With my grandmother being born in New Zealand and growing up here I have a lot of family here in New Zealand that I want to meet. My grandmother had eight other siblings and there are a total 27 cousins from all of the children she and her siblings had. Unfortunately due to old age my grandmother and most of her siblings have passed away. There is one who still alive that I was able to meet. I was lucky to be able to meet my great aunt because this might be the only time I see her with her health is not good, and she is losing her hearing and her sight. Meeting my great aunt allowed me to learn more about my grandmother and the history of my Kiwi family.

I was also able to meet some of my cousins and see the farm my grandmother grew up on. My cousins were very warm and welcoming and they must have known I love to eat because when I came they made pumpkin soup and scones. When I saw the farm my grandmother grew up on it was very interesting for me because I can’t imagine what it must have been like to be on a big farm with eight other siblings. I also got to see my grandmother’s grave in New Zealand, which was a very emotional moment for me, since I was close with her. Her tombstone read “home at last,” which was very fitting with how she belonged in New Zealand.

The last few weeks my parents came back to New Zealand after not coming here for thirty years. It was different for them since the population grew and it wasn’t build up when they lived down here. I was able to travel with them to New Plymouth and to 90 Mile Beach. I had a great time with them and I was very happy to spend my last few weeks here with them, before I spend my last weeks giving out my goodbyes to all of the friends I have made here.