EP 16 — Maria & Andrea: Embracing the Almost Local Journey.

Transcript

0:01

Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of Almost Local, the podcast where we share the real ups and downs of life abroad. Whether you are thinking about moving you've just started your life in a new place. Or you've been navigating life abroad for 10, 20 years or even more, this space is for you. Here we are building a community. For those of us who are a bit from here and a bit from there, the almost locals. I'm Maria Ella, your host, and a warm welcome to you wherever you are listening from. Today I'm podcasting from a rainy Auckland, New Zealand, and honestly, I think it sets the perfect mood for today's episode. Because today's episode is different. It's raw, it's personal, and truthfully, it's one of my favorites. Andrea and I sat down and asked each other the questions we wish someone had asked us when we first moved abroad. It was a lot of fun. Uh, but before each. Answer the questions. I want to jump in and tell you why that question matters, because these topics are the real heartbeat of almost local belonging identity and the messy truth of starting again in a new place. So let's dive in. This is the story behind Almost Local and maybe a little bit of your story too. I. How did almost local begin? That's a good question. When Andrea asked me this, I realized something. Every expert project, every community, every idea begins with loneliness. With that moment when you think, I wish there was a place for people like us, like me, this is the question that shaped almost local. So I've been navigating life abroad for the past 10 years. I'm originally from Argentina and in 2016 we moved to New Zealand with my husband and the kids. So that's pretty much where my, journey, abroad started, although I also lived in other countries when I was a kid. But as an adult, we moved to New Zealand as a family. We lived for, seven years and then, we moved to the Netherlands. And that's where we spent the past three years. And I'm currently in New Zealand back, where we decided to come back as a family. In the Netherlands, there is a huge, expert community. And a need of belonging among experts and also immigrants. And personally as someone who experienced before in New Zealand a new country a new culture, I felt that it was really important for me to. Connect with, other people who were also navigating the same journey as we were. So I think that's how Almost Local started as an idea as a personal need to connect with others and to learn from other expats. A lot of people that I met, in Europe, We all had, one thing in common, which was the need to connect with other people and to understand each other so how the ideas started, was connected to my personal journey as someone who left my country home and started from scratch in another country and then started again in another country. Yes. And this project, yeah, it's really close to my heart because of of all that it means, I love the idea of learning about other people's journeys and to understand each other and connect from a really authentic place where we can share not only the good things and celebrate good things, but also understand. That when we are in this journey, there is always an app, an doubt, right? So I always compare this with some sort of rollercoaster where this is a big adventure and we sometimes don't know what's going to happen next But it's so important to have your people and to connect with people that really get what this journey is all about. Every time we move, we start again from zero. New language, new school, new rhythm, new habits. What I didn't know at the time is that almost local wasn't just a project, it was the thing. I needed to feel less alone. Now Andrea explains what being almost local means to her. And I want you to notice something. Everything she says is about living between worlds. And if you're listening, you probably know that feeling too. How did almost local begin and what did we wish existed when we first moved abroad? Almost local begins from a need that we also experience when we relocated to another country that, you don't know anyone you want to get to know the country, the language, the system. We didn't have that emotional support that people can understand about your journey or your feelings, your emotions. What does feeling almost local mean to you? I came to New Zealand 20 years ago. And, it's been my journey feeling almost local. You don't feel less Argentinian or more kiwi you just yourself in this between two worlds. You navigate life into worlds. You for example, go outside of the world and speak English most of the day and then come home and connect with your culture, with your language. It's always in between worlds and almost locals is about allowing yourself to be in this between world and also to understand and support each other Being a migrant is a privilege that you also learn about new cultures, new flavors, new languages, but also you refine your history and connect with your roots and that world is inside you. You expand your knowledge, you expand your understanding about others. You embrace the difference, and you're curious too. To keep learning and to keep asking questions. And that's what I love about being a migrant that you're having that exposure to different worlds. I love what she says. You don't become less Argentinian or more kiwi. You just become, you shaped by two worlds, two different worlds. That's what almost local means. Not choosing between identities, but learning to live in the beautiful, complicated middle. Okay. Okay. Before we move on, I want to frame this next part because it's the heart of everything we do In a world that's becoming more digital, more isolated, more AI driven, real connection becomes priceless. Why do you believe community and storytelling matter now more than ever? We believe that building community is where you feel connected, where your journey of belonging starts without connections. I feel it's a very isolated and lonely journey. In my experience when I came to New Zealand, the first thing I did is to create, my network, my new family, new friends, and that made it a very positive journey. So I think it really matters to connect with others. To also to give the space that people can tell this story. Every migrant has the story behind, which is absolutely an amazing