It's a Drama Podcast

If you are moving to New Zealand you will be itching to find out everything there is to know about the country. From the New Zealand slang to what the new Zealand people are like. In this week's New Zealand podcast, we explore 5 things (well actually, it's more like 4 and a half) that you just won't find in New Zealand. And no. Number 1 isn't decent bacon because I've told you before. You can. 5 Things You Won't Find in New Zealand Listen to the podcast, 5 things you WON'T find in New Zealand here: Subscribe to us on Apple Subscribe on Android Would You Like To Join Our New Zealand Community? Are You Considering Moving To New Zealand? Do you wonder what life in New Zealand is (really) like? Do You LOVE New Zealand & dream of moving here one day? Sign up HERE and I will send you my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide. A 5 Part Video Series! SIGN UP NOW! Links Mentioned in this week's podcast: Links Mentioned in this weeks episode: The FREE 5 Day Video Guide To Life in New Zealand (the free version of the video guide we talk about) https://itsadrama.com/ilovenz/​ The post on the real reason we left Britain. https://itsadrama.com/reasons-for-emigrating-from-the-uk-blog/ Moving to New Zealand https://itsadrama.com/kids-in-new-zealand/ Did you enjoy this week's podcast on the 5 things you won't find in New Zealand? If so, please rate, review and subscribe on whichever platform you are listening to this podcast - it helps us reach more people! And if you know of anyone who would love this podcast, then PLEASE, share this episode with them! Follow me on: Pinterest https://www.pinterest.nz/itsadrama/​ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...​ TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@lizitsadrama?...​ Follow me on: Did you enjoy this week's podcast on 5 Things You WON'T find in New Zealand? Thank you so very much for listening! We'd love to know what you think about this week's show and if there is anything you would like to know further so that we can include it in our next podcast. Please rate, review and subscribe on whichever platform you are listening to this podcast - it helps us reach more people! Thank you for your support and don't forget— If you enjoy our podcasts then you can subscribe to us on iTunes or Spotify (that way you will never miss an episode!) If you know of anyone who would love this podcast, then PLEASE, share this episode with them!! Follow us on: YouTube Pinterest Facebook TikTok

My family and I have been living in New Zealand for almost twelve years. And in that time we have got to know many New Zealanders. (Or if we are going to use New Zealand slang, Kiwis). So in this week's New Zealand podcast, we thought it would be interesting to take the things that New Zealand people are known for and tell you our opinion on whether we think those labels are right. Would You Like To Join Our New Zealand Community? Are You Considering Moving To New Zealand? Do you wonder what life in New Zealand is (really) like? Do You LOVE New Zealand & dream of moving here one day? Sign up HERE and I will send you my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide. A 5 Part Video Series! SIGN UP NOW! Listen to the podcast, what New Zealand people are (really) like here: Subscribe to us on Apple Subscribe on Android Links Mentioned in this weeks episode: The Free 5 Day Video Guide To Life in New Zealand (the free version of the video guide we talk about) Did you enjoy this week's podcast on what New Zealand people are (really) like? Thank you so very much for listening! We'd love to know what you think about this week's show and if there is anything you would like to know further so that we can include it in our next podcast. Please rate, review and subscribe on whichever platform you are listening to this podcast - it helps us reach more people! Thank you for your support and don't forget— If you enjoy our podcasts then you can subscribe to us on iTunes or Spotify (that way you will never miss an episode!) If you know of anyone who would love this podcast, then PLEASE, share this episode with them! Follow me on: YouTube Pinterest Facebook TikTok

The education system in New Zealand receives an unfair amount of flack. When we were planning on moving to New Zealand twelve years ago, the school system was one of the things that people always brought up. "Ohhh... you know schools aren't that good over there don't you?" said the people who had never crossed the Atlantic in their lives. "And apparently, you can't get decent bacon". You know my thoughts on this. Tosh. That's what. I've had plenty of decent bacon butties in New Zealand. Would You Like To Join Our New Zealand Community? Are You Considering Moving To New Zealand? Do you wonder what life in New Zealand is (really) like? Do You LOVE New Zealand & dream of moving here one day? Sign up HERE and I will send you my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide. A 5 Part Video Series! SIGN UP NOW! New Zealand Education System I'm not an expert in the New Zealand school system field. I homeschooled both of my kids from the ages of 10 and 7. Not because I was unhappy with the New Zealand schools but because thankfully, New Zealand is an openminded forward-thinking country that encourages freedom of choice when it comes to education. And mine was to homeschool. New Zealand Education System Compared to The US So I found me an expert instead. Someone who would chat to me on the podcast and tell me everything there is to know about schools on both sides of the world. The lovely Tara, from KiwiAmerican (check out her YouTube Channel below) is an American who now moved to New Zealand from the US four years ago. She has four kids who have all experienced the US education system and are now at school in New Zealand. Tara also works as a university lecturer in Wellington so this gal knows her stuff when it comes to the school system in New Zealand and how it compares. If you are thinking of making that big move and planning on living in New Zealand with kids (but are concerned that they might end up with turnips as brains) then this is the episode for you. We hope you enjoyed the show and as always, thanks so much for being there, we love and appreciate your feedback. Links Mentioned in this weeks episode: The Free 5 Day Video Guide To Life in New Zealand (the free version of the video guide we talk about) Follow Tara from Kiwiamericans on TikTok & check her YouTube Channel too! Listen to the podcast, If it was easy everyone would do it, welcome to 2021 here: Subscribe to us on Apple Subscribe on Android Did you enjoy this week's podcast on the New Zealand education system vs the US? Thank you so very much for listening! We'd love to know what you think about this week's show and if there is anything you would like to know further so that we can include it in our next podcast. Please rate, review and subscribe on whichever platform you are listening to this podcast - it helps us reach more people! Thank you for your support and don't forget— If you enjoy our podcasts then you can subscribe to us on iTunes or Spotify (that way you will never miss an episode!) If you know of anyone who would love this podcast, then PLEASE, share this episode with them! Liked This Post? Save It To Pinterest!⇓ Follow me on: YouTube Pinterest Facebook

Moving to New Zealand is a BIG scary decision and no matter how much stuff you research on the internet, your fears will never be totally soothed. Not until you arrive on kiwi soil and start getting on with your life. In this week's podcast episode Brian and I discuss what we worried about most about leaving the UK to live in New Zealand (& reveal whether those fears were justified). Would You Like To Join Our New Zealand Community? Are You Considering Moving To New Zealand? Do you wonder what life in New Zealand is (really) like? Do You LOVE New Zealand & dream of moving here one day? Sign up HERE and I will send you my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide. A 5 Part Video Series! SIGN UP NOW! Moving To New Zealand From The UK Looking back no, the fears that I had about leaving Bath in the UK to come and start a new life down under in New Zealand in seem a bit silly. I mean come on...Brian running off with a bunch of cricketers at a BBQ?? I'd be so lucky. But in reality, I spent many a sleepless night worrying about certain things that I was convinced was going to make living in New Zealand totally and utterly miserable. It's only looking on the bright side that keeps me going... 7 Common Fears about Life in New Zealand (& Whether or Not They Came True) This week we talk about : Gangs Never seeing family again Male chauvinists Failure Things being a bit backwards Not being welcomed Money We hope you enjoyed the show and as always, thanks so much for being there, we love and appreciate your feedback. Links Mentioned in this weeks episode: The Free 5 Day Video Guide To Life in New Zealand (the free version of the video guide we talk about) Listen to the podcast, If it was easy everyone would do it, welcome to 2021 here: Subscribe on Apple Subscribe on Android Did you enjoy this week's scary things about moving to New Zealand podcast? Thank you so very much for listening! We'd love to know what you think about this week's show and if there is anything you would like to know further so that we can include it in our next podcast. Please rate, review and subscribe on whichever platform you are listening to this podcast - it helps us reach more people! Thank you for your support and don't forget— If you enjoy our podcasts then you can subscribe to us on iTunes or Spotify (that way you will never miss an episode!) If you know of anyone who would love this podcast, then PLEASE, share this episode with them! Follow me on: YouTube Pinterest Facebook

