I’ve even met people who’ve never been to the other island, and not just teenagers, they were middle-aged people living in the south who had never been to the north island. Luckily this is just a small percentage!

Highest mountain?

I told her that the highest mountain in Belgium is 694 meters, so New Zealand is a positive change and huge playground for me (with the highest mountain being 3724). The mountains, the lakes, the bush, there is so much to see and it’s all mind-blowing – no kidding. People are also the kindest. What also can’t be neglected is the way of living, it’s linked to nature, and it has a big impact on my life. Everything is way more relaxed than Belgium, life is ‘chill’ or ‘sweet as’ as Kiwis would say.

I feel like I’m getting more out of life in New Zealand than I did in Belgium. I start work at 8, finish at 4pm and that’s it. A second world opens when work finishes. I go running, climbing, grab a drink, work on my blog or do freelance videography. I didn’t know I had this much energy in me – and I still feel like I can/need to do more. Sometimes I wish that there were 30 hours in a day.

When I was still living in Belgium my days were often: work and then crashing in the couch. My irregular lifestyle as a journalist with crazy rosters didn’t help of course, but still. Life was more busy, more crowded and hasty. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my life in Belgium, my weekends were great, catching up with friends, going to our favourite bars and having series marathons with my flatmate and an unwanted hangover. I loved every moment of it (especially when my best friend brought me water and painkillers in the morning).

Do More!

In New Zealand I just feel like I’m doing MORE with my life. I’m out there, I see things, I hang on rocks and stand on mountains to watch the sunrise. And it’s all just in my backyard, the beauty is so close and is everywhere. Even being at home feels so different. I live in the hills in Christchurch and have a view on the mountains on the left and the ocean on the right. I appreciate life more and I live it more intense.

The only thing I miss are my friends and family at home. New Zealand hasn’t been able to fill that part in my heart. So that leaves me no other option than convincing them to move to New Zealand.

Do you have any family or friends abroad? How are they convincing you to move?  

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