As Sri Lanka's longrunning civil war drew to a close in 2009, Kaviesha Abeysinghe Perera used to travel on her high school van and worry that there were bombs about to explode. While she may not have had such fears in 2010 when, aged 18, she arrived in Aotearoa, there were other challenges ahead.
The chance for a good education was one of the main reasons why Kaviesha's parents brought her and younger sisters Raviesha, now 29, and Nethasha, 20, from Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo, to make a new home here.
But arriving in Auckland was a huge culture shock, especially seeing so many people from a multitude of different cultures in one sprawling city, having to learn to speak English and acclimatising to winters colder than they'd ever experienced.
"When we started at Kelston Girls' College - I was in Year 12 - I had to learn to speak English and it was quite challenging at the beginning," recalls Kaviesha, now 30. "I didn't understand some of the things that the girls at school were talking about. Everything was different - the environment, the houses and the roads were so much more developed.
"We all came knowing we were moving countries, so we all came with the thought that we had to be able to adapt. Our home in Sri Lanka was built by my dad and was three storeys with a big garden. But we left all that to temporarily stay in a converted garage."
Esta historia es de la edición April 21 2023 de Woman’s Day Magazine NZ.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición April 21 2023 de Woman’s Day Magazine NZ.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
TREASURE & TRAUMA
The launch of the new season of Celebrity Treasure Island doubled as an eighth wedding anniversary celebration for contestant Millen Baird and his wife Siobhan Marshall, who came fourth on the show back in 2022.
JUDGE JAY-JAY
Radio diva Jay-Jay Feeney delivers her verdict on your biggest dilemmas
CASEY'S BABY JOY 'OUR GIRL IS ALREADY SO LOVED'
The Te Puke gym owner refused to let a devastating accident stop her from becoming a mother
DEAD FUNNY! SHOSHANA'S GOING SOLO
The Emmy Award-winning writer is starring in a macabre new comedy
TWO RAW SISTERS BABY MAKES THREE!
Rosa and Margo have a new cookbook and bundle of joy on the way
HOME AND AWAY'S NEW MÃORI STAR
The son of a Kiwi sporting Legend, Cantona Stewart is making waves in Summer Bay
TV STAR AIDEE 'THE NIGHT I ALMOST DIED'
The actress and director opens up about her terrifying ordeal
CARMEL SEPULONI I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A FIGHTER!
Our former deputy PM the lessons she's learnt in politics on CTI
KENNEDY & SOLLY'S ROMANTIC RACE TO THE ALTAR
The Black Ferns co-captain and her rugby star husband organised the ir nuptials in just five days!
THE BRAD & GEORGE SHOW is back!
Their lovable bromance is stealing the spotlight in Venice!