When I got to the airport, it was scary to leave some of my family and friends behind, but it was the right choice so I could start a family in New Zealand. My husband—Jerome —and I approached the airplane with excitement and nervousness, knowing we were leaving loved ones behind. Once I felt ready, I boarded the plane, said goodbye to some of my family, and prepared myself for the move. The flight was long and boring. After fourteen hours and thirty-four minutes, I finally arrived at my first stop: Singapore. My husband and I waited there for eight hours before boarding the next flight.

After another long thirteen-hour journey, I finally arrived in New Zealand. It was overwhelming—everything felt so new. I felt extremely tired and dizzy from jet lag, caused by the twenty-two-hour time difference. From that point on, my lovely husband and I began a completely new adventure in New Zealand. We drove around, searched for a new house, and stayed in a hotel in the meantime. It was hard leaving my dear family behind, but it was the right decision given the situation back home. It took time to adjust and contribute to a new society, but eventually, I settled in.

I’ve learned what it feels like to migrate and leave family behind—I’ve also learned how to adapt and contribute to a new way of life. I plan to return to South Africa in 2026 for a holiday, but for now, I’ve been living in New Zealand and will continue to call this beautiful country my home.

One of the hardest parts was the emotional departure—leaving behind family who remained in England. Saying goodbye to their home, friends, and extended family was really difficult. The journey also brought challenges such as navigating the legal process, facing financial constraints, and dealing with the emotional toll of leaving their homeland. Although arriving in New Zealand was tough at first, they soon began to settle in. Ally has always considered New Zealand her home. When she started school, she attended Sunnyvale Primary, followed by Bruce McLaren Intermediate and High School.

Finding a home wasn’t easy, and eventually, they also needed to find work. Establishing a new life and securing accommodation was especially challenging. Marion, Ally’s mum, had to get everything sorted before they could even begin unpacking. She worked hard to find employment, build a new life, and contribute to the community. At the time, Ally didn’t think much of it—she was just a child.

Allison now has two children, who sadly lost their father in 2013 to pancreatic cancer. Today, Ally is enjoying life, sharing her experiences with her now-teenage kids. She is thriving—balancing her job, family, and life in New Zealand.

The boat ride to New Zealand was very long and took three days. During the trip, he shared a room with three Scottish people, so by the end of the journey, his accent had started to sound Scottish. After living in New Zealand for a while, his accent returned to a more typical English one. However, at school, one particular teacher rudely corrected the way he spoke.

When he arrived in New Zealand, he felt excited, curious, and a little bit nervous. He enjoyed the change of scenery. The buildings in England were very different from those in Auckland. He still misses England and has visited twice, but now he feels that Auckland is truly the place for him. He has lived in Auckland, New Zealand, for around seventy years and loves it very much!

The departure was harrowing. Leaving behind their home and familiar lifestyle felt like saying goodbye to someone special. While the culture wasn’t entirely different, the changes still felt significant. The journey itself was scary. Being only one year old meant Eden wouldn’t remember what it felt like—but knowing what she does now, it must have been the scariest thing in the world at the time. After arriving in New Zealand, barely holding onto hope for something new, Eden and her family were devastated by the loss of her father. There were pools of tears, lost hope, and a heartbroken family facing the harshest parts of life. But as time passed, the tears dried, hope returned, and the family stood back up on shaky knees—what mattered most was that they were still standing.

As Eden grew up, her not-so-new house and school began to feel like home. Te Atatū Peninsula Kindergarten was a place where strong bonds formed; from that very beginning, Madison has been Eden’s best friend—for ten years and still going strong. After that came primary school, where friends became lifelong companions. Matipo Primary, and later Matua Ngaru School—migrating didn’t mean saying goodbye to her home; it meant saying hello to a new one.

