Philipenes

FAITH. FAMILY. PALMY.
WE RISE - CREATING IMPACT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY!

From the Philipenes to Aotearoa, we rebuilt our lives with courage, faith and purpose. With my amazing husband & wonderful kids by my side, I carry our roots proudly - and every step we take, honour the journey that made us.

THANKFUL TO GOD, MY FAMILY, & MY COMMUNITY! KIA KAHA!

Nigeria

I am Ayiya Bakimi Bitrus, and looking at this picture is looking at a story shaped by grace, courage and perseverance. My journey began in 2015, when I stepped away from the warmth of home in Nigeria and travelled across the world to Aotearoa to pursue a PhD in Chemistry. This was indeed a journey filled with uncertainty, sacrifice and hope but fulfilling. What began as a dream soon transformed into a new life.

Aotearoa embraced me, challenged me and transformed me. After completing my Doctorate, I moved into academia and eventually found my place in the beautiful Manawatū. Through every season, I have been strengthened by the love of my Wife, the joy of my Children, and the kindness of the incredible people I’ve met along my Waka.

My story is a testament of God’s faithfulness and enduring love. “For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to give you hope and a future” Jeremiah 29:11. This promise has guided my steps and carries my spirit.

Canada

I came to New Zealand from Canada because I couldn’t decide between travelling and more study. All the outdoor activities appealed to me and it seemed like it would be a fun place to live. My Master’s supervisor told me it would be career death to do a PhD in New Zealand… He was correct but it is fun. I’ve been here for 18 years now and have a Kiwi partner and two children. I’m involved in lots of sports and have great workmates at UCOL.

India

Nanak says
Let's be kind, gentle, humble
and courteous in our dealings with others.
In doing so we will receive love kindness
and success by gods grace.

China

I always remember the first time when I walked out of Auckland airport, I was greeted by a smell of freshly cut grass mixed with the scent of some unknown flowers. The smell lingered with me.

Twenty years on, I have met many interesting people, some became my friends, one became my soulmate and we got two very cute kids. I am not born here, but it’s home now.

India

Happiness. Hope. Courage. Faith. Trust. Love. Joy. Peace. Gratitude. Aspiration. Calmness. Self-confidence. Smile. Inspiration. Beauty. Connection. Acceptance. Growth. Balance. Freedom.

Fear. Loneliness. Confusion. Uncertainty. Separation. Anxiety/worry. Insecurity/low confidence. Failure. Obstacles. Distance/being far away. Pain/sadness. Unfamiliar situation. Change (unsettling). Losing familiarity. Fear of losing identity.

I came to this country with mixed feelings and emotions. Though I miss my parents and family back home, I fell in love with this place and made it my home - a home far away from home.

England

My accent is CHANGING, but I don’t FEEL like a KIWI. I live here & my LIFE is here. But part of my HEART is ALWAYS back home. When I go to visit “HOME”, I feel like a STRANGER. When I return to NZ, I feel the comfort of being “HOME”. I don’t know if I will ever FEEL like a KIWI, and my HEART may always be in two places;
BUT WHAT A PRIVILEDGE THAT IS.

USA

I am a guest and have been embraced and welcomed.

My connections are family, the land, and the rivers of the Ruahine.

Nigeria

Hi, my name is Folusho Adeyinka, although my friends call me Doris.

My story began on Friday, 26th of January 2007, when I came with my family from Nigeria to Palmerston North for my PhD at Massey University. I was met by my supervisor (Prof Richard Laver) with a van as we had about 10 big suitcases. He welcomed us with his family and the first place we visited was the Victoria Esplanade. On Sunday we looked for a church to worship and still worship at Emmanuel Congregational Church till date.

Settling 4 kids with schools was challenging, but blessed with teachers, parents and wonderful Kiwi family friends. Palmerston North became ‘home’ and was involved in community activities and now welcoming new families from Nigeria. Ese (thank you).

England

Accidental Immigrant

I became a migrant to this country by mistake. I moved here for a one year contract and, quite simply, I never left.

Now some thirty years on, while England will always be my homeland, Aotearoa has become my home.

