Thinking of moving overseas? Reflections from a social worker’s journey of migration to New Zealand

Abstract

This is one woman’s story of living through times of significant change. These changes include migration overseas and entering the part-time workforce after becoming a mother in later life. It describes the surfacing of personal questions, self-reflections and actions she found helpful as she used the new experiences to reshape her identity and become more effective personally and as a social worker. Through these times she realised a desire to live more meaningfully in the midst of change, loss and uncertainty. She looks at the nature of resilience and how this can be harnessed to become stronger at home and at work. She shares her personal journey to offer hope to herself and others on a similar journey, including suggestions of ways to embrace change. The main voice is the migrant asking questions and pointing toward snippets of light she hopes will help others.