Jandals, togs, and a chilly bin.

Garage Projects, Behemoths, and Liberty.

Black sands and Black Caps.

Fertile soil to clay.

New Zealand welcomed me in.

Green lasers, koru, and Jacks.

Haka, pounamu, and kai.

She’ll be right, number eight.

Tip Top and a chocolate block.

Affirming my Allegiance today.

On Te Ika-a-Māui, I walk.

With the morning Tūī, I fly.

Sausage sizzles for lunch.

Fish, chips, and pies.

I had never imagined this life.

What I knew were the contiguous States.

What I learned was you could be Dual.

A few more hours to wait.

Breathe, pause, and reflect.

To be Kiwi, I accept the challenge.

Kia ora koutou.

This story began here: Why I applied for NZ Citizenship before the US Election