One big motivator for wanting to leave the US for New Zealand was a desire to raise our 12 year old in a kindler, gentler nation.  Moving our tween daughter away from her family and friends in the middle of 6th grade was also a practical and emotional challenge.  The NZ school year starts in early February and ends for summer break in early December.  … Continue reading An American Tween in NZ

It’s often a fruitful exercise to look back on your first impressions of any major event — they’re usually the most accurate. As time goes by, we tend to tinge our experiences with nostaliga, cynasism, or simply forget them altogether. So, while it’s still fresh in my mind, I wanted to recount my first impressions of New Zealand from the moment we placed our tender … Continue reading My First Impressions of Kiwi Life