But that’s enough about me for now (read more on my About page) - how did I end up on this journey? It all began back in 2015. At the time I was working at a large hospital in Reno, Nevada, while attending school part-time to complete prerequisites for medical school. With only a couple semesters left I knew I would be set to apply the next year. But part of me hesitated, I wasn’t ready. I wanted to travel, and the years of school that lay ahead loomed as a barrier. On top of that, working within the US medical system exposed me to the flaws I knew I would only have to confront further as a doctor. So I decided I wanted to experience nursing in a different context, in a different country, and see another healthcare system. The question was, where? Having studied abroad in New Zealand during university, I had always wanted to return - loving the varied outdoor activities and finding the culture reminiscent of my South African childhood. With a working-holiday scheme that provided easy access to a work visa, and an online application for overseas nurses to get a New Zealand nursing license, it fit the bill (and since my wife and I first met looking at my New Zealand pictures, she was on board). We began saving, moved apartments to cut down on rent, and I started my New Zealand nursing license application. Fast forward to June 2016 - our stuff was packed into shed, we had quit our jobs, and it was happening... we were moving to New Zealand! We certainly had our bumps along the way. Due to conflicting classes, I had taken the second organic chemistry before the first, and other classes simultaneously without physically attending them. My New Zealand nursing license had become an ongoing process that involved me driving to San Francisco to take an international English test (the I.E.L.T.S.), and meant we were leaving before I actually had my license approved - little did I know I would only get it in October! Nevertheless, the journey had begun.