It all started out to be the most exciting venture of my life.  As the natural spirit of myself and my whole family seeked an unknown destiny far from a reality lifestyle we had in South Africa.  We wanted our children to be in a safe environment and culture, plenty opportunities and a secure future.  Everything we owend we sold just to make this a possibility for our family.  What a great start but most certainly not without alot of sacrafice & good planning. 

 

On the other side, away from our loving family and friends, we started this new LIFE.  No friends, no family, only eachother.  This has brought us so much understanding of eachother's needs and characters.  We planned everything around what we needed, not what we wanted at first.  This took a bit of getting used to, missing the material things we once had, living the high standards of our fellow South Africans but what made it easier on us was that so many friends in New Zealand was just so eager to make us feel at home, with just the nescessary items we needed, that we almost forgot about the "high standard" of living he had. 

 

Our children adjusted very well and made friends easily, having said that, as parents it made our life easier in order to build a home for them and plan for our future in a strange country.  At first i was very keen to go out and work again, sent my CV to various companies and started working within two weeks of application.  My husband had to write various exams being a trades person to get his NZ Registration, all was going so well for us.

 

Me on the other hand, missed my family very much, knowing that it was just not possible for any of them at the time to come for a visit.  I had the most terrible mood swings, so much so that i didn't understand myself at the time, i was not sure whether it was just the different culture and the outlook of the kiwis, everyone was just so good to us......i was just so ready to go back to South Africa, to my family whom i am so very close to.  This was not fair on my husband and children who had to sacrafice just as much to start a new beginning in a strange country.  I couldn't explain it.  Everyone tried to make it easier on me.  Was it perhaps the "comfortable lifestyle" i had in SA, the domestic help i had, was having to do everything myself getting too much for me, working, the household, the normal routine and expectations of a family of five?  I wouldn't know unless i go back to SA to see the rest of my family again and to be in a environment that i was so used to for so many years.  I lived with mixed emotions for almost a year.

 

I went back to South Africa on the very next available flight.  Being back, seeing all my family was great but missing my loved ones again back in New Zealand was terrible.  Life can be better in another country, it's what YOU want to make of it, enjoy the different cultures, enjoy the honesty and warmth of the kiwis. Explore your new environment, it can be like one long working holdiday for you and your family.  Life does not have to begin and end for you in one country....be optimistic in every new step you take...it can work!  With all the support and love i had from my family back in South Africa and my loving husband and children in New Zealand.... all worked out for us as we planned and will never look back.