It’s peak summer here in New Zealand, and while it’s quite common to hear local Kiwis complain about the “shit summer” we’ve been having, I’m finding it hard to complain when the alternative is freezing temperatures, endless snow and “false Spring” back home. For us South Dakota natives, summers are notorious for being highly anticipated but temperamental at best. The early weeks are filled with beautiful 70-degree days, which soon give way to unbearable heat and humidity that make even the most devoted South Dakotan question their decision to live in a landlocked state. And yes, we have lakes a plenty in the Midwest, but swimming in a brown water lake filled with farm runoff just doesn’t quite have the same refreshing feel as ocean blue tides.

The mild temperatures of New Zealand and lack of pestering bugs allow us to keep our windows open most days. The daily Pacific breeze felt under the shade of a tree makes for a perfectly cool reading spot, while 5-minutes in the strong rays of the sun will get you sweating and eager for a jump through the waves of your local beach.

And though we’ve found ourselves enjoying our first NZ summer, the frustration of local Kiwis isn’t without reason. Turns out, this summer has been one of New Zealand’s rainiest yet, with areas in the North Island receiving up to 4 or 5 times the amount of normal rain by the end of January. By mid-February, the country has called eight severe weather state of emergency declarations, matching the total for all of 2025. Heavy rainfall has led to multiple incidents of flooding and landslips in the North Island. In late January, a landslip took the lives of six people when it struck a Mount Maunganui holiday park, a tragedy that was felt across the country and left communities reeling.

The increasing intensity of climate events is not a new concept to us, having experienced the growing number of tornado threats, droughts and flooding in the Midwest. The infamous Derecho of 2022 comes to mind. But back in the US, talks of climate change are often met with eye rolls and a lack of community voices. However, New Zealand’s political discourse over warming ocean waters and the need to combat climate change makes it evident that the challenges facing this vulnerable island country are increasingly harder to avoid. With a smaller economy to scale support for infrastructure damage and growing climate disaster threats, it’s been interesting to witness the impact our failure to address global warming has caused.

Thankfully, the weather took a turn for the better just in time for our first visitors from home. My youngest sister, Mary, and her husband, Sean, braved the long flight across the ocean to spend seven days exploring Auckland and the surrounding area. To say we were excited is a massive understatement. The anticipation of FINALLY getting to hug someone from our lives back home was almost too much for me. It has been five full months of building a new life without a local support system, and knowing I would get to share this place with someone I loved and cared for brought me an immense amount of joy.

As the youngest of the family, Mary has always been the “go with the flow” sister who let her older siblings make the decisions, to which she has always been amiable. “Doesn’t matter to me” is her typical catch-phrase, and unlike most people, you can trust that to her – it literally does not matter. Sean, the newest “in-law” of the family, is uniquely opposite. By no means is he uptight or demanding, not in the slightest. But for Sean, this trip was an opportunity, and he was not going to waste it. For weeks before their trip, Sean would send me Instagram reels of food he was dying to try, places he’d love to see, and experiences he wanted to add to our itinerary. Wanting to ensure our first official guests were given a five-star vacation, I set out to check every single thing off of his list.

From the moment they landed (and I attacked Mary with the biggest hug I could muster), we hit the ground running. After showing them our home and giving them a glimpse of our local beach, we visited Muzza’s Pies in Birkenhead to try one of New Zealand’s classic dishes – the meat pie. Immediately after, we hit up Broke Boy Tacos for some delicious birria tacos and Birkenhead Brewing Company for an afternoon beer at our favorite local watering hole. Once Larsen was out of school, we trekked into the city to visit the Sky Tower and meet Austin for dinner at our favorite dining hub.

Our first full day together, we took a ferry to Waiheke Island, where we enjoyed fish and chips for lunch and a sunny swim at Onetangi Beach. Despite the chilly water, Onetangi beach was truly stunning and has become one of the most beautiful spots we’ve discovered yet. We didn’t have time to explore much else on the island, but our interest in the area was officially peaked, and Austin and I decided we would soon return for a weekend getaway.

The following day we took a day trip over to Piha Beach. Before hitting the sand and waves, we hiked through Waitākere Ranges Regional Park to the top of KiteKite falls, braving the steep steps for a truly remarkable view. Afterwards, we picnicked at Piha beach and scurried across the fiercely hot black sand to brave the waves. Having visited Piha a few times in the past, we had never entered the water due to the powerful waves and rumored jellyfishes. However, with local lifeguards on duty and an array of people in the water, we decided it was time to up the ante. As always, our brave girl was fearless and ran straight into the pounding waves. Laughing and jumping through the tides, we embraced the wild ocean as if it was our personal playground. Though the water was cold and my legs were jelly from the previous hike, I ignored my inner adult voice telling me to “just relax on the beach” and watch from the shore, and instead embraced my inner 8-year-old and splashed through the ocean instead.

As a 36-year old mom, I increasingly find myself saying “no” to things I feel too tired to do. Aching joints or temperamental back injuries can keep me from jumping up and willingly playing with Larsen when she asks. Though my excuses are real and valid, I let them get in the way of fun far too often. Jumping through the waves with Larsen that day was a core memory for us both, and one I will not soon forget. It reminded me how young I am and how precious life’s little moments can be. Yes the water was cold – but it was also hella fun!

