Almost Local Coffee Circles

  • Almost Local. Where expats in NZ connect and build their lives.
  • Almost Local. Where expats in NZ connect and build their lives.
  • Almost Local. Supporting expats building a life in New Zealand.
  • Almost Local.Expat community in NZ.

Meet other Almost Locals in New Zealand — every month, over coffee. Guided circles for expats, migrants, and in-betweeners.

  • Spaces – Insights

    ☕ Coffee Circles for Expats in New Zealand. Meet, Connect & Belong

    Join us in St Heliers, Auckland for a relaxed, welcoming space where expats, migrants, and in-betweeners connect and feel a little more at home.

    Because navigating life abroad shouldn’t be done alone.

    Join a Coffee Circle
  • Spaces – Insights

    What to Expect


    ✔️ A guided, friendly space to share and connect over real conversations about the highs and lows of life abroad.
    ✔️55 minutes of reflection, belonging, and warmth
    ✔️Coffee, tea, and a small sweet treat from us
    ✔️ Held in our beautiful community venue in St Heliers (exact location sent upon registration — RSVP required)

    ✔️ Cost: Coffee Circles are included free with your Almost Local Membership.

    ✔️ Non Members: NZD 23 p/p.

    Our circles are for connection and community — not therapy or visa advice.

    Join a coffee circle

What Almost Locals are saying!

From the Community

  • Maria’s ‘Almost Local’ addresses something so many of us experience but rarely talk about - the complex journey of making a foreign country truly feel like home.

    Karina Auckland, NZ.

  • Maria’s thoughtful questions helped me articulate feelings I’d never fully processed. Her interviewing style is wonderfully intuitive - she listens deeply and asks follow-ups that reveal layers you didn’t expect to explore.

    AndreaThe Hague, Netherlands

  • Thank you, Maria, for creating this platform and for such a meaningful conversation. Almost Local fills an important gap - giving voice to stories that connect us across cultures and borders.

    InesUtah, USA

Book your Coffee Circle spot

Join us for a relaxed coffee conversation in St Heliers, Auckland, New Zealand, to connect and become part of the Almost Local community.

Book Your Spot

Join Almost Local & Get Your Free Guide ✨ “Five Dilemmas of Life Abroad — and How to Own Them.”

A little workbook with reflections, tips, and journaling prompts from years of living abroad.
I’m Maria, the voice behind Almost Local — and I’d love for you to join the journey.

Thanks for Joining Almost Local! We'll be in touch soon!