Through departure, preparation, and hardship, the family stayed strong. Eden, Aston, and Allison continued walking forward, already having come so far since the losses of 2013. To this day, traditions from their home in Sydney, Australia have carried over to life in New Zealand. Christmas Eve roast dinners, Halloween, Easter, and April Fools' Day are still celebrated, in memory of how far they’ve come. Memories have been held onto as tightly as traditions. Looking back, Eden sometimes wonders what life would be like if she still lived in Australia. Would her house feel as cosy as it does now? Would she speak with an Australian accent? But knowing the answer would mean she never moved to New Zealand—and then, she would have missed out on the life she now calls her own.

Denise and Ray left home in 1968. While preparing to leave, they faced financial struggles and emotional challenges. It was sad to say goodbye to their families, but they were also excited about the new journey ahead—and nervous about what would happen once they arrived. Eventually, they boarded the plane for the 24–30 hour flight and landed in New Zealand with just their luggage. When they checked into their hotel, the person at reception was a bit confused by their accents—but they had expected that. Life was very tough in the beginning.

Finding jobs in their new country was harder than Denise and Ray had expected. Denise eventually worked at Turners and later at the Growers Market as a telephonist and receptionist. Finding work was challenging, and fitting in was even more so. The cultural differences, along with a lack of local experience, often made her feel like an outsider. Even though the work wasn’t glamorous, she stayed positive, hoping it would lead to better opportunities.

Overall, Denise and Ray were grateful they made the move and appreciated the support they received from their families—even from afar. Denise found that the experience helped her grow into a more confident and outgoing person. She learned to communicate better with locals and adapt to life in her new country. Denise is very glad she moved to New Zealand and remains happy with her decision to this day.

When he moved, he felt tired but excited—there were so many things he wanted to do and decisions to make, like what kind of job he would get. He missed his home country but stayed strong and began to like his new country even more. He settled in very quickly and planned to live here for the rest of his life with a wife and kids.

Andy met his wife Monique, and they had their first child, Cole, on 5 March 2014. Their second child, Winter, was born on 15 February 2018. Now he has a happy family of four.

Their children are growing up—Cole is now 11 and Winter is 7—and they are all living happily ever after.

Part of the process was packing and moving everything into the new house. Although she was excited, there was also a sadness about leaving behind so many memories. It was tough doing it all on her own, so she asked some family members to help out. At the time, her children were just 1 and 3 years old and didn’t really understand what was happening. Sharntae held on to her vision of a better future—for her kids and the pets she hoped to welcome.

She felt a sudden wave of sadness as she looked around the empty house. Letting go of the memories made with her little family wasn’t easy. But she knew her new home would offer a better future for both herself and her children. Arriving at the new house was exciting, even though they didn’t have any furniture yet. Sharntae and her children slept in the living room while waiting for the delivery truck to arrive.

Moving also meant adjusting to a new neighbourhood and meeting new people. Over time, Sharntae became more open to the change, and slowly, her house started to feel like a home as furniture arrived and routines settled in. To stay connected with her family, she calls them daily to share updates.

Sharntae soon realised how much she had achieved in a short time. The experience of moving was challenging, and the journey came with emotional and physical obstacles—but overcoming them made her stronger. She’s now more focused on herself as well as her children.

Sharntae’s advice about migration is:
"It takes a lot of planning and hard work—just remember, you can do it."

She lived in the south of France, in a place called Grasse. My mum stayed in France for one month before moving to Amsterdam, where she lived for about two years. After that, she flew to New Zealand for the first time to discover something new. She has lived in New Zealand for as long as I have been alive. While living here, she has also travelled to many other countries.

Throughout her life, my mum has faced many challenges. Now she is 42 years old. She loves reading and is always trying to find ways to become smarter. My mum takes very good care of me and always makes sure I have everything I need. She’s always looking for ways to improve.

Her favourite subject is reading, and her least favourite is maths, but she still tries her best in all areas so she can be the best version of herself. She loves many things, especially travelling to different countries. Some of the biggest challenges she’s faced include finding a job she truly enjoys and a place to call home.

My mum wanted a better future for me, so she came to New Zealand with my dad and worked hard to bring me over. She spent months working to make it happen—and all that hard work paid off. It was very hard for her to say goodbye to me and our family, especially because she knew she wouldn’t see us for a long time. She left me with my grandparents and moved to New Zealand in 2018.

