Kaushal | CBD

“So, my name is Kaushal,  I call the metropolis home. So, one of the things I’d like to achieve is getting a bit more awareness in Auckland about the diseases that are going around. I’ve just come from Fiji, and I got my measles vaccination done. It was quite scary to see New Zealand had the largest amount of measles cases.

I was speaking to the health officer in Fiji, and she was saying that this could have been detected a long time in Auckland, but they didn’t. So I’d like to see a bit more awareness on the diseases that are being carried around in the region, and if they stopped it here, then it wouldn’t have spread to other places. I just thought, they could have quarantined it a little bit better. So, next year, I’d like to see better control on what’s coming in and out of New Zealand.

If I could help them, as soon as I found out, then I obviously contacted the immigration in Fiji to see if I need to be vaccinated, and they immediately said, yes you need to be vaccinated. So, if I was living here and if I had to inform someone, I’d obviously go straight to the health authorities and say, have you done enough about controlling this? So, I’m talking about this one specific example, which is really fresh in my mind.

Personally, I would like to have a bit of a balance through work life and family life. I’ve got kids living in Auckland. We’re all New Zealanders. I live in Fiji. My kids live here. I’d like to maybe have a bit more balance in my life. I’ve been a bit too work-focussed, I guess. Not spent enough time, so this time around I’m literally spending the weekend here. Probably don’t spend enough weekends with my kids and before you know it, they’re all grown up and then they have their own life, and so we have the opportunity and I’d like to spend a lot more time with my kids.

Simply prioritising myself better. You sometimes chase too many dreams that are non-family related and it’s about, I suppose finding the best balance. You’ll always chase things. You’ll always chase business, but the one thing that you don’t change, which is there, and taken for granted is family. So, what you’ve got to do spend some more time with them. How would I achieve it?  Just better balance myself. Plan myself better. 

I grew up in, my early years were in Fiji. My high school years were in Auckland. University days were in Auckland. I went back to Fiji to work and lived in Fiji all my life since then, and as the kids have grown up, they’ve sort of come to New Zealand and furthered their school. I believe the education here is much better. It’s actually very highly regarded so both my kids are here and I want them to get a good education. My daughter’s in university this year, first year, and my son’s doing Year 11 this year. Next year 12. So, education is important to me to get them educated well in New Zealand and, and you know, give them all the support.”