Australia

I’m not sure I’d consider myself a migrant. I don’t see myself as much different to every other pākehā here. Hopefully I don’t sound too Australian, but every now and then a word comes out that unmasks me. I often get asked ‘what brought you here?’ (the answer is the love of a great woman!) Or people will say ‘nice to see someone coming back the other way!’ I don’t especially identify as Australian or Kiwi despite citizenship of both. I feel like a visitor in Melbourne. Flying into Wellington is the comfort of coming home. I really am missing discussing the weekend Aussie rules results. I’d kill for a Melbourne souvlaki or a steemed dimmie from the fish + chips shop. Oh, and family, I really feel the distance. I don’t know how others from far off countries, or regions/situations that are impossible to return to cope. I can’t see myself living in Australia again, it’s NZ for me (or Japan!)

Vietnam

I carry Viet soul on my way,
In Kiwi land, I share my ray.
Each step I take, a culture’s trace,
Small, yet bright a distant place.

Indonesia

From the land that raised me
to the new land that calls my heart,
I walk forward in faith
trusting the God who holds my hand,
guiding every step, opening paths I have not yet seen.

Indonesia, where every dream began
New Zealand, where those dreams grow again
with God who brings them into reality

Scotland

After Brexit I found myself a stranger among old friends whose easy laughter soured into bitter talk of borders and ‘patriotism’. Their casual racism, once hidden, spilled into the open, and the common ground I had known was replaced by a chill I couldn’t ignore.

I chose to leave them behind, seeing in New Zealand not just a new life, but a place where openness, and fairness might still guide the way people treated one another.

India

That which we are
we are, made weak by time and faith.
Let’s have confidence in fellow humans
to make a difference in other peoples lives.

South Africa

BETWIXT AND BETWEEN

Neither here nor there.
Both here and there.

Neither this nor that.
Both this and that.

Fiji

Although society hasn’t always been fair, I’m grateful for the…

Opportunity you’ve given me and my family to build a better future.

France

The space between two worlds.
No longer completely French, and never fully Kiwi.

My native language fades a little, while my life here takes root. Blending in with the locals but not losing my roots, my originality. My voice carries two accents.

The sometimes confusing, sometimes lonely path of a growing identity in movement, shaped by my choices and aspirations. A bridge between what I was and who I am becoming, and, with time, a strength born from this fragility: Having two nationalities.

Netherlands

Hi, in 2006 I moved from the Netherlands to New Zealand and Palmerston North was the place I moved to because my partner's parents were living here and I had to deal with immigrations for me to stay in New Zealand. Within a week I got my paperwork done and started looking for a job. For that reason I stayed in sunny Palmy and after almost 20 years I'm still happy here, I met lots of nice people and made great friends and picked up some new hobbies. Another good thing is that Palmy is central for the North Island what makes travelling here a bit easier. With Palmy as a city it feels like living in a big village and I can get everything need here (for money).

Great points are the cycle and walkways near the Manawatū river. I'm pretty sure I can live here for another few years and maybe one day I will lose my Dutch accent.

I have/had a very good experience living here in Palmy.

Thank you very much Palmy.

Bye, PJ.

PS: Now it is time for a Bavaria.

South Africa

Migration is no easy decision for even the strongest. Leaving my beautiful homeland South Africa, driving an emotional rollercoaster on many unknown tracks and dark tunnels, led me to a country just as gorgeous as my own… the land of the long white cloud, New Zealand.

New Zealand brings my family opportunities, safety, job security. We have been humbled by the warmth of welcoming communities and intrigued by the wealth of diverse cultures.

I will always miss our rainbow nation back home, but this feels like home now.

Malaysia

There will always be ignorance in the world, but if I let them define my experience, I'll never be happy. Because for every moment of bad experience I've faced, I've experienced many more moments of support and acceptance. I choose to focus on the people who show kindness, respect, and support. I keep them close and appreciate them because they help shape who I am today, and they give me reasons to stay here in New Zealand.

As a Malaysian of Chinese descent, I am not considered part of Malaysia's indigenous or First Nations communities. Migrant to New Zealand or not, I still feel like a second-class citizen; different country, same situation.

As the saying goes: Rely on a mountain, and the mountain may collapse; rely on rivers, and the water will flow away. You can't rely on mountains or rivers — you can only rely on yourself. Since I can only depend on myself, of course, I should choose a good place to settle, just as a wise bird chooses the right tree to nest in. Choose an environment that makes life a little easier for me.

Chinese parts
made in Malaysia
Imported to New Zealand

Japan

I came to New Zealand from Japan on a student visa and later found work.

Here, I met and married a wonderful European-Māori man. I am also a mother to a precious son who left us too soon and now rests in heaven.

New Zealand is truly my home - It’s where I spent my entire young adulthood and where my son rests forever.

