Getting Rooted in New Zealand, By Jamie Baywood

Craving change and lacking logic, at 26, Jamie, a cute and quirky Californian, impulsively moves to New Zealand to avoid dating after reading that the country's population has 100,000 fewer men. In her journal, she captures a hysterically honest look at herself, her past and her new wonderfully weird world filled with curious characters and slapstick situations in unbelievably bizarre jobs. It takes a zany jaunt to the end of the Earth and a serendipitous meeting with a fellow traveler before Jamie learns what it really means to get rooted.

 

I know I say this a lot, but I literally had no idea what to expect when I started this book.  Not that I’m lying all those other times, but usually I have some inkling of what I’m getting into.  With this, I got a very quirky and funny short read about a woman traveling to the other side of the world to find what she’s been looking for.

Jamie is a 26 year old Californian who impulsively moves to New Zealand in order to reboot her life, so to speak.  She has a series of odd temporary jobs, and this book is a faithful, diary-style account of her day to day life in New Zealand.

First, I have to start off by saying that there were parts of this book that had me in tears it was so funny.  The cultural differences, though on the surface they may not seem that much different, are hilarious.  I will never look at the word “deck” or “rooted” the same again.

I find it really intriguing that this is a true account of a woman’s journey.  It reminded me a bit of “Eat, Pray, Love” in that respect, as I think both women went in search of life changing things that were eventually found, but not in the way that they expected.  She manages to make what can be banal everyday musings entertaining.  If you’ve ever traveled abroad for any length of time, I think you’d find some camaraderie in her experiences.  And the people she meets…oy.  That’s the best part of the whole journey.

I liked this book quite a bit.  It’s a bit quirky, a bit serious and completely enjoyable.  It makes me want to travel, that’s for sure.  I hope there is a follow up of some kind; I’d like to know more of Jamie’s story! 4 stars.