Erica

“My biggest influence was obviously my parents, they were both engineers and mum was a lecturer at the University – structural engineering. And so I grew up in an environment where learning was, is, one of the core values in the household. Math and physics were also, I guess… popular topics in the house. Because […]

Sue

“I don’t use that term retirement. What does it mean? It conjures up pictures of people just sitting around doing nothing much.  No, I’m a community volunteer. After everything that I’ve been through and you don’t need the chapter and verse,  I can look back on my life with an enormous sense of joy and […]

Yang

“I’m from China of course. I came here in 2001 so I’ve been here about 18 years – almost 19. I speak Mandarin, Russian, English… before coming to New Zealand I spent three years in Russia. After graduating from high school I went there for three years. When I was there I knew nothing and […]

John

“Well I’ve always been interested in tourism but I had to retire before I got involved. I was in sales for a number of years but I started my working life on the railways, as a fireman making black smoke. When I was due to retire I came across the kiosk in Cathedral Square of […]

Jesse

“I don’t sing in the shower I sing in the truck. I drive for Bidfood. I’m loving being in the truck, meeting people face-to-face, traveling all around Canterbury, I just love driving. It means I can have the radio on and sing to my heart’s content! Singing keeps me going. If I’m having a low […]

Ciara

“I’ve always been my own person and I think Unlimited has suited me best for that. I’ve never enjoyed uniforms or the formality of most schools and Unlimited gives me the freedom to pursue what I’m actually interested in. I suppose everything is optional and – how do I put this – it makes things […]

Lou

“Tēnā koutou, ngā mihi nui mō te wiki o te reo Māori! Ahakoa iti, akona, kōrerotia ia rā, ia rā. Māori Language week is a week when the language I care deeply for is normalised. The week is all about breaking down barriers and giving others the opportunity to learn and the encouragement they need […]

Sachiko

“I come from a large family, I am the eldest of six and a mama to three beautiful tamariki. I am of Māori and Japanese descent with both sides of my culture strongly influencing who I am. I left school at a young age and became a mama to my eldest daughter when I was […]

Jordan

“I’m from Wellington but I’ve been living here since 2016. I met by boyfriend online, we chatted for about five months then starting seeing each other. I’d never been to the South Island in my life and I thought wow, this is amazing.  When I was in Wellington I was very different. My dad was […]

Stacey Young

I did a million other jobs and then I wanted to be a jumpmaster but studylink don’t fund you for that. And you don’t want to go cheap on skydiving equipment! Then I went oh my goodness I like children; and then it became a passion.