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Laurence is learning to sew in her Fashion Design school in Auckland.
It was the Sunday 6th of June at Chantal’s place where Laurence lives. It is summer in France, winter here. A beautiful house from where we can see the sea, a luxury of many villas in Auckland. Laurence has been living in New Zealand for 2 and a half years, after having spent 24 years of growing up in Paris.
Can you explain us your situation here ? For how long have been in New Zealand ? What was your way like since you arrived here ?
I arrived at the beginning of the year in 2008 with a Working Holiday Visa for a year. This 1st year I’ve been travelling all over the country. In order to survive, I did lots of different jobs for short periods of time, such as working in a supermarket, picking up fruits and vegetables, cleaning houses, selling pieces of art in an art gallery… My resume had doubled in length in a year !
In Bethell's beach, 40 minutes from Auckland central. A wild and amazing place, an escape so close from the city.
After that year, when I was moving to a new place every three months (Wellington, Queenstone…), I was tired and needed to settle somewhere. So I came to Auckland in January. Because I come from Paris I needed to live in a big city, and I have also choosen Auckland because my uncle in living here. I have found work as a caregiver for autistic or paralysed people. I was a nurse in France but I couldn’t do it here because my diploma is not valid. I should have passed some exams, but I was not really up for it. So I have worked for several kiwis families, including some maoris ones. I stayed sometimes for 24 hours at their place. It made me know how they really live, their culture, their way of life, education, … It was a really nice experience. I could learn about our social and cultural differences, between them and where I am from.
Until a day when one of my friends who studies cinema came to visit me, I didn’t see myself clearly. It had triggered something in my mind about this whole life situation.. Indeed, being a nusre wasn’t really what I wanted to become. Since I was a child I always had in mind the idea of working in the fashion arena.
So I have started to study Fashion Technology at New Zealand Fashion Tech for 6 months. I am following 3 different classes : the first teach me the technical aspect, then I will learn how to make patterns and finally I will learn how to create my own brand of cloths.
Where have you been living during all this time ?
While I was travelling I was sharing houses with different people.
Same when I first arrived in Auckland. It’s very common here. Then I have moved into my own flat. It was the fisrt time in my life that I was living by my self.
Since I have started to study again I can’t pay for that anymore. So I am living with Chantal and her husband. Chantal is French (with a French father and an american mother), who has been living here for 16 years. Her husband is English. I’ve met her when I arrived in Aucland through the French network : there are some drinks organized by a French association who gather the French aucklanders aiming at greeting the new arrivals.
During the lunch break, Laurence is playing dominos with her kiwis school friends.
Why did you decide to leave France ?
Because I could not stand my work and the stress anymore. I was working in the cardiology departement. In two years I could see my amount of work considerably increasing, but of cousre not the pay. In France nurses are not respected for what they do. It disgusted me.
I needed to change everything. I wanted to go away, to travel, to experience the unknown… That’s it !
Did you leave France before that ?
The summer before I came here, I went to Canada for a month, by my self, on holidays. It was my first step towards this adventure ! When I came back to France, I felt very quickly that something was wrong. I realised that I was too young to live the life I had : « metro, boulot, dodo » (french expression to say that you are into a routine, litteraly translated by: go to the metro, go to work, and go back to sleep before you’ll do it again and again). Three weeks later I gave notice at work that I was living.
After a quick walk to the top of Bethell's beach, the lookout offers an amazing landscape.
About administration, what allows you to stay here more than the traditionnal Working Holidays Visa ?
I am here now as a student. During the 2nd year I will be half on holidays, half on internship periods. I eventually hope to be sponsored by a company to stay more.
Laurence's hands are drawing a pattern with a chalk.
Would you like to become a resident ?
Not really… After my studies I would like to stay maybe for a year or two, and then come back to live in Europe or to live maybe in an other country. But you never now what tomorrow will bring. I planned to stay here for 4 months and I ended up being here for more than two years now.
What are you missing from France ?
I don’t know… It’s a way of life, a culture, family, food !
It’s not like I haven’t lived and grew up in a country for 25 years. I am still feeling connected to France. I keep in touch with my family, we are talking often on the internet.
I am thinking about coming back later, when I’m ready to stay in one place, have children, make a family.
My experience as a nurse taught me that life can be very short. So I am trying to seize the day as much as I can. For now I am feeling good here. I am enjoying living abroad. I am learning new things every days. It’s difficult for me to stay in a routine.
To have a car is necessary in Auckland.
Heaps !! To me New zealand is a very young country, multicultural, which keeps evolving and changing thanks to this huge number of different nationalities. Asian, indian, polynesian, maori people and so on.
Wheras France is deeply established in its history, its culture, that doesn’t change as fast as here.
Kiwis people are really welcoming and nice. But it’s difficult for me to create deep friendships such as some that I can have with French people or other foreigners that I’ve met here.
How do you live your emigration ?
Quick walk
Really well ! I am enjoying the relax aspect of New Zealand.
And so do you have more french friends ?
I know many French people, indeed. And we all know each other, more or less. We hang out together a lot. It’s maybe a kingdom of fraternity.
What have you keep from your « national identity » ?
I consider that when you are growing in a country you keep its identity for life. Education stays in you. Our early years are fundemental. I am feeling French before any other nationality.
Laurence's wall in her school.
Do you feel intergrated in your new country, new town, its politics, local communities, cultures, language, its traditions ?
Yes I like Auckland very much. I was missing the sea when I was in Paris. Here you can see it where ever you are. It makes me feel like if I am always travelling.
About politics I have never been really involved into it in France and it’s the same here.
About culture, I realize that I start to be impregnated by it… through little silly details ! Such as getting into a jogging suit to go to work, open a bottle of wine by unscrewing it… To spend lots of time to text people because it’s too expensive to call people. To drink a glass of wine when I am going out in a pub (in France I used to have a beer or a cocktail, wine is for dinner), to wash dishes without rinsing them ! I don’t really know !
About the language I speak the « franglish » ! The first three months where quite difficult, but now it isn’t a problem anymore. Sometimes I forget some words, but it’s ok.
New zealanders skies are often very impressive
Have you ever felt any disrimination ?
Yes, once. I was working in a vineyard, and one of the employers didn’t pay us . After a month I went to threaten him, telling him that I would file a complain with the work council if he wouldn’t pay us, and that it was not because we were foreigners that he didn’t had to pay us. The day after I had the money on my bank account !
But I think that French are really well- integrated and that kiwis are very welcoming.
Do you live surrounded by local people or foreigners ?
Laurence lives at Chantal's house, in a pretty villa such as many in Auckland, from where you can see the sea.
Not at home ! But I am the only French in my class at school.
Do you feel more French or a citizen of the world ?
I don’t know… I would say more French in my soul and DNA, and a citizen of the world in my way of life…
How often do you come back to France ?
I came back only once since I have left. It took me quite a while to be able to make a step in the other way.
Bonus question : what advice do you give to people who want to visit New Zealand ?
Laurence is drawing a pattern
If you like nature that is where you have to come !
I like being surprised by heavenly landscapes that come up totally unexpectedly after having driving for one hour for no special reason.
To do something simple : to make a barbecue on the beach.
My favourite place : Cathedrale Cove in the Coromandel (north island).