When did you last need help?

Lydia | Akaroa

After returning to New Zealand from overseas, Lydia struggled to get a job. A friend who worked at the Barry’s Bay Cheese Factory offered her an opportunity to pick up work over the busy summer months — 12 months later, Lydia is still there.

“People just help everyone. Everyone’s just so willing and keen to help people when they’re in need. And it’s just such a cool experience to know lots of people in one small community.

So last year, I spent some time overseas, and when I came back, I was looking for a job, and I found it really hard. It was just a bit of a struggle, really. There were some jobs available, but you needed so much experience just to get a simple job. It was really hard.

And I was very fortunate to have a good friend who works here at Barry’s Bay Cheese Factory, and they asked if I wanted to come and help out for a couple of weeks before the Christmas rush, and now I’m still here. So yeah, I was very fortunate to have that help when I needed it.

It definitely makes you appreciate the little places in the world like this when you know there’s so much awful stuff going on and the world just seems pretty crazy out there. And to be here living in a beautiful spot such as Akaroa, you just can’t beat it. It makes you really appreciate what you’ve got.”

Our question for kaikōrero this month was “when did you last need help?” We learned about the diverse demands on the lives of New Zealanders and the incredible support networks they rely on.