Welcome back to the first podcast first of 2021. Broadcasting from our back garden in New Zealand ('cause it's so blimin' hot inside!) Podcasting From New Zealand I'm not going to lie. Creating a podcast episode every week isn't easy. Maybe if we had a team of guys sorting out this and that it'd be different, but we don't. It's just me and Bri. A husband and wife, living in New Zealand. Would You Like To Join Our New Zealand Community? Are You Considering Moving To New Zealand? Do you wonder what life in New Zealand is (really) like? Do You LOVE New Zealand & dream of moving here one day? Sign up HERE and I will send you my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide. A 5 Part Video Series! SIGN UP NOW! Every week we chew the fat on life (usually about travel, and New Zealand) and then we share it with the world. Sounds easy, doesn't it? But keeping motivated and trying and come up with new ideas can be a bit of a challenge. Bloody hell. Half the time I can only just about manage to decide what to have for tea. It would be far easier to put the telly on and watch another re-run of Downtown. But then I remembered something... If It Was Easy Everyone Would Do It And they don't. Make podcasts I mean. Which means there are more ears in the world to go around. That was the motivation I needed to continue number 1. And then, as I was sitting at my desk, trying to decide whether or not to record a "I quit" episode, my computer pinged. And as if by magic, the motivation to continue number 2 popped into my inbox. Two beautiful emails from listeners of the show. I read them out on this week's podcast episode. To let you see how lucky we are. So here it is. The first of fifty-two episodes. Let's make 2021 a fabulous year and remind ourselves that often the best things in life take work. That's what makes them so bloody good! As always, thanks so much for being there, we love and appreciate your feedback. Links Mentioned in this weeks episode: The Free 5 Day Video Guide To Life in New Zealand (the free version of the video guide we talk about) Listen to the podcast, If it was easy everyone would do it, welcome to 2021 here Subscribe on Apple Subscribe on Android Did you enjoy this week's life in New Zealand podcast? Thank you so very much for listening! We'd love to know what you think about this week's show and if there is anything you would like to know further so that we can include it in our next podcast. Please rate, review and subscribe on whichever platform you are listening to this podcast - it helps us reach more people! Thank you for your support and don't forget— If you enjoy our podcasts then you can subscribe to us on iTunes or Spotify (that way you will never miss an episode!) If you know of anyone who would love this podcast, then PLEASE, share this episode with them! Follow us on: YouTube Pinterest Facebook

The last podcast episode of 2020! And what a year...because I am a nosey parker who likes to know everything about everyone I thought you might appreciate it if Brian and I opened up and shared with you what 2020 has been like for us. A husband and wife living with two teenagers down here in New Zealand. Would You Like To Join Our New Zealand Community? Are You Considering Moving To New Zealand? Do you wonder what life in New Zealand is (really) like? Do You LOVE New Zealand & dream of moving here one day? Sign up HERE and I will send you my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide. A 5 Part Video Series! SIGN UP NOW! The Big Take-Aways From 2020 How a normal family of four adapted to lockdown in New Zealand. The pros and cons Dealing with the plummeting mental health of our teenage daughter Realising that more is not best. How (and why) Brian left his $$$ job to plough on with our online venture The ways in which we dealt (and always seem to deal) with family unrest Creating online businesses, changing your life and being brave enough to take a different direction when you're 57 (and quite honestly feel knackered). Why moving forwards or even sideways is far better than sitting still or going backwards Links Mentioned in This Weeks Episode Visiting New Zealand from America (Mark, Brian's cousin from New York tells us what his initial impression of New Zealand are). Staying positive in lockdown (Our family discussion on things we were trying to put into place to get through lockdown) Homeschooling and working. How to juggle both Unplugging. 7 Simple ways to snatch back time Glamping in New Zealand (When Brian and I desperately needed some time alone) Christmas in New Zealand. Wonderfull or weird? The Free 5 Day Video Guide To Life in New Zealand (the free version of the video guide we talk about) Listen to the podcast: How to work from home (and still) get stuff done. Subscribe on Apple Subscribe on Android Did you enjoy this week's podcast about life through 2020? Thank you so very much for listening! We'd love to know what you think about this week's show and if there is anything you would like to know further so that we can include it in our next podcast. Please rate, review and subscribe on whichever platform you are listening to this podcast - it helps us reach more people! Thank you for your support and don't forget— If you enjoy our podcasts then you can subscribe to us on iTunes or Spotify (that way you will never miss an episode!) If you know of anyone who would love this podcast, then PLEASE, share this episode with them! Follow me on: YouTube Pinterest Facebook