Being a migrant hasn’t always been easy, but I’ve carried with me the saying “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”. I’ve been lucky to meet many nice people who have enriched my life. If I had to choose one thing I love most about New Zealand, it would be its PEOPLE.

India

“Constamttly remember, the world is one family;
all humans are equal.
Practice mutual love,
thus life becomes complete.”

Philippines

A Kiwi-European told me that ALL OF US ARE MIGRANTS. We are ALL travelling to where we will find our rest/solace. For SOFIA, LUISA and MIGUEL, like mine and your mother's ancestors who arrived in the Philippines probably because of better opportunities, there is a possibility that you will also settle in other places. I know you will become successful. To BETH my love, Thank you, thank you, thank you!

USA

Kia Ora,
My family’s roots run deep in the making of America. As my people carried hope, I am now that person of hope. Through the ties that bind, I am also a citizen of Aotearoa.
Ngā mihi nui

My people

The night is beautiful, so the faces of my people.
The stars are beautiful, so the eyes of my people.
Beautiful, also, is the sun. Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people.

        - Langston Hughes 1923

Indonesia

I returned, and that says EVERYTHING.

Nepal

The sadness of my eyes hold,
Sadness of the day I left home and future’s possibility,
but life is just like a river which flows towards the life.

Nepal

Scared is what you feel when you move,
from your home,
where you find a lot of closed doors,
but I also find some small windows
and a way to learn about me again.

It is not easy to restart life in a place,
where the language is different and so are the customs.
Frequently the time comes where I have to prove myself -
those who walk fall down,
especially on those
unknown roads.

India

Some flights are not chosen
They are survived…

Brazil

I fell in love with New Zealand 20 years ago when my now husband, Richard, first introduced me to his beautiful country. This stunning piece of land isolated in the Pacific Ocean is a delightful place to live. This country has always received me with open arms and it provided me with care when I needed it the most. I am very lucky to call New Zealand home. I used to say that I’m half Brazilian and half Japanese. Now I’m thankful, happy and proud to feel that I’m one third Brazilian, one third Japanese and one third Kiwi.

Sri Lanka

In a new land. a new dream -
This is my journey.

It was unplanned; my destiny brought me here.

This has become another home where I feel secure, joyful, happy and free - a place that continues to help me grow and excel in life.

I am building my life here, block by block, towards a secure future, where I feel I belong, loved, accepted, and fully content.

Love you, Aotearoa, for giving me such a beautiful opportunity to rebuild myself and become stronger than I once was.

I cherish your beauty and your warmth. Thank you for welcoming me - here in the Manawatū, I always feel that I belong to you.

Philippines

When we arrived as a young family, we were welcomed with kindness that touched our hearts, ways we have never forgotten. Simple acts of kindness, acts of care and generosity helped us feel safe, accepted and valued. Those gestures gave us the confidence to put down roots, to participate and to give back to Palmerston North’s multicultural community.

More than thirty years ago, I watched small support groups begin with nothing more than compassion and shared understanding. From these humble beginnings grew a sense of belonging that shaped our lives. Because of those early experiences, Palmerston North is not just a place we live - it is and will always be, our home away from home.

Norway

I am a proud Kiwi and have called New Zealand home for more than 40 years. Born in Norway, I hold dear many Norwegian traits, however New Zealand has given me a lifetime of memories, opportunities, and belonging. I take great pride in the positive contributions I make - to my family, to my business, to my local community, to Palmerston North, to New Zealand, and to the wider world. In my opinion, it’s your achievements that define you, rather than where you were born.

I am a current-generation migrant, but in truth we are all migrants in some way - through our parents, our grandparents, or generations before them. Every one of us has come from somewhere else. Although we come from many lands and cultures, we share one planet and one humanity, and in places like Palmerston North, where people from all backgrounds live side by side, I hope that one day we may simply see ourselves as human.

Brazil

Be grateful

I moved to New Zealand in 2004 carrying uncertainty and fear without speaking English, but knowing that with God and my family I would be able to handle it. After four years in NZ God took my family to be with him. After much pain, despair, and lots of help, I see that I have a purpose here in NZ. I trust in God and he has always placed the right angels in my life when I need them most. Now with God’s love I have a beautiful family. My loving son, and a husband who look after me with great affection and care.

Always believe in something in your life!!