The next day, we packed ourselves like sardines into our one vehicle on our first official New Zealand road trip. After a three and a half hour drive to the South, we landed in Rotorua for a day of adventure. While Mary and Larsen zip-lined through one of New Zealand’s last untouched ancient forests, Austin, Sean and I went rafting down the Kaituna River and over Tutea Falls, the world’s highest commercially rafted waterfall at 7 meters high (23 feet). Luckily, we landed safely, remaining in the raft. Unluckily, I took in a vast amount of water up my nose and drank far more river water than I intended to. Regardless, the experience was unbelievable and I would absolutely do it all over again.

Throughout the tour, we had opportunities to jump into the cool river water and float under the canopy of the forest. We road through rapids on our stomachs and swam through the current, jumping back into the boat to navigate larger rapids around the river bend. We came back soaked from head to toe and smiling ear to ear. When I didn’t think I could feel any more joy, the guides that took Larsen zip-lining boasted to me about how brave she was, leading the group on every single platform and even doing one run upside down!

Though we were exhausted from a full day, we rallied for a nighttime tree walk in the Redwood Forest. Suspended above the forest floor, we walked amongst 75-meter redwood trees and enchanting lights, turning the forest into a magical experience. Our cameras failed to capture how mesmerizing the forest was, which allowed us to put our phones away and just be present for the moment. After our walk, we did a quick tour of a locally constructed glow worm cave, where thousands of glow worms lit up a small area, offering us the opportunity to see these remarkable creatures in action. While they were not in their natural habitat, it was surprising to see thousands of worms light up the dark cave in search of food. Nature never ceases to amaze me with its odd creations.

The following day we ventured through the rolling hills of the Waikato Region for a behind the scenes tour of Hobbiton, where they filmed the famous Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films. The idyllic and serene valley where the Hobbit holes were permanently constructed was like stepping straight into the Shire. We walked along the path where Gandalf notably rode past the Hobbit children with a cart full of fireworks, and stood outside Bilbo Baggins house next to his clever sign “No admittance, except on party business.” We even peered down the path where Bilbo famously shouted “I’m going on an adventure!”

Following our tour, we enjoyed complimentary beer, cider and juice at The Green Dragon Inn, and a delicious lunch buffet inside the festive Party Marquee. While I never considered myself a cinephile or even a notable fan of the Lord of the Rings franchise, it was incredible to see the set of this iconic movie and hear the stories of how the local community embraced the production team and continue to keep the magic of the movies alive. Without a doubt, I would recommend this tour to anyone with even a small amount of interest. It’s a truly immersive experience and one I would gladly do again. Plus, it makes for a great Christmas card picture!

Our last day in Rotorua was slower paced. Next to our cozy Airbnb was the Skyline gondola and luge tracks. A quick gondola ride led us to a gorgeous panoramic view of Rotorua. To Larsen’s delight, we raced back down the hill on luge carts, living out our Mario Cart fantasies (sans green shells). By the next day, our entire crew was ready to head back to Auckland, fully satisfied with the numerous adventures we encountered. We’d packed in a remarkable amount of experiences in one week, checking every item off of Sean’s list – including him getting a souvenir tattoo the day before departure.

As I dropped them off at the airport and drove back home, I wrestled with the bittersweet feelings of goodbye. On one hand, I feel so incredibly lucky to get to live in this beautiful place where family can visit and explore a country that some only dream of seeing one day. But on the other hand, saying goodbye means not knowing when we’ll see each other again. The reality is we will likely not be visiting the United States anytime soon. Very likely it won’t be for a few years. We can only hope that family is able to make the trip over at least once, but asking more than that is unreasonable. Our choice to live here comes with significant loss, which at times is really difficult to swallow. And though we occasionally find ourselves feeling down about the distance we endure, we know that if and when family and friends can visit, we will give them a trip worth taking and memories for a lifetime.

With the end of Mary and Sean’s vacation came the end of Larsen’s summer holiday. She started year 4 with a new classroom and teacher, which she has been enjoying immensely. Once a week she takes tennis lessons at the nearby tennis club, and has started playing Futsal on Sunday afternoons. Last weekend she scored two of the four goals and earned the award for Player of the Day! Her group of friends continues to grow, as does her curiosity and eagerness to learn. Just last night she begged Austin to practice math with her, working on time tables and division at the kitchen table.

Austin’s back at work after recovering from a nasty bout of COVID (which he got from me). For what felt like an eternity (though it was only a week), the two of us took turns resting, napping, and cleaning the house to avoid getting Larsen sick as well. Though some of our symptoms refuse to leave us, we’re mostly back to feeling ourselves and have found a steady routine again.

Meanwhile, I continue to scour the internet and LinkedIn for any and all job opportunities. Trying to network my way towards a job is draining and defeating, but I know the right role will come eventually. I try to remind myself daily that we’ve done a very challenging thing, moving across the world, and the fact that Austin himself was able to get a job is a miracle in itself. I feel a renewed sense of vigor in my search, and am even starting to consider volunteering in the meantime to widen my network and fill my social cup.

In the meantime, I’m embracing the free time I’ve been given by reading books in the backyard to the buzzing sounds of late-summer cicadas, taking afternoon strolls at our local beach, and binge-watching the newest seasons of Love is Blind and Bridgerton. Hope all is well with everyone back home – if you made it this far, thanks for reading!