After 30 years of calling Australia home, I made the move across the ditch. There were a multitude of reasons I decided to uproot my family, the main being my partners ill grandmother, and what we were lead to believe his ill mother.
When we first arrived, life was a whirlwind, traveling from Huntly to Tauranga for visits, trying to get our 4 yo settled, dealing with family drama. Life was crazy.
Grandma passed, and we were so thankful to be there the day before to say our goodbyes. But that is also the time that our living arrangements turned toxic. Our intention was now to become self sufficient.
I’m not sure how many of you will be able to relate, but having relocated without much planning (less than two weeks) we were dependant until my partner got work. On housing, on transport, on food, on everything. Then felt pushed out on first paycheck, which is no where near enough to cover someone with everything they need to move into their own place, let alone a family with nothing.
Enough of the bad, and the background.
One thing I have struggled with in NZ from the beginning is finding good places to shop. Finding good produce and products at good prices. I found a few in Hamilton, but unless I was doing a big shop it wasn’t worth the trip. I find myself I’m a similar position now I’m settled in Kingseat. I find myself yearning for dandenong market, the equivalent I’m yet to find.
So I guess that about covers my background. In my next post I will share some recipes that helped my partners mother accept me as part of the family.