Elu on seikus – see on olnud minu elu moto. Nii kui gümnaasium läbi sai lendasin Eestist üle ookeani USAsse. Peamiselt sellepärast et noor ja entusiasmi täis, aga ka selle pärast, et põgeneda lapsepõlve traumadest ja pettumustest. Elasin, õppisin ja töötasin USAs kaheksa aastat ning tulin kodumaale tagasi aastaks. USAs töötasin lapsehoidjana ning õppisin rahvusvahelisi suhteid mainekas ülikoolis, kuhu ma sain stipendiumi (180,000 eurot). Aga see selleks, USA elust võiks eraldi pika loo kirjutada. Peale kaheksat aastat eemal olles tundsin, et pean Eestis nullist alustama ja hing ei olnud veel terveks saanud. Samal ajal planeeris mu üks parimaid sõbrannasid reisi Uus Meremaale, mis oli olnud tema unistuste maa juba ammu. Lõpuks aastal 2014, panime neljakesi (üks neist oli Riin - Kadri projekti Soome nägu) seljakotid selga ja lendasime Uus Meremaale 12 kuuks working holiday viisaga. Selle aja jooksul oli meil palju põnevaid ja meeldejäävaid seiklusi. Kui oli aeg tagasi Eesti minna, siis mina otsustasin siia jääda, kuna olin leidnud endale kiivist (nii kutsutakse siin Uus Meremaalasi) kaaslase.

Peale paar aastat kooselu kaotasin ma ühtäkki oma roosad prillid ja päevavalgele tulid mehe pahemad pooled. Ta oli arvutimängudest sõltuvuses ja tihti tekitasid need temas vihahooge. Lisaks oli tal ka Aspergeri sündroom. Mingil hetkel sain ma aru, et sellise inimesega ma enam olla ei taha. Mu parimad sõbrannad oli kodumaale tagasi lennanud ning tihti tundsin ennast siin uuel maal üksi. Õnneks olin saanud tuttavaks ühe eestlannaga ja mul oli ka paar kohaliku tuttavat töö kaudu, kes olid valmis mind aitama. Kõige suuremaks aitajaks oli Maoori naine, keda ma kutsun oma teiseks emaks. Me saime tuttavaks aiandis koos töötades. Kui ma talle oma olukorrast rääkisin, siis ta aitas mul välja kolida ning pakkus öömaja nii kauaks kui vaja. Kuigi me ei ela enam koos, tean et ta on mulle alati olemas ja mina talle.

Maoorid elasid Uus Meremaal enne kui valged maa koloniseerisid. Neil ei lubatud rääkida oma keelt nii nagu eestlastel oli keelatud emakeele rääkimine vene ajal. Maooride keel peagu lakkas olemast, aga nüüd on tehtud palju selleks, et aina rohkem ja rohkem inimesi seda räägiks. Kuna mulle meeldib erinevaid keeli õppida, siis olen ka seda keelt kaks aastat õppinud. Üllatav oli see, et nende keel on eesti keelele sarnane. Nad hääldavad tähti nii nagu meie ja osad sõnadki on samad nagu näites kuri (koer), tere (kiiresti), nui (suur), pane koti (seelik) jne. Isegi esimesel aastal Uus Meremaal ringi rännates kogesime kui soojad ja vastuvõtvad on Maoorid, mis sest et neil on veel palju haavu minevikust ravida. Samas olen kuulnud jutte kuidas valged kiivid ei võta võõramaalasi omaks, aga ma ise ei ole seda kogenud. Meie kõigi kogemus siin maal on erinev.

