DE Horst aan de Maas: Gerda Kleven

Not everyone who grows up in Horst aan de Maas will continue to live here. HELLO Horst aan de Maas speaks in the series Uit…Horst aan de Maas with former residents of Horst aan de Maas who followed their dreams and found themselves outside our municipal boundaries. In this episode, Gerda Kleven (59) from Swolgen and now lives in Matamata, New Zealand.

It’s been seventeen years since Gerda Kleven, her husband Twan and their three children left everything in Swolgen and settled on the other side of the world. This emigration did not come from nowhere. During a vacation in 1992, the couple fell in love with New Zealand. “Twan’s brother has already emigrated to New Zealand,” says Gerda. “When Twan and I had only known each other for six months, his brother got married. We then flew to New Zealand to attend the wedding and discovered that we loved the country.

Busy family life

However, emigration was not immediately brought up, as the couple had only just met. After returning to Swolgen, Gerda and Twan got married in 1993. “In 1994 we took over a business in Swolgen and the family grew,” explains Gerda. “Business was going well and we really enjoyed doing it, but it also turned out to be very stressful.

This was our turning point

After ten years of running the business together, the idea of ​​emigrating came up more and more often. In 2003 the family, now with their three children, left for New Zealand, where they celebrated a four-week vacation. “That was our turning point,” Gerda recalls. “Then we knew for sure that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives here. When we came back in January 2004, everything went very quickly. The business was sold and in 2006 the family emigrated to New Zealand.

hobbiton

Gerda and Twan now live in Matamata and the children, now aged 32, 28 and 25, have left home. At home they have their own Bed & Breakfast. “We live 10 minutes from Hobbiton, the location used for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogy,” says Gerda. “A lot of tourists from all over the world come here. The social contact with the many different people is very pleasant.

Matamata itself has one of my favorite walks: Wairere Falls, I try to get there every few weeks anyway

But what Gerda loves most about living in New Zealand is the peace, nature and space. “I still appreciate that every day and it’s something that made me feel good from the start. We love living in Matamata. It’s very central on the North Island, an hour away and you’re at the beach for a walk or a dip in the sea. Matamata itself has one of my favorite walks: the Wairere Falls, I try to go every few weeks anyway.

dialect

When they arrived, Gerda was greatly missed by her family in the Netherlands. “The first year was tough,” she says.

how beautiful that we still speak the dialect with each other

“We all had to get used to it and it was also difficult for the children. They were 15, 11 and 8 when we moved halfway around the world. Nevertheless, the family ultimately failed quite quickly. “The children learn a new language very quickly, despite the fact that we speak and still speak the Limburgish dialect at home,” laughs Gerda. “At first I suggested that we speak English at home two days a week, but the children didn’t want that. In retrospect, I’m very happy about that, because it’s good that we still speak the dialect with each other? »

social contact

According to Gerda, the biggest difference between Swolgen and Matamata is in the social life. “It’s very different here,” she says. “You shouldn’t live here if you want a busy social life. Yet we were different in this area. When we still lived in Swolgen, we celebrated carnival for a few days every year and also went out with the fair for a few days. We do not lack carnivals and fairs; here you have other things.

Gerda has now made some good friends whom she has known for sixteen years and meets up with almost every week for walks, bike rides or lunch together. “The difference is more in the contact with your neighbours, for example. You don’t just come in for a cup of coffee. My old neighbor and I would sometimes stand across from each other, but when I invited her over for coffee she would always say “no, I have to go on” and then chat for another half hour. It’s just different here, but that doesn’t matter.

There are many beautiful things about life abroad, but this is one of the bad things

Despite the jet lag, Gerda continues to talk regularly to her family and friends in Horst. “When I text or call a friend, I feel like I’m in Horst too. You don’t have to see or talk to each other every day to have a good relationship either. Gerda also returns regularly to Horst aan de Maas to visit family and friends. “My parents will be married for sixty years in April, so I will be back to celebrate with mum and dad, my sister and the whole family”, says- her. That it’s not always easy living so far away from her family is evident from the fact that Gerda’s sister died last year. “It was extremely difficult and then you want to be with your family as soon as possible. There are a lot of good things about living abroad, but that’s one of the bad things.

Future

Because she feels at home in New Zealand, Gerda feels that there is little chance that she will ever return to the Netherlands. “We built our house here with the kids and we are all having a great time. Twan is currently building a motorhome and when it is ready we will have a nice visit. We are doing well here and I especially hope that we stay healthy so that we can continue to enjoy the little everyday things together.”

Do you want to leave the municipal limits yourself for love, for adventure or for any reason? We are happy to record your story for our ‘Out’ section. Want to share your story or recommend someone? Send an e-mail to redactie@hallohor Standingmaas.nl, indicating ‘De Horst aan de Maas’.

Text: Floor Velthuizen