We kept in touch by phone, and after four years I was finally able to join her in New Zealand. My sister was born the year after that. My mum had to make some really tough choices, but as you can see, she still managed to make it through.

Even though we left the Philippines, we still celebrate our traditions, like Church Day and Family Day. The journey was difficult, but my mum pushed through everything so she could give us a better life.

My name is Marcia Wilson. I was born on the 12th of September 1977 in South Africa. I moved from South Africa to New Zealand and I brought my husband and kids with me. Here's how and why!

In 2016, I decided it was time to move to a safer country for a better life. I packed my luggage, got plane tickets for me and my family and went forward to New Zealand.

On my arrival, I noticed that everything was different! The food, people, language, everything! Something that was similar was the nature. I was sad because I had to leave some of my family, but I made new friends by meeting a family called the Barlows.

Reflecting back, I learned that moving is very hard work, but very rewarding. One of the rewards was that I got two new dogs, Kiki and Honey. I'm also happy about the many places I went to.

In conclusion, I'm both sad and happy that I moved. I wish more of my family could have come, but I'm happy that I’ve met new people and have gotten some pets.

-Tyler

-Chris

-Zoe

My name is Vimi. I grew up in a city called Hyderabad, located in India. Life was great. I had a lot of fun growing up with my amazing family and friends and a lovely neighbourhood. Everyday, I used to play a lot of outdoor games with my friends after school in our locality. Time passed quickly. Soon, when I was an adult, me and my husband made the decision to move to New Zealand. It was work that brought us to NZ.  The company he worked for had started an office in NZ, and he needed to start work there.

We started the preparations a few months in advance—Selling furniture, giving away a lot of things that we couldn’t carry in our luggage and then packing for the big move. Planning, organising and packing things was mentally and physically very exhausting. Finally, it was time for the move. We landed in Auckland on the 30th of November, 2015.

I arrived in Auckland with mixed feelings. It was great coming to a new place with an opportunity to explore the unknowns, but at the same time, I was sad that I was leaving my parents and in-laws behind. I didn’t take up a job for a while after landing in NZ and was busy taking care of my family with two young kids. Sometime after settling down, I started working as a software programmer in my first job in Auckland, and my husband continued working for his company in the office.

Looking back, it was a good decision. We are very happy with the move, and our children are thriving in school.The journey has grown us closer as a family. We kept India in our hearts and never forgot about it. Leaving India was carrying our roots into the future.

Overall, the journey has taught us resilience and adaptability as we navigated the cultural shifts and built a new life from the ground up. Ultimately, it pushed me out of my comfort zone, helping me grow personally and professionally as a person. It taught me that no matter what, we can always start over again.

-  Adhiyan

-Sasmitha

My name is John Fong, I am Chinese ethnically but born in Indonesia, and moved to New zealand in June 1950. My father was invited by the New Zealand Presbyterian Church to be the Chinese minister in Dunedin. Sadly, we had to move our homeland for better opportunities and education. I moved with my father, mother, older brother and two younger sisters.

The night before we left, my mother ensured my siblings and I had packed our luggage. It was colder in New Zealand than Indonesia, so we checked for cold weather clothing in our wardrobes. We had booked all our tickets for the next few days and now we're ready to leave forever. One after another, we said our last goodbyes to our family, promising to visit again and left with eyes full of tears. My father and mother spent the past few weeks preparing contracts and documents, hoping they made the right decision.

Arriving in Dunedin was both exciting and overwhelming at the same time, but a few challenges came along the way, especially the language barrier. Although my father and mother spent months practising English, it still wasn't enough. I had no friends in New Zealand, and in school I spent countless hours all alone.

Moving to New Zealand has impacted my life positively and now I have retired after years of hard work and my parents are now high in the sky. As a child, I didn't realise how hard my parents worked to give us a better life for my siblings and I. 

Now years later, I realise that migration has taught me courage and integrity. Now I have a beautiful family in Auckland with nine grandchildren and four kids, and we celebrate everyone's achievements.

