The No1 thing I learned from living in NZ for 15+ years

Welcome to JC Design Life. It’s your life, it’s your design. I’m Vivian.

My husband and I went to a High Tea place with a Beautiful Garden! Apparently high tea is neither a Chinese thing nor a German thing. So it’s really our first experience. Just think it might be interesting to other people. So I’m sharing this experience with you all. While walking you guys through the garden, I also want to share with you the number 1 thing I learned from living in NZ for more than 15 years. (High tea is at 6:25 after the sharing)

You know, growing up in China, I was a typical Chinese girl who studied so hard to please my parents. I was told if I study hard, I can go to a good university so that I can find a good job and a good husband. I was told pleasure or playing is always for later. With that mindset, I never knew how to enjoy life. Because there is always work to do in every stage of my life. Retirement seemed my only hope or chance to finally relax.

Well thanks to God, I didn’t wait until my retirement. After I finished my studies, I stayed and lived in NZ for more than 15 years, yeah, over 15 years, I have learned to enjoy my life! Literally I have learned to go to the beach almost every weekend. hehe… I’ve learned to play games just like little children. Hehe.. That’s due to my German hubby, he introduced me to board games. He made me understand that games are not just for children. There are many other adult games apart from Majiang!!! Well , overseas experience does open your mind and eyes, you see?!

In New Zealand, people are very relaxed and laid back. I remembered once an IT person came to our office to fix our computers with bare feet! Hehe.. it’s very typical to see people walking on the street with bare feet in nz. Some people seem to have their holiday almost every day. I know many Chinese including myself often complain about NZ that the cafes shut at 3pm. Even some banks don’t open on weekends. But that is really the kiwi lifestyle. The priority is enjoying life, not making money.

I remembered one Monday when I was driving to work, I passed by a beach and saw some families lying on the beach and having a picnic there. That really reminded me of the story about the fisherman and NY banker.

The story goes like this. There was once a fisherman who enjoyed life to the fullest. He fished for just long enough in the day to pay for the expenses. He spent the rest of his time either fishing with his son for pleasure or playing guitar in the evening around the campfire. One day, when he was fishing, he met a banker from New York. The banker started making suggestions about how the fisherman could grow his business. He said: ‘Firstly, you should fish longer hours. Sell more fish so you can hire another fisherman.’ ‘That sounds interesting’ replied the fisherman, ‘but then what?’.

‘Well’, continued the banker, ‘then you can generate a profit that will allow you to invest in a boat so that you can fish offshore to catch more fish. There is surely more fish in the Ocean?’. ‘Indeed’ replied the fisherman, ‘but then what?’

‘Well then’ said the banker, ‘you would reinvest this additional profit in a second boat and hire more fishermen to work for you’. The fisherman was intrigued and the story went on. The New York banker talked the fisherman through an entire business plan. The banker said, “when the time is right, you can sell ur company stock to the public and make millions.” ‘That sounds amazing’ says the fisherman. ‘But then what?’

‘Well then’ says the banker, ‘ When you have enough money, then you can take the time to fish in the day with your son for pleasure and play your guitar around the campfire to your family at night.’ The fisherman laughed and said ‘But that’s what I do now!!’

Hehe..it’s really a thought provoking story right?! The point of the story is that making money isn’t the end goal. If you can enjoy life now, do it now! Enjoying life Now is the no 1 thing I’ve learned from living in nz for more than 15 years. Of course I am not suggesting we all give up our jobs and start fishing or going to the beach every day. I just think it is worth remembering that sometimes happiness is about being okay with simply having enough. Making money should never be the focus. Really! Happiness can be as simple as drinking a cup of tea!

Check the Youtube video at 6:25 for the high tea experience.