“Faith and Trust in the Lord”: SA Woman Reflects One Year After Moving to New Zealand

• A South African mother shared an emotional video marking one year since her family of four left SA for New Zealand, showing their journey from the airport to settling into their new home
• The family joined over 95,000 South African-born people now living in New Zealand, making SA the fifth largest source of immigrants to the country
• Social media users responded with mixed reactions, with some sharing their own emigration stories while others expressed sadness about families leaving South Africa

A South African woman has shared a touching video looking back at her family's big move to New Zealand exactly one year ago. Content creator @leandieswan posted clips of their journey, from saying goodbye at the South African airport to exploring their new home country with her husband and two children.

The video that was shared in May takes viewers through emotional airport scenes as the family leaves SA, their arrival in New Zealand, finding their new home, and fun moments as they explore their new country. The footage shows the family making New Zealand their own, from settling into their new place to discovering local spots and creating new memories together.

In her caption, @leandieswan opened up about the emotional roller coaster of emigrating.

"Today, 1 year ago, we landed in New Zealand for the first time. Super overwhelmed, and uncertain in how the future will look like, we kept our faith and trusted in the Lord," she wrote.

She admitted that leaving South Africa wasn't easy, explaining that:

"Immigrating to another country splits your heart in half."

Despite missing their loved ones back home, she said the family couldn't be happier and at peace with their new life. She ended her post saying their future is bright and thanking everyone who's been part of their journey.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

Growing SA community in New Zealand

The family is part of a growing trend of South Africans moving to New Zealand. According to the 2023 census, there are now 95,577 South African-born people living in New Zealand, making up 1.5% of the country's population. This number has grown by over 33% since 2018, although many South Africans have moved to New Zealand since the early 1990s, following the end of apartheid

Auckland is home to the largest South African community, with nearly 37,000 people, followed by regions like Waikato, Wellington, and Canterbury. Many of these families, like @leandieswan's, have chosen New Zealand for its quality of life and opportunities for their children.

Mixed reactions from Mzansi

The video sparked various responses from South Africans, with some sharing their own emigration experiences.

@Jaco Theunissen commented:

"Busy moving to the US and never coming back for sure... Toxic SA not for me."

@🇿🇦TROTSE AFRIKANER🇿🇦 shared:

"I did it in 2006 and am still abroad, and best move I made. In your case, we all know you do it for the kids' future 💕"

@Nothing expressed sadness:

"So sad to see you go, however, it's your future and your kids. May God the Almighty protect you."

@richardwhitephoenix related:

"I did the same. I've been in Dubai for 7 months now. Originally from Johannesburg, leaving SA was hard but it's the best move I ever made."

Top destinations for South African emigrants

South Africans are making their mark across the world, drawn by work opportunities, education and lifestyle perks. BusinessTech’s latest data reveals which countries host the largest communities of South African emigrants.

1. The United Kingdom hosted 217,180 South African-born residents in 2021, marking a 13.7% rise since 2011.
2. Australia followed with 206,730 South Africans living there by 2022, a 23.2% increase over the previous decade.
3. The United States counted 139,332 South African residents in 2022.
4. New Zealand had 71,382 South Africans as of 2018.
5. Canada’s South African population reached 51,590 in 2021.
6. The Netherlands recorded 28,466 South Africans living there in 2023.
7. Ireland was home to 15,886 SA people in 2022.
8. Portugal hosted 10,630 South Africans as of 2021.

Other stories about South Africans abroad

• Briefly News recently reported on South African moms braaiing in China, shocking locals with their traditional cooking methods while dividing opinions back home.
• A Cape Town woman celebrated getting her apartment in New York, with viewers amazed by her industrial-style flat and curious about heating systems in the Big Apple.
• A travel content creator broke down her Zanzibar trip costs, revealing hidden expenses like mandatory insurance and warning others to bring cash instead of relying on cards.

Hilary Sekgota, human interest head of desk at Briefly News, contributed to this article.

Source: Briefly News