• Olivia

It was very hard having to leave our friends and family behind, but we knew they would come and visit as an excuse for a trip to Fiji. Living in Fiji was a great experience. We made so many new friends and lots of amazing memories! And then, after 2 years of living the dream, my contract ended in 2017. Which meant it was time to move back home.  But in the end, we enjoyed our time there and have no regrets.

-Hollie

-Brooke

My beloved mother, Dr. Anannya Parvathi, enjoyed the peaceful, serene side to India– Kerala– before moving to New Zealand on January 24th 2017. In India, she had unforgettable memories, people who felt like home, and a safe community who shaped who she is today. Later, she married the love of her life and got blessed with a daughter–me, Gauri Nambiar– who came with her to the land of the long white cloud. 

 After years of living in Bangalore, my mum and my dad decided it was time for a change; we were going to move to America where my dad could pursue his higher studies.  As we were planning our departure from India, my dad saw an incredible opportunity to pursue his passion for  locks in Assa Abloy, New Zealand; it was perfect.  Everything fell into place, my parents could pursue their passions and I could be raised in a safe, peaceful environment. Although this decision was flawless, my mum felt a sense of dread thinking about leaving her family.

When we entered Aotearoa , my mum felt a wave of shock, euphoria, and nervousness wash over her. Already, she had missed her dear family and friends but there was no looking back, this was happening. We finally moved into our first house in Onehunga, New Zealand and we were welcomed graciously by our neighbours who we connected with very easily. My mum states “Two neighbours I won’t forget are Felicity, and Gauri’s kindergarten teacher Karen who made me and my family feel welcome”. A few days into living in Aotearoa, my mother noticed how friendly people here were; she felt content with happiness seeing people she didn’t even know greet her on her morning walks. My mum, my dad, and I were euphoric to realize that following our Indian/Malayali traditions was smooth here and we were delighted to figure out that Diwali was a widely celebrated festival here in New Zealand. Being here also exposed us to new nationalities and allowed us to explore different cultures in the comfort of one country. 

From this experience, my mum learnt that life is meant to be explored; after this experience, she has been open to different cultures, opportunities, and countries. From discovering her passion for ophthalmology, to when she understood that sometimes plans don’t always go to plan but it’s always for a reason. Although she misses her homeland greatly, she has no regrets. 

• Gauri

I started boarding school at 5 years old and left Fiji straight after school at 16 years old because my mum wanted me to live a better life and have a better education.

My niece, Margo and I left Fiji, and it took us a 6-hour seaplane trip to get over to New Zealand. I had no choice but to move over to New Zealand. One minute I was in Fiji, and the next I was in a different country, but I was excited because I had family waiting for me on the other side. Leaving Fiji had a big effect on me, and I didn't want to leave. I lived in Auckland, 10 Bakers st.

I loved my hometown back in Fiji, the warmth, the people, I was relaxing, and it was the only thing I knew, and I loved it. I would love to move back to Samoa and Fiji, but only if I had family with me, I wouldn't want to be alone. I had a basic life in Fiji, and I didn't have much, but I loved the school and the teachers. I still keep in touch with my friends, and I'm planning to live till 100. I love my new life here in New Zealand.

-Charlie

-Isabelle

My Father, Amandeep Singh was born in New Delhi, India and he had a joint family. When my father was 18 years old he got his student visa. My father came to New Zealand in January 2006. He prepared his stuff to leave, he was going alone. My father was searching for a better life and education, he also wanted peace. There was also a growing economy in New Zealand.

When Aman arrived in New Zealand, he was a bit scared but still motivated. Once he got into the airport to leave, he noticed everyone was different. My dad was welcomed by his cousins. Everything was new to him. 

After my father migrated to New Zealand, he saw many life opportunities. It took him almost a full year to settle in New Zealand. My dad thinks he made the right choice. He would rather stay in New Zealand forever. He learnt that everyone is different in different countries and he must respect that. 

