Tom | Clevedon
“Felt a bit stressed this week. At the moment I’m supporting a new family. They’re from, they’re from Myanmar.
I do a refugee resettlement program as a volunteer, and it’s been their first few weeks, they’re new Kiwis, and there’s a lot to set up. There’s a lot to do, just figuring out, going through Work and Income with them. That’s definitely a stressful process in itself, but just that whole, whole first few weeks in a new country has been quite stressful. They’re really lovely, and I’m happy to support them. It’s been really good as well, really rewarding too.
I think I’ve been really lucky. I’ve grown up, lucky to be born in New Zealand first of all. I realise that not everyone, people are born in countries where, in this case in Myanmar, they’ve been persecuted. No-one chooses where they’re born. I think being so privileged, I have time that I can give back to other people that aren’t so lucky. They really appreciate it, I get, get to eat a lot of really nice food, with different cultures, and I learn a lot. I find it really rewarding, too.
What I really value? I think my parents really raised me, and I kind of have got a value for the environment, looking after the environment and kind of looking after our native species. Another thing I value is, is kind of, I think everyone’s pretty much the same, in terms of people aren’t so different around the world. I think it’s really cool to include other people in New Zealand society and in Auckland, and really help. We’re so diverse in Auckland. I think that’s one of our best things, and I think everyone can do a little bit to help everyone kind of feel welcome, and feel like they’re new Kiwis as well.
I was born in Auckland. I was born in the same place that I’ve just moved back to. It’s in Clevedon, near the Hunua’s. Growing up, just went to a kind of a country school, raised a few calves. For my part-time job I milked cows. Growing up we always used to go and make forts in the bush and it was, yeah I had a really lucky, really lucky upbringing.”
**FEELING STRESSED?**
Check out these resources from the Mental Health Foundation: Stress and how to Handle it and the Five ways to Wellbeing. Need to talk to someone? Free text or call 1737 anytime.
