NRI Voice: In Awe of Auckland

By Asmita Sarkar | February 6, 2018

Arts therapist Supreet Kaur’s friends and family always said that she was not meant for India, and when she reached New Zealand, she realized that they were more than right. Kaur has been living in Auckland, New Zealand, for almost six years now.

Her journey from New Delhi started as a post graduate student of psychology at the University of Auckland and now she calls the Pacific country with a diverse population and culture her home. Kaur tells Little India about her life, work and personal growth while living abroad on her own:

Blending In

Mingling with the diaspora came naturally to me. New Zealand has always had an eclectic mix of Pakehas (white people), Maori, Islanders (from the Pacific Islands) and smaller, but equal, distributions of Indians, Europeans, Chinese and other nationalities. I fit in well with my classmates and am yet to face racism.

However, those around me say that I have not faced any racism because of the absence of an exaggerated Indian accent. My appearance has also been likened to Latino, Italian and even German and Maori.

I grew up subscribing to American and English literature via books and TV and learned how to speak in three languages right from when I could read and pick up words. This helped me acclimatize to the culture here quicker than most others. I was also a bit of a rebel and never actually hung out with students from India or of Indian origin — never deliberate but it occurred of its own design.

At Home in New Zealand

I came to New Zealand without the intention of working. But it happened organically.

I procured a job in mental health after my first year of study at the University of Auckland and this helped me get my residency. What followed was the perfect enrollment opportunity and then a better job that I stepped into with ease. Looking back now, I don’t think I could have done it any other way.

India Vs New Zealand

Academics take up a lot of one’s time in India, where college schedules are rigorous. It was relaxed here as compared to what I had been through and, I suppose, to fill up that gap, I found working while studying much more rewarding than if I was only a student. Of course, finances were a contributing factor as well to help me pay for rent and all those other adult things that you have to do.

Indian culture is welcome here, people love Indian food and respect Indians. Racism exists and will continue to exist, in the same manner that gender bias does. It is something that we all need to work upon.

Exploring Options

Initially, I moved around a bit, from student flat to student flat, exploring my options and suiting them to my situation at the time. I have lived with others, on my own and been out of a permanent place for a while, all adding to the wonderful experiences that come with being in a new country.

For the last three years, I have been living in an apartment by myself and feel lucky to have found a place that is well suited to my needs, security and financial capability. I did come here by myself but have always managed to find support in people I became friends with, people I knew and people who are always willing to lend a hand. New Zealand is just that kind of a place.

Life in a Strange Country

I spend my free time reading, visiting the beach, trying to teach myself how to swim, and travelling across New Zealand, painting and looking for cultural and gastronomical experiences.

There is no dearth of Indian food here. However, right from childhood, I was someone who enjoyed all types of food. So, having access to Indian food has been a non-issue for me. I know an Indian family here who helps me beat the homesickness blues when they do strike. I also have a lay of the land in terms of which joints to hit for the freshest Indian ingredients when I’m craving that rajma chawal kind of comfort.

Working on Mental Health Issues

I work with people and support them to change their lives or make them more manageable. Addictions and mental health is not an easy field to work in but has given me the greatest opportunities to understand the culture of Kiwi homes, practices and struggles.

I interact with people every day, pick up things that are said or unsaid, and observe with an intense passion for learning. The community has accepted me as one of their own and people recognize what I bring to the table. In a way, the thinking that was recognized as too progressive in India, has served me well in this mostly liberal and people-centered environment.

What Lies Ahead

The need to excel at what I’m doing and the sense of community that I now feel holds me here. I will like to go back to India at some point and maybe establish an arts therapy practice there but for now, I’m setting up my foundation here.