Happy Friday, fellow almost locals! It’s another day here in Cloudy, Auckland, New Zealand, and I’m coming to you with tales of navigating life from the world’s edges. Whether you’re tuning in from across the oceans or just down the road, welcome to our community of wanderers.
If you’re feeling a bit here, a bit there—rest assured, you’re in the right place. We’re all about embracing that in-between space, holding the good, the bad, and the utterly unexpected; that is precisely why I created Alnost Local, a space for us to navigate life’s challenges abroad. Let me take you through my recent whirlwind of experiences, complete with humor and hopefully a sprinkle of wisdom.
Feel free to keep reading the story here, or you can check out the entire episode on our podcast! You can also listen to it directly on Spotify or Apple—whichever you prefer! Enjoy!
The Unexpected Down Under: Tsunami Alert
Tsunami alerts are quite common in New Zealand. This is just an illustration! Of course, that wave did not happen!
If you’ve been reading the Almost Local Blog or listening to the Podcast, you’d know this; if not, let me go back a little! I recently relocated back to New Zealand after three years of living in the Netherlands as an expat. I have been sharing my personal expat story about moving from Argentina to New Zealand as a family, then to Europe, more precisely to The Hague in the Netherlands, and now back to New Zealand.
So I have been navigating the first two months in Auckland, New Zealand. Here’s a fun little anecdote to kick things off—our first tsunami alert. Talk about a shock to the system! Picture this: a startling siren fills the air, and my once-calm demeanor takes a nosedive. Cue panic Googling of evacuation zones and mad scrambling to pack a bag. Snacks, birth certificate, a cat I don’t even own—what does one take in a potential international water hazard? Spoiler alert: the tsunami was called off, thank goodness. But wow, it woke me up to a few truths about moving countries.
Lesson 1: Moving Back ≠ True Calm
Here’s my first lesson, dear practically-from-here folks: coming back doesn’t mean coming back to calm. When I said farewell to my expat friends in the Netherlands, I got a lot of “Oh, Maria, you’re so lucky to start over!” Did I feel lucky? Let’s just say, New Zealand didn’t initially scream zen.
Adventure doesn’t always equal excitement; sometimes it’s just dressed-up grief. Goodbyes aren’t always “until next time”—sometimes they’re forever, and you’re left carrying the weight. Moving is a bittersweet cocktail of grief and gratitude, endings and beginnings entwined.
Lesson 2: Adaptation Trumps Preparation
Now, onto Lesson Two: adaptation is where the magic happens. Yes, I’m a logistics lover, armed with Excel sheets and a mission to prepare our landing before we even set foot back here. I had everything in place—fridges bought, beds arranged, time zones juggled. And yet, all this prep couldn’t replace the slow process of adapting.
Settling in is one thing, belonging… that’s where time comes in. It could take months, perhaps years, to feel like you’re home. Adaptation is the real challenge, even for us planning aficionados.
Lesson 3: The Edge of the World Can Shake… and Inspire
Finally, Lesson Three: life’s a package deal. New Zealand’s edges may be stunning, but they have the potential for literal shakiness. I had somehow forgotten about the whole tsunami scenario until reality came crashing in.
Surprises are inevitable—some leave you breathless in awe, others shake you to your core. But that’s just life abroad for you: a curious blend of chaos, calm, grief, and delight bundled into one unsolvable riddle. And maybe, just maybe, that’s the point.
If you are a bit overwhelmed with this whole moving abroad experience, here are some great resources I wrote that I would love to share with you:
- My 20 Tips for Expats Building Community Abroad (That Actually Work)
- A Free Journaling Workbook to help expat women navigate life abroad
Your Takeaway from this Story of Life Abroad:
At the end of all this, I’d still choose to be here—sirens and all. The messy unpredictability is the stuff real stories are made of. Thanks for taking this wild journey with me, and remember, your story matters just as much. We may all be almost local, but together, we’re learning what real belonging means.
Love what you read? You can listen to the full story on the Almost Local podcast, an expat life podcast full of kind conversations about navigating life abroad. Don’t forget to leave your thoughts—or a sprinkle of humor—on Instagram. Until next time, I’m off to my cherished morning coffee.
xo Maria