http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8788982/Afghan-interpreter-families-officially-welcomed
The story and the accompanying photos in the above link made me very happy this morning. It’s at times like this that I remember why I like New Zealand.
New Zealand’s first formal refugee resettlement programme was in 1944 when 734 Polish orphans and their helpers were brought to New Zealand for the duration of the war. http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/the-story-of-seven-hundred-polish-children-1966
This link gives more information on refugees and their history in New Zealand http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/refugees/page-1 Apparently the earliest refugees to find their way to New Zealand were Danes, Jews from Tsarist Russia and French Huguenots.
” More than 20,000 refugees have arrived since 1944, when refugees were first distinguished from other immigrants in official statistics. While the total number is low compared to the many millions of refugees and displaced people in the world, it is high in terms of the country’s population of 4 million.” ( The Encyclopedia of New Zealand)
What made me very unhappy this morning is the discovery that the charger for my camera battery seems to have vanished off the face of the kitchen bench; its usual home. I am suffering great perturbation. Perhaps if I reread the links I have given you, I will calm down and thank my lucky stars that my problems are so minor. But, but, but……I can’t help but be vexed. Deep breath……relax……
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Glad the charger turned up 🙂 I’m having camera troubles too. I got mine wet yesterday while out walking. Calamity!
I struggled to find the video, Ann, but it came up when I put it in the ‘search’ window. What a heart wrencher! The tears flowed. It’s rarely that I would sit transfixed for 15 minutes. The lady whose mother died with her baby on her lap in the snow in Siberia- I’m so glad she found her happy ending! I would like to use the link and feel that it might better sit in the post I am currently writing, ‘U is for Urszula’. You have every right to feel proud of your country. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Mmmm…I am sorry the link didn’t work but I am not surprised it didn’t ; I was still learning how to do things back then. But I would love for the story to be more widely known. Our New Zealand has been enriched by this connection with Poland. Oh dear; hope your camera recovers.
Yes, it’s been a mutual benefit, hasn’t it?
That’s why I think the video will sit well within my Personal A-Z of Poland. Thanks Ann 🙂
Excellent. I will enjoy finding out more about Poland.
Great post sweetie!
Thank you 🙂
Glad you found your errant charger – and that you have not had to experience the flight of a refugee yourself! I know that Canada has been a new home for many refugees, as well – another reason to feel proud of my country that I have never thought about before. It is pleasant to think of a beautiful place like NZ being a welcoming point for people in crisis, isn’t it? Nice info…
I was so pleased to have my charger again. So pleased! New Zealand must be so different, and so far away from anything familiar, for most refugees, but at least it is peaceful.
What I have seen of it in movies and travel shows looks simply marvellous!!
And what I have seen of Canada in books etc looks marvellous to me too.
It is rather lovely – at least the parts I’ve seen. The east and est coats and the Rocky Mountains are pretty incredible. The prairies have a beauty of their own – not majesty, but pastoral – lots of lakes and rivers up north, and endless farmland with wide-open sunsets!
A visit is on my wish list. I did a school project on Canada when I was about 10 or 11. I still have the project (it makes me smile). So, you can see my interest in that part of the world has been long standing. My nephew is currently in Calgary playing in the Canadian Professional Golf Tour. We would all like to be there to watch him.
Ooh – what’s his name??
http://www2.pgatourcanada.com/leagues/Cantour_Player.cfm?clientid=3776&leagueid=11755&playerid=3977&seasonnum=2013 Tarquin MacManus
I have a slide show of New Zealand photos as my screen saver, beautiful country.
Oh, that must be lovely. I have to say the US has some fabulous scenery too. I adore New York State and Maine. Cape Cod…I could have stayed there an entire summer.
You picked a great area to visit, I love it up there too. Frankly, I’ve been in Florida way too long.
🙂 The favourable climate seems to keep people in Florida or keep them coming back.
You either love it or hate it, maybe I’ve just been here too long – 43 years.
That is a long time. Maybe when time and finances permit you can treat yourself to a holiday in our part of the world and visit Australia, which appealed so much to your father.
Yes, that would be great! Dad did instill my first interest in the area and the more I see, the more I like.
I can imagine you would have such fun with your notebooks and camera and computer visiting all the military site. Auckland War Memorial Museum in New Zealand. The various military sites in Wellington. Then the city of Canberra in Australia has a wonderful war memorial too. I think with the help of your blogger friends accommodation would not be a problem. Something to dream on 🙂
Yes it is. You don’t think I would go there without telling my blogger friends, do you? My tour would depend on their advice.
So it would 🙂
Thanks so much for the links; I’m learning amazing things about NZ! I knew of the Polish orphans, but much of the other information was new for me.
