New Zealand, Aotearoa, Land of the Long White Cloud…these are just a few of the names for these little islands lying way down here in the Tasman Sea. The country is pretty much as far away as you can get from the UK, literally on the other side on the world, which does make it feel like a good place to escape to. It seems at the moment that barely a day goes by without news of political upheaval, acts of violence and terrorist threats, which makes New Zealand feel like a safe little paradise, quiet, calm and relaxed. Of course, I'm not saying the country is perfect, it still has its issues but especially right now, it's pretty awesome. In fact, quite a few of the people I know who moved here temporarily at about the same time I did are all still here and don't really want to leave!

It's Beautiful...

One reason, for me at least, is that the country is beautiful. Having grown up living nowhere near the sea, being able to just wander down to the harbour and look out over the sea (which is always a blue-green colour rather than the murky grey of the English Channel) and the mountains is one of my favourite things about living in Wellington. Climb up to Mount Victoria or go up to one of the hilltop suburbs and you are rewarded with panoramic views over the city and harbour. Go slightly further afield to the City to Sea Walkway or Mount Kaukau and you can see the edge of the Queen Charlotte Sound in the distance, the gateway to the South Island. Outside of the capital, the scenery only gets better, with the rolling hills and remote forest parks, the raw coastline and quiet beaches. The South Island though is where it gets really dramatic. Mountains, glaciers, sounds and fjords, pristine sandy beaches and brilliantly blue sea are just a few of the best bits.

The Culture Is Awesome...

The Kiwi culture is also part of what makes New Zealand great. As far as I can tell, Kiwis are very proud of their country and are generally friendly people. Despite being the capital city, Wellington is a small place and feels like you can't go out without seeing someone you recognise, hardly the 'big city' atmosphere. This is where Auckland comes in; the population of nearly 1.5 million people is massive in comparison and it feels much more like a bustling city with busy streets and all the big shops. The Māori culture is also very prominent throughout New Zealand and well-respected. The language is spoken by many people and lots of phrases - 'Kia Ora', 'whanau' (family) and 'kai' (food) - are commonly used in Kiwi English as well. Māori stories are also well-known, a few that I've learnt about include the tale of Māui and how he fished up the North Island (Te Ika a Māui – the fish of Māui) from his waka (canoe) that became the South Island (Te Waka a Māui) and the love story of Tutanekai and Hinemoa, centred on Mokoia Island in Lake Rotorua.

The Not-So-Great Bits...

Of course, there are a few not-so-great things about living in New Zealand. It's expensive, especially food and drink. A beer in a bar will set you back at least $8 (roughly £4.00) and that's not even for a full, UK standard pint. Fruit, vegetables and meat are all also incredibly pricey, despite the fact that the country produces a lot of the latter, so the cost of living can be pretty high. Additionally, there is a noticeable lack of central heating and homes tend not to be well-insulated, which is odd, as New Zealand has pretty chilly winters! Then there's the small matter that it's expensive and time-consuming to get to, being on the other side of the world. A minimum of twenty-four hours on a plane and huge time difference doesn't make it easy – if you thought Australia was a long way away, try sitting on a plane for another three hours past Sydney! In general though, New Zealand is a great place to live compared to a lot of places and one that I'm glad I made a temporary home.