This is a spot where they have a lot of geothermal activity consisting of geyers, steam vents, and bubbling mud. It was like another world.
On Wednesday my friend from Masterton drove up to meet me in Taupo and we headed for the Tongariro Crossing. This is an all-day hike which is one the Great Walks in NZ. It is 19.4 kilometers long (equivalent to about 12 miles). We started at 8:30am and barely made it back to the bus before it took off at 4:30pm. This is an alpine hike so were above the trees most of the time. The reason the hike took us so long is that my friend convinced me to climb Mt Ngauruhoe (which is over 7,000 ft). This is the same friend from work who convinced me to climb Mt Holdsworth when I first entered the country. I am starting to wonder about her judgment! Anyways it was a beautiful hike, but I didn't have the energy to make it to the top. And I don't want to hear any of you comment that I am getting old! After making it back to town we enjoyed relaxing at the Taupo AC baths and sliding down the water slides. At least I still had the energy to do that!
On Thursday morning I went on my first sailboat on Lake Taupo. This is something I have wanted to do for a long time. It was pretty cool. Next time I want to learn more how to actually sail the boat. This time I was content to just sit back and enjoy the ride!
After that I headed out of Taupo up to Rotorua to spend time with Heather Weldon. Heather and I used to work together at Providence. She moved to NZ a couple of years ago and has been enjoying the slower pace of life over here. She has continued to use her skills as an OB/GYN surgeon.
I was excited to find out that she has a place right on Lake Rotorua. It is a cute lake cabin which has been very relaxing. Yesterday I spent most of the day just relaxing at the cabin. I finally got out in the afternoon to go kayaking on Lake Tawawera. And then today I just went to a museum in town and then got an Aix massage. This comes from France and is a technique where they spray water on you as you get your massage. I highly recommend it---it was just what I needed after my long hike the other day!
Well it is getting late and my hosts are already sleeping, so I should probably get off my computer and get some rest. Tomorrow we are doing some more sightseeing in the area. There is so much to do in Rotorua---I just need some more vacation time!
Easter weekend I traveled to Otaki (which is on the west coast of NZ) with Gwyn and her family to an Easter camp. This was basically a family camp on Easter weekend. It was fun to be back at a camp environment with Gwyn, since this where we first met and got to know one another. It was also fun seeing the kids enjoying the camp atmosphere. The theme of the weekend was Sherwood forest. One of the nights we all dressed up in costumes. There were plenty of Robin Hoods and Maid Marians running around, along with a few monks thrown in. They even did medieval dancing one night which I thoroughly enjoyed. The speaking team was a father and son who did a great job of pointing us to God and his Word. Very encouraging. It was a great way to start my time off.
On Monday I started my road trip up north. I was a bit nervous to drive on my own since I tend to get lost and I am still getting used to the idea of being on the "wrong" side of the road. But thankfully I did fine on my way up to Taupo which is in the middle of the North Island. Lake Taupo is the largest lake in NZ. It is 160 km around the lake. This was my first chance to stay in a hostel. It was a cool experience to be surrounded by travelers around the world. It made me realize that I am not the only one traveling around this beautiful country!
The next day I went to Huka Falls which is close by the town of Taupo. I also went on a jet boat. That was quite the rush. The boat goes up to 100kmh and then does a quick 360 degree turn. I was holding on for dear life! I ended up getting soaked. The driver was trying to get the Australian wet, but got me instead!
After that I went on a nice relaxing walk called Craters of the Moon to dry off. This is a spot where they have a lot of geothermal activity consisting of geyers, steam vents, and bubbling mud. It was like another world.
On Wednesday my friend from Masterton drove up to meet me in Taupo and we headed for the Tongariro Crossing. This is an all-day hike which is one the Great Walks in NZ. It is 19.4 kilometers long (equivalent to about 12 miles). We started at 8:30am and barely made it back to the bus before it took off at 4:30pm. This is an alpine hike so were above the trees most of the time. The reason the hike took us so long is that my friend convinced me to climb Mt Ngauruhoe (which is over 7,000 ft). This is the same friend from work who convinced me to climb Mt Holdsworth when I first entered the country. I am starting to wonder about her judgment! Anyways it was a beautiful hike, but I didn't have the energy to make it to the top. And I don't want to hear any of you comment that I am getting old! After making it back to town we enjoyed relaxing at the Taupo AC baths and sliding down the water slides. At least I still had the energy to do that!
