2022 marked the arrival of the first group of tourists after the Covid lockdown. Zita's heart beat with the rhythm of distant shores even before she could fully comprehend the vastness of the world. Well, who can? Some things in life only become tangible when experienced firsthand. The 48-year-old single mom from Hungary started a journey to fulfill a lifelong dream of living in New Zealand, with its pleasant climate and warm-hearted people. Many expressed skepticism about the feasibility of this (ad)venture. "They said I couldn't go further," Zita recalls.
"My dream was going abroad to live since I was 10. The life gave me other tasks before I could fulfill it decades later. New Zealand perfectly fitted to my dream destination: English speaking country with good climate, beautiful nature and nice people. One thing only which is a little challenge here: the distance from Hungary. ’You could not go further’ – said everybody. That’s right but what this country can give you worth everything. I arrived here as a tourist hoping that I am enough to get a job and a visa to live and work here. Before this arrival there was a huge correspondence with Edit Andrejkovics trying to get an answer on everything. Living in the EU we cannot imagine how different and hard to get a job in a visa required country. She is a very patient, highly skilled professional who helped me with every step here. Thankfully for her encouragement and helpfullness I could get a job with a 2-year visa and I could change my workplace since then. I have a lot more to do to reach the residency status but I am sure that with Edit’s help I can do it."
Despite many refusals, discouragement and being separated from her daughter, who remained in Hungary pursuing a Ph.D., within her first month, Zita secured employment, allowing her to upgrade from a tourist to a work visa. The journey was not without challenges (and with many more to come) but Zita's ability to make sacrifices and compromise. Amongst many takeaways, let us highlight one of the most important one: the willingness for sacrifices. Us, migrants, we need to understand that sacrifices are part of the journey whether you like it or not. With the support and the nudge in the right direction from Edit Andrejkovics, Zita is now inching closer to her dream.
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Image credit @jcomp