My Days As An Immigrant Maid (Punakaiki, NZ)

Well, hello. And sorry for the break in postings - you people are very eager. I have just emerged from 12 days as an immigrant maid. Punakaiki is a miniscule town (more like bus stop/cafe/craft shop) on the west coast of the South Island where in exchange for room and board I changed sheets, scrubbed toilets, mopped floors, painted walls, laquered tables, weeded, raked, and baked at Te Nikau Retreat. A small backpackers/hostel, Te Nikau is a collection of tiny rustic wooden cabins connected by a maze of narrow pathways nestled in lush rainforest at the edge of a cliff over the Tasman Sea. The only sounds are crazy New Zealand birds - the most amazing of which is the Muppet-like Weka, a "cheeky" fluffy brown bird the size of a small chicken with a 3 inch beak when "cheeky" means "regularly walks straight into the kicthen and waits for food" - and the occasional rat in the wall. It was great to chill out in such a phenomenally beautiful place and have a routine for a bit. Among other things, I learned how to bake delicious dense wholesome bread from scratch, went running regularly, and had lots of time to read, allowing me to finish the most depressing book ever, also known as A Fine Balance. I also gained a newfound respect for the hotel cleaning industry and have no particular desire to be an immigrant maid again anytime soon. This morning I took the bus to "sunny" Nelson, an artsy town at the north tip of the South Island where it is currently raining. Weather permitting, I'll go for a long dayhike tomorrow or else check out the Wearable Art Museum here in town. From Nelson the plan is to continue up through Picton and then cross by ferry to the North Island in a few days. I'll add photos at some point I promise.
In the meantime, enough of me entertaining you - I have a question for you people. Given current traveller status, my awareness of international news is incredibly weak (earthquake, hurricane, Saddam on trial pretty much sums it up) so forgive my uninformedness, but what's up with this birdflu thing? Am I going to a) get it b) get it and die or c) get stuck in SE Asia because of it? Anyone have any answers? Anyone? Bueller?