Charlotte – Rothesay Bay
“Oh, that’s really hard today. I emailed my three siblings; a sister and two brothers.They live in Switzerland and it’s quite sad, because our dad is 84 and he’s had enough, he’s coming to the end of his life.
That was really, really hard saying that. I won’t be able be there with Dad when he passes away in the next few days. That was a really hard email to write. My little family here is my husband and my two teenage Kiwi kids. But families are, you know, the stuff that probably looks better in a picture than if you met them, and there’s all these arguments blowing up; that’s part of being a family – belonging and arguing.
I keep the relationship going with my parents on the phone, because they are just too old to email or message, and with my own kids, well, we just have everyday life conversations and phone messaging. That’s the different layers of conversation with different generations and technologies.
I arrived here in ’95. So I’ve been here quite a long time, and I don’t find the North Shore that easy. I find it quite a difficult place to call home. It can be quite distant and reserved, but that’s just the way it is. I can’t give tips to anyone else. I just know I, myself, have to probably open up more, and get out more. I miss my family and my friends, but I don’t miss Switzerland as a country. It doesn’t matter where on the planet I am it’s the people that matter.
To my Dad, yes, I would like to tell my Dad just to rest and then go – go peacefully – not have to try and achieve anything anymore just let go – it’s time.”
