Mosetrap Comment

Dear Nikki, Pippiana, Jake and the current Mousetrap crew,
actually, I don't realy know where I should start, after I spend nearly eight month in your hostel and my home.
Maybe I should start with my own Mousetrap story...
I arrived here on 9th of June 2006. At first I just wanted to stay for one night. Only to watch the first game of the "Soccer World Championship". But I ended up with asking Jake for a cleaning job in the same night.
So I started to work for Nikki and Jake the next day.
Cleaning the hostel is alright, as long as you get along with Jakes cleaning rules ;)! If you want to know more about it, ask the current cleaners. I'm pritty sure, once they have started with talking, they will never stop ;)!
After one a half month, I asked Jake, weather I'm allowed to leave.
But he asked me instead, weather I want to work at the Paihia Four Square Supermarket.
Of course I wanted to, hey I'm a backpacker and they always need money!
So I applied for a job at P4 (Paihia Four Square). About three days after I have started my work at the supermarket, my van, a 1990 Mazda Bongo broke down. I cooked the engine, which caused a broken radiator and cylinder head. I wanted to fix the van, so I had to work longer at the Mousetrap and P4. At least until the end of November 2006.
At this point, Jake and Nikki started to train me, to work at the reception for one whole day a week, so I could work full time at the supermarket and for free accomodation as well.
At first I didn't realy liked at P4, but at the end, I tried to make the best out of everything!
After my van broke down, I felt like shit, because I had to spend a hell lot of money. But I remember Jake saying to me:"Don't worrie that much about the money. The main thing is that you are alive and healthy!"
If you have a problem, talk about it. Don't be shy, talk about it to God, to a friend or just the person sitting next to you. It will help you a lot!
Anyway, after the end of November, the supermarket manager offered me this time, to work longer, at least to January.
Of course I wanted to work,because I had finished with paying for my van, but still needed money for traveling!
So I worked until the end of Jan. for P4 and the Mousetrap, before I finally left on 4'th Feb. 2007.
At the end, I can look back to an awesome time at the Mousetrap!
But all that wouldn't be possible without Nikki, Jake and Pippiana, my cleaner friends Pete, Danny, Ai, Ruichi, Emelie, Paul, Kate, Odie, Yuma, Cailey, Constance, Julia, Mez, Jana, Lea, David, Jez, Ole, Katharina, Christina, Laura, Ben, Nici, Ondine and Francis!
All these people have a special place in my heart!
All these peoples names are not in a special order, it's just because I can't write every name at the first place!
But there are far more people, at least 126, which have found a place in my heart and my email address book!
I want to say thank you to each one of you!
Because without, Jake, Nikki, Pippi, "cleaners" and guests, the Mousetrap couldn't excist how it is!

And if you want to do something good:

• We are not a Party Hostel!!! So please no noise after 11pm. If you want to read a book in one of the lounges after that time thats allright! If you want to talk quietly, please do that outside at the balcony.If you want to have a party, please go accross the road. Jake or Nikki will give you a cheap drink or free drink voucher if you want them!
• We have three kitchen, you can use all of them, but please wash, dry and put away your dishes!!!
• Please label your food, so it is easier for the cleaners to clean up the fridges.
• Check out time is 10 am!
• The office is open from 8am to 8pm! Please try not to disturbe Jake on sundays, because he might be watching rugby ;)...

If you can accept the rules of the Mousetrap, you will feel better and Nikki+Jake would have less stress with there job! Thank You!

Finally I come to an end. Thanks to everybody who liked me as I am! (Usually just confused but still a nice guy ;))
I miss you but we keep in touch and I have you all in my heart!

Dear Mazda Bongo,
if you break down one more time, I'll crash you straight away!

Just one last thing, I thought a lot about the reason, why I have spend so much time in Paihia...
I found to answers!
The first, I found out that I want to become an Advanced Paramedic in New Zealand.
Secoundly, I found my way and relationship to God and Jesus.
It is realy exciting and you can't stop, once you have started!
And God send me people, which helped me a lot with my first steps.
Thank you to Magnus, Mez, Laura, Nikki, Christina, Judy, Wi and Pastor Bill!

Alex, who has been staying from 9. Nov. 06 to 4. Feb. 07 at the Mousetrap

www.mousetrap.co.nz