Kui koloniseerijad siia tulid, siis nad tõid palju ideid Euroopast kaasa, aga samas pidid need ideed kohaliku oluga kokku viima. Tulemuseks leidsid nad huvitavaid vahendeid ja viise kuidas siin ellu jääda. Üks nendest viisidest oli majade ehitus. Uus Meremaa majad on enamus väga viletsas olukorras. Kuna siin on neli aastaaega, siis on majade soojus väga tähtis. Kahjuks enamus majadest käib tuul ja hallitus läbi. Uued soojad majad on väga kallid. Lisaks on toit kallis. Näiteks poodi minnes ei saa osta kilo kaupa kurki või paprikat. Neid tooteid peab tüki kaupa ostma. Paar kummalist asja Uus Meremaa kohta veel. Esiteks kui nõudepesumasinat kodus ei ole, siis pesevad enamus kohalikke nõusid ühes kraanikausis koos nõudepesuvahendiga ja ilma nõusid loputamata. Teiseks kiivisid on Uus Meremaal kolme liiki: lind, puuvili ja kohalik inimene. Kolmandaks, siin elab rohkem lambaid kui inimesi. Neljandaks, inimesed armastavad käia palja jalu olenemata aastaajast ja isegi toidupoes.

Samas on siin ka palju positiivset. Näiteks ma tunnen, et Uus Meremaal lastakse inimestel olla. Siin ei ole sotsiaalset pinget, et keegi olla peab käima ülikoolis, omama mitmeid erinevaid kvalifikatsioone, ning karjääri tegema. Peale karjääri veel muidugi pere ja abielu jne. Muidugi haridus on tähtis ja seda peab omama, aga kui sul ei ole magistri või doktorikraadi, kas oled siis inimesena vähem väärtuslikum? Ma olen ise terve oma elu jagelenud eneseväärtuse ning positiivse minapildiga. Vahet pole kas olen 30 kg kergem või raskem, pilt iseenast on alati olnud negatiivne. Uus Meremaal olen õppinud ennast tundma ning väärtustama. Ma tunnen, et siin ei ole ühiskonnas nii suurt survet olla ideaalne posteri naine kui seda on Euroopas.

Uus Meremaa on imeline maa looduses rändamiseks. Siin ma avatasin matkamise, siis kui tulime neljakesi seiklema. Ma olen reisinud Uus Meremaa ühest tipust teise ning päris palju mitme päevaseid matku läbinud. Me viskasime nalja tüdrukutega, et meil eestlastel mäelihast pole. Tänu sellele oli see mäkke ronimine ka nii vaevaline, aga seda suurem enese uhkus tipu vallutamisel. Kõrgeim mägi, mille tipus olen käinud, on Mt. Ngauruhoe (2287m). See on sama mägi, mida Frodo vallutas, et maailma päästa. Sõrmuste Isanda´s oli selle mäe nimi Mt. Doom. Mu lemmik matk on siiani Heaphy Great Walk, mis on viie päevane 78 km läbiv matk. Ma poleks iial uskunud, et mina suudan mägesid vallutada. Olen õppinud Uus Meremaal loodust armastama ning avastanud selle ravivad jõud.

Mulle väga meeldib Uus Meremaal looduslähedane ellu suhtumine. Ise olen ka pärit väiksest Eesti alevist ja maalähedus on alati tähtis olnud. Tänu sellele, oli mul ka lihtne leida tööd erinevates farmides ja seejärel aiandis. Õppisin siin esimest korda ATV ja traktoriga sõitma. Esimest korda sain ka motikaga 50 m sõita. Kuna mu mehel on Ducati Monster, siis nüüd saab rohkem kui pool sada meetrit sõita ja naudin erinevaid motika reise Uus Meremaal ka rohkem kui ise ei pea juhtima. Aianditöö on nüüd selja taga mitte sellepärast, et ei meeldinud, vaid hakkasin tervisele mõtlema ja et kas ma vanast peast ka seda tööd jaksaks teha. Otsustasin lasteaiakasvatajaks hakata ning hetkel töötan Montessori lasteaias. Uus Meremaal on paljudel inimestel oma väiksed firmad. Isegi tavatöö kõrvalt on inimestel väiksed putkad tee ääres, kus saab osta kodumaist kraami. Putkades ei ole inimesi, kes raha koguvad, vaid see kõik töötab honor system´i abil. Igal putkal on oma väike kast, kuhu raha panna ja nii tasudki oma toote eest. Mõnes kohas on ka nii, et võid lihtsalt väikse annetuse teha.

