8527km from home - the story continues

Proudest Moment when your child achieved what you have set out for her!

If you have read my article 8527km from home nine months ago, you would have read about our little adventure.? Yes,? we have left our comfort zone and embark on a foreign land with no jobs, no family nor friends in order for the girls to experience something different from Singapore.? It is where the elder one study the best culinary school in the world and the younger one get to experience life as an international student. This is one of the bravest move I have made in my life and today I am proud to say that despite the unknown and uncertainty, IT IS ALL WORTH IT!?

Today, which is only 9 months from the day we departed from home, I am really proud to say that we have made it! Don’t get me wrong in this aspect.? It is not in term of financial rewards nor status as we are still unable to work due to visa restriction. ?It is in term of achieving what we have set out to do despite all the unknown.? It is in term of how we managed to overcome homesickness, anxiety, lost and uncertainty to achieving a state of comfort, peace and joy and loving what we are doing now despite unable to generate the same level of income as before.? Such achievement is beyond material and financial satisfaction. ?Today we are finally harvesting the hard work sowed (from plucking ourselves out of Singapore to planting our roots here in wellington) ?when my daughter Dasmine Lee, founder of bberryloved NZ Pte Ltd received the Diploma De Cuisine- Le Cordon Bleu in Wellington New Zealand. ???

When we arrives shortly and realised that we can't work due to the visa status, we were despaired.? However, God answered my prayers and open up the path for us by enabling Dasmine to create bberryloved NZ Pte Ltd.? I remembered feeling unenthusiastic when she told me she wants to sell chocolate strawberry at Brewtown Market at Upper Hutt. However, when I surrender this notion to the Lord and prayed, somehow a renewed strength propelled me forward. I also remembered many of my prayers were answered with matters related to bberryloved.? Deep in my heart I know HE is guiding me towards giving my very best and focusing on developing bberryloved to a certain extend that it will make us proud to be the founders. I spent so much time, effort and marketing money to make it happen.? From incorporation to dealing with the City Council for licensing to building and revamping the website to getting our foot into local Sundays market to working with shops to distribute our cakepops on regular basis.? Whatever I can think of, I have done it.? ?Today, I am proud to say that we achieved a little reputation in Wellington.? Our friends and neighbours loves our creation and that is very important!? We have orders made by people locally and even overseas such as USA and Saudi Arabia sending bberryloved's strawberries-chocolate to their love ones in Wellington.? The biggest job we had was to create wedding flavours for a young couple of 350 friends and relatives with our cakepops and they totally love it.? ??

This 9months felt like 9 years where we experienced so many many unfamiliar situations from dealing with the cold, windy and chilling Wellington's weather, to the way of working and the people. It took me three months to open a bank account in New Zealand. When I managed to open the account with Westpac New Zealand and the lady asked me how did I survived through the months of not able to use money, I smiled and thank God for Revolut and FSMOne for allowing me to pay whenever and however I want! (Disclaimer – this is not a paid advertisement.)

Apart from handling administrative matters for bberryloved, ?I kept myself very busy by doing volunteer work at SPCA Op shop and packing stuff at Kiwi Community Assistance. Through Joanne that I have got to know from SPCA Ops Shop, I started to pick up my oil painting again. This has been something that I have been wanting to pursue further for the past few years but never did. Joanne and I agreed to meet at Vincents Art Workshop for catch up and do some art work. Vincents Art Workshop is a heaven given place where people can get FREE access to all art materials and tools and equipments any artists would have love to. That very day I painting a small landscape and I decided to start painting again. I have been painting ever since and produces two artworks that is currently exhibiting at Vincents Art workshop in CBD. To the extend that I have decided to pursue Diploma in Creative Arts with Massey University. God has a way to lead you to where he wants you to be through ways and means. Right now I do not know what this path will lead me to in turns of career but I will let HIM lead the way nevertheless. My life becomes much more interesting through the time and people I got to know from these places.

Like God has indicated: I will place the right people in your path. I have guided you and will always guide you. ??And Along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.? These things I will do; I will not forsake them.

We have started making friends from SPCA Ops shop and started hanging out with them.? Lovely Joanne and husband Hock brought us on an adventurous mountain tracking which we nearly died from tracking through the forest!? We have even made progress with our neighbours Sky and Cassey by going to their house and inviting them over to our house for dinner.? That was a first to people like us who don’t really like to bother others.? Life has become more and more interesting when we start to expand our social circle and participate in lots more activity.? We also took up Tennis lessons every Tuesday and got to know a group of lovely people. These people are so kind and friendly that you really dont mind to spend time with!

With a short span of 9mths, we experienced anxiety, fear, loneliness, directionless to contentment, fun, joy and even taking caring of people we know here.? Life is going to get even better and we are becoming to entertain the thoughts of staying even longer!!!

***************To be continued*****************