Helping Hand: the amazing people of Southland

Daily Prompt: Tell us about the most surprising helping hand you’ve ever received.

Easy. The amazing people of Southland. Without them all, I am convinced that I would be on a plane back to England by now. 

They have helped me in so many ways I cannot begin to list them all. The staff at my workplace have been utterly brilliant: they have furnished my house on lent items to save me from renting furnished while I wait for my furniture. They have given me their friendship, invited me round for dinner, offered a friendly smile and words of support, acknowledging that they have no idea how it feels to relocate, but reassuring me that they want to help any way they can. 

Settlement Southland and Eirlys have been superb, pointing me the right way for busses, shops, tax office, internet acess, and a whole host of other things. 

All the sporting clubs I have visited have also been really friendly and welcoming, making me feel like part of the gang, inviting me for coffee, and so on. 

Without all these people ti help me in the difficult first few months of settling in a new country, I would either be having a breakdown, or be cutting my losses and scarpering. I cannot thank them all enough.