Voices of the Kea community

Stephen He, Shanghai

How long have you lived offshore? More than 15 years

What do you love most about Shanghai? It’s a mega cosmopolitan city full of energy and opportunity, as well as a blend of oriental and western culture with heaps of good cafés, bars and restaurants and super easy access for delivery.

If someone was coming to visit the area what are two places you would recommend them
visiting and why? If you wish to capture the rhythm of the urban city, Lujiazui will be on my list. You can admire the modern skyscraper along Binjiang Ave as well as various buildings of different architectural styles across the River. Another way to experience the unique lifestyle is to take a stroll along the old streets in Shanghai’s French concession area with leafy plants growing on both sides of most streets.

What’s the best thing about being a Kiwi offshore? Developing a global network of contacts both business and socially, China signs pacts with “friend and partner” of New Zealand, you will feel most welcomed here.

What do you miss the most about New Zealand? Most of the outdoor sports, beaches, authentic fish and chips and mince pie….

What advice would you give to your pre-offshore self/What would you have liked someone to tell you before you travelled? Do some homework before taking any action. Once you hit the road, try to blend yourself into the local community, and learn some local dialect.

How do you remind yourself of home on days when you miss New Zealand? Meeting up for a beer with Kiwi’s watching AB and the Black Caps.

John Gao, Ningbo (and Wellington)

How long have you lived offshore? 3 years plus, since covid broke out.

What do you love most about your current home? Convenient and great environment.

If someone was coming to visit the area what are two places you would recommend them
visiting and why? Ningbo Bang Museum: You will be amazed how much people from Ningbo have achieved. In the early morning visit the area around Dongqian Lake: There are nice cycling tracks and tramping tracks. The scenery will be like a nice painting.

What’s the best thing about being a Kiwi offshore? How big the world is, and how great New Zealand is.

What do you miss the most about New Zealand? Beef and friends.

What advice would you give to your pre-offshore self/What would you have liked someone to tell you before you travelled? Learn some Chinese before leaving NZ.

How do you remind yourself of home on days when you miss New Zealand? Catch up with Kiwis I can find in Ningbo, have some kiwi food.

Christiana Zhu, Shanghai, China

How long have you lived offshore? 9 years. 8 in Beijing, 1 in Shanghai.

What do you love most about your current home? The safety and convenience of everyday life. Beijing and Shanghai are two of the safest cities in the world. There’s very little petty crime and I’ve never felt unsafe on the streets, even as a female walking through hutong alleyways late at night. The proliferation of e-services also makes life very convenient. From grocery shopping, to managing chores like household maintenance and postage, and even self pampering spa services, you can easily book anything with a click of a button and everything comes to you. With e-cash being king in China, I’ve also not had to carry a wallet for years!

If someone was coming to visit the area what are two places you would recommend them
visiting and why? A hypermarket like Hema or an international brand retail outlet like IKEA, it’s a quick way to get a feeling of what everyday life is like for the middle class. When you compare the brands, product selections, and product formats to what things are like at home you can get good insights on cultural differences and similarities. If you are visiting Beijing – Ritan park in the morning or around sunset. This is when the retired folks come out to exercise and socialise. You will find interesting pursuits such as taichi, whip cracking, and saxophone practice. The content may be exotic, but the joy and passion with which they practise their hobbies is something that is easy to connect with on a base human level and give fresh perspectives on life.

What’s the best thing about being a Kiwi offshore? The community of awesome Kiwis doing incredible things. It almost sounds silly that one thing I love doing outside of NZ is finding other Kiwis, but I think because of our creative and adventurous spirit, Kiwi expats tend to get involved in some really cool projects, especially when we might not have the same platforms available back home. Connecting with these awesome people at local kiwi drinks is one of the true highlights of expat life.

What do you miss the most about New Zealand? Being able to head off into the mountains every weekend. NZ’s access to nature is second to none. I lived in Queenstown before coming to China, so I was definitely spoiled in that regard.

What advice would you give to your pre-offshore self/What would you have liked someone to tell you before you travelled? Make sure you remember to top up your NZ phone number every year, or you’ll lose it!

How do you remind yourself of home on days when you miss New Zealand? Marmite on toast!