Hetkel COVID-19 maailmas elades on mul ka hea meel olla just Uus Meremaal. Meie peaminister Jacinda Adern on olnud väga inspireeriv riigipea. Karm, aga õiglane. Ei olnud mingit ninnu nännutamist. Terve riik pandi karantiini 25 päeva peale esimest nakatunut. Euroopas tehti seda enamus riikides peale 40+ päeva. Meil öeldi kohe, et olete ainult omas mullis koos perega. Kui midagi õues teha tahate, siis mõelge nii nagu teil oleks juba koroonaviirus. Muidugi on meil ka rumalaid nagu Adern uudistes rääkis, kes eiravad valituses soovitusi. Olime kõik kodus neli nädalat, ainult poodi võis minna ja ka korra päevas jalutama. Uus Meremaa valitsus tegi COVID-19 neli erinevat taset. 4 taseme ajal istusime kõik kodus ja kuna meil uute nakatunute arv on hetkel väike (kaks päeva ei olnud ühtegi), siis läksime üle 3 taseme peale. 3 taseme ajal saime mõlemad mina ja mu mees tööle tagasi minna. Imelik on lasteaias olla, sest paljus asju on teistmoodi: vanemad saadavad lapsed lasteaeda väravast, lapsed pesevad palju rohkem käsi, nad peavad ise toidu kodust kaasa tooma, me ei saa koos küpsetada jne. Lisaks on meil 25 lapse asemel ainult 6 last. Valitsus palus enamus inimestel koju jääda, aga samas tahetakse ka vaikselt majandust turgutada. Järgmisel nädalal saame teada kas jääme 3 taseme peale või liigume 2-le tasemele. 2 taseme ajal saab veel rohkem inimesi tööle minna ja arvatavasti tehakse lahti ka restoranid ning kinod. Peaminister annab järgmisel nädalal teada, kuhu me suundume ja mis inimesed tegema peavad. Igatahes maailm, mida me enne teadsime, ei ole enam sama. Ma loodan, et inimesed mäletavad seda aega kuidas üksteisest rohkem hoolida ja kuidas olla keskkonna säästlikumad.

Kuus aastat hiljem... tean, et see on maa, mis mulle sobib ja siia ma jään. Elan lõunasaare tipus Nelsonis koos oma partneriga, kellega pidime pulmi pidama detsembris, aga see on teadmata ajaks edasi lükatud. Kes teab millal pulmad tulevad, aga pulmafotograaf on meil nüüd olemas. Ootan aega kui saab jälle reisida ning kodumaad külastada, sest tükike minust on ikkagi Eestis ja jääb alati sinna. Mees õpib hoogsalt eesti keelt ja kui kunagi lapsed tulevad, siis ka nendel saavad selgeks Eesti traditisoonid koos kiivide kultuuriga. 

Projekti sissejuhatav tutvustuslugu siin: https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/reis-umber-maailma/

  1. Soome - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/1-riin-soome-finland-espoo/
  2. Rootsi - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/2-laurarickard-rootsisweden-vasteras/
  3. Norra - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/3-maria-norra-norway-oslo/
  4. Šotimaa - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/4-pauletta-sotimaa-scotland-dundee/
  5. Šveits - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/5-barbara-sveits-switzerland-basel/
  6. Austraalia - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/6-brenda-autraalia-australia-laidley/
  7. Uus-Meremaa - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/7-eve-uus-meremaa-new-zealand-nelson/
  8. Kolumbia - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/8-miret-kolumbia-columbia-cartagena/
  9. Dominikaan - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/9-maarja-dominikaani-vabariik-dominican-republic-cabarete/
  10. USA - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/10-helen-ameerika-uhendriigid-usa-boston/