Luckily, one of the best things about New Zealand is the fact that the people have a bloody good sense of humour. Which is just as well. Because some of these common misconceptions about what life is like in New Zealand are quite frankly hilarious. Life in New Zealand I am not a hypocrite so I will tell you this straight up. Before we go any further. Prior to us moving to New Zealand eleven years ago, my (zero) knowledge of the country led me to believe that I would find locals living in mud huts selling coconut juice to the passers-by in exchange for a smile. I even thought that there would be little sheep in neck-scarves working at the airport. Luckily, I kept that last expectation to myself. What is life like in New Zealand? The reality couldn't be further from the truth. Which is a pity really. I think it would be quite nice to have a woolly ram checking your luggage for dirty boots. Would You Like To Join Our New Zealand Community? Are You Considering Moving To New Zealand? Do you wonder what life in New Zealand is (really) like? Do You LOVE New Zealand & dream of moving here one day? Sign up HERE and I will send you my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide. A 5 Part Video Series! SIGN UP NOW! If you are moving to New Zealand from the US then you need to read this post and listen to this podcast. Because I hate to break it to you, but a lot of these common misconceptions came via my American friends. Oops. Do You LOVE New Zealand & dream of moving here one day? Sign up below and I will send you my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide. A 5 Part Video Series! 7 (Ridiculous) Misconceptions About New Zealand 1: New Zealander's Don't Speak English I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt on this one. And I kind of get it. The New Zealand slang is not just confusing but quite frankly, at times, it can come across as just plain bonkers. I mean, what country says 'Yeah Nah' when you ask them a question? Huh? But fear not. English is spoken throughout New Zealand. And rest assured, once you get become accustomed to the accent and get your head around the fact that kiwis will greet you by saying 'howzit?' and then walk away without waiting for an answer, you'll be sweet. English is one of the three official languages in New Zealand (the others are Te Reo Māori and New Zealand sign language). 2: New Zealand is Connected To Australia (by a bridge actually). Er no. Not quite. Australia is a little over 2,500 miles away from New Zealand so that bridge had better be a bloody long one... Just to be clear. Australia is not connected to New Zealand. They are completely separate countries. And for god's sake don't ever make the same mistake as I did and claim you can't tell the difference between a kiwi accent and an Ozzie one. Big mistake. One says Luz and the other says leeez. Not actually that helpful when your name is Liz. 3: It's Always Sunny in New Zealand One of the wonderful things about living in New Zealand is that it is a country with seasons. Four of them in fact. While it is true that there are hotter and drier parts of the country depending on where you go, New Zealand has four seasons and all of them hold their own secret charm. If you are trying to weigh up when is the best time to visit New Zealand then I'd say it depends on what floats your boat. The summer is hot and gorgeous - if you are coming in December just remember that Christmas in New Zealand is hot (and I won't lie, that's a bit weird). The spring is warm and beautiful, the winter is sunny and cold and you can ski and the autumn is colourful and calm. Just remember, this is not Hawaii, nor is it Sri Lanka or Australia. This is New Zealand. And It rains a lot. Which is why the country is so beautifully green. 4: New Zealand People Dwell in Bungalows Along The Coast I love this one! Some New Zealander's have holiday homes along the coast. These homes are called 'Baches'. Don't ask me what the name means, I have no idea. But these baches are wooden structures, usually made up of two or three rooms, with a basic kitchen. They are an iconic part of New Zealand's culture and history. They are now hugely desirable in New Zealand due to their beachside location. But no, New Zealanders live in houses or apartments like everyone else in the world. Not a mud hut in sight. 5:New Zealander's Eat The Kiwi Bird (& it tastes like chicken) I have something to confess. In all the years that I have been living in New Zealand, I have only ever seen a kiwi bird once. And that was in a sanctuary while we were on holiday exploring some free hot pools in Rotorua. The Kiwi is a national icon, equally cherished by all cultures in New Zealand and the last place you will ever see a kiwi bird is on a New Zealanders plate. Do You LOVE New Zealand & dream of moving here one day? Sign up below and I will send you my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide. A 5 Part Video Series! 6: There Are Cannibal Natives Living In Them There New Zealand Hi

It seems as though most of the world are working from home right now, so in this post and podcast, we wanted to share some tips on how to be more productive. How to get stuff done. So that you don't sit in your pyjamas all day, stroking the cat and staring at the countdown timer on the tumble drier. Working From Home Working from home might be a completely new experience for you. It certainly is for Brian (my husband) and I. Brian was a tradie, and for the past twenty years has left the house at 8 and returned home at 6. I owned and ran a cafe back in the UK, and then we made the move to New Zealand, and I homeschooled my kids for ten years. It's only in the last two years, having had a mini mid-life crisis and deciding that we wanted to become groovy digital nomads and have location independent jobs, that we find ourselves working from home full time. And like you, we are constantly striving for ways in which to improve our productivity. Would You Like To Join Our New Zealand Community? Are You Considering Moving To New Zealand? Do you wonder what life in New Zealand is (really) like? Do You LOVE New Zealand & dream of moving here one day? Sign up HERE and I will send you my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide. A 5 Part Video Series! SIGN UP NOW! Being Productive When Working From Home The trouble with working from home is it sometimes feels like a bit of a cop-out. You try to become super-efficient and aim to do everything. Everything other than what you are supposed to be doing. All of a sudden very it's essential that you empty the contents of the kitchen drawer and reorganise the big knives from the chopsticks. But while this kind of procrastination scratches a small itch, you end your week feeling guilty and cheated and tell yourself that things would be better if you had a proper office to go to. As a side note, working from home has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. I absolutely love it. And I think you will too. Especially if you put these productivity tips and techniques in place. Staying Productive While Working From Home. 7 Tips 1: Make a Space Even if you are working from home and home is one bedroom flat, try your hardest to craft out a little space that is yours. My space is wherever my foldup camp table will fit. This can be in the garden, behind the couch, in the corner of the family room, or sometimes, I have been known to set up camp at the foot of my bed. It's not about physical space, it's more about mental space. Create a space that represents productivity. When you sit down in that space, you are working. Don't try and perch oat the edge of the breakfast bar surrounded by cups and dirty dishes; your mind won't know where to focus. I've tried that and it doesn't work. 2: Chore Chart Earlier this years I found myself in a position where there were three other adults and me (ok, one 16-year-old but old enough to pull her weight) and it was always down to me to dish out the jobs and ask for their help. What's that all about? I get it. It's easy to believe that when you are working from home then that's all you are doing. That because you are working the house will take care of itself. The fairies will somehow take care of the cleaning and the cooking. Wrong. By creating a routine in the way of a chore chart I found that household chores get done (outside of work time), But they WILL get done. End of problem. Do the same. Make a chore chart that everyone has to be part of. It will give everyone (mostly you) peace of mind to know that those things will be dealt with at an allocated time. 3: Take Regular Breaks If tI can give you one tip that will increase your productivity while working from home, it is to take regular breaks. And I don't just mean breakfast, lunch and dinner breaks. The Pomodoro technique is something that I have been using for the past year or so while working at home, and I absolutely love it. This technique encourages you to work in twenty-five-minute increments and then take a break. The break must be for at least five minutes and you move away from your place of work, stretch your legs and your eyes. If you haven't tried it then I really suggest you do so - it works! 4: Make Things Pretty As I said in the podcast episode, I cannot work (or let's say don't work as productively) unless the space around me is calm and preferably pretty! This is easily achieved by placing a small vase of flowers by your workspace or something else that symbolises calm. Seriously, you don't have to run to the florist, a single dandelion or a daisy in a glass will suffice. As long as you don't have any reactions to essential oils I would also recommend burning peppermint oil in a oil burner in the room where you intend to work. Not only does it smell divine, but it also has a magic way of making you focus! 5: Work in a Café Once the world returns to normal and we are let out into the open, working in a café is a must! This is a practice that I have only recently a

