Last Saturday, we gathered for another Almost Local Coffee Circle in Auckland.
A small group of international women living in Auckland.
Different countries. Different stories.
But a shared thread: building a life away from the place we once called home.
Almost Local started as a way to create a community for international women in Auckland who are navigating life abroad — the emotional, cultural, and everyday realities of building a home somewhere new.
Sometimes all it takes is a table, coffee, and the willingness to share.
You can continue reading or listen to the Full Episode on the Almost Local Podcast below, or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Three Words That Define Us as International Women
We started the circle with a simple question:
If you had to describe yourself or your home country in three words, what would they be?
The answers were as diverse as the women around the table.
But interestingly, many of those words quickly turned into memories of food, places, and small cultural symbols.
One woman mentioned a traditional German cake that immediately reminds her of home.
Another shared yerba mate from Argentina, a drink that for many Argentinians is less about the beverage and more about connection and conversation.
Someone else described her home through a place: Iguazú Falls, one of the most breathtaking natural wonders in South America.
And one woman described her country simply as “naturally beautiful.”
When we asked why, she explained something that resonated with everyone around the table.
Her home country and New Zealand shared that quality.
In her words, they were both home now.
It was a beautiful reminder that sometimes living abroad doesn’t replace one home with another.
Sometimes it expands what home means.
Continue reading. Embracing the Almost Local Journey: Stories of Belonging and Re-Discovery
Lost in Translation
Of course, no conversation about life abroad is complete without a few lost-in-translation moments.
These are the stories that make us laugh later, but at the time, can feel confusing or slightly embarrassing.
I shared one of my own — a moment when I mixed up the words horse and house, completely changing the meaning of what I was trying to say.
Living abroad often means speaking in a language that isn’t fully ours.
Sometimes our thoughts arrive before our words.
But those imperfect moments often bring people closer together. They remind us that learning to belong somewhere new is always a work in progress.
And they are a shared experience among many international women living in Auckland, as they navigate daily life across cultures and languages.
How Living in New Zealand Changes Us
As the conversation unfolded, many women reflected on how living in New Zealand had subtly changed them.
For some, it was the pace of life.
Those who had lived in fast-paced cities reported that, upon returning to their home countries, everything felt faster. Louder. More intense.
Many of us realised we had quietly adopted something very Kiwi — a slower rhythm of life.
More time outdoors.
Less rushing.
More balance.
Living in Auckland as an international woman often means discovering this different pace and slowly integrating it into our lives.
→ I’ve explored my experience of returning to New Zealand as an international woman here.
Seeing Ourselves Through a New Lens
Another reflection touched on something many women recognized immediately.
In some cultures — particularly in parts of Latin America — women can feel constantly observed. Judged on appearance. Looked at in ways that shape how we move through the world.
Several women shared that in New Zealand, they experienced something different.
A sense of greater ease.
Less pressure to present themselves in a certain way.
Living abroad doesn’t just change our surroundings.
Sometimes it changes how we see ourselves.
Maybe Home Is Not Just One Place
At one point, someone said something that resonated deeply with many around the table.
Maybe we don’t have just one home anymore.
Maybe home becomes the place where we grow, connect, and build relationships.
For many international women living in Auckland, belonging is no longer tied to one country.
It becomes something we create — through friendships, shared experiences, and communities that understand the journey of living abroad.
And perhaps that is what it means to become almost local.
Learning to belong in more than one place at once.
Suggested reading: 5 Biggest Challenges of Life Abroad.
A Community for International Women in Auckland, New Zealand
The Almost Local Coffee Circles in Auckland, New Zealand, are small gatherings designed for international women who want to connect, share stories, and reflect on life abroad.
No networking pressure.
No formal structure.
Just real conversations with women navigating a similar journey.
If you are an international woman living in Auckland and this resonates with you, you are very welcome to join us. Our next Coffee Circle will take place on March 28. Get your Tickets here!.
You can listen to the Full Episode on the Almost Local Podcast, or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Thanks for reading and listening! And wherever you are in the world… I hope you’re feeling a little more almost local. Now I’m off to my morning coffee.
xx Maria.