Stéphanie Rymkiewicz, from Langres to New Zealand

October 2013. Lifelong travel enthusiast Stephanie Rimkevich fell in love with New Zealand. Today, installed on the other side of the world, Langroise holds an executive assistant position in an Auckland design office.

Fismes (51), Joinville, Langres… The Rymkiewicz moved according to the appointments of the father of the constable: “I was educated at the end of CE1 at the Ecole des Ouches, then at college and Diderot High School where I got my BAC STT Management.”

August 2009. BTS in her pocket Stéphanie started out at CPAM in Chaumont and soon felt likes elsewhere: “In 2011, I joined a friend who was a pair of snowmen in Australia. In 2012, I visited Egypt and the West Coast of the United States (Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Grand Canyon, …). In April 2013, I went to Hawaii for a Two weeks (one week on Maui and one week on Oahu). »

Trips, adventures, encounters… In October 2013 Stephanie asked for more and took a year off to discover New Zealand: “In a couple of months, I’m touring the North Island by bus and then arriving in the South Island, I decide to buy a van to be more independent. In five months, I’m touring the South Island and then stopping off in Christchurch trying to find odd jobs (June-September 2014). Then I go to Bali, to Sydney to return to Auckland. On the way back, I stop in Hong Kong.”

amazing…

Human Resources Assistant at Lidl and then Executive Assistant at Leroy-Somer Motors… It looks like the bird has landed in Angoulême but no! “In October 2017 I sold my furniture, left my home and job to go back to New Zealand. With a tourist visa, it’s too risky! I stop in Auckland, the largest city in the country for a better chance of finding a job.”

The French woman in exile in this North Island city started out as an executive assistant and then became a project manager in Christchurch, South Island: “The way to work in New Zealand is much cooler. I have regular appraisal interviews in front of coffee with my boss (one a month). The company is very flexible, eg I can work 7 hours on Mondays and 9 hours on Tuesdays. We have 4 weeks off and 12 bank holidays. The 12th of this year was held under the name “Matariki” to celebrate the Māori New Year at the end of June. »

Almost 20,000 kilometers separate Stephanie from her family, and she manages the distance as best she can: ” I come home every two years and my parents also visit me every two years. The large time difference (10 hours) does not facilitate video communication. In general, I run the distance fairly well, and plan to stay a few more years in New Zealand. »

From our correspondent, Serge Bourne