Sri - This is Aotearoa

Sri | Auckland

“I have bonded with a lot of different cultures, and I can say there are really welcoming people in New Zealand. And I have good friends from Chinese culture, and some Samoan, Tongan and also some Sri Lankan friends whom I met here.

They are very friendly and lovely people. It’s just like exchanging the views, how we look at things, and they try to understand how we do stuff; what we do normally on a day to day life, and try to improve ourself better in getting known to each other better.

Yeah, I’m from South India, Andhra Pradesh, and I hail from a middle-class family. My upbringing was like normal. I got a graduate degree from a University and I chose to work here in the construction industry. I was looking for the options where I could immigrate to, and I did my research and I found New Zealand is the best place to immigrate and have a good life. New Zealand is the best place to everyone to immigrate to, and recently we were, the New Zealand passport has gone to ranking number one, and we are proud of it, and let’s live a beautiful life up here. Kia ora. Thank you.”

What, if anything, have you done differently after visiting this site?

Bruce

Bruce

Bruce | Maungatapere, Gisborne - ""I worked in a place called Nauru. Nauru was the offshore processing centre for all the refugees trying to seek asylum. I have seen no real difference in our cultures and how we engage with each other and how we do things, physically and spiritually."
Marge

Marge

Marge | Māngere, Auckland - "Ia tau ka kite au i ngā tamariki rerekē, i ngā tamariki haututū, ngā tamariki pai. Ko ngā tamariki tino rata ana ki a au ko ngā tamariki haututū. Koinei ngā tamariki kaha ki te kōrero me te mea hoki he auahatanga rerekē tā rātou. Every year I see different kids, cheeky kids, good kids. The children I really like are the cheeky ones. They’re the ones who are very verbal and they are creatively unique."
Ralph

Ralph

Ralph | Kaitī, Gisborne - "I’m meeting a lot of people who are different to me, but because of my background, I can relate to many of them, because the thing we share in common is that I’m very Māori, but I look like this, because my father wore a kilt. My mother wore a piupiu."
Ivor

Ivor

Ivor | Ōpōtiki, Bay of Plenty - "Life is all about understanding different perspectives. That’s one way of growing, is walking in another person’s shoes, and trying to understand their circumstances, their life, and why they are the particular way they are."
Al

Al

Al | Te Hāpara, Gisborne - "I think it shows that it doesn’t matter what walk of life we come from, all different diversities, everyone has something to offer, and if you’re willing to, to listen, you can learn."
Benn

Benn

Benn | Blenheim, Marlborough - "They’re different mates. They all do different things, and they always go out partying and things like that. When it’s a party I don’t even know about, then I get to go, too and that’s awesome."
Pera

Pera

Pera | Elgin, Gisborne - "One of the things that I’m passionate about is the music industry in Gisborne, East Coast, Tairāwhiti there’s so much talent, and so many artists, that it’s amazing to see the creativity, the positivity and everything that comes out of the music industry."
Tipene

Tipene

Tipene | Te Kaha, Bay of Plenty - "We’re on a continual learning trip, that’s the journey all our lives. We never stop learning, but it’s connecting with people and finding out what forms their worldview. What makes them think, what makes them tick."
Keri

Keri

Keri | Māngere, Auckland - "When you then spend immersive time in other environments, you kind of get to understand what it’s like to not be in the majority which I think is pretty healthy, to not always be comfortable."
Laukau

Laukau

Laukau | Māngere, Auckland - "It was the time when the Christchurch attack happened; the Muslim community was going through such heartache and pain. There was a day where they allowed us to wear their cultural-wear over our heads, in show of support, and it really brought like a connection."

Sri | Auckland

“I have bonded with a lot of different cultures, and I can say there are really welcoming people in New Zealand. And I have good friends from Chinese culture, and some Samoan, Tongan and also some Sri Lankan friends whom I met here.

What, if anything, have you done differently after visiting this site?

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