Wanganui is simply the best

Wanganui offers a great variety of outdoor pursuits which add to the town's attractions. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

The controversy surrounding last week's TV One show on zombie towns has got me thinking how you measure a town's success.

Surely it depends who you ask. Ask an economist and you'll get one answer, but ask a family with young kids or a small business owner, and you'll get another. The answer would also depend on the socio-economic status of the group you ask.

Each individual has their own set of values, so what makes you happy is going to be different to what makes me happy.

We often compare how our lives measure up to those of other people. This is a ludicrous thing to do, as we each have different strengths, values, interests and life circumstances.

So for the people living in Wanganui, we think we have struck gold! Although I love living in Wanganui, I recognise this town wouldn't be for everyone.

For me, it is the best place to live because the people are friendly and community minded, it is beautiful, there are good schools and there is a huge variety of outdoor pursuits such as mountain biking, jet boating, fishing, skiing, camping - I could go on.

However, this place is not for everyone. Young people who want to go clubbing, study, travel or build a solid career will probably have to move out of Wanganui to do these things. But many seem to return when they start a family.

It is a running joke among a number of people I know that the single men (and some women) from Wanganui who are living abroad should provide a disclaimer before they marry.

The disclaimer would read: "I am from Wanganui and you will return with me to Wanganui when we start a family."

Wanganui is also a town that has a number of retired people. Some retirees have lived here their whole lives and others have moved here to spend their retirement in beautiful surroundings.

Despite all the positives of Wanganui for me, this isn't the case for many others. I believe there are some Wanganui people doing it very tough. There isn't enough employment to go around and this has devastating effects for many. But this is the case in any town or city in the world. This is an important international issue, not just a Wanganui issue.

But I think there are more than enough people in Wanganui who are passionate about the town to continue to make it prosper.

I will continue to spruik how much I love Wanganui but I don't feel the need to convince other people of the magnificence of this town. Everyone needs to live in a place that works for them.

I know there is a business case for raising the profile of the town, but I will continue to enjoy living in Wanganui because it is simply the best place for my family and I to live and I don't much care what other people think.

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.