In English

Life is an adventure - that has been the motto of my life. As soon as I finished high school, I flew across the ocean from Estonia to the USA. Mainly because young and enthusiastic, but also to escape the traumas and frustrations of my childhood. I lived, studied and worked in the United States for eight years and returned home for a year. In the USA, I worked as a babysitter and studied international relations at a prestigious university, where I received a scholarship (180,000 euros). I could write another long story about the life in the U.S, but this is not the purpose of this project. Returning to Estonia after eight years, I felt that I had to start from scratch and my soul had not yet recovered. At the same time, one of my best friends was planning a trip to New Zealand, which had been her dream for a long time. Finally, in 2014, we, four girls, put on the backpacks (one of them was the face of the Finland Riin - Kadri project) and flew to New Zealand with a working holiday visa for 12 months. During this time, we had many exciting and memorable adventures. When it was time to go back to Estonia, I decided to stay here because I had found a Kiwi partner (this is how New Zealanders are called).

After a few years of living together, I suddenly lost my pink glasses (saying in Estonian) and the worst sides of him came to light. He was addicted to computer games and those made him often angry. He also had Asperger's syndrome. At some point, I realized that I didn't want to be with such a person anymore. My best friends had flown back home and I often felt alone in this new country. Fortunately, I had become acquainted with an Estonian woman and I also had a couple of local acquaintances through work who were ready to help me. The biggest helper was a Maori woman, who I call my second mother. We got to know each other by working together in a plant nursery. When I told her about my situation, she helped me move out and offered me accommodation for as long as needed. Although we no longer live together, I know that she is always there for me and I for her.

The Maori lived in New Zealand before the white colonized the land. They were not allowed to speak their own language same as when Estonians were forbidden to speak their mother tongue during Soviet times. The Maori language almost stopped to exist, but much has now been done to get more and more people to speak it. Since I like to learn different languages, I have studied this language for two years. It was surprising that their language is similar to Estonian. They pronounce the letters just like us and some of the words are the same as in the example kuri (dog), tere (fast), nui (big), pane koti (skirt), and so on. Even during the first year of traveling around New Zealand, we experienced how warm and receptive the Maori people are, even though they still have many wounds to heal from the past. At the same time, I have heard stories about how white kiwis do not accept foreigners, but I have not experienced it myself. Everyone’s experience in this country is different.

When the colonizers came here, they brought many ideas from Europe, but at the same time they had to adapt those ideas with the local climate. As a result, they found interesting tools and ways to survive. One of these ways was building houses. Most New Zealand houses are in a very poor condition. Since there are four seasons, the insulation of the houses is very important. Unfortunately, a lot of the houses are exposed to wind and mold. New warm houses are very expensive. In addition, food is expensive. For example, you can't buy a kilo of cucumbers or peppers by going to the store. These products must be purchased piece by piece. A few interesting facts about New Zealand as well. First, when someone does not have a dishwasher, then the dishes are washed in one sink with detergent and without rinsing the dishes. Second, there are three categories of kiwi in New Zealand: bird, fruit and people. Thirdly, there are more sheep than humans. Fourth, people love to walk barefoot regardless of the season and even in the grocery store.

However, there are also many other fascinating things. For example, I feel that people in New Zealand are allowed to just be. There is no social pressure to go to university, to receive many different qualifications, and pursue a career. After the career, of course, the pressure to have a family and get married, etc. Education is important and a must, but if you do not have a master's or doctorate, are you less worthy as a person? All my life I have struggled with my self-esteem and positive self-image. It doesn't matter if I'm 30 kg lighter or heavier, the picture itself has always been negative. In New Zealand, I have learned to value myself and have a self worth. I feel that there isn’t so much pressure to be the perfect poster woman as it is in Europe or the U.S.