-Samar

My father, Rohith Chandra was born in 1975. He was living in Fiji for most of his childhood and he enjoyed it. As he says, “It was amazing. Playing in the rain, walking to school, walking back home, stopping to get a hot bun, sun shining and  good exercise to get home.” But some day in 1987, his dad came to New Zealand after the coup (a coup is when the military takes over the government) in Fiji. He wanted a better life for himself and his family. Then August struck. Everyone packed their bags and fled to the airport.

Fiji is located in Oceania. You know what else is in Oceania? New Zealand. You know a really safe country that’s safe to live in?? New Zealand. It was the closest and safest option—I’m glad, I don’t want to live in Australia (spiders are scary). The flight was fairly quick, only about three hours. Stepping out of the airport, Rohith immediately realised that New Zealand was a colder country, feeling a “different kind of cold in the air”. Because as he said “When the plane landed at Auckland Airport, when we came out of the airport, it was the first time I felt a different kind of cold in the air. Then, my dad picked us up and drove us home. I remember seeing the black and white cows. We never saw that in Fiji, I thought that was only in the books! Then we came home, made a point about the cold. The first time I went to the beach for a swim, the water was too cold, even in summer! That’s important because we went to the beach all the time in Fiji, but the water was always warm.”

Eventually, he got settled in, since he was just starting high school. Being one of only five Indian kids, he and his twin brother were unfortunately bullied. He also had to make new friends and he won’t stop telling me about them. My dad has too many friends nowadays… anyway, they still walked to school, walked back like people do now in the big ‘25. That hasn’t changed much. However, they got bikes, which made it easier. Of course, people still do this now. He had to adjust to everything very fast; the way of school, the mean people bullying him, the way of living, the cost of things… 

He’s still in New Zealand. It’s been about thirty or so years. He’s currently having a good life, has a kid, and lives in a house. He makes curries for me and people who visit. They taste good. 

-Hailey

Aarohi Tyagi is a 12 year old girl who moved from Delhi, India to New Zealand. Aarohi moved in 2022, when she was 9, along with her mother, father, sister and brother. Aarohi’s life back in India was filled with a lot of family and culture. Living in a house with her grandparents, cousins, aunt and uncle, parents and siblings, her life was busy yet comforting. So when her Dad got a promotion overseas, Aarohi felt devastated and alone.

Aarohi loved India but said that the amount of people there was overwhelming “India is very over populated and in New Zealand it is much more peaceful”. Her parents had originally decided on moving to Australia in 2019 but Covid hit and they were stuck in India. After almost 2 years of still being in India, Aarohi’s parents sprung it on her and her siblings that they were still moving. Aarohi had forgotten their dreams of moving so it came as a surprise when they brought back the idea, especially since now they were moving to a country  she had never heard of, New Zealand. “I was both crushed and delighted at the thought of leaving my home. She says”

The change in environment between India and New Zealand was drastic. Compared to India, the streets were empty and there were barely any cars or people. Aarohi was used to streets folding with people. The people of New Zealand welcomed Aarohi with open arms and treated her just like anyone else. Aarohi felt instantly at home and her teachers and peers' kindness made her migration experience much easier. Aarohi has had a lot more education opportunities and has shown more courage in sports and in public speaking since her arrival.

Aarohi has become a more confident and outgoing person since moving. She's made new friends and has grown as a person. Aarohi is proud of herself and how far she's come, her friends and family as well. She has earned respect and praise for her and her family's courage and willingness to move overseas and build a life here. Aarohi feels that coming to New Zealand was one of the best decisions her parents have made and she is proud to call herself a kiwi. 

-Charlotte

My awesome dad, Ilya Pyzhanov, moved to New Zealand from Belarus. He brought his 20kg suitcase along with on his adventure in a new country. My dad told me that he could fit his whole life in that one suitcase. He decided to migrate to New Zealand in 2003. Ilya Pyzhanov said that moving was no big deal and was not frightening. He was not scared of anything as he would just do it when he had the choice.

