In the early years, I came to the unfamiliar land of New Zealand for work. Initially, I only planned to work here for a few years and never thought about immigrating to live here. However, for various reasons, I immigrated to New Zealand. What is life like as an immigrant in New Zealand? Based on my personal experience, I would like to share a few insights about my immigration experience in New Zealand.
1. It is essential to communicate more with locals and not limit yourself to the Chinese community.
When I first arrived in New Zealand, I noticed that there were many Chinese people here. Seeing familiar faces made me very happy, and I was eager to connect with these fellow Chinese, reluctant to engage much with the locals. While it is indeed easier to communicate with fellow Chinese due to similar backgrounds, from my personal experience, if you only communicate with Chinese after immigrating to New Zealand and do not interact with locals, it will not work out. In work or daily affairs, you cannot only interact with Chinese; you still need to engage with locals. Therefore, after immigrating to New Zealand, you should not only communicate with Chinese but also try to engage with locals. If you want to settle here, you must integrate into the local social circle.
2. You can often go out and travel.
New Zealand is incredibly beautiful, and many Hollywood movies have been filmed here. If you have immigrated to New Zealand, do not deprive your eyes; go out and travel more. Since I immigrated here, I have traveled across many parts of New Zealand. Through travel, I not only gained a deeper understanding and love for New Zealand, but most importantly, I have seen many beautiful landscapes that have enriched my life. You can choose to travel alone or with companions. If you travel with locals, it not only enriches your experiences but also helps you make friends.
3. You should often spend time with family.
New Zealanders value their families. They take time each day to be with their families and do not like to work late into the night, nor do they dedicate all their energy to work. If you want to integrate into local life, you should also balance work and personal life, and never sacrifice your personal life for work. This value of prioritizing family among New Zealanders is something we might learn from. Because they value family, government employees in New Zealand do not work on holidays. If you need to go to a bank or government office, you must choose the right time.
4. You do not need to worry about safety issues.
Many Western countries are not as safe as they seem, with poor public safety. If you choose to immigrate to New Zealand, you do not need to worry about safety issues. Personally, I feel that New Zealand is a stable society, the people are friendly, and violent incidents are rare. It is very safe to go out at night. As an immigrant, you must also abide by local laws; if you violate New Zealand laws, even if you have obtained immigration status, you may still be deported.
