Curious about what it’s like to move to New Zealand? Carla, our Health & Social Care team leader, recently connected with Keilah, a Zimbabwean social worker who made the move. Keilah shared insights and experiences, offering a first-hand glimpse into what to expect when relocating to the Land of the Long White Cloud. Let’s dive into Keilah’s journey so far and find out what to expect moving to New Zealand!
Well from a young age I was always into cricket and New Zealand was one of the first international teams I started being a fan of (I guess that’s why I chose to get accommodation very close to the Cello Basin Reserve).
As I grew up I grew fond of the country especially with the Black Caps logo (in my head it was the most beautiful feather haha).
As time passed, I discovered more about the country, and what stood out to me the most was how different ethnic groups peacefully lived together on the island, with little social conflict. Knowing that the people are so warm and friendly just drew me more to the country.
As such, it was only normal for me to start thinking about moving to New Zealand as soon as I got my first undergraduate degree and when the opportunity and pathway presented itself to me I said to myself, “Well an opportunity to go and practice social work with the youth, on an island, why not!!??” (And I can’t even swim lol).
I would not have been where I am right now if it wasn’t for the Prospero team.
From the very first message I sent to Carla Smith on LinkedIn, her response from then on made me feel like I was in the right hands.
Prospero made me feel that my education and experience stands for something and I’m not just a rookie recent graduate. Carla was always quick with her responses and made sure that she fully understood what kind of role I was looking for up until my first interview. Prospero assisted me with the interview prep and motivated me throughout the whole process.
It was the positivity I got from Carla that really inspired me. In my head I told myself,” I’m from Zimbabwe, what are the chances of any organisation employing and why did Carla agree to support me anyway, without any charge!!?? In a nutshell, the support and motivation I got from the Prospero Team was just outstanding.
The whole thought of moving to New Zealand was a bit frightening because of starting everything from scratch, especially working in a new system with no familiar faces.
However, it didn’t take me long to realise that the anxiety that had been haunting me was all for nothing. As soon as I started my new role everyone was supportive.
There is always someone willing to give a hand, be it work related or outside of office related. The people in and out of work are all warm, kind, patient and willing to give assistance on anything you might need. Everyone at work looks after each other and are conscious of the fact that we all human and have our struggles. It’s a free non-judgemental space.
The nature around is just amazing. A lot of wonderful camp sites, trails for tramping lovers, beautiful beaches. I’ve enjoyed the fact that there’s a lot of opportunities to connect and network with people from different parts of the world as there are a lot of ethnicities in NZ. More so, I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan and having to visit some of the places the movie was filmed has been a wonderful experience.
I would definitely recommend any healthcare professionals from overseas to go through with moving to New Zealand. New Zealand not only values and appreciates healthcare professionals but also offers a wide range or opportunities to grow as a professional. The system supports you to settle in well.
Carla’s conversation with Keilah helps us to understand the triumphs of working abroad, offering valuable lessons for anyone considering a similar leap. As we conclude, we hope this glimpse into Keilah adventure sparks inspiration for those contemplating their international working venture and moving to New Zealand.
If you would like to chat to one of our team about our current healthcare job opportunities in New Zealand, please register your details here. We’ll get in contact with you shortly about our current opportunities! We are also here to help answer what to expect moving to New Zealand.
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