Ilya Pyzhanov was the youngest out of three brothers and was born in 1981. He was living in Belarus until 2001. Then he moved to Israel where he met my mum. When my mum migrated to New Zealand, my dad followed her not long after as he couldn’t stand being without her. Ilya Pyzhanov moved to be closer to the love of his life so you could say he migrated in the name of love. He says that if he stayed in Belarus he would not be as happy as he is now. He would not have my mum.

Ilya Pyzhanov (my dad)  says that after some time in New Zealand, he could spot the differences between here and Belarus. New Zealand is kind and run by a democracy while Belarus also has kind people but run by a dictatorship. Ilya Pyzhanov said he was treated well in New Zealand but it was and still is hard to make meaningful relationships. The people in New Zealand were very understanding as he couldn't speak English. When he first arrived he said that it was not overwhelming, he was happy and excited to see my mum again.

Looking back, my dad explained that it was that move that shaped his values and beliefs. It also made him a more polite, kind, and passionate person. His most difficult challenge was making friends. It was also very hard to get a new job. My dad says he made the right choice because he has awesome kids and a beautiful wife. Ilya said “It is important to take risks, because sometimes it's really worth it”.

-Emily. P

Dad has said he liked it in England, but it was quite cold and almost always snowy. Sometimes he makes jokes about the temperature and says, "You know this would be a Summer's day in England". We always have a little giggle. But something he said migrating, taught him to never give up, and sometimes change can be a good thing.

-Lydia

My Nana, Nicky Trinder, was born in London, England. She said that living in London was fun in her teenage years but it was hard for her parents. She moved to New Zealand fifty-nine years ago in nineteen sixty eight, with her husband Ray. At the time, she was only nineteen so making a new life for herself and Ray was going to be very hard.

Leaving Home

Nicky felt very sad to leave her old home but she was excited too. They knew it was the right choice to leave because it would be easier to make a better life for them in New Zealand. Even though they knew it was for the best, Nicky was anxious about not knowing what the future had in-store for them.

Adjusting To New life

Adjusting to the new life in New Zealand was difficult and they faced lots of challenges. It was very scary because it was just the two of them in the big world. Nicky said it was hard to fit into the new community, being foreigners, and she said that the language were a problem too. It was hard for them to get a job, but Nicky started to work as a Telephonist Receptionist at Turners + Growers markets.

The Right Choice

Looking back Nicky said she made the right choice and she wouldn't have changed a thing. Nicky became more independent and confident. She also learnt how to communicate well with other people. Now she has two kids and is very old. I asked her what migrating taught her and she said. "I learnt many new life skills and had to make my own decisions". Over all she enjoyed migrating.

-Eleanor

My name is Deirdre Vanwyk, and I moved from Cape Town, South Africa to New Zealand in 2004, when I was 27. I grew up in a coastal town similar to New Zealand, and close to my family and friends. I came on my own because I already had friends who had moved to New Zealand. 

I felt excited to explore New Zealand and the opportunities it would give me, but I was still sad to leave my family behind in South Africa. I knew I needed to move because of how unsafe South Africa was at the time I was living there. Preparing for my new country was hard, especially seeing how devastated my family and friends were. 

Moving into my new home in New Zealand felt different, but I tried my best to get used to it. I had to face a lot of challenges when moving to a totally different environment, mainly because Afrikaans was my first ever language, so I struggled sometimes when speaking English. It eventually grew on me, and I started to take more opportunities when they were open to me. It was a little easy to adjust to New Zealand because of how friendly and accommodating kiwi’s are.

Exploring a new country taught me independence, because I was all alone, patience, because of how much time it took to adjust, and courage, for trying new things and opportunities. Within a few months, I knew my way around my new town, and even learnt a few New Zealand slang words and a bit of their language. I then learnt how to speak English fluently because of my new friends. 

In conclusion, I learnt more about the New Zealand culture even though it was hard and challenging to let go of my home country. But I’m glad I moved cause New Zealand is super safe and I met new people and life long friends along the way. 

