It’s been 14 months since moving back to New Zealand after 8 years in Australia. 14 months and I’m still adjusting. Re-entry is a beautiful painful crazy weird ride. I still wake up in the night and wonder where on earth I am. I still can’t read a book and struggle to finish a movie and feel super overwhelmed at times.

Going away comes with excitement of the unknown. Coming back comes with peace and a safe feeling but also the yucky bits like relearning your culture over again, feeling not quite part of something you used to be. I didn’t understand how cultures change and grow until moving back to New Zealand. There are new sayings, new greetings new customs that had formed since I have been away.

14 months I’ve changed jobs, moved house, made more awesome friends. 14 months lots and lots of growth has happened. I’ve cried a lot of tears, learnt the value of self care and the importance of practicing self compassion especially when you are facing re-entry and major life events alone. I’ve learnt I absolutely love nature and hiking, that I might be a city girl at heart and I am capable of more then I thought.

I’ve experienced deep loneliness that brought me to a place of truly understanding myself and falling in love with who I am. My life is a beautiful messy masterpiece and I’m so thankful for all the lessons I’m learning on this crazy journey.