Best of all are your personal details. You have a delightful, balanced perspective.
Lovely that you enjoyed the links. I am fascinated that you knew of the Polish orphans. Is that in general or in relation to the ones who came to New Zealand?
And yet another fascinating fact about WWII…so many stories that have yet to be heard. Glad you’re back…missed you for a few days and was wondering if all was well.
I am glad to be back. I have had visitors and also Sunday was the big day when we went to listen to the Dalai Lama.
What a great reason to be absent from your blog! 🙂
Yes, it was a wonderful time.
There are numerous reasons to love New Zealand. I love all of them… I had a penfriend from NZ when I was about 15, and she sent me a calendar with the most magnificent pictures of forests, mountains and lakes. I still have this calendar! Being a nature lover It made me want to go to NZ as soon as I had enough money to do so – but our resolution to meet in her country never came true. We wrote to each other for som years but eventually lost contact.
When my daughter was working for GVN and we went to NZ the whole family last year, I tried to find my old penfriend. I brought out all letters I had and tried to contact her, her parents and her schoolmates even… But no answer. It would have been great fun to meet and find out how life had turned out for her too. I wrote letters by hand and I tried the Internet – nothing. This still grieves me. Maybe she emigrated to Australia or to the US, I don’t know.
But, finally I have seen the country of my dreams – and I want to visit once more before I die. I met so many wonderful people and saw so many fantastic things, animals, trees, landscapes and…everything. I never made it to Stewart Island, though – so I would love to go again some day. And of course to visit some of those people I learned to love too.
I haven’t been to Stewart Island either :(. Perhaps we should visit together when you come back. And I hope you will. I am sorry you didn’t find your penfriend. Those links are so important to our lives. You may enjoy this post I wrote about my mother’s penfriend https://silkannthreades.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/small-words-on-long-journeys/
New Zeeland seems wonderful! Do you now if the success with The Lord of the Rings had bring some new members to your country, or more tourists then it used to be?
Thank you. I think we do get quite a few visitors because of The Lord of the Rings. Certainly there are some popular tours where you can visit The Lord of the Rings sites. I have done one myself. It was fun.
Oh, great! 😀 Seems like lot of fun!
love the cat! (and the elegant rug and the blue trim on the curtains……gorgeous)
dear friend – did you get hacked? we got a strange two paragraphs about Fiji Water in the comments section chez teamgloria.com – *worriedlook* from your domain…
no no! I am sorry to confuse you.
The comment was from me about Fiji Water. Because Fiji Water was sponsoring the art walk you took the other night. Or so I discovered when I investigated your link.
Yes, carpet and blue trim of curtain; quite perfect.
phew!
we got worried….
Phew indeed. I can be a confusing individual.
One of the things that I enjoy about blogging is learning about the characteristics and history of various places. The articles about refuges are wonderful and heart-warming. I can see why you are proud of New Zealand.
Glad you enjoyed the article. Often times I find myself being critical about my country, so it is good to stop, now and then, and reflect on what is good about where one lives.
You know, as a child, well teenager I was already dreaming of New Zealand. My sister and me cut out pictures and stuck them to the walls of our bedroom, we loved that part of the world and still do. My sister has since visited New Zealand many times and brought back fantasic stories and pictures. For me it is still on my to do list…… one day!
Could your charger be under that cat??????? 🙂
I love that you stuck pictures of New Zealand on your bedroom walls when you were a teenager. I did suspect the cat! But, no, my son found it in the back of his car. Why was it there? Who knows? He doesn’t and I certainly didn’t put it there. We have had a lot people in our house lately. So things have been a bit out of order and he probably just scooped it up with his books one day by accident. One day, we will welcome you to New Zealand, Ute.
Glad you found the charger in the mystery place. I really hope my New Zealand dream will come true! 🙂
Me too.
We had a photo in our paper during the week of 25 women who had just been granted NZ Citizenship and they were very happy. The photo was of women only to commemorate that it is the anniversary this year of women getting the vote in 1893. I feel so proud of that fact but as a country we need to do more to improve the lives of many, many women who live here.
I wonder if the charger has “appeared”…..I know how frustrating that can be…..”it must be here somewhere”……
Your mostly outdoor cat looks very comfy – is she on a large donut or a bean sack I wonder?
What a lovely way to acknowledge women getting the vote. Was the photo in the Dom Post? Or? Yes, there is still so much to do for our women, our children and indeed our people! As for that charger; it has charged off into oblivion as best I can tell. And THAT CAT! She was on the dog’s bean bag and the dog didn’t even protest.
Yes the photo was in the Dom Post this week.