-Alannah

My dad Campbell, and my mum Aysha moved from New Zealand to Australia in 2008. My dad grew up on the Hibiscus Coast with his twin brother and older sister as a fifth generation New Zealander, and my mum grew up with her brother and mum in Auckland. My mum and dad both moved around New Zealand living in quite a few different homes. 

They moved to Australia for job opportunities and exploring but planning to come back to New Zealand in the end. They packed their bags and moved some stuff into families’ houses. They booked two one-way tickets to Australia and said goodbye to their family knowing they'd be back one day.

It was an easy move because life was very similar in Australia but they were still a little apprehensive. They moved into their new home and started their new jobs. After a while they felt at home but still missed family and friends. After a year they had made friends and life was a lot easier. They had people to talk to and they could call family if they needed. 

After a few years, they felt it was time to come back to NZ and their family. Since then, they have gone to Australia on holiday with our family. Everything there was easy, they understood English and the transport was great. They don't regret living there but don't want to go back to live.

Campbell and Aysha learnt many new things like how important friends and family can be. Since living in Australia, they've lived in Canada but ended up coming back and got a dog Saffron and had two kids Millie (Me) and Indie (My sister). Living in different countries and all the traveling, showed them how much of a great country New Zealand is and how much they love it.

-Millie

In 1974, I moved to Germany, which was hard because once again I had to leave my friends, and on top of that, I had to learn a new language. I had quite a few jobs in Germany, but I'll just name two. In Germany, I worked as an Administrator and an English specialist.

In 1976, I moved back to New Zealand, finally reuniting with my family and close friends, but moving back felt weird because New Zealand was quiet, unlike the previous countries.

-Boston

My name is Hargunpreet Singh, I came to New Zealand almost two years ago on 21, October 2023. I was 10 years old when I migrated to New Zealand. I migrated with my mom, dad and sister. We came from Punjab, India. My Mom and dad decided to come here for our better future. The main reasons were a corrupt government, pollution, a hotter climate and most importantly not a pure diet like for example mixing harmful chemicals to make vegetables and fruits look more fresh as well as for a better education.

When I first came here, I was excited to see a new country and I was also excited about meeting my cousins, although I was a bit sad to leave my home where I grew up and leaving my friends wasn’t easy either. My friends were also sad but we can still talk to each other from our mobile phones. I was also so excited because it was my first time travelling in an aeroplane, but I didn’t get the window seat!

Settling in a new environment was not easy and there are a lot of things that are different but one of the main things was that the streets are much cleaner and quieter and the people here are more polite and kind. Also, shifting houses wasn’t easy either because I was living in a new country in a new house and not familiar with the environment and I also missed my house a lot when I came here.

There are a lot of differences between New Zealand And India like studying in New Zealand is much easier and more fun than in India, the food here is neither too sweet and neither too spicy but food there has more extreme flavours and the schools here has more facilities for playing, have lunch time clubs, more sports opportunities and more acknowledgements but India doesn’t have those.

Now when I look back I just came here and don’t know anything about the places, schools and shops but now throughout these years I have learnt a lot and also known a lot about different countries. To me it is great living in India and in New Zealand.

-Hargunpreet

Kristene Molon, my mum, was born in Manilla, in 1988. Her Dad was a lawyer in Manilla so that's where she stayed until she was 8 years old. My mum and her family moved to Olongapo but her dad kept working in Manilla. He would stay in Manilla Monday-Friday and come home on the weekends. Those weekends were her family time, a time where the whole family could be together. She grew up with two younger sisters and a younger brother, becoming a second mother within the house. Her mum didn't work to take care of her and her siblings and although it was hard, they grew up middle class living a good life until January of 2008 when she decided to move to New Zealand. 

She was in a Filipino computer cafe, when she saw an advert that would forever change her life. It was  asking for nurses to come to New Zealand. She had just gotten her university degree and was looking for work. The ad. was for a nurse home in Waipu NZ. Back then, Waipu was really small and there weren't many nurses. My mum wanted to go because there weren't a lot of work opportunities in the Philippines and she wanted a better environment for work, and eventually raising a family. She wanted to be able to earn more money to help her Family financially and besides she already had the qualifications, why not take the risk? The Nursing home paid for her plane fare and hotel stay, so long as she promised to work there for at least 3 years. While working there, she met my dad. When she landed, she had a mix of fear and excitement. Everything was new and not having anybody with you is a little bit scary but she just thought about the opportunity that lay ahead and in the end it would all be worth it.