The food in New Zealand is not very well documented, is it? When we made our move to New Zealand from the UK over a decade ago, I was expecting to get here and be faced with a plate full of lamb chops and maybe a kiwi fruit for dessert. But the reality couldn't have been further from the truth. Would You Like To Join Our New Zealand Community? Are You Considering Moving To New Zealand? Do you wonder what life in New Zealand is (really) like? Do You LOVE New Zealand & dream of moving here one day? Sign up HERE and I will send you my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide. A 5 Part Video Series! SIGN UP NOW! In this podcast episode (you can listen or watch, it's your choice!) Ryan, an American who left the US five years ago and is now living in Auckland New Zealand with his family. Food in New Zealand You don't tend to read much about food in New Zealand. Which is a shame as it leads people to believe that kiwi food is either boring and non-existence or a bit on the weird side and that everyone who lives in New Zealand resides in mud huts and eats dinosaur eggs. Neither of those things is true. Well. My son's bedroom sometimes resembles a mud hut, but that's another story. When you come to New Zealand looking for food, you will find an array of mouthwatering deliciousness. And maybe a tinned asparagus sandwich but let's talk about that later. Life in New Zealand New Zealand living takes some getting used to. From becoming accustomed (and not be offended by) the New Zealand slang, to the earthquakes, the laid back attitude right down to the New Zealand Christmas experience. But food is a major part of your life, and if you're planning on moving to New Zealand from the US or any other far-flung part of the world, you'll want to know what you'll be having for your dinner when you get off the plane. 10 New Zealand Foods You've (Probably) Never Heard Of The foods that I want to share with you are typical New Zealand foods that I doubt you will have heard of. I know I hadn't. 1: Mince on Toast I am not kidding; when I first saw this on the menu in New Zealand, I thought it was a misprint. Mincemeat. On toast?? What's that all about? But then I tried it. And. It. Is. Divine. The version I had was made with a tomato and herb base, served on a piece of toast and topped with an egg (because in case you didn't know, the kiwis LOVE eggs. Or should I say iggs.) Finished off with a mouthwateringly delicious hollandaise sauce. If you haven't tried this New Zealand dish, then it is a must! Cost for mince on toast in a New Zealand café? Approx NZD $12 2: Hāngi When you visit New Zealand and are ever offered the chance to partake in a Hāngi then jump at it. It is one of those divine eating experiences that you will never, ever forget. A Hāngi is a Māori cooking method. Friends are invited around, a pit is dug into the ground and a fire is made. From there, hot rocks are placed on top. Everyone stands around and has a good chin wag, talks about the rugby and the wind and waits for an hour or two. Once the rocks are white-hot, baskets of food containing meat (usually lamb but also chicken, beef or pork), potatoes, and other root vegetables (mostly kumara) are wrapped (traditionally in leaves but more commonplace today in tin foil), and are placed on top of the rocks. The earth is then dug back over the baskets until the pit is filed in. And then you wait. Usually for around five to seven hours. The pit is dug back up, the baskets lifted out, and dinner is served. The result? A tender, smokey, meltingly delicious plate of slow-cooked New Zealand loveliness. 3: Sausage Sizzle Ok, listen. Life in New Zealand with kids means sausages. If you are thinking of moving to New Zealand or even taking a vacation to the country, there is something you need to be aware of. The kiwis LOVE sausages. But not just that, they LOVE sausage sizzle. The sausage sizzle is a kiwi tradition. Go to any kid's birthday party, fundraiser, festival, school camp, in fact, any kiwi gathering and it will be there. The BBQ, the bag of sausages, the sliced white bread and the tomato sauce. Now then you food snobs listen up. Don't make the mistake that I made when I first moved to New Zealand. I dared to call this New Zealand food a sausage sandwich. Shame on me. This is no sausage sandwich. yes it is a sausage and yes it is wrapped in bread, but this here is a saussie. That's it. A saussie. Add this word to your list of New Zealand slang. You'll hear it a lot. The Saussie: Never two pieces of bread, only one. The saussie is placed in the corner of the bread and wrapped over on an angle. And if you don't have tomato sauce with it then be prepared for a funny look. Cost for a saussie from a sizzle in New Zealand? Approx NZD $1 4: Tinned Asparagus Sandwiches One up from the sausage sizzle this is one item on the New Zealand food list that makes an appearance at the more upmarket gatherings. Nowhere in the world have I ever been offered a tinned asparagus san

In all the time that I've been writing this blog I have never had so many emails from people (mostly from the US) asking me how they can make their dream of moving to New Zealand become a reality. ✔︎ Get instant access to my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide HERE!, a 5 Day Video Series! My family and I have been living in New Zealand for eleven years. We emigrated to New Zealand from the UK eleven years ago and it was the best thing we ever did. But the posts and podcasts that I share with you here, things such as what you will miss when you move to New Zealand and life in New Zealand with kids, are given from the point of view of a Brit. And that's not much use to the Americans in the audience. So what did I do? I hunted down a real-life American who had emigrated to New Zealand, that's what I did. A mother of four who moved to New Zealand with her family almost five years ago. Tara from kiwiamerican shared her experience of moving to New Zealand from the US and revealed the biggest culture shocks, the major differences, and the problems she encountered when moving to New Zealand from the US. Living in New Zealand My family and I have been living in New Zealand for eleven years and things still take me by surprise. New Zealand, although similar to other countries in the sense that the English language is spoken, is different in ways that you can't begin to imagine. New Zealand life takes some getting used to. From becoming accustomed (and not being offended by) the New Zealand slang, to the food, the lifestyle right down to the New Zealand Christmas experience. It all takes time to get your head around, let me tell you. Other things/links we talked about in this week's life in New Zealand podcast episode: ✔︎ Get instant access to my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide HERE!, a 5 Day Video Series! 🤔 The major differences between the schools in New Zealand and the US 🤔 What happens when you invite people over for dinner in New Zealand (compared to the US experience) 🤔 What happens when you are late for work in New Zealand 🤔 One thing Tara's father is shocked about when she returns home to the US 🤔 Tara is absolutely rocking it on Youtube. Check out her fabulous Youtube channel KiwiAmericans

If you are thinking about making a new life in New Zealand and you have a family (with little kids) then I'm going to take a wild guess and say that you are a teeny bit, massively a lot, downright scared. Or at the very least apprehensive. You lay awake in bed, probably at 3 am, worrying about what your future life in New Zealand will look like once you move to the other side of the world with your family. Ask yourself if you really will be living the dream in New Zealand or whether you're making a big mistake and will be attacked by tigers and lions and kiwis who live in down under land. What's life in New Zealand like with little kids? Listen to our latest podcast episode while you read this post and we'll tell you.

I'm not entirely sure how long the term unplugging has been a thing. It used to be (back in the day) that if you were told you to unplug it was because your parents were trying to save money on the leckie bill. Someone once told my dad that if you unplugged the toaster, you'd save 5p on every bill. But nowadays, the term unplugging comes with a whole new meaning. Unplugging in 2020 means getting off the internet, stop watching so much telly and telling your son to look up from his phone so that his neck doesn't develop a permanent turtle shell shape.

Maybe I'm naive. Or slightly twisted. But when I found out that there was an organisation called Couchsurfing that would allow me to travel the world with my teenagers (for free) while meeting other like-minded people, I jumped at it. Yes, it would mean that we'd be sleeping under the same roof of complete strangers, maybe even on a couch, but we'd get to know interesting people and listen to stories that I hadn't heard a thousand times before. And who knows? They might even invite my teenagers to stay for a few years.

The funniest thing happened yesterday. Because it was Father's Day, I said my husband that on this week's podcast episode we should talk about him being a homeschooling dad. Give some tips to all the other dads, husbands or partners out there that are currently faced with being a new homeschooling parent. And guess what he said to me? (Bearing in mind that our kids have been homeschooled for almost ten years). He said: How can I talk about that? How can I give other guys homeschooling tips when it was you who did everything, and I just went to work?

If you are wondering how to balance homeschooling and working at the same time then you are in the right place. Let's do an elbow bang. I have been homeschooling for almost ten years, and for the second time in my homeschooling career, I find myself, once again, in the position of balancing homeschooling with earning some money. Why I didn't marry a millionaire I'll never know. My first attempt at homeschooling and working full time was a bloody disaster. Awful. I made lots of mistakes and ended up feeling like a squashed banana on a busy highway. So this time around I made sure that I did things differently. That's one of the benefits of homeschooling - you get to learn from your mistakes and then you become brilliant.

