Feels like home

I’ve spent a year abroad before and I remember being really homesick at times. Being here in New Zealand ,studying at Unitec, I feel so comfortable and there wasn’t a single sign of homesickness since the day I arrived in February. One of the major things that made me feel so welcome here was the international orientation when we got to participate in a traditional Maori ceremony. In my home country Germany we don’t have indigenous people as part of our culture, so I was especially excited to learn about the Maori culture. After a few Unitec student performed this really cool and powerful Maori dance, we got to say hello to some of our future lecturers, important staff from Unitec and Maori people who led the ceremony. We all lined up and greeted each and every one of them with a handshake and our foreheads and noses touching. The leader of the Maori ceremony explained to me that this was called ‘the breath of life’ and goes way back to the beginning of Maori history. I don’t know what is was about this special greeting but this was the warmest and most sincere welcome that I ever experienced. This is what I love about New Zealand - the people here and the beautiful nature make me feel home. A couple of weeks ago I got to spend 4 hours at Muriwai Beach just by myself, walking around and watching the ocean and people surfing. It was one of the best days I had here because I was just in awe of how beautiful this country is. Sometime I get these moments and I they will forever be in my mind because of how happy they made me feel.