She was lucky that, while traveling, she didn’t face any difficulties. Before she could begin work in New Zealand, she had to take a 6 week course in Napier to train for the New Zealand nursing qualification. Before she began the training she only had $20 in her bank account. There was a recruiter that met her in New Zealand and helped her out, showing her around and helping her with things like setting up a bank account and finding out how NZ works. They also guided her with accommodations. She took to the culture of being kind to everybody you meet in NZ and treating everyone you meet like they’re family or close friends. The Filipinos are known for being social so my mum brought that to NZ. 

Moving to a new country showed my mum that there are other ways of living and doing things and made her aware of new ways of life. Moving to New Zealand made my mum a better nurse and an altogether better person by NZ giving her the tools. She got married to a foreigner and learnt to accept new cultures and raise multicultural kids. She made new friends who she would not have otherwise met that became part of her life and journey. Mum says she made the right choice and that she considers NZ her home. She believes that NZ was the best place to go and the right choice to make. As she says: “If you feel that you should move places for a better life, you should.”

-Abigail

My name is Anisha. I migrated to New Zealand in 2008. I lived in Fiji and my life was fun growing up. I lived with my parents in Fiji but when I was going to migrate to New Zealand I was sad but happy. I married my husband who was a citizen there in New Zealand.

I moved to New Zealand at 20. I was really happy but sad. I was happy because I was excited to start a new journey with my husband, but I was really sad to leave my parents. I learned a lot of life lessons when I migrated to New Zealand. 

When I migrated to New Zealand, it taught me that I can face anything and that I am strong and to speak up if something is wrong.

I started adjusting straight away when I came to New Zealand. I was never alone back home because I had my parents with me, but when I migrated to New Zealand I started feeling lonely because I didn't have my parents with me and I missed them a lot.

-Aiyra

After uni, I worked as a contractor for a while in Leeds. But I wasn’t settled. I had friends buying houses, settling down, doing the traditional thing. And I remember thinking, If I don’t go now, I never will. So I took a chance — booked a one-way ticket to Sydney, Australia. My parents were heartbroken. My mum cried at the airport. I promised I’d be back in a year. I genuinely thought I would be.

But life has a way of unfolding differently.

Sydney was intense at first. I didn’t know anyone. But I loved it. The weather, the lifestyle, the beach culture — and it wasn't snowing all the time — it was a completely different world. I felt anonymous in a good way. I could be whoever I wanted.

I stayed there for a few years, moved up the ladder a bit, and made some great friends.

So I booked a trip. Landed in Auckland, and I’ll be honest — something clicked almost immediately. It wasn’t flashy or fast, but there was a quiet rhythm to life there that just felt right. I extended my trip. Then applied for a job at Scarbro Construction.

That was over a decade ago.

A couple of years after moving to New Zealand, I met Kaya. She was smart, warm, and caring — grew up in Auckland, worked at Starship Children's Hospital. We met at Chapel Pub on a Sunday night, started chatting, and then she was going home. We’ve been married thirteen years now. We’ve got four kids — Lydia, Evie, Archie and Leo — all born here. They’ve got Kiwi accents and wear bare feet half the year. It’s a long way from where I started, and I still can’t quite believe it sometimes.

People often ask if I ever thought about moving back to the UK. And I have. I flew back, spent time with my family, reconnected with my roots. But even then, I realised: I’d changed too much. My life was no longer there. My world — my home — was now here, in New Zealand. My kids are eleven, eight and four, Kaya is the chair of the Board of Trustees.

It hasn’t always been easy. Migration is a strange thing — it’s not just geography, it’s identity. You gain so much, but you lose things too: moments with family, old friendships, that feeling of truly “belonging” somewhere. But what you build matters more.