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Ever wondered how a journey around the world can lead to a lifelong home, new opportunities and the courage to keep evolving? This week we catch up with Markus from Switzerland, who made Aotearoa his home in 1999 after meeting the love of his life on an adventure that brought him to Mount Taranaki. Together with co-hosts Brian and Gaëlle, we explore his journey from his early professional days to building his own business, The Handy Swiss, alongside the life he shares with his wife and their two daughters. Through his story, we discover how optimism, determination, practical skills and a genuine spirit of helping others can open new doors and bring people together.

Ever wondered how our experiences can challenge discrimination and inspire meaningful change? This week we catch up with Maha, alongside co-hosts Brian and Gaëlle, to explore her journey in Aotearoa New Zealand, the evolution of her professional life and the human realities that call for greater awareness, resilience and social responsibility. Together, we reflect on embracing differences, learning from our mistakes and the importance of what we pass on to younger generations.

Clara, Amélie and Gaëlle chat to Mervyn from England, who shares the life lessons Aotearoa has offered him. They explore how his life has been shaped by travel, teaching, curiosity and love - for life, the people he meets, and especially his wonderful wife, Jill, and family. Through his warm and thoughtful perspective, we reconnect with the power of joy, of helping one another, staying humble about what we don't know and embracing the richness of our differences as we find our place in a new country, at first and after decades. A heartfelt kōrero about what it means to make Aotearoa home

On this new episode of Making Yourself at Home on ARTFM, our co-hosts Maria and Gaëlle come together to explore the power of volunteering and how it can open doors to meaningful connections and new experiences in Aotearoa New Zealand. Through personal stories and practical examples of what is already here in Aotearoa, they share some of the keys to becoming familiar with a new country while finding ways to refresh everyday life, routines and sense of home. Stay tuned for more reflections and tips to help make Aotearoa feel like home. ☀️

In this episode, we interviewed Tyrese Epiha, Programme Director at Art Media (Access Radio Taranaki Trust), who shared his experience in radio and his passion for this medium. He spoke about the importance of radio as a way of serving the community, including the migrant community in Taranaki, by providing a platform for people to share their stories, experiences, and voices. Tyrese also reflected on the continuing role of radio in today’s rapidly changing media landscape. While social media and other digital platforms are increasingly attracting the attention of younger generations, radio continues to provide an important space for connection, communication, and community engagement

In this new episode, Maria and Alina open up about changing careers and what it means to embark on a new path in life. They explore the motivations behind these transitions, the doubts and challenges of leaving behind a familiar professional identity, and the excitement of a fresh start. Through their experiences and reflections, they discuss themes of courage, uncertainty, personal fulfillment, and the possibility of building a career that better aligns with who you are today—including the obstacles involved along the way.

What happens when cultures, generations and creative worlds collide? 🌍🎨 Alina and Gaëlle chat with Bronwyn and Emily from Arts Collective Inc about WorldBeat, an evening celebrating diversity, creativity and the power of artistic expression 🎶✨ They explore how art can cross boundaries, spark connection and help us feel at home, wherever we come from 💛 Tune in, get inspired and discover why your own artistic soul might be ready to shine! 🌟🎧📍WorldBeat | Plymouth International Hotel, New Plymouth | 17 October 2026

What does loneliness really feel like when you’re starting over in a new country? 🌱🏡🌱 Alina, Clara and Gaëlle get honest about the quiet moments, unfamiliar social codes and challenge of building a life from scratch. They talk about friendships, relationships, family, rejection, connection and the difference between being alone and feeling lonely. 💬 Together, they explore what it takes to put yourself out there, create community and find confidence and belonging far from home. Because sometimes, loneliness isn’t the end of the journey, it’s part of finding your place 🎧

Meet Gaëlle, a curious and adventurous woman from France whose love of travel has taken her across Europe and, more recently, all the way to Aotearoa New Zealand. She arrived in New Plymouth just 6 weeks ago. To celebrate her 30th birthday, Gaëlle brought one of her dreams to life by taking a solo journey through Italy. The following year, she took her biggest leap yet—leaving Europe and travelling to Aotearoa. Guided by curiosity, authenticity and a deep belief in human connection, Gaëlle explores the world through shared experiences, meaningful conversations, quiet reflections and simple moments filled with joy. She sees different cultures and ways of understanding life as a true source of richness. Passionate about foreign languages and art—especially painting, writing, dance, music and photography—Gaëlle is inspired by self-awareness, the power of the mind and spirit, the strength of femininity, and the courage to embrace every emotion. She is at the beginning of a new chapter: creating a life guided by her dreams and becoming more aligned with who she truly is and what she hopes to leave behind in the hearts of those whose paths she crosses.🎨✍️💃🎼

Meet Ms Kate Lucio, Miss Taranaki Philippines 2026! Kate is a nursing student at WITT and will proudly represent the Taranaki Filipino community at the Miss Philippines New Zealand 2026 competition in Wellington - an annual celebration that brings Filipinos from across New Zealand together. In this episode, we get to know Kate, hear about her journey and learn how she is preparing for the national competition over Labour Weekend. Kate will also share a preview of her special performance for the event. A fundraising and raffle night will be held on 12 September at St Joseph’s Church to support Kate on her journey. During the evening, she will be crowned by Miss Taranaki Philippines 2024.

Olena Williams holds a Ukrainian passport, was born in Russia, has a Russian mother and a Korean father, and now lives in Aotearoa. Based in Taranaki, Olena is a creative communicator, social media strategist, educator, public speaker, and stand-up comedian at House of Laughs Through her business, Olena Williams Media, she helps small businesses bring their brands to life through social media storytelling and practical marketing. She is also a food blogger and ethnic cooking specialist who loves bringing people and cultures together through food, conversations and community events. With a life journey spanning Siberia, Ukraine and Aotearoa, Olena brings creativity, curiosity, business experience and a wonderful sense of humour to everything she does.

For Veronica and her family, moving to New Zealand wasn't a leap into the unknown, it was the fulfilment of a dream years in the making. After building a life together in Colombia, she and her Kiwi husband made the move to Aotearoa in 2023 to raise their two children in the country where their story first began. Veronica shares how a university exchange in 2009 led to a chance meeting that changed her life, what it's been like starting over in Taranaki, and the joys and challenges of creating a place to truly call home.

In this episode, Alina and Clara share their personal journeys of home, belonging and living far from the countries where they grew up. Clara talks about travelling home from Wellington to New Plymouth and the special feeling she gets when Mount Taranