I always wanted to live somewhere quieter, simpler, with no traffic, more hills, and close to nature. The first time I set foot in this place, I know my family is not going back to city living. I convinced my husband to try and it’s been four years now that we are living in this beautiful region. My husband and I are both working in the IT industry and we travel to the Wellington CBD on weekdays. I don’t mind the 60 minutes of one-way train travel, back-and-forth. It gives me that sense of separation between work and life. Sometimes working in IT can blur out those boundaries. I can’t be ‘online’ all the time. Living in the countryside has taught me to go back to basics. I learned to do gardening, appreciate quiet moments while sipping a warm drink, or trekking in the mountains. Life in the countryside is slow. There is always time to pause and reflect.
