I studied photography at Ilam and then I also did a little bit of art history at the University in postgrad, and then I kind of just stayed here.

I’m kind of at a stage right now where I’m like, do I want to live here for the rest of my life? Do I want to move? I think with, you know, housing insecurity and cost of living, it’s just harder to make those decisions. I don’t feel like I’m stuck here, but it’s like, do I want to travel?

I have a job here. I work at the art gallery. I have all of my friends here, that I sort of like had that, you know, going through that shared experience of growing up and finding your independence, and they’re all here. I don’t want to leave them behind. But at the same time, my parents are still up north, and my partner’s family is also up north. So we have these strong ties to the North Island, but at the same time, I think we have made something of a little space for ourselves here in Christchurch. It’s hard to kind of let that go.

I will say, I feel like I have grown to love Christchurch. I don’t think that I was in love with it the first time I moved here, it was really more of a marriage of convenience for me.

It’s just been fascinating to watch how the city has progressed and changed over the years. I think there’s some aspects that have been really exciting and then some, because it’s taken so long, has been a bit like demoralizing for the community to see a lack of progress in certain areas.

I want to see it grow into, like, a really rich, vibrant, lively community. I want people to get excited about coming into the city and actually spending time here, yeah?

I think there’s something romantic about staying here just to see what happens.”