Malaysia

Salam & Kia Ora. I am MALAYSIAN - Malay and Muslim, and an occupational therapist. I came to Aotearoa New Zealand with my family and our two children, to pursue my PhD, focusing on the Westmead Feelings Program and supporting the emotional development of autistic children and their families. MALAYSIA is a multicultural country, shaped by diverse communities living side by side. Over time, Aotearoa New Zealand has gradually become my second home.

I am here to love.
I am here to learn.
I am here to grow.

Malaysia

Life in Palmy is vastly different from my life in Malaysia. I transitioned from a working professional to a full-time student in New Zealand. I have lived in other countries. What amazes me each time is how different each community can be to foreigners. I have one word to describe the Palmerston North community: humane. I have been a student in two other countries apart from Malaysia. Never have I felt so welcomed in any other city than Palmy.

The warmth displayed by many will be forever etched in my heart. This kindness created space for me to transform. I have learnt to life my life to the fullest after coming to Palmy - to be patient, in contrast to the fast-paced life I’ve been living.

The Palmy community also taught me to take the time to observe and learn. I hope to be part of this community which showed me the importance of family and nature.

Kia ora.

Mexico

I arrived in New Zealand more than twenty-three years ago, like someone stepping into an adventure without knowing exactly where it would lead. From the very first day, the warmth of its people embraced me and made me feel welcome, as if this place had been waiting for me. Very soon, it stopped being a distant country and became home.

At first, the language was a challenge: the soft, closed English of the Kiwis, their slang, their expressions. But with time, I learned not only to understand the words, but also the heart of this land. I fell in love with the deep respect for Māori culture, with the way roots and identity are honoured. And so, without realising it, my heart was split in two: Mexico and New Zealand.

I love this land that welcomed me, yet I carry Mexico beating inside me at all times. I miss my roots, my flavours, my memories. The hardest part of being an immigrant is the distance: not being present for arrivals or goodbyes, missing important embraces, feeling time pass far away from those you love. It hurts to know your parents are growing older while you watch from afar.

Even so, I chose this path out of love. I came seeking a better life for my children, planting sacrifices with the hope of a fuller future. Today, seeing them as adults, I know the effort has blossomed. My story lives between two lands, and it always will: with a heart divided, yet full.

Mexico lives in my blood; Aotearoa, in my heart.

India

Salam - Peace

I came to Aotearoa New Zealand from the slums of India with little more than hope, resilience, and faith in hard work. Like many migrants, the journey was challenging, but each setback strengthened my resolve to learn, grow and belong.

This country gave me not only opportunity, but purpose. Serving alongside communities, former refugees, migrants, and whanau has been a privilege. In 2024, I was humbled to receive the Palmerston North City Council Civic Honour Award - an honour that reflects the collective strength of migrant communities giving back to the land they now call home.

I’m proud to be New Zealander and grateful for a country that believes in second chances.

Fiji

“Aotearoa, New Zealand: where my heart found a New Home!
New Zealand’s landscapes are mind-blowing. We have mountains
that pierce the sky, like the Southern Alps, waterfalls that take
your breath away, rolling green hills of the countryside and those
iconic windmills… It’s like Mother Nature went all out to create this wonderful land.” (N. Nand 2026)

Leaving behind the familiar, I found a new horizon. In New Zealand I’ve discovered a sense of home and belonging.

This portrait is a snapshot of my journey - a testament to the courage, resilience and hope that defines the migrant experience. It is a glimpse into my journey and tribute to the land that has welcomed me home with respect and dignity.

With every step, I carry my heritage with me. In NZ I’ve found a new community, a new family, and much more. I have woven threads of tradition and culture into the fabric of my new home. With every challenge, I’ve discovered strength, home and my dreams. Like many who have crossed oceans, I’ve found that home isn’t just a place, but a feeling. In NZ, I have had the chance to create a new narrative.

This is my story, part of the larger tapestry of migrant experience that shape this beautiful country.

New Zealand stole my heart, and I’m proud to be a citizen and highly honoured to call it “Home”!

Slovenia

My trip to New Zealand was unplanned. Life happened. I got a job, later found a husband and had a family. We travelled back to Slovenia quite a few times. Although my life is here, Slovenia will always be my home.

Afghanistan

New Zealand - a gentle way of living.

Living in NZ has taught me to slow down and reconnect with myself. Away from the familiar, I found strength, peace and a new sense of purpose. This journey hasn’t been easy, but it has been honest - shaping who I am and who I am becoming.

New Zealand is not just where I live now, it’s where I grow.