I found the article. Thanks so much. Such a lovely read. I am going to paste the link here because I love the connection with the women’s vote and Matariki as well. http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/8778793/Matariki-marks-new-start-for-25-women
It was a “good news” read on the front page. What a welcome change!
Yes. I only glanced at the front page of our Press today. Yet another distressing story on the earthquake recovery. Government threatening (note that word) to intervene in the City Council consenting process. Why threaten? Is that the media’s interpretation? Or was that really what was said? Shall we invite them all on to WordPress and help them with manners 🙂
I heard that report too. This Government seems to use a lot of “tough talk” across all manner of issues. It is such a common feature that I doubt that the media orchestrates it every time. Audio clips tend to support our feeling on this.
I do agree with you about the manners of the WP bloggers that I follow and enjoy.
Oh, GOOD NEWS, the charger has appeared. Somehow, and goodness only knows how, my son found it in the back of his car!!!!!!!! Now that is a mystery that neither he nor I can explain.
Excellent news about the gallivanting charger! I suspect the aggrieved dog removed it to the back of your son’s car in silent protest at the cat taking over his very comfy looking dog bed!
Yes, that is a great explanation! A gallivanting charger! Just the sort I would own.
I thought that!
New Zealand is a beautiful place and I find your post interesting. I think the cat knows the hiding place of your charger 🙂 Annie
I think she does too. But she is not telling!
Lovely article on the interpreters! I am praying to Saint Fanourios (a Greek Orthodox Saint for lost articles) for you to find your charger!
Thank you so much. I need all the help I can get. Glad you liked the article on the interpreters. I just loved the smiles on the faces of the children.
Please say another prayer to Saint Fanourios for me; a thank you prayer 🙂 The charger was found. By my son. It was in his car!
Wow, that is wonderful!
🙂
I hope you find your charger. My advice is to stop looking for it. It will only come out of hiding when it thinks the game is over. Have you asked the cat, btw? She looks as though she’s hiding something.
Yes, I have my suspicions about that cat too. But she refuses to tell me what she knows! I lost a garden sprinkler some while back. And a vegetable steamer. I found both of them in very obvious places about a year after I had misplaced them!
I hope you’ve found your charger by now, never mind about perspective and realising how lucky you are, where’s that charger?!!
True, true. I haven’t found it yet and I am feeling quite demented about it. I have started to look in places like the freezer and the laundry basket and the linen cupboard :D. I mean where else do you go once you’ve even emptied out the rubbish bin. I can’t believe how stressed I am!
You’re gonna have to sit calmly and replay your movements with that charger in your mind, I know it’s difficult, sometimes I lose things only seconds after I had them in my hand 🙂 Where you taking it somewhere? Where did you last use it? Have you gathered it up with other stuff like laundry? If all else fails you can order one online, it’ll be with you in a few days….calm calm, cup of tea, and think….:)
And Play some of your ‘soothing’ music……..
That could help I guess 🙂 Good luck!
For me too New Zealand is on my ‘places to see before I die’ list. It was the Lord of the Rings movies that fuelled my desire.Let us see….
Shakti
Yes, the Lord of the Rings showed our beautiful scenery to the world. Hope you do visit New Zealand one day.
New Zealand is one of the top locations I have always wanted to visit… and Australia comes much further down on the list. I didn’t know very much about New Zealand but I’ve learned quite a bit tonight. Thank you… now I know why I like New Zealand even more!!!
I knew some of the story for this post but I learned a great deal more whilst I was gathering information. I was interested in the French ‘refugees’ or the French Huguenot part of our NZ history.
Now see, Rebecca is so knowledgeable. I didn’t know THAT is why middle earth is in New Zealand. I didn’t know any of this about New Zealand. And I liked New Zealand before! Now I like it more. Did you know Nicole Know Nicole Kidman has never been to New Zealand, even though her hubby is from there? It’s true. Watch this on Letterman. It will de-perturbate you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2zEuEo92yQ
This is the oddest interview I have ever seen.
Here’s the second half if you are really bored. Strangest interview ever.
LOL
It is a very odd interview! I am really surprised that Nicole hasn’t been to New Zealand. I hope you had a wee look at my link to the Polish children who came to NZ. I thought of your Polish ancestry and your empathy with children when I watched it myself.
And do you know what I found out just today about New Zealand! – Women’s suffrage in New Zealand was an important political issue!! New Zealand was the first to give women the vote in modern times – 1893! That is why Middle Earth is located in New Zealand. BTW, I know that you will find the charger. They like to hide from time to time….
Indeed we were the first! We led the way. We started early but it took a long time to get our first female Prime Minister. We eventually got there.
Seeing a sleepy and happy cat should also calm you down (it does for me).
Yes, that is what I was hoping 😉 but it’s not working very well yet.