A TCK talks about her Wellington experience
I have to confess, growing up in various countries around the world, I never knew much about New Zealand. Living in Australia the only thing I ever heard about this neighbouring country were demeaning jokes about sheep. Oh, and I think a Kiwi was mentioned at some point. I do however, remember hearing the Kiwi accent for the first time and being absolutely horrified. The sounds coming from this woman’s mouth made me physically uncomfortable. I couldn’t imagine having to listen to an entire population sound this way.
It was only when I saw the Lord of The Rings in the cinema that I discovered for the first time, ‘Wow…New Zealand is BEAUTIFUL!’ As soon as I saw those dramatic landscapes on screen, I officially added New Zealand to my ever-growing travel list. Never did I expect that only a few years later, my father would get posted to the city Lonely Planet dubbed as ‘the world’s coolest little capital’.
So how do I sum up five years of ‘kiwi experience’? It began with a rough start. When I first heard we were moving to New Zealand, my heart sank. I was 18 years old and addicted to the excitement of Sydney’s nightlife. There was an impressive university I planned to attend, I had best friends, a new boyfriend and I wanted to stay. Despite my protests, I was whisked away to Wellington where I started and completed my studies.
I remember sitting in class about New Zealand’s cultural identity completely confused. I had never heard of these things before. That everyone overseas recognises greenstone as uniquely New Zealand? That everyone has seen the All Blacks do the haka? What IS the Haka? Everything that was supposedly an international symbol of New Zealand I had never heard of, and I knew a lot of other people overseas who had not either. I felt lost in these cultural discussions, I had never seen a country so fiercely brand itself – in advertising, in the media, on clothing. It was overwhelming for someone who not only felt alien to this culture, but who didn’t really have a culture of her own to begin with.
As much as my teenage self didn’t want to be here, I decided to make the best of this opportunity. The first day I arrived in Wellington, I marched down to the information centre and gathered as much as a could about things to do and see in New Zealand. My first semester break I caught a bus and explored the South Island on my own.
Since I didn’t think Wellington’s nightlife was not up to Sydney’s standard, I emersed myself in the world of Latin dance and spent my nights heating up the dance floor with a large group of people from every corner of the world. I bonded with this international community felt I belonged when I surrounded myself with friends who had also moved here from other countries. There was something about this shared experience that put us at ease with each other and made us able to connect on a level others didn’t quite understand.
Every chance I got, I went out and explored a new part of the country, enjoying the beauty and magnitude of the incredible scenery. I encountered many unique experiences, such as watching the sunrise from the top of a glacier, doing yoga next to a volcano, and playing in the bright blue waves on a deserted beach. From seeing dolphins in the north, to snowboarding in the south, to feeling my way through a dark cave or witnessing a magnificent Haka for a dear friend; my memories of New Zealand are rich and varied. It’s not surprising I grew to love New Zealand – I even came to enjoy the accent, as I now find the Australian accent extremely harsh by comparison.
Despite my many fond memories I have always felt like a visitor in New Zealand and that it will soon be time for me to leave. The majority of my friends have already left the country, in search for bigger and better things and I too feel it is time to move on, literally, to the next part of my life. And so as I leave this country I encourage others to visit New Zealand and experience it for themselves. I know I will cherish my own kiwi experience and never forget the time I spent here.
Written by: Alicia
Who grew up in different coutries, continously a foreigner, always on the move.
A seasoned Third Culture Kid.
