Careen - This is Aotearoa

Careen | Blockhouse Bay

“I moved to New Zealand in 2002, and I was living in the South Island for eight years. Then, I moved back to Auckland for a few years, and then went to Australia for four years, and lived in Melbourne for four years. I came back to Auckland with my wife. Got married in Sri Lanka. The most amazing thing that happened to me was meeting my wife, of course.

I think she’s my soul mate, and that just made me open my eyes wider. She came into my life and we have three beautiful children now. So, the best part of my life was meeting my wife, and seeing a bigger picture of what was around me, which I couldn’t see. So, now my wife and I have the 360-degree view around our life, and we are settled in Auckland, which is the best place to live on this earth. The people are so friendly, helpful. The school, Blockhouse Bay Primary School? All the fingers up for them. They’re the best school we have ever dreamt of. Just peace for everybody.

For me, when I was by myself, I just focussed only on the front, which I could see, but after meeting my wife, she could tell me what’s happening behind my back. So that was an amazing experience for me. Being with her I can see all the sides, and I can amazingly move forward, and see more positive things, for us to make a decision. I hope everybody gets their partners where they’re soulmates. This is an amazing thing that happens in your life, you know? If your soul mate comes to you, just make sure to protect her all the way you can.

I was born in Sri Lanka, in Colombo, and grew up there, and my parents were from Galle Fort, which is a Dutch colonial place in Sri Lanka, near the beach area. I worked at the Hilton and at all the 5-Stars, most of the 5-Stars in Sri Lanka, doing hotel management. Then, as a chef I came to New Zealand. I experienced all Japanese cuisines and I had my own Indian restaurant as well, then sold it, and came back to Auckland. Settled with my wife and kids, and now I work in one of the leading 5-Star hotels.”

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

Agnes

Agnes

Agnes | Māngere - "Just believing that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. So, for me, I went through cancer and I do believe that God can heal you."
Lucas

Lucas

Lucas | Blockhouse Bay - "You wake up one day with your health, the next day you’ve got a disease or something serious going on. So just make the most of your days, of your moments, and enjoy time with your loved ones."
Alice

Alice

Alice | Birkenhead- "I went to Nepal to study yoga philosophy. During this process I really recognised what I can do. I can use what I have already learned to help people, to offer my knowledge to people. I think that is when I realised what I can do to help people."
Gemini

Gemini

Gemini | Takanini- "I grew up all around alcohol and drugs, and violence, and then I guess I grew into thinking it was okay, and then I let my son see that in his first years of his life, and it’s not okay. I don’t want them to grow up the way I did."
Simon

Simon

Simon | Christchurch- "We are a very tight unit, and if there’s any family problem let’s talk about it and not shy away from it, just find a way through it."
Hannah

Hannah

Hannah | North Shore- "When I was six, my mother passed away, and my grandparent took me in. Both going through that loss, we kind of just had each other, and she had also gone through the loss of her mum in the same year, so we were really close for a bit."
Ene

Ene

Ene | Manukau - "On her 21st, my speech was I gave her 12 months’ notice to leave the nest, because I couldn’t teach her any more, she needed to go out there and learn more. She’s out there, and she’s doing well. I’m really proud of her."
Sabila

Sabila

Sabila | Blockhouse Bay - "I learn from him, he’s always giving to the less fortunate, even though he doesn’t even have much. You don’t really lose if you give. You gain happiness by doing that."
Sue

Sue

Sue | Devonport - "I think it created a feeling of being able to stand up for your beliefs, and your feelings, what was important to you, and that was something that I felt quite strongly about. It was nice to have that affirmed from something that Dad had done, and maybe I’d subconsciously picked it up as a child."
Chelsea

Chelsea

Chelsea | Titirangi - "Don’t compare your family to other families, because it’s really easy to get in that track of like, especially on social media. They’re probably in the same rut as you, or just as stressed but I think having a good community around you is really important. People that you can call on to ask for help are super important."

Careen | Blockhouse Bay

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

Related Stories

Stay up to date!

You have Successfully Subscribed!