Furthermore, New Zealand has a wonderful nature. When we first arrived in the country, the four of us started hiking. I have conquered quite few peaks since then and have gone on multi-day trips. We joked with the girls that we Estonians do not have any muscles for mountains. Due to this, the climb was always difficult, but the greater the pride once on top. The highest mountain I have been to is Mt. Ngauruhoe (2287m). This is the same mountain that Frodo conquered to save the world. In the Lord of the Rings, the name of this mountain was Mt. Doom. My favorite hike so far is the Heaphy Great Walk, a five-day 78 km hike. I would never have believed that I could conquer so many mountains. I have learned to love nature in New Zealand and discovered its healing powers.

I really like the nature approach to life in New Zealand. I myself come from a small Estonian town and living in a countryside has always been important. Thanks to this, it was also easy for me to find work on different farms and then in the plant nursery. I learned to ride an ATV and a tractor for the first time. For the first time I was able to ride 50 m with a motorcycle. Since my partner has a Ducati Monster, I can now ride more than 50 meters and I can enjoy various motorcycle trips around New Zealand as a passenger. Working in horticulture is now behind me, not because I didn't like it, but because I started thinking about my health and whether I would be able to do it at old age. I decided to become a kindergarten teacher and I am currently working in a Montessori centre. In New Zealand, many people have their own small businesses. Even if people have regular jobs, some of them also have small booths by the road where anyone can buy local produce. There are no cashiers collecting your money, instead it all works with an honor system. Each booth has its own little box to put money in so you can pay for your product. There are also some places where you can just make a small donation.

Living in the world of COVID-19, I am also happy to be in New Zealand. Our Prime Minister Jacinda Adern has been a very inspiring leader. Tough, but fair. The whole country was quarantined 25 days after the first infection. In Europe, in most countries it was done after 40+ days. We were immediately told that you were only allowed to be in your own bubble with your family. If you go outdoors, then think like you already have a coronavirus. Of course, we also have idiots, as Adern said in the news, who ignore the government's recommendations. We were all home for four weeks, we could only go to the store and for a walk once a day. The New Zealand government created four different levels to deal with COVID-19. During Level 4 we all sat at home and since the number of new infections was small (there were zero for two days), we moved to Level 3. During Level 3, both my partner and I were able to return to work. It is strange to be in the kindergarten, because many things are different: parents send children in from the gate instead of coming to the door, children wash hands more frequently, they have to bring lunch with them, we cannot bake together, etc. In addition, instead of 25 children, we only have 6 children. The government has asked for most people to stay home, but at the same time they want to slowly stimulate the economy. Next week we'll find out if we're going to stay on Level 3 or move on to Level 2. During Level 2, even more people can go to work and restaurants and cinemas will probably opened as well. On Monday, the Prime Minister will announce what people need to do. Anyway, the world we knew before COVID-19 is no longer the same. I hope people remember this time to care more about each other and to be more environmentally friendly.

Six years later ... I know this is a country that suits me and I am here to stay. I live at the top of the South Island in Nelson with my partner. We were planning a wedding in December, but it has been postponed indefinitely. Who knows when the wedding will happen, but at least we now have a wedding photographer (Kadri). I am waiting for the time when I can travel again and visit my home, because a piece of me is still in Estonia and will always stay there. My partner is learning Estonian, and when we have our own children, we will teach them the Estonian traditions together with the Kiwi culture. 

The project introduction story here: https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/reis-umber-maailma/

  1. Finland - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/1-riin-soome-finland-espoo/
  2. Sweden - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/2-laurarickard-rootsisweden-vasteras/
  3. Norway - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/3-maria-norra-norway-oslo/
  4. Scotland - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/4-pauletta-sotimaa-scotland-dundee/
  5. Switzerland - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/5-barbara-sveits-switzerland-basel/
  6. Australia - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/6-brenda-autraalia-australia-laidley/
  7. New Zealand - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/7-eve-uus-meremaa-new-zealand-nelson/
  8. Columbia - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/8-miret-kolumbia-columbia-cartagena/
  9. The Republic of Dominican - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/9-maarja-dominikaani-vabariik-dominican-republic-cabarete/
  10. USA - https://www.kadripurje.com/blogi/10-helen-ameerika-uhendriigid-usa-boston/