What To Do with All this Space?

We arrived in Auckland, New Zealand five weeks ago. Auckland for James is a return to the country where he was born. I was born in England but I also return as this is where I grow up from a teenager to an adult. Max has been here before as a vistor but he returns as a citizen.

For those you who have moved and lived in different countries you will understand that there is a period of settling in time. For me settling in is a strange concept. When do you feel settled? What is it that makes us feel settled? Is it when you feel that you are home? Or is when you stop feeling like a tourist? I mean do you have to feel like you are home to feel settled?

New Zealand is a special place for us. There is space here. Space to move at your own pace. Space to breath in clean air. Space to realise your dreams and grasp opportunities. When I used to live here I found this difficult. Space is hard to deal with when you don’t know who you are and what you want.

London was comforting. You are one of the many trying to make something of themselves. This used to be exhilarating. You have to yell very loud in London to be heard. There is no echo but this became tiresome. I will always love London. It shaped me and it shaped James. We are bigger and stronger because we lived there. Max was born there and it will always be part of him.

For now I am enjoying the space. To me the echo here is the sound of opportunity. You don’t have to yell very loud to he heard.

One of our favorite places to enjoy the space here is the beach. Here’s why:

Max & Michelle at Piha beach

James & Max at Long Bay

Max & James at Piha beach