{"id":227803,"date":"2026-03-17T14:44:01","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T12:44:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/?p=227803"},"modified":"2026-03-17T14:44:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T12:44:09","slug":"out-and-about-an-email-from-new-zealand-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/en\/out-and-about-an-email-from-new-zealand-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Out and about: an email from New Zealand"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Out and about<\/em> is a column where we talk to people who currently live abroad, or who used to live and work there. This week we talk to Quinton van der Berg, who currently lives in New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hello Quinton, it is nice to talk to you! Where in South Africa are you originally from?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Thank you for the opportunity. I am originally from the Vaal Triangle, but before we emigrated, I lived in the Cape for seven years. That is also where I met my wife \u2013 she is from the beautiful Swartland, from Malmesbury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell us more about your family.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


My wife and I met in 2019 and started dating in 2021. We wanted to get married and start a family but felt we didn\u2019t want to do it in South Africa, for various personal and political reasons. So, we started looking at options overseas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was lucky to find a job fairly quickly. We got married in September 2023 and shortly after that I left for New Zealand. My visa was approved very quickly, and my new company wanted me to start as soon as possible. So, Chantelle stayed behind to pack up the house and sell everything we had built up over the years. She handled it incredibly well while I had already started working here. About three months later she was able to join too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We settled in New Plymouth, a coastal town on the west coast of the North Island in the Taranaki region. Our daughter, Mila, was born here in New Zealand on 30 December 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since we moved, we have grown even closer. In a new country, you really have to rely on each other, and it has strengthened our bond. We see ourselves as a team, dreaming together, working together and building a future together \u2013 especially for our little girl.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Tell us what work you do and how the work culture in New Zealand differs from that in South Africa.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


I work as an industrial radiographer and Chantelle works as an administration officer at a dance school for children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here in New Zealand, you often hear a lot about the concept of a \u201cwork-life balance\u201d. Things are not as rushed as we sometimes experience in South Africa. People also work hard, but there is a clear balance between work and personal life. We also noticed that people at work are quite private \u2013 it sometimes takes a while before colleagues invite you to socialise outside of the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Was it difficult to adjust there or did you find it easy to make friends and integrate into the community?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


We adapted pretty quickly and made a lot of new friends. Some days were harder than others, of course, but overall, we settled in well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We quickly became part of a local church, and Chantelle did a lot of volunteer work at the Cancer Society in the first few months before she started working. This helped her to meet great people and become part of the community more quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n

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How does the lifestyle and cost of living differ from that in South Africa?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


The lifestyle here is more down to earth. People do not really care what car you drive or what clothes you wear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the cost of living is quite high. Houses and rent are expensive \u2013 a normal two- or three-bedroom house can easily cost around R6 500 per week<\/strong>. Groceries are quite similar to South African prices for many products, with a difference here and there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What was the strangest thing for you to get used to?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


The honesty and trust between people surprised us quite a bit. In South Africa we are used to the fact that you can\u2019t just let everything lie around or trust everyone. Here we experience that most people are very honest and sincere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your word also counts a lot \u2013 often more than documentation or proof slips. The general law-abiding nature of people was also striking to us. Most people simply follow the rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does the food in New Zealand differ from that in South Africa?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There is a big difference, especially with traditional food. New Zealand has incredible meat pies, and their mutton is fantastic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also have a famous traditional Maori cooking method called hangi<\/em>. Food is placed in a hole in the ground with hot stones, covered and slowly cooked with steam. The first time it can taste quite strange if you are not familiar with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you get the opportunity to travel?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


I travel quite a lot for work, all over the North and South Islands. Chantelle travelled with me a few times before she started working and before Mila was born. We also have friends and acquaintances all over the country, so we often go visit on long weekends.<\/p>\n\n\n