On Thursday morning I went on my first sailboat on Lake Taupo. This is something I have wanted to do for a long time. It was pretty cool. Next time I want to learn more how to actually sail the boat. This time I was content to just sit back and enjoy the ride!
After that I headed out of Taupo up to Rotorua to spend time with Heather Weldon. Heather and I used to work together at Providence. She moved to NZ a couple of years ago and has been enjoying the slower pace of life over here. She has continued to use her skills as an OB/GYN surgeon.
I was excited to find out that she has a place right on Lake Rotorua. It is a cute lake cabin which has been very relaxing. Yesterday I spent most of the day just relaxing at the cabin. I finally got out in the afternoon to go kayaking on Lake Tawawera. And then today I just went to a museum in town and then got an Aix massage. This comes from France and is a technique where they spray water on you as you get your massage. I highly recommend it---it was just what I needed after my long hike the other day!
Well it is getting late and my hosts are already sleeping, so I should probably get off my computer and get some rest. Tomorrow we are doing some more sightseeing in the area. There is so much to do in Rotorua---I just need some more vacation time!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Fall has arrived in March!
Wow! The time is just flying by here down under! I can't believe I have been here over 2 months. The sun is out today which is a nice change from the torrential rains we have been having lately. I am not ready for winter yet! This last weekend there was a hot air balloon festival in town. It was pretty cool to see the balloons so close. Unfortunately due to the rain some of the events were cancelled. I was told by many people that it always rains on the weekend of the festival---kind of reminds me of the Rose Festival back home!
I am definitely feeling more at home here in Masterton and at my job at the hospital. I have been taking a lot of call for the hospital and have come in many times for emergency C-sections. That is the big emergency they get around here. The more urgent traumas are transported to Wellington or Palmerston North.
On March 12th my new nephew Davin entered the world in Maryland. It has made me a bit more homesick for my family, but I am thankful for ability to see pictures of him on the computer. My brother David and his wife Jackie are both in medical school so they have a lot going on with having a new baby, but they are blessed to have many friends and family who are able to help them out. It is funny because David just completed his OB/GYN rotation----so he was able to better sympathize with Jackie. And he was ready to deliver the baby if he had to!
In April I am taking some time off (finally) to do some sightseeing up north. I can't wait to get the chance to see more of this beautiful country. Hopefully the weather will cooperate! Well speaking of weather it is a beautiful fall day and I need to go and take advantage of this nice weather while it is here!
I am definitely feeling more at home here in Masterton and at my job at the hospital. I have been taking a lot of call for the hospital and have come in many times for emergency C-sections. That is the big emergency they get around here. The more urgent traumas are transported to Wellington or Palmerston North.
On March 12th my new nephew Davin entered the world in Maryland. It has made me a bit more homesick for my family, but I am thankful for ability to see pictures of him on the computer. My brother David and his wife Jackie are both in medical school so they have a lot going on with having a new baby, but they are blessed to have many friends and family who are able to help them out. It is funny because David just completed his OB/GYN rotation----so he was able to better sympathize with Jackie. And he was ready to deliver the baby if he had to!
In April I am taking some time off (finally) to do some sightseeing up north. I can't wait to get the chance to see more of this beautiful country. Hopefully the weather will cooperate! Well speaking of weather it is a beautiful fall day and I need to go and take advantage of this nice weather while it is here!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Yeah for the weekend!
Well I am at my favorite local hangout---the library!! Yeah I am pretty much a nerd around here! My sister would be proud of me! This is the only place in town that has wireless and free computer access so it is a nice place to hang out. This was a much better week than last week. Last week I worked all week. Which isn't a stretch for most people, but I am used to working 3 or 4 days a week. One of the nights I started work at 8 am and then worked till 10 pm---with a short break in between. I can somewhat empathize with Henn---one of my co-workers back home! And then the next day I was back at work at 8 am. I am thankful for the extra money though. It will come in handy when I do some of my traveling.
Last weekend I finally made it to the coast---I saw the Pacific Coast from the other side! Pretty amazing. And it was actually warm enough to swim, but unfortunately I forgot to bring my togs---(bathing suit!). I even got to tour a sheep farm on a quad. It was definitely a NZ experience to be surrounded by lots of sheep and cattle. I even got to drive the quad a bit. Thankfully their weren't any trees nearby!
This weekend I am on call so I am forced to stick close to home. It has been raining all night long and all day so far so I am okay with staying home. I bought a new car this week from one of my co-workers. I had a rental car for a month from the hospital. Crazy to think I have been here over a month!
