Feeling the highs and lows of this journey? Sometimes it can feel a bit lonely or like a roller coaster.
Whether you have moved abroad, grew up as the child of immigrants, are in an intercultural relationship, are experiencing reverse culture shock after returning to a place you once called ‘home,’ work with internationally mobile individuals, or simply love someone whose life has been influenced by another culture…
We get it!
Small in-person gatherings in Auckland where international women meet, share stories and build friendships.
Join our next Coffee Circle August 8 – Auckland.
A space to slow down, have real conversations, and feel less alone.
Real conversations about life abroad — identity, career, belonging and everything in between.
Listen to the last Episode: Month Reflections on life in New Zealand with Maria.
What happens when life takes you across countries, multiple languages, and completely different cultures?
Are you living the ‘Almost Local’ experience? Are you navigating life abroad and living between cultures? → Join the Circle.
Are you helping people through this experience?
We’re building a curated network of professionals whose work supports people living between cultures.→ Become a Contributor.
Maria, Founder of Almost Local
“It wasn’t one single moment — it was the presence in the room. The safe and trustworthy space Maria and Andrea created allowed us to truly connect. I felt seen in shared experiences and inspired by others’ stories. Even knowing only a few women beforehand, I left feeling a real sense of belonging.”
"Great initiative taking shape in this beautiful community! Always great to connect, share and meet new people! 🫶"
"Thank you so much Maria for inviting me today. And for putting together a very thoughtful event with a beautiful group of women. You and Andrea are very special women ❤️"
See what we've been up to
Almost Local Podcast Episodes, Almost Local Voices
Moving abroad doesn’t just change your address — it quietly changes the habits that shape your identity. Reflecting on Maria’s latest Almost Local episode.
Almost Local Podcast Episodes, Almost Local Voices
Almost Local Podcast Episodes, Life in New Zealand
Almost Local Podcast Episodes, Almost Local Voices, Life in New Zealand
Almost Local began with a question I’m still figuring out.
Why do I keep choosing to begin again?
After growing up and living between Argentina, Brazil, New Zealand and the Netherlands, I realised I wasn’t simply moving countries.
I was becoming someone new each time.
With every move came new opportunities, new friendships, and new ways of seeing the world. But it also came with questions I couldn’t quite put into words.
Why did I keep choosing this life?
A life that has brought me incredible joy, unforgettable friendships, and opportunities I could never have imagined…
But also one that carries grief.
The grief of the people, places, and versions of ourselves we leave behind.
And perhaps that’s the paradox of living between cultures.
It can be both beautiful and bittersweet, all at once.
The more people I met who had also built lives across cultures, the more I realised I wasn’t the only one asking these questions.
Almost Local is my way of exploring them—one conversation at a time.
I believe stories bring us closer. They help us feel a little less alone, give language to experiences we often struggle to explain, and remind us that many of the questions we carry are shared by others too.
My hope is that these stories don’t just connect people who have lived abroad. They also help the people around us—our neighbours, friends, colleagues and families—better understand what it means to live between cultures, creating more empathy, deeper connection, and a greater sense of belonging, wherever we call home.
Welcome to Almost Local.
Maria Barciela
