City made move worthwhile

Kristen Hamling Photo/File

Since moving to Wanganui more than a year ago now, my family has gained so much more than I ever expected. I left Sydney with a heavy heart, leaving behind a beautiful city, warm weather, a good job, strong friendships, and a constant source of fun and entertainment. However, I am delighted to report that my experiences in Wanganui have made the move incredibly worthwhile.

This week I ponder upon some of the reasons why my move to Wanganui has contributed to my gutsy happiness and posit that it isn't necessarily where you live that matters but what you do when you are there.

I was nervous coming to Wanga'vegas, Ponganui, Whanganui, Wanganui. When I told the many Kiwis living in Sydney that I was moving to New Zealand, they erupted with joy and enthusiasm. That didn't last long. When I told them that I was moving to Wanganui, their faces dropped. They could not even feign a polite "oh, lovely". It was more like "why?"... "are you moving there on purpose?" and "do you know about Wanganui's reputation?".

Although I did not know about Wanganui's reputation, I had visited many times before and had enjoyed the experience. Nonetheless, such comments made me wonder whether we were doing the right thing ... perhaps Auckland was a more sensible choice.

But seriously, what's not to love? Seeing piwakawakas dancing around our backyard. Virginia Lake is spectacular. The parks are gorgeous. The markets on Saturdays rock my world - my highlight for this year was a brass band playing at the river's edge on market day. You can drink good coffee in the library (never could I drink coffee in a Sydney library) and attend the Opera House. Seriously, what other town of 40,000 has an Opera House? There are interesting beaches where you can build forts and find the most diverse range of handguns (made out of driftwood). We spend hours at the beach with the hours rolling by as if they were minutes.

There are jazz bands, acoustic nights, music at the Savage Club, 1960s parties, bad taste parties and Great Gatsby parties.

I have met the most interesting and high-calibre people in Wanganui, and I hope to think there are some strong friendships forming.

And, to top it off, there is this spectacular mountain in the distance that simply stops me in my tracks whenever I see it.

I have just got back from a week in Sydney and, while I was there, I craved the green scenery of my new home. I miss the rolling hills surrounding Wanganui. Sydney high-rises don't seem as nourishing and beautiful to me any more.

A quick segue: I read an article recently that showed people in hospital were discharged quicker if they looked out over greenery (parks and trees) than over concrete (car park). I honestly feel that my family have benefited simply by being more immersed in nature.

I think my love of Wanganui has also coincided with my deeper understanding of what it means to feel happy. My gutsy happiness has come from settling in and finding awe, wonder and joy in the more simple things in life.

Although we have far less financial resources at the moment than when living in Sydney, I'd say I am just as happy here in Wanganui than I would be anywhere in the world. I can say with all certainty that my children are having the time of their lives and are the happiest they have ever been. We are safe, have a strong community, loads of fresh produce and beautiful surroundings.

The old adage "the grass is always greener on the other side" really rings true for me here. I think that sometimes we fail to see that what we have already is pretty darn good. I guess it depends on where you look. So what do you love about where you live?

A registered psychologist with a masters in applied psychology, Wanganui mother-of-two Kristen Hamling is studying for a PhD in positive psychology at Auckland University of Technology.