Most expats relocating to New Zealand have had the experience of telling someone about the move and getting the reply, ‘I’ve always wanted to visit New Zealand.’ It’s also a common experience to have friends and acquaintances use your residence in Aotearoa as an opportunity to finally make that trip. Sometimes, the first guest arrives not long after you do!
After two years of minimal global movement, it can be a bit of a shock to the system to have guests, particularly if you moved to NZ during that time and hadn’t yet hosted people in your new home.
So what might your first guest experience bring to the surface?
You’ve come a long way. Compared with visitors, you’re the local expert. Whether you’ve been here two months or two years, the things that once caused you to stumble or stress are probably now so ingrained that you might even forget to mention them.
Your pride will show. If your guests critique something about New Zealand - even if it’s something you also dislike - you might find yourself being slightly defensive. You might also find yourself proudly sharing your favourite parts of your life and home in a way that you don’t in your ordinary day-to-day life.
You’ll be more aware of how you’ve changed. You’ve probably picked up new words, maybe a bit of a new accent, or maybe a whole new language. Chances are that those changes will be more obvious next to someone from your former home. The same thing is true of habits, cultural assumptions, and mannerisms: you’ve probably picked up more of the local way of doing things than you realise.
You’ll get a new view on New Zealand. You may find that your guests notice things about your new home - food, cultural tendencies, language, way of life, and beyond - that are different to how you experienced New Zealand as a newcomer or returning Kiwi. Paying attention to your guests’ comments can be a way of unlocking another layer of joy in living in Aotearoa.
Reconnecting with old friends and distant family can create ups and downs. Be sure to check out our recent interview with more tips about how to cope.
Mobile Relocation delivers resettlement and relocation programmes for businesses employing offshore talent. Our goal is to get your expat and migrant talent up and running in NZ as quickly as possible - reducing their time to effectiveness in their new role, and enabling them to deliver their skills and expertise to your the benefit of your business.
Bridget is a New Zealander who has lived and worked as a diplomat in Singapore and India. After experiencing all facets of the relocation experience, she founded Mobile to work with private individuals moving to NZ and leading local and international businesses bringing in offshore talent. bridget@mobile-relocation.com
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