I think the summer is almost over---I am a bit sad about that. But have been told that autumn is very nice over here. Can't wait to do more tramping around the area!
Last weekend I finally made it to the coast---I saw the Pacific Coast from the other side! Pretty amazing. And it was actually warm enough to swim, but unfortunately I forgot to bring my togs---(bathing suit!). I even got to tour a sheep farm on a quad. It was definitely a NZ experience to be surrounded by lots of sheep and cattle. I even got to drive the quad a bit. Thankfully their weren't any trees nearby!
This weekend I am on call so I am forced to stick close to home. It has been raining all night long and all day so far so I am okay with staying home. I bought a new car this week from one of my co-workers. I had a rental car for a month from the hospital. Crazy to think I have been here over a month!
I think the summer is almost over---I am a bit sad about that. But have been told that autumn is very nice over here. Can't wait to do more tramping around the area!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Escaping the country!
Well I finally made it out of Masterton for the weekend! I was on call all last weekend and ended up getting called in a couple of times, so my reward this weekend was to have a 4 day holiday. I left early Thursday morning on the train from Masterton to Wellington. I traveled with all of the business commuters who travel to Wellington for work. I was hoping to meet some relatives who were arriving in Wellington on a cruise ship, but unfortunately we didn't make any definite plans so I ended up doing my own thing. Wellington is a very nice city right along a beautiful harbor. Of course with my NW luck it was raining the entire day. Thankfully I was a smart NW girl and had brought a jacket with me! I found the information center near the Civic Square and was able to find some fun things to do in the area. I went on the cable car which goes up to the Botanical Gardens. I found out that Wellington is full of cable cars--for personal use. People live in very high spots around the city and to make it easier to get to their houses they put in cable cars to get to their houses. Very ingenious!
Later in the afternoon I went on a WETA Lord of the Rings tour. Weta by the way is an insect--it is also the company that does the special effects and costumes and other cool features of the Lord of the Rings and several other movies. The tour took us to several places around the city where they had filmed the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I didn't realize that the filming had taken place for 3 years and that they filmed all 3 films at once. So the actors became quite familar with the sights of NZ. We even saw where the hobbits went surfing in their spare time!
I have been fortunate to be able to stay with Gwyn's parents in Lower Hutt which is about 20 min from Wellington. It is nice to have connections when it comes to accomodations!
On Friday Gwyn drove up from Carterton with her 7 children--which to me is amazing that she would be willing to travel by herself for an hour with her 7 kids. The older 4 kids and Gwyn and I went to Te Papa (the national NZ museum). It reminded me of OMSI back home. It was pretty cool to see some of the displays and learn more about the history of NZ. They even had a giant dead squid on display that they found in the waters of Antarctica.
Today I spent the day with Gwyn's parents in the Lower Hutt area. Thankfully the weather was much better today so I could see more of the beauty of this area. It was nice to see the water. I have been on an island for 3 weeks and still have not been to the beach. I need to take full advantage of the fact that it is still summer and get to the beach soon!
Tomorrow I am running in a 7K fun run around the bay of Wellington. There also is a half marathon, but I didn't think I wanted to kill myself before heading back to work on Monday! In conclusion I have to say that I am thoroughly enjoying my time exploring NZ. I would love to work less and travel more, but I am excited to take advantage of every opportunity I have to explore this beautiful country. Hopefully I will be able to have many of my friends come and visit me while I am here! :)
Later in the afternoon I went on a WETA Lord of the Rings tour. Weta by the way is an insect--it is also the company that does the special effects and costumes and other cool features of the Lord of the Rings and several other movies. The tour took us to several places around the city where they had filmed the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I didn't realize that the filming had taken place for 3 years and that they filmed all 3 films at once. So the actors became quite familar with the sights of NZ. We even saw where the hobbits went surfing in their spare time!
I have been fortunate to be able to stay with Gwyn's parents in Lower Hutt which is about 20 min from Wellington. It is nice to have connections when it comes to accomodations!
On Friday Gwyn drove up from Carterton with her 7 children--which to me is amazing that she would be willing to travel by herself for an hour with her 7 kids. The older 4 kids and Gwyn and I went to Te Papa (the national NZ museum). It reminded me of OMSI back home. It was pretty cool to see some of the displays and learn more about the history of NZ. They even had a giant dead squid on display that they found in the waters of Antarctica.
Today I spent the day with Gwyn's parents in the Lower Hutt area. Thankfully the weather was much better today so I could see more of the beauty of this area. It was nice to see the water. I have been on an island for 3 weeks and still have not been to the beach. I need to take full advantage of the fact that it is still summer and get to the beach soon!
