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Visit from Noël, Thanksgiving in NZ and What’s Next for the Ostrom’s!
Our good friend Noël came to New Zealand and it did all of our hearts good to see her. She had 2 weeks off of Chemo and is a rockstar and expert traveler so had some adventures of her own and spent a lot of time with us also. We stayed 1 night in a…
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Time is Flying! Springtime in New Zealand, and Wellington with Ziggy Alberts.
I wish I could send a smell over the inter-webs. The birds here never stop, so they are still singing like a tropical paradise, but the flowers that are blooming everywhere, especially citrus fruit flowers and cherry blossoms and now Pōhutukawa trees (the NZ Christmas tree), Wow! Just Wow! I have been working a ton…
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Fun Times with Aunt Jill!
Aunt Jill and her friend Rhonda (now Our friend Rhonda) came to visit after their own epic Pacific Moana crossing via Carnival Cruises. They traveled from Seattle to multiple Pacific islands – waved at us as they cruised below Tonga, and then had a week on Sydney Australia before flying to Auckland to see us!…
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Matafonua (A Trip Within A Trip of a Lifetime!)
Mālo ē lēilei our friends and family! That’s “hello” in Tongan. Have you ever heard Tongan? It sounds like laughter and singing. We have had a truly spectacular week with my youngest brother, Tommy, my soon-to-be sister April, her best friend Hannah, and several of their other friends, Steph, Cassie and Jethro from Australia, Julie…
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September in NZ!
It’s the beginning of October and while our loved ones in the US are enjoying leaves changing to reds, golds and browns, Pumpkin Spice everything and the cozy fall evenings, we are finally getting some real warmth during the days here in NZ. There is still quite a bit of rain and windy days, but…
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NZ Flu Adventure!
August 25-29 Kia Ora whanau me hoa aroha (Hello dear family and friends). We are deep in a week of flu symptoms here in Aotearoa. The rates of flu I have been seeing in the urgent care have been incredible! Probably exceeding many of the flu season’s I have worked through in the US. Covid…
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Woodhill Mountain Bike park, Rotorua Redwoods and other Mountain biking tales.
I have been a bit hesitant to go on and on about our family’s favorite activity since being here. But, for those who know Mason well, when he gets into something, he is invariably great at it and is diligent and focused on improvement – always. Leif has been growing in that same skill and…
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Muriwai Beach and Mäori Bay with the Gannets!
1 August First things first, my stepdad is doing great and recovering well and they even bought tickets to NZ! Parent heart things seem to come in seasons as my Dad is having an angiogram this month as well. This is the hardest part of being away when loved ones are going through difficult things.…
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We Interrupt this Scheduled Adventure for . . . Another Adventure!
23 July, I just returned to NZ from a very short trip to Blaine, WA for 1 week. It’s been 2 weeks since my stepdad went to the hospital with chest pains and was found to need a Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG for short). He bravely had this done on the 10th of July…
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Whanau visit days 5 – 7! Mānawatia a Matariki, Karangahaka Windows hike, Hot water beach and the famous Cathedral cove.
Matariki is a newly recognized (by the government) holiday in NZ – only in the last 2 years do schools and work places close to allow Whanau (families) to celebrate and honor ancestors and be together. It’s impressive to see this country working through the challenge of honoring the Māori culture and history in this…
The Ostrom Family Adventures
A small family embarking on a year-long adventure to New Zealand to meet new friends and learn about more of the world and ourselves.
Preparations are under way.
We started considering spending a year in New Zealand about 8 years ago, but it wasn’t the right timing and we spent 6 amazing years in Portland, OR suburbs making friends who became family. Moving to Olympia Washington just about 3 years ago, we embarked on the adventure of buying 10 acres and a farmhouse outside the city which has been full of beautiful times as well as a lot of challenges. We are so thankful for the community of friends and neighbors who have become like family here as well.
With Leif starting middle school this year and Mason taking some time to work on the farm and working on crafting his knife-making style and business ideas, and a job and work-family that I really enjoy, it has seemed like the right time to fulfill a dream and take a year in New Zealand with a home and community that we are also excited to return to – with great stories and experiences.
I’ll be doing my best to document our travels here and share our life with those who want to check it out.
One Step Closer
I have traveled overseas and worked in various setting way back when I was single. The biggest reason I think families don’t pick up and go try something new is that it is really really hard. I’m so thankful for the amazing man I married and his support and teamwork to help make this happen. As he has said – he’s the physical manpower and I get to be the dreamer and planner, but he has been doing so much planning and preparing for all of our belongings as well and we are excited to be seeing things come together.
We are currently in the “waiting for Visa’s” part of the process. My Medical License has already been approved. The Visa’s were submitted at the beginning of the month and once they are approved, flights get purchased and initial housing will be chosen. We will get an Airbnb initially for a couple weeks as we find our footing and decide where we want to live for the rest of the year. Global Medical Staffing has been amazing at connecting me to a clinic there and helping submit a lot of the paperwork.
I’m not great at waiting, but it is a large part of most adventures in one way or another and I’m enjoying the waiting as we connect with friends and family before we are off for the year.
The Ostrom Family Adventures 