Zimbabwe

I am the child of migrants who left Greece and Cyprus in the 1940’s and settled in Zimbabwe, Africa to find a better life for their family. My husband and I left Zimbabwe seven years ago and came to New Zealand for the same reason. Our two sons also migrated so we are happy to have them and their families close by. Although the migration process is difficult and I miss Africa very much, I am grateful to now be living in this safe part of the world.

Iran

You hear Naser saying:
"I love Iran because…
It breathes poetry,
It overflows with art,
It echoes with deep history,
And it holds a charm that makes you never want to leave.
A country should live in the heart of its people."
Yes, I always love Iran, and here, as a migrant, I met people whose hearts are made of light and whose love is pure.

As Sohrab says:
Where I am, I may be,
The sky is mine,
Windows, thoughts, the air, love, the earth,
are mine.

I read somewhere:
"When you leave, a piece of your heart stays behind…
When you stay, a piece of your soul drifts away…
That is why the migrant’s story never truly ends."
How true it was.

Spain

PASSENGER OF THE WORLD — LIKE EVERYONE ELSE!

Citizen of Spain and Aotearoa

Born in: Orihuela, Alicante (Spain)

Journey: Orihuela, England, Barcelona, Scotland, and Palmerston North (2017–?)

Migration motivation: To develop my scientific career; plant molecular and genetic breeding

Travel companions: My family from afar, my life partner Patricio, our cat Mīharo, and the friends made in each place

Next destination: A world where freedom, diversity, and respect for all cultures, colours, and accents prevail

Netherlands

I was part of the significant wave of post-war Dutch immigration to New Zealand, a journey that shaped the lives of 25,000 Dutch immigrants between the 1950’s and the 1970’s. The six week voyage aboard the ship ‘MS Sibajak’ was a definitive “rite of passage” that transitioned many families from the recovery of post WWII Europe to the “Clean Green” but culturally different landscape of New Zealand.

It took me to a different life of language, school uniform and culture. Our family changed. Sometimes difficult and scary.

New Zealand is my home, but I am fortunate to be able to identify with both the Dutch and New Zealand Cultures.

Philippines

In 1998, amidst turbulent time in the Philippines, God gave me this promise:
Exodus 3:8, 17 “So I will bring them out of that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and I have promised to bring you out of your misery into the land - a land flowing with milk and honey.”
God opened doors and opportunities came.

In February 1999, my 3 sons and I arrived in New Zealand because God fulfilled His promise encapsulated in Deuteronomy 26:9 “He has brought us to his place. He has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Today, we are forever grateful to God and continue to enjoy the life that God has promised to give my family. So now we say, Joshua 24:15 “But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

And Psalm 27:4 “One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I will look for: that I may live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, and look upon the beauty of the Lord, and to worship in his holy house.”

Great is his faithfulness!

Poland

Originally from Poland, I lived half of my life in the UK before moving to New Zealand. Here, my family and I found the peace, connection to nature, safety and community we were looking for. There is a profound sense of belonging that comes from watching our daughter thrive in this land and we are grateful to build our future in a place that aligns so closely with our values. While a part of my heart will always belong to the places I’ve lived before, Aotearoa has welcomed us in a way that feels truly right. IT FEELS LIKE HOME HERE.

Home is where the heart finds peace.

Żywiec - London - Palmerston North

Brazil

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

I carry my roots
Deep in my heart
At the tip of the tongue,
On the soles of my feet.

Home is where the heart is.

Home is here,
Aotearoa.

Iran

“All human beings are members of one frame,
Since all, at first, from the same essence came.
When time afflicts a limb with pain and grief,
The other limbs at once feel the same relief.
If you’ve no sympathy for human pain,
The name of human you cannot retain.”

— Saadi of Shiraz

India

The world is our oyster.

I stumbled upon Aotearoa because of my husband - and that gave us another place we can call home, in addition to India and UK. Discovering the pleasure of volunteering has been the highlight for me.

India

Moving to a new country is an act of incredible fearlessness. It’s more than packing bags - it’s uprooting your idea of what’s “normal” and planting yourself in unfamiliar soil. At some point, you realise you’re living between two worlds, unsure of where you truly belong. I immigrated to New Zealand 20 years ago. Adjusting to a new culture came with its challenges, but the experience pushed me to grow, adapt & build a life I’m deeply proud of. The journey has taught me resilience, gratitude and the power of beginning again. I live in the Manawatū with my kiwi husband and we’re enjoying the life we’ve created together.