journey to share, isn't that so true? Behind every migration story, there's a whole world grief, reinvention, resilience, and this is why almost local exists. Not to give advice, but to give space. The next part is more personal. Andrea asked me about my journey and then I asked her about hers, and I want you to listen with this in mind. Moving abroad isn't a clean, perfect story. It's messy, it's brave, and it's always transforming us. So what that's feeling almost local means to you? So almost local. I think I like the term, because. For us who, like you and me, who are navigating life abroad. I think that the minute we hear the words almost local, we instantly click and connect with the concept or what is almost local. So the minute you leave home you stop being local, right? You're not local. But any of us who are navigating life abroad are always looking to belong, right? To be locals. So it's this constant struggle of feeling local but not always quite there. so the term almost local I think captures the essence of what this project is about. And as I shared my story, I realized Andrea's story mirrors so many parts of it. Different country, different time, but the same emotional landscape. Uh. This question is always interesting. What can you actually learn from living abroad, living in a new country? But there is a deeper layer. It's not just about learning a new language or fun facts about the country you're living in. It's also, and most importantly, about who we become in the process. It's about. Can we learn about ourselves? What can we learn about ourselves? What we have learned from living between cultures. the best part of living abroad is the learning opportunities. There is so much that you can learn from the new culture where you are. But most importantly, I think it's about what you can learn from yourself, right? Things that you will discover on the way that you didn't know. And there are many learnings, but discovering yourself, I suppose it's the biggest learning, This question is always fun. What shocked you the most? But there is a deeper layer too. Cultural shock isn't about the country. It's actually about who we become in the process. I. Which is your biggest cultural shock I had a lot when we moved to New Zealand and then in the Netherlands, if I had to mention one for each country, I would say in New Zealand life goes in a different rhythm and pace. So I suppose, going to a cafe or an ice cream shop wanting to grab a coffee or an ice cream at four or 5:00 PM and the shop was already closed and two hours ago. So I guess that was some kind of cultural shock. Like life wasn't so long as it was in Buenos Aires where you go out for dinner at 10:00 PM And you can still have dinner. And so that was a bit of a cultural shock and we had to adapt. And in the Netherlands, I would say that the biggest cultural shock was the language. So for those who know that it's a really hard language And it really shapes the culture as it, how the language sounds and how it's part of how you express, of course. Mm-hmm. So I started learning the language because I wanted to connect with people. But I would say that was the biggest culture shock. One of my, favorite parts of the interview was when we talked about rituals, those tiny moments that make you feel like home in a foreign place. And what is your favorite local retail in New Zealand? In New Zealand, one of the things that I enjoyed the most from the beginning when we moved here was how community focused the country is. And I really enjoy the ritual of being able to go inside the school with the kids and help them and be there with them in the classroom at the beginning and just the freedom to move around the school. That was a ritual I'm saying was because my kids now are teenagers and I'm not doing that anymore. Finally, I asked Andrea, where is home for you? Home is my family, of course, my husband and the two boys and I think it's changed over the years. First, of course, Argentina is still all still my home, still where my family, my extended family and my friends and my roots and my history, but also New Zealand become home as well. So I, I'm lucky to say that I have two homes in the world. Home isn't a destination, it's a feeling you build piece by piece. And what about challenges? This is what Andrea shares about her own challenges abroad. Let's hear it. And your biggest challenge abroad? The journey, the biggest challenge. I think it's the cultural and you need to understand, and of course we, coming from a Latin background and New Zealand is a different culture as well that you need to kind of adapt where you mentioned before, like the shops closed really early. So life is a little bit kind of different time and pace. Because, was the language. So I came to New Zealand with no English, so I needed to work really, really hard to feel myself in a different country. But also no understanding the language but also to rebuild my confident in myself. That took me a while to feel myself in a different context. But I think that was, the biggest cultural. Also we love to connect with people, but here you need to organize like a month in advance or a few weeks before that to organize a social event. Like in Argentina, you just go and knock the door. So dice, it's slightly different here. You need to let people know. So, but I just needed to learn how it is and it's okay. Well, this interview is coming to an end, and finally I asked Andrea about her favorite rituals here in New Zealand. Let's see what she shares. What is your favorite local ritual here in New Zealand? New Zealand offer you to be very close to nature, so we really enjoy going for a bike ride on the water farm or just have walks and, be close to, to the ocean and that we are really, really that become our retool as a family. Rituals, challenges, connection, community and friendship abroad. This conversation with Andrea reminded me. Why Almost Local exists? Because every story matters. Every challenge matters. Every small win abroad matters. And because wherever you are listening from, you are part of this community too. A community of people learning how to belong again and again. So thank you for being here, and because this is our new YouTube channel, I also welcome you to like and subscribe to help grow this community. Now I am off to my morning coffee. Thank you. Until the next episode.