The Big OE

Now that it's getting close to the time that I'll be going home (about a month's time) I thought I'd write down my reflections of doing the Big Overseas Experience. I've been asked quite a few times while I've been here why I (and other young New Zealanders, Australians, and South Africans) have traveled away from home to live and work in another country...

I think traveling and living overseas is such a part of New Zealand culture because we have a small population - sheep jokes aside please! Although we do have a native culture, and a distinctive Kiwi culture, it's a very new one that's made up of other cultures brought over from around the world and it's still a young country. Traditionally Britain has been the destination of the OE, being a return to the 'Motherland' - I wondered while I was preparing for my travel to London why there wasn't a handbook! Personally, I think I was given a sense of wanderlust and curiosity at a young age (which was perhaps helped by my parents having wonderful photo albums full of photos of me traveling as a toddler).

Growing up in New Zealand also made me want to travel to help me with my sense of identity in the world. Bridging the gap between Eastern and Western cultures is sometimes joyous, and sometimes difficult, but it's becoming all the more common. I sometimes still struggle with the seemingly simple question of 'where are you from?' because it holds so many connotations - my neighbourhood, my citizenship, my race, my heritage, where my family and my home is? They all hold different answers.

I've been very lucky to have been able to experience so much in just over a year and a half. At first the big thrill was the sense of independence, of being able to take myself wherever my dreams took me, to make it. Then delight in finding that my skills were valued in another country, and that I could use my job to learn more about life in the UK. One of the biggest joys are the people I've met along the journeys who have brought my journey to life. Friends I've met, ones I've reunited with, patients who have helped my learning, maybe even just shared a friendly word in passing, the generosity of strangers. I think I've also been able to answer many of the questions I've had about myself too, a bit of introspection from experiencing many new things.

I'm excited about going home, and I'm excited for Dave that this might be his OE. Yes, Charinthecity might become Daveinthecountry (or better alternative name, I'm sure there's one out there!)


I'm so glad, so happy that we can journey together.



*What was the lure of living in another country, or place, for you?
**Did it live up to your expectations?