If you have always dreamt of living in New Zealand, are under 30 years old and have a bit of dosh saved up (enough to get you back to your own country) you can spend a year working in New Zealand by getting yourself a year-long working Visa. That way you can see how you like it. This week's podcast episode features Adam, a twenty-something chappy from the UK is doing just that. After being persuaded by his mate to leave Thailand and come to New Zealand to work on a fairground, he got himself a year-long working visa and headed down under.

In the ten years that we have spent living in New Zealand, my family and I have never been glamping. Not once. Let's face it. It's not the sort of thing you want to do with two kids, is it? But. With the kids now old enough to make their own beans on toast, Brian and I decided that it was time to check out what this New Zealand glamping craze was all about. Get us a little bit of hippy outdoorsy fun. And while we were there - glamping in New Zealand - we made a podcast episode for you. And wrote a post. After all, what else would a husband and wife do when they find themselves alone without their kids for the first time in nineteen years??

This week's podcast is brought to you by me (Liz) and my husband Brian. It is brought to you with love. And with wine and with sushi. This is a different kind of podcast format from any other that we've done in the past (and, I won't lie, it was slightly scarier). Brain and I will talk about what's on top for us right now. As parents. As husband and wife. As friends. What share we are loving, what are we struggling with, and how we are dealing with both.

I wish I'd read a post or listened to a Podcast like this when we were looking to move to New Zealand ten years ago. At least then I would have been prepared. I could have packed a hot water bottle and a sun hat and some hankies. But I didn't. Instead, I got to the other side of the world and blubbed for six months about how my family never returned my calls and that the bathroom in the house that we were renting was cold and smelly and damp. New Zealand. Is there any better place? I'm not a doom and gloomer. No sir. Not me. My family and I have been living in New Zealand for almost a decade. We love it. New Zealand is one of the most beautiful places on earth and raising my kids in New Zealand was the best decision we ever made.

Last week I received this email. "Hi. I am thinking of moving to New Zealand with my family but I am concerned that as we are moving from the UK, my eldest son (who is 12) will be bored. Could you give me any advice?" I have two kids, a boy age 18 (note to oneself, must stop calling him a kid) and a daughter who is 15. We have been living in New Zealand for almost eleven years. We emigrated from the UK for a better way of life. And yes. We found it.

If you had to pick just a few, which would you say were the most beautiful places in the World to visit? This is a question that our family hears a lot when we tell how we spent twelve months travelling the world together (two adults and two teenagers) on a budget. We visited thirty-three countries in total - all of them magnificent but some being crowned more beautiful than others. This is part two of a podcast that my son (Sonny) and I made. We couldn't fit every beautiful place in the world into one post so we decided to treat you to two smaller bite-sized portions!

Which were the most beautiful places on earth? This is the question that everyone asks you when you tell them that you spent twelve months travelling the world with your teenagers. That, and did they miss their friends? This week, Sonny (my 18-year-old son) and I made a podcast episode that talked about our favourite places around the world and why they were considered by us to be deemed beautiful.

What is a tiny house and why would a twenty-six-year-old girl want to invest all of her savings and live in one in New Zealand? Because she can and they're cool. That's why. Could you live in a tiny house? In this week's podcast, Sonny and I get to chat with Laura. Laura is a twenty-six-year-old graphic designer from New Zealand who, for the past few years, has been living frugally so that she can save every cent that she makes to invest into building herself a tiny home in the North of New Zealand. Think of a tiny house as a mini version of what you're living in now. With a lot less clutter and stuff. In New Zealand, the average house size is 205m², while in America, the square footage for a typical home is 2400ft² (223m²). The size of a tiny house? You can expect anywhere between 100 to 400ft² (approx 10 - 40m²).

Kids playing video games is so new thing. Even I, who, according to my kids is a dinosaur who knows nothing - used to play Pacman and space invaders. So why are parents becoming more and more anxious and stressed out over the fact that their kids are spending more time on the screen and less time interacting with the people around them? I am a parent of two kids. My son is almost nineteen (when do we stop calling them kids?!) going on ten, and my daughter is fifteen going on twenty-three. I homeschooled my kids for the past nine years. Our homeschooling schedule had written into it that Friday was a no lesson day, which meant that on this day my kids got to stay at home with their grandma while I met up with friends for some 'me' time. Every Friday morning, when my kids were nine and twelve, I would meet up with two friends, both of whom had boys of a similar age to mine. And every week, without fail, we would all sit and cry to each other about the same thing. The amount of time our kids were spending playing video games.

Why do you need a homeschooling schedule? Because without one you will spend your days wandering from one project to another. Feeling extremely busy but accomplishing very little, if anything, at all. How strict does the home-schooling schedule need to be? Strict enough to keep everyone happy but not too strict that you become a slave to the schedule. Home-schooling isn't easy. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. And how can it be? As parents, we already have a million things to sort out. Running a house is a job in itself. And let's not forget those parents that have to home-school and work full time. But home-schooling shouldn't be stressful either. And neither will it be if you create the right kind of homeschooling schedule for your family.

Yesterday, at 12 pm, New Zealand went to level 4 and as such, the entire country is now in lockdown for (a minimum) of four weeks. Saying it and doing it are two different things. When you are going about your daily life, walking to work and drinking coffee in cafes with buskers outside, the idea of spending a month with the same people behind closed doors seems somewhat of a novelty. It wouldn't be too bad, you think to yourself. And then it starts. And after two hours of walking from the lounge to the bedroom, you begin to fantasise about getting into your car and driving to the supermarket for a packet of chewing gum. On this week's podcast of our family chats about how to stay positive while being locked together under the same roof. Me, my husband (Brian) and our soon to be nineteen-year-old son discuss fear, panic and the importance of staying positive in such unsettling times.

How old is too old to travel? You know how when you get to a certain age, and you suddenly start 'playing on it?' "Ohh I couldn't possibly take the bins out - I'm far too old for that." Or "Don't ask me to hold the dog down while you cut her toenails - I'm getting on a bit. I can't kneel for long." Well, this week's guest made me feel like a right old fake. He put me in my place and showed me that you are as old as you feel. In this week's podcast episode I got to chat with Ed Nicollette. Ed is 86 years young and lives in Rochester, Upstate New York with his lovely wife Anita (who, for the record, also comes across as being twenty years younger.)

It's easy for me to bang on about how wonderful New Zealand is - my family and I have been living here for the last ten years and although the country has its pros and cons, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. I adore living in New Zealand and will always bore anyone who will listen. So yes. I probably am a bit biased. So we thought we'd give you a treat... This weeks podcast episode sees our first interview ever! We thought it would be fun for you to hear all about New Zealand from the eyes of a first-timer. Someone fresh off the boat and eager to explore. My first podcast guest! Drinking wine and finding out what a visitor from America really thinks of New Zealand! This week's lovely guest was Mark; an American tourist, who, having recently visited New Zealand for the first time this year was only too happy to share his first impressions of the country.