Tomorrow I am running in a 7K fun run around the bay of Wellington. There also is a half marathon, but I didn't think I wanted to kill myself before heading back to work on Monday! In conclusion I have to say that I am thoroughly enjoying my time exploring NZ. I would love to work less and travel more, but I am excited to take advantage of every opportunity I have to explore this beautiful country. Hopefully I will be able to have many of my friends come and visit me while I am here! :)
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Life in NZ!
Hello all! I realize that this is very overdue, but I have not been very good about getting on a computer to update you all! Things are going very well over here! I have been enjoying the sunny weather---although this weekend the weather was almost in the 40's (celsius). That is about 100 degrees for us back home! I live in a beautiful area which has lot of sheep and cows---it is quite fun to live in the country! I spent my first week here reconnecting with my friend Gwyn and getting to know her family. They have made me an honorary member of the Laybourn family now. I stayed with them in their sleepout--which was a shed they converted to a room. The kids enjoyed waking me up by singing a song I taught them from my camp days. Not sure why I taught them the song! Last week I moved into my flat in the town of Masterton (about 2o min from my friend). It has 2 bedrooms and is right across from the hospital. I started work last week and so far am enjoying getting back to work after not working for a month. It is a very rural hospital with 3 operating theatres. My co-workers are all quite nice and have been very helpful as I get settled in to my new environment. There are several American doctors so it makes me feel a bit more at home. There is even a doctor from Portland who is an anesthesiologist. Pretty small world!
It is amazing to me how many similarities there are with the equipment back home. It is interesting though at the same time to see the differences that abound. In the States we only have 2 nurses (or one nurse and a tech) who are involved in the surgery. Here in Masterton they have a nurse who assists the anesthesiologist, one who circulates, and one who scrubs with the surgeon. They don't have any surgical techs at the hospital where I work. And here they call surgeons Mr. Smith, instead of Dr. Smith. The anesthesiologist is referred to as Dr. Smith. My co-workers will find it funny that we have Ethicon suture and staplers all the way over here in NZ. Something that the doctors back home miss!
I haven't had much time to do a lot of traveling around the area yet, but am looking forward to getting the chance to do some exploring. Last weekend I joined a competitive race up Mt Holdsworth. One of my co-workers encouraged me to do the 24K (about 17 mile) race straight up this mountain because it was such a nice day. I found out later that this girl has taken other foreigners out "tramping" or hiking and gotten them in a bit over their heads. The local Kiwis are able to complete this race in over 3 hours, but it took us over 6 hours to complete the run/walk/crawl! My friend thought if I did more training I could complete it much quicker. I informed her that this was a one-time event for me! It was very beautiful though. We could see all the way to the South Island and from coast to coast of the North Island.
When I get more time I will try and download some pics of my trip so far. I haven't found any wireless areas yet so I am using the library computer for now and my work computer.
So far I have been feeling right at home, except for the driving! It is hard to remember to keep to the left side of the road!
It is amazing to me how many similarities there are with the equipment back home. It is interesting though at the same time to see the differences that abound. In the States we only have 2 nurses (or one nurse and a tech) who are involved in the surgery. Here in Masterton they have a nurse who assists the anesthesiologist, one who circulates, and one who scrubs with the surgeon. They don't have any surgical techs at the hospital where I work. And here they call surgeons Mr. Smith, instead of Dr. Smith. The anesthesiologist is referred to as Dr. Smith. My co-workers will find it funny that we have Ethicon suture and staplers all the way over here in NZ. Something that the doctors back home miss!
I haven't had much time to do a lot of traveling around the area yet, but am looking forward to getting the chance to do some exploring. Last weekend I joined a competitive race up Mt Holdsworth. One of my co-workers encouraged me to do the 24K (about 17 mile) race straight up this mountain because it was such a nice day. I found out later that this girl has taken other foreigners out "tramping" or hiking and gotten them in a bit over their heads. The local Kiwis are able to complete this race in over 3 hours, but it took us over 6 hours to complete the run/walk/crawl! My friend thought if I did more training I could complete it much quicker. I informed her that this was a one-time event for me! It was very beautiful though. We could see all the way to the South Island and from coast to coast of the North Island.
When I get more time I will try and download some pics of my trip so far. I haven't found any wireless areas yet so I am using the library computer for now and my work computer.
So far I have been feeling right at home, except for the driving! It is hard to remember to keep to the left side of the road!
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