Japan

After World War II, Japan's political foundation was forced to shift from imperialism to democracy. Born a quarter century after the war, I grew up while enjoying unprecedented economic growth, the development of international and intercultural exchange, and rising living standards. Thanks to Japan's advanced industrial technology and its unique and distinctive creativity, which has been passed down through the ages, this country quickly became a 'nation of the moment.' However, educational ideas, customs, practices, and values still control the emotions of the people, hiding behind a facade of pretence. Even wearing socks of a different colour than designated is seen as a heretic, and one is forced to reject or conform. For a people who have a long history of survival in this country by identifying targets and unilaterally negatively assessing them based on prejudice, preconceptions, and exclusion, a change in the country's ideology will not easily erase the secret pleasures hidden in the hearts of those skilled in deceiving others. Furthermore, despite the increasing globalisation, it is truly regrettable that Japan lags far behind global standards, with laws such as separate surnames for married couples and the denial of recognition of same-sex marriage. Since I was born till today, there have been nearly 30 prime ministers in Japan. Only a handful of their manifesto promises have been fulfilled. The end of this year (2025), the first cabinet led by a woman finally was formed. However, it is uncertain whether this will have a significant impact on the feminist movement in Japanese society. This national character, which ignores such important matters and focuses on trivial matters, disregards the functions of sunglasses and judges the people who wear them as if they were intimidators or conceited individuals, in a biased, sunglass-filtered manner. Yet, they turn a blind eye to their own dog's poop. This is still true 80 years after the war, which is impressive in a way. Evaluation and criticism of others are a constant necessity in this country's ethnocentrism, regardless of the era, and perhaps they are afraid to step outside of it. As a person living by the creed of punk, I found this country extremely difficult to live in. The nail that sticks out gets hammered down - that sentiment and behaviour exists in every country. However, when I moved to New Zealand, I was surprised and relieved to see that everyone chooses their favourite colour socks and wears sunglasses to protect their eyes from UV rays. We often see high school girls wearing trousers as their uniforms. It reflects their decision. It's beautiful to see their choice is respected. Individual tastes and opinions are not neglected and are often respected. I feel that advances in science and physics have also increased people's physical and psychological options, leading to a balanced coexistence of multinational and indigenous cultures. I hope that this country will continue to be a model country that can achieve a wide range of balanced coexistence, not only with human society but also with other lives and the natural environment. This is why I always pick up my dog's poop.

Ireland

‘Our day will come.’

I’ve never really thought of myself as a migrant. I was just someone who had the opportunity to go to another country + live there for a while knowing that I could always return home if I didn’t like it.

That was August 1996. I never did return home - at least, not to live. New Zealand is now my home although I do still refer to Ireland as my home. I guess I have two homes.

Russia

Immigration for me is a constant compromise between my cultural heritage and the wish to build a new life in a different society. I often feel like I am on an obstacle course, and overcoming the obstacles, I become wiser. It’s a shame nobody gave me an instruction manual or a road map.

Mexico

Being an immigrant has made me more me!

The process of getting to know yourself away from your country, family and culture makes you become the real you. It’s a process of constant comparisons, where there are times when everything is better back there, and others when everything is better over here. You have to reinvent yourself, becoming a new version of you by adapting all the new stuff you are adopting, but without letting go of who you have always been. Sometimes you aren’t from here or there. It means feeling like you are leaving who you were behind, and sometimes that feels like you are becoming your best self, but then reality hits, and you realise that what makes you unique is having parts of who you were and where you are from, and adding parts of who you have become and where you are now. It feels like you are starting all over again, and no one understands you, because languages are more than words and parts of you get lost in translation. Sometimes you are praised for being exotic and brave, and at other times you are made to feel like no one. Lots of times, your nationality becomes your whole identity, and that makes you feel whole; some other times, you wish your nationality didn’t matter at all. But then, one time, you realise you have found here your favourite chocolate and someone who can see your essence … those are the times when you realise how lucky you are to be able to call two corners of the world “home”.

Pakistan

Salaam, Adaab and Kia Ora. I am KHALIDA TASNEEM from PAKISTAN.

I came to New Zealand as an international student, not driven by dreams but by the need to fight my personal battles and survive with dignity.

Studying while adapting to a new culture taught me resilience, independence and discipline. Along this journey, I raised two children while managing studies, finances, and building a life from scratch.

Every challenge strengthened me and shaped me into a more confident and self reliant person. Today I take pride in how far I have come, knowing that my journey reflects courage, perseverance and self belief.