The happiness of pursuit
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Au Pairing in Paris: Week One
Last year I spent approximately 2 months living in the centre of Paris, courtesy of a very generous friend who let me stay in her apartment while she was away. Despite my French being elementary (at best) and knowing almost nobody in the city I had an amazing time; I made friends, explored new places,…
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Sister Wives: A short film with a big message
In an era that’s seemingly focused on producing excessively long films (i.e., over 120 minutes), the short film industry brings a welcome reprieve. Of course, the arguable downside of the medium is the potential limitations brought upon filmmakers and audiences alike by the notably short run-time. The merits of variable film lengths could undoubtedly be…
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Between a Rock and a Hard Place: A Review
As the daughter of a keen mountaineer I have always been aware of the dangers one faces when heading into the great outdoors. My dad, like any responsible outdoorsman, impressed on me the importance of being prepared for anything. In Aotearoa NZ this “everything” typically meant unpredictable weather conditions. We were taught to always taught…
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Museums in Paris: Over the Bridge to Musee d’Orsay
When visiting Paris it is easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of tourist sites deemed “must-see”. Paris is a city alive with culture; a city that has something to please anyone and everyone. For the museumgoers among us, it is a veritable treasure-trove, boasting over 130 museums of art, fashion and history. Of…
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Small Worlds: An endeavour for identity and belonging
Following the success of his debut novel Open Water, it comes as no surprise that Caleb Azumah Nelson’s second novel is just as stunning. Once again, he delivers a heartfelt, moving story through poetic prose. The story follows Stephen over a short but crucial period of his life in London as the son of Ghanaian-born…
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Open Water: A deep-dive into love, masculinity and black-ness
To make a long story short, Caleb Azumah Nelson’s debut novel is a triumph. Open Water is a novel, set in London, that follows the lives of a black man and a black woman as they intermingle. While initially it may sound simple, such a story brings about so many questions just in its existence.…
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Afghanistan: A Nation Oppressed
If you have heard anything about Afghanistan recently it was likely related to the Taliban and how their rule is affecting the country, in particular the women who live there. Undeniably, Afghanistan is one of the most restrictive countries for women globally; Amnesty International has described the restrictions placed on the women there as draconian.…
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The humble Afghan biscuit – NZ’s best-kept secret?
Since I was a kid, one of my favourite bikkies (aka biscuits or cookies if you’re American) has been the Afghan. With the combination of chocolate icing, chocolate base, and cornflakes, it’s a biscuit that always goes down a treat. Admittedly, as a child I did always pick off the quintessential walnut wondering why adults…
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Nelson and ‘The Argonauts’
This book was recommended to me by a friend who is known to take their sweet time when reading, so I was expecting to be able to get through it fairly quickly considering it’s 178 pages long. Now, while it didn’t take me months to get through, it was a bit of a slower read.…
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Manchester City and not-so-humble Haaland
I want to start this off with a HUGE disclaimer: I never have been, and never will be, an expert on anything sport-related. I am not claiming to be an expert on the Premier League, and this article is written with love toward any professional footballer, athlete etc etc, it’s a hard job and certainly…
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