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Hello. How are you? I'm quite well today. Thanks.

I'm not all together sure how much good this will do, but I figured its better to put forth the effort than to continue to wonder. With that in mind, here goes.

My name is Lisa. I am:
33 years old
Divorced but in a relationship
a mother to an engagingly bright 7 yr old boy
18 months away from attaining a BS in Computer Science (Software Engineering)
a Teacher Aide for K-2 (5-8 yr olds)
a sister with 4 sisters and 3 brothers
& obsessed with migrating to New Zealand

I'd have to say that my interest in New Zealand began when I was a Junior in High School (1994) and was given an assignment to do a report of another country including history, culture, politics, economy, and the events of the day. I still don't know what made me select that island at the bottom of the world, but I thank the Gods that I did. I spent weeks researching everything I could find - even going to independent music stores in town to buy whatever they had from New Zealand. In the end, I got a beautiful grade, but more forward in my mind was a feeling that I'd found heaven on earth. I still have three of those CDs : Emma Paki, Headless Chickens, and Straight-jacket Fits.

When I was out of High School, I decided to put college on hold and travel. First, I traveled America visiting most of the states from the east coast to the west. I made many friends and had a wild, free, wonderful time. I was given opportunities to then travel abroad to England, Scotland, Sweden, and Spain...but it just hasn't been enough. I eventually settled down, got married, and had a child. And for a time there, thoughts of my original dream faded away. Then things started turning poorly for my marriage, and we split up. It took a lot of time and healing, but I now feel it was for the best.

My son and I have a decent life. I work for the school he attends and on the nights he spends with his father I attend college. I'm turning my 2 yr AS degree into a 4 yr BS. When I started back at college I was asked by a professor to list goals I once held and then cross off the ones I achieved. I was satisfied to see that many of them, without aiming to, had been realized through the years. There are a few that remain. I am in school now to cross off one, and in doing that will put myself into a more stable running for that "secure career doing something truly worthwhile and yet still fun" goal. That is where New Zealand comes into play.

I still want to move to New Zealand, buy a house with some land on the beach, explore the beautiful land, become friends with the great people there, and do whatever I can to keep it a heaven on earth for generations to come.

So, what do you think? Where should I start? Are there any suggestions to offer a lady who still carries around this teenage dream?