Jet lag. Is there anything worse than finding yourself wide awake at 3 am with the dreaded jet lag? Pacing around the house like a deluded tiger, trying to decide whether it would be best to watch TV or clean the cutlery drawer out? In this week's podcast, Sonny and I talk about jet lag and a few proven ways in which you can avoid it. And no. My suggestion wasn't to get as drunk as possible on the plane thank you very much. I am far too sophisticated and grown-up for that.

This week's podcast walks you through a budget-friendly and fun weekend with kids in Charleston, SC; one of the most popular and unique travel destinations in the world! Last year my husband and I took our two kids ( teenagers age 16 and 13) to Charleston, SC for a long weekend. But. There was a catch. As always we were on a budget (nothing new there then ) and I must admit, I was somewhat worried as to whether we'd be able to make our money stretch. Our budget was $80 per day for the four of us. Did we do it?

In this week's podcast, Sonny and Liz talk about the culture of Japan and a few things you need to be aware of before you go. Life in Japan is very easy to adjust to and the Japanese people are amongst the most generous and welcoming folk in the world. But. The Japanese do have one tiny downside...

This week's podcast is hosted by Liz and Sonny (first one of the year!) and is an up close and personal episode looking a what happened in our lives last year that left us feeling grateful (and being able to discuss the reasons why we are grateful). I think everyone should take stock (each day if possible) and take a look at what the things they have to be grateful for. Otherwise, you could turn into a moaning Minnie. And no one likes those. Teenagers are always getting a rough time about how privileged and ungrateful they are, so we thought it would be fun to discuss exactly what (if anything) this eighteen-year-old boy (sorry Sonny, young man) and his mother feels grateful for. Gulp.

This week's podcast episode is brought to you by Liz and her husband, Brian. In thirty short minutes, we try our best to cram a year's experience of New Zealand living into a helpful guide of how to move to New Zealand (and what you can expect when you get here)should you be thinking of starting a new life in New Zealand.

This week's podcast on moving to New Zealand is hosted by me, (Liz ) and my husband Brian. We moved to New Zealand from the UK with our two kids in 2009 and have now been living in New Zealand as a family (our kids are now 18 and 15) for more than ten years. Our reasons for leaving the UK to start a new life in New Zealand were personal and rather jumbled. It was a kind of 'let's give it a go' decision and one which neither of us has ever regretted. Not ever. Amongst our other genie wishes, we longed for more space for the kids (which we have), less stress (tick) and more opportunity (I'll never be sure on this one, but I don't think we would have done the things we have - homeschooled both of our kids, built our own home, travelled the world for a year had we not moved to New Zealand, so, yes opportunity gets a tick too!).

I love you India, I really do. I dedicated an entire India podcast on what it was like traveling in India for the first time. No matter what time of day you ask me - regardless of whether my hormones are playing up or not. I will always tell anyone I meet that traveling in India for seven weeks - backpacking across your beautiful land with my kids was one of the best experiences of my life. But bloody hell. Your sleeper buses? They really are something else. My kids were 16 and 13 when my family embarked on not one, but two of India's overnight busses and I thought it only fair to share our experience on this podcast. Just in case, you are thinking of doing it yourself one day. (*Spoiler alert - and you must! It is an adventure!)

After spending seven weeks backpacking around India with my kids (teenagers age 16 and 13) I thought we should do a podcast on the country (and put to bed the silly myths that surround visiting India). When I told people that we were planning a trip to India the response was...let's say colourful. Some (mostly those who were born before the 1960s and had spent their youth discovering Asia on a couple of quid) encouraged us: 'you'll love it' they said and went on to talk about the beautiful Indian beaches or the temples in Hampi. But others weren't so encouraging. They warned us about getting sick and losing ten stone, said that we might get eaten by giant rats and be left for dead— or worse, pushed out into the river Ganges on a raft made from a billion plastic bottles.

This week's show comes after a long winter hibernation which included (for Liz at least) mainly cream, potatoes, belly pork and wine. But. It is spring in New Zealand now and we are back and raring to go! If you have ever dreamed of emigrating to Australia or New Zealand but spending Christmas in the sun seems a bit weird, then you will love this show! In this episode, we… Share the differences between Christmas time in New Zealand (Southern Hemisphere) and how that differs to the big day in the US/UK (Northen Hemisphere) The pros and cons of spending Christmas in the sunshine and the big secret that anyone wishing to do Christmas time on the cheap should know about!

This week's show is a continuation from Episode 5 - Couchsurfing as a family (how to save money). After that show, we got lots of please for us to elaborate on the 'weird Italian host'. Now. Because I am very delicate and old, please don't go attacking me and say I should be grateful that this guy let four rag- bags sleep in his house. I am; I was very grateful. But. This guy was a bit...weird Eccentric. So we thought we'd share. That way, if you are considering couchsurfing with your kids (and you absolutely should - it's the best!) you might want to avoid this certain Italian host. Unless your kids are harder than mine and like small wooden structures. In this episode, we… Talk about our very unusual couch surfing host that we experienced in Florence, Italy Talk about Florence, alcohol, rabbits and toilets. Your mind must be boggling.

If you have ever thought about leaving your home country and emigrating, I bet New Zealand was on the short list. Since 2010, New Zealand has seen, amongst other nationalities, 10,000 Americans and 42,000 British get off the plane in Auckland or Wellington and prepare to spend their future living in New Zealand. Some of those immigrants last only a few years; they decide that New Zealand isn't the place for them and head back home. Usually complaining that they can't get decent bacon. But some, like us, stay and make 'the land of the long white cloud' their home. Living In New Zealand. The Pros And Cons. My family (husband and two kids) have been living in New Zealand for the past nine years, we emigrated from the Uk in 2010 and now New Zealand is home. We all love it and are very happy here but there are a few things that can get on your nerves. Apart from the bacon. This podcast is a discussion between Sonny and I where we look at what we like (and what annoys us) about living in New Zealand. Sonny says a few things about New Zealand that I don't agree with (like the internet being rubbish?! I don't think it is) but that's the beauty of this Podcast; to get two different perspectives. One from a cocky young buck and the other from a stuck-in-her-ways- old biddy. For Pinterest ⇓ A few of My Pros Regarding Living in New Zealand: Outdoor time is a huge priority in New Zealand. When we lived in the Uk people would talk about what new chain had opened up in the high street or whether you had been to the fancy new mall that you had to spend three hours in the carpark queuing to get to. Living in New Zealand will instead see you talking about the size of the surf, the hiking conditions, if the weather is right for fishing or (and this is a biggie) your kid's sport. This was a bit of a learning curve for me as both my kids are lazy little sods and hate playing sport. We do love hiking as a family though so that solved that little problem. House prices. We talked about the cost of living in New Zealand in our previous podcast so if you want to know more about prices, go and listen. I also wrote an in-depth blog post about how much wages were and how far your money will go in New Zealand and I recorded a vlog on the subject so I won't speak too much of it now. Let's just say - house price wise - you get a lot more bang for your buck than in the UK. Some Of The Cons Of Living In New Zealand So far away. Not sure if this is a con or a pro though. Depends on whether or not I am in favour with the rest of the family. Time difference. referring to the UK here - America is only (only she says) 18 hours behind, you can still make that work - the UK, on the other hand, is a pain. When you've had a glass of wine at night they are eating their Weetabix, putting their important heads on and mouthing to each other about how they think you're an alcoholic who lives on the other side of the world. If you want to know more of the things that we like and don't like about living in New Zealand then please take a listen to the podcast. It's twenty minutes long and will be a massive help if you have ever dreamt of packing your bags and heading down under! Don't forget to like, comment and subscribe on iTunes! Thank you for your support! X

We have decided to do a series of life in New Zealand and so this weeks podcast covered the basics on how expensive it is to live in New Zealand. We have been living in New Zealand for ten years. We emigrated from the UK where we lived in the very posh (and bloody expensive) city of Bath. If you are posh you have to say 'Barrth'. I always like to try my best. We now live in the very down to earth, (although a little more expensive to live) region of Taranaki on the West Coast of the north island in New Zealand and we love it. So many people comment on how New Zealand is expensive, and yes, compared to some places in the world (especially Asia) it is quite pricey. Like anywhere though, there are pros and cons of living in New Zealand, but generally, I think the cost of living is pretty reasonable. Here's what we covered in the podcast: How Expensive Is New Zealand? Housing In New Zealand Average house prices in New Zealand are $525,000 NZD. This is $360,000 US and £275,000 GBP. Our gas bill per month is $150 NZD. This is $102 US and £78 GBP Our electricity bill per month is $320 NZD. This is $220 US and £170GBP. (listen to the podcast to hear where our electric goes! Grocery bill for us (family of 4 with a wine addiction - us, not the kids) is $350 NZD which is $240 US and £185 GBP We also talk about the cost of renting a house in New Zealand, particularly Taranaki, the region in the North Island where we live. Last year we took the kids backpacking around the world for a year and rented our house out while we were gone. we charged $600 NZD a week which is $410 US and £315 GBP. Ours is a four-bedroom house in the country and we rented it fully furnished. Running A Car in New Zealand If you watch our latest vlog on the cost of living in New Zealand you will see how much new cars are but here's a rough average of what cars cost to run in New Zealand: Petrol per week (I have a Peugeot 207 SW 1.6 Petrol) $100 NZD. This is $70 US and £55 GBP. WOF (warrant of fitness required every six months) $57. $40 USD. £30 GBP Rego (tax disk) per year $270 NZD which is $185 USD. £140 GBP. Teenage Entertainment In New Zealand Sonny said that for a day out with his friends will cost him approx $25 NZD I'll let you listen to the podcast to hear where his money goes... Average Salary In New Zealand We then talked about the average wages in New Zealand which is $49,000 NZD that equates to $33,000 US and £25,000 GBP. If you are a tradesman, a teacher, a nurse or a GP then listen to the podcast and I tell you how much you can expect to earn if you were to come to New Zealand and live. We hope you enjoyed the show this week, as I said, this will be a series of life in New Zealand, how much things cost, the Pro's and Con's of living on the other side of the world and more! If you like the podcast, please don't forget to rate us on iTunes and leave a comment over there - it helps our algorithm hugely! See you next week, Liz x

This week, the podcast focused on Couchsurfing. We recently backpacked around the world with our kids for a year. Our budget was approx $75 a day for the four of us - which wasn't easy considering we have two gannets as teenagers. This week on the podcast we explored the dark murky waters of Couchsurfing. We recently backpacked around the world with our kids for a year. Our budget was approx $75 a day for the four of us - which wasn't easy considering we have two gannets as teenagers. One of the ways we were able to stick to our budget was by Couchsurfing. In case you aren't familiar with this amazing organization, it is a website that pairs travellers - who are in need of somewhere to stay, with a host, who has a spare room, bed (or sometimes a couch) to offer. Couchsurfing. What is it and Why Does The Thought Of It Terrify Me? We wanted to discuss the pro's and con's of Couchsurfing and to try and answer the most commonly asked questions that people have. Also, when I tell people that we took our teenagers to sleep on strangers couches they are quite rightly filled with doubt! There is a misconception (which I too used to have) that Couchsurfing is for twenty-year-olds who are looking for a good time. Not true. And anyway, even when I was twenty I was still boring so that puts an end to that theory. Some of the points that were raised were: Is Couchsurfing free? Why would anyone want to couchsurf? What is it like to Couchsurf as a family? Is Couchsurfing safe? All of these questions and more were discussed, and hopefully, we convinced you that if you are looking to travel and haven't got much money (but you have got a great sense of adventure), then Couchsurfing really is the best. There is a fabulous story that we touched on. We were in Italy and one particular Couchsurfing host was ...let's say 'eccentric'! I loved him, (because I am weird and slightly vindictive) but the kids were honestly terrified. Seriously, they were never in any danger - they simply saw how one crazy Italian man lived his life. It was a brilliant experience. Anyway, have a listen to Sonny's interpretation of this and let me know if your teenagers would have felt the same. If you would like to hear more about the crazy Italien then leave a comment and we will see to it! You can read further here: Couchsurfing with kids, the good, the bad and the bucket The Couchsurfing Website: https://www.couchsurfing.com

How to Deal With Rejection When All You Want to Do Is Bawl Your Eyes Out: Part 2. Episode 4 Part 2 Episode four of the It's a drama podcast was a tough one for both Sonny and me. This week we discussed the consequences of rejection from friends, how to deal with rejection and we also touched upon cyberbullying. In the past month, we have both been the victims of social rejection and we thought it would be a good idea to see how it affects not just teenagers but adults too. I won't lie, it was hard for me to talk about on air. I was bullied badly as a young teenager, and the damage of that leaves me feeling very panicky and vulnerable if faced with confrontation. It is a lot easier for me to hide behind funny blog posts. As it turned out, discussing what happened on the podcast was the best thing that I could have done. Afterwards, I felt as though I had been in a therapy session. As a side note, I have never had any kind of therapy, but after opening up to my son on this week's podcast, I can totally see why people would seek out someone to talk to. Sonny, it seems, is a natural podcast host. He is patient and intelligent, and I very much forget when I'm talking to him that he is indeed my son. The same boy who hours earlier, I have been moaning at to tidy the breakfast dishes away. This week's podcast was so juicy and needed talking about in such depth that we decided to split the show into two and have a part 1 and part 2. Part one sees us both laying down each of our experiences and touching briefly on how being rejected made us feel. Part two is the real gold. I won't give too much away, but just make sure you listen to part two to seek the answers you might need about how to deal with rejection and understanding this certain form of bullying. As always, we would like to say thank you so much for your support. If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe to us on iTunes and if you could leave us a short comment and rating that would help us enormously in reaching other people. ( iTunes is a fickle mistress. The more comments and subscribers a podcast receives, the further up the ladder of exposure you go.) Thank you my lovely people x The Podcast Notes. We discuss the difference between bullying and rejection and how to deal with both. The term bullying is defined as a form of repeated, persistent and aggressive behaviour intended to cause fear, distress, or harm to another person's body, emotions, self-esteem or reputation. Although the attack that I experienced wasn't (thankfully) ongoing or persistent, it certainly harmed my emotions, my reputation and my self-esteem, so, in my eyes, it was a form of cyberbullying. Rejection can appear in the form of social rejection when a person is deliberately excluded from a social relationship or passive rejection which is when the perpetrator gives the victim the silent treatment. Both of these definitions applied to sonny's situation, and we discuss the effects of both and how to deal with rejection from friends. The physical effects of reliving an unpleasant experience such as online humiliation/bullying/rejection are quite clear in my voice as I retell how I felt. We purposely didn't edit this out. I think people need to see that the fear of bullying doesn't just affect teenagers. Further Reading: Amy Morin. 5 Ways That Mentally Strong People Deal with Rejection. The Rangers Apprentice Series. John Flannigan. Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School in Wellington.

How to Deal With Rejection When All You Want to Do Is Bawl Your Eyes Out: Part 1. Episode 3 (Part 1) Episode three (part 1) of the It's a drama podcast was a tough one for both Sonny and me. This week we discussed the consequences of rejection from friends, how to deal with rejection and we also touched upon cyberbullying. In the past month, we have both been the victims of social rejection and we thought it would be a good idea to see how it affects not just teenagers but adults too. I won't lie, it was hard for me to talk about this on air. I was bullied badly as a young teenager, and the damage of that leaves me feeling very panicky and vulnerable if faced with confrontation. It is a lot easier for me to hide behind funny blog posts. As it turned out, discussing what happened on the podcast was the best thing that I could have done. Afterwards, I felt as though I had been in a therapy session. As a side note, I have never had any kind of therapy, but after opening up to my son on this week's podcast, I can totally see why people would seek out someone to talk to. Sonny, it seems, is a natural podcast host. He is patient and intelligent, and I very much forget when I'm talking to him that he is indeed my son. The same boy who hours earlier, I have been moaning at to tidy the breakfast dishes away. This week's podcast was so juicy and needed talking about in such depth that we decided to split the show into two and have a part 1 and part 2. Part one sees us both laying down each of our experiences and touching briefly on how being rejected made us feel. Part two is the real gold. I won't give too much away, but just make sure you listen to part two to seek the answers you might need about how to deal with rejection and understanding the reason people behave the way they do. As always, we would like to say thank you so much for your support. If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe to us on iTunes and if you could leave us a short comment and rating that would help us enormously in reaching other people. ( iTunes is a fickle mistress. The more comments and subscribers a podcast receives, the further up the ladder of exposure you go.) Thank you my lovely people x The Podcast Notes. We discuss the difference between bullying and rejection and how to deal with both. The term bullying is defined as a form of repeated, persistent and aggressive behaviour intended to cause fear, distress, or harm to another person's body, emotions, self-esteem or reputation. Although the attack that I experienced wasn't (thankfully) ongoing or persistent, it certainly harmed my emotions, my reputation and my self-esteem, so, in my eyes, it was a form of cyberbullying. Rejection can appear in the form of social rejection when a person is deliberately excluded from a social relationship or passive rejection which is when the perpetrator gives the victim the silent treatment. Both of these definitions applied to sonny's situation, and we discuss the effects of both and how to deal with rejection from friends. The physical effects of reliving an unpleasant experience such as online humiliation/bullying/rejection are quite clear in my voice as I retell how I felt. We purposely didn't edit this out. I think people need to see that the fear of bullying doesn't just affect teenagers. Further Reading: Amy Morin. 5 Ways That Mentally Strong People Deal with Rejection. The Rangers Apprentice Series. John Flannigan. Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School in Wellington.

How Long Term Travel Affects Different Members Of The Family Episode 2 This episode of the podcast is all about how families cope when they throw everything up in the air for a while and decide to go travelling with their kids. I have had people say to me that their kids would be nervous about leaving their friends and home for a couple of weeks. While we were travelling last year, my daughter got pretty homesick. She wanted her friends and her own bed which is understandable. I worried myself sick over the fact that we had ruined her life forever and then, the following week, she turned around and said she was happy again and wanted to continue travelling. I don't know who I was madder at. Me for crying myself to sleep and worrying myself senseless or her for telling me in the first place! A good lesson to learn here is that parents often worry about our kids for no reason. I know I do. We all do. And mostly it turns out to be a storm in a teacup. For Pinterest! Podcast Notes We tried a different format for this podcast. We did a question and answer session. Three questions each. Here were the questions: What was your initial thought when I said that we were going to travel around the world for a year? How had you changed when you returned home and did you still fit in? Were you ever lonely? Did your friends still relate to you? How did you keep in touch with your friends? I loved this podcast and as I mentioned above, the things that I would have said my kids were worried about turned out to be completely different to what I thought. Just shows that we don't always know what's going on in that teenage brain. I had a hard time returning back to real life and we discuss that too. Before we closed the show, I asked Sonny what book he was reading at the moment. It was Pillars Of The Earth by Ken Follett That's it from us for this week! I hope you enjoyed the show. Please comment below or send me a private message if there is a topic you would like us to talk about. I'll do my best! PS: Remember to subscribe to us our iTunes and leave a comment too!

It's a Drama Parenting Podcast! Episode 1: I'm really very excited to be launching our very own /travel/lifestyle and parenting podcast for 2019. It is something that I have dreamed of doing for a while but never had the time or the courage! Having my teenagers by my side will make me seem a whole lot more courageous than I really am and plus, it gives you a chance to hear things from a different perspective. This is all very new to us so we will be trying out different things - be gentle with us and do me a favour? Email me with topics that you would like us to discuss. Please? For Pinterest What's The Podcast About? The first episode is us saying hello and talking about mobile devices, the pros and cons of why a kid needs a cell phone and how parents react to this. A teenagers point of view and parents concerns. Are phones bad for our children? Is there any need to worry so much. Some of you may know that teenagers and devises are my favourite subject - but how do kids feel? Podcast Notes: I have homeschooled both of my kids (now 17 and 14) for the past nine years. Last year we took them backpacking around the world for a year. It was the best thing we have ever done. It was while we were on this trip that we came up with the idea of starting a podcast wherein kids and parents discuss topics. Sharing both sides of the story. I know that all teenagers are not the same. Some are really shy, others feel as though they can't talk about certain stuff to their parents. That is why we wanted to make this podcast as honest as possible. The minute it feels awkward I will pull the plug. If I had a podcast like this I would probably be addicted to it. There is so much I want to know about how other parents cope with stuff but I am usually either too embarrassed (they may think I'm a nosey cow) or too polite (what are you suggesting?). This is a fly on the wall podcast just for you. I mess up straight away by introducing myself and then, before I know it, I am introducing Sonny too. That is something I will have to remember when doing this podcast - to keep my mouth shut and let my kids have their say! I ask my 17-year-old son, Sonny, what age did he get his phone and WHY does he have to have it strapped to his hand for 14 hours a day?! He explains about a snapchat phenomenon called 'Streaks'. I don't tell him what streaks referred to back in the '80s... When you hear what it is teenagers are actually doing with their phones it makes the whole worry thing a great deal easier. I'm not saying I like it, but it is the way of the world and I think it's better to understand something rather than be frightened of it. The podcast flew by so quickly. Once we got talking I really didn't want it to end, but we think that twenty minutes is long enough. What do you think? And do you like Sonny's intro? Message me and give me some ideas, we'll love you forever. And don't forget, if you enjoy the parenting podcast subscribe on iTunes and leave us a review! That way we will get seen by more people. Yay! .