Annabel

“Christchurch feels like home because it is! it’s the only place I’ve really known. It’s where my immediate family, who brought me up, are. My adoptive family. And so it does feel like home for me. I always knew I was Māori, but didn’t know what the whakapapa was until I was 19. In terms […]

Sabrina

“I came here for studying the marketing. I searched online and I found that New Zealand is a very beautiful country and the colleges are friendly. And I think that the education is very suitable for me and especially suitable for my children. So I chose here.  Both my husband and I are studying. It’s […]

Chantelle (Tui)

“I te taha o tōku koroua; Ko Hikurangi te maunga Ko Waiapu te awa Ko Horouta te waka Ko Ōhako te marae Ko Ngāti Ruapani te hapu Ko Ngāti Porou te iwi I te taha o tōku kuia; Ko Makeo te maunga Ko Waiaua te awa Ko Mataatua te waka Ko Waiaua te marae Ko […]

A.K. part two

“She just started at school last week, you know? It’s a really big change and challenge for us as parents because she never been to school.  For almost four years they were stuck in Sri Lanka. It was a bit tough for them. They were in a restricted area, they were really stuck at the […]

A.K. part one

I have reached so many stages in my life. I work full time in a retail store and I got couple of days off duty, So during that time, I spend my valuable time with community and volunteering work. Funny thing is, Some people see me at my workplace. Then suddenly they see me in […]

Allan

They stuffed the whale. The council had the plans; it could’ve been lifted out in one piece. But they basically demolished it and just made another one the same. I don’t quite know why.

Pauline and Bernie

“I was brought up on a farm. I’ve never been without animals; I’ve had every animal under the sun. I just love them. Chaos – he’s a Border Collie/Jack Russell cross. Halo; she was our rottie – we just picked up her ashes today and we’re going to scatter them somewhere here. We are getting […]

Lisa

“Just before I turned 17 I started work in a butcher’s shop. I had wanted to become a joiner because I enjoyed making things with my hands, but got told that not only was I not strong enough, but that a woman’s place was in the office not in the workshop! I am not an […]

Josh

“Many of my life choices has taught me what whānau – or what unconditional love – means.  Although we are not together, she is whānau. Our whole story I would do all over again; I don’t regret anything. We met young, we married, we had children. When I met her I was openly, but not […]

Adam

“I’ve always loved movies. I grew up watching re-runs of Star Trek with Dad. If I was good I would get to stay up and watch the new episode. I was about 6 or 7, I remember one episode which scared the crap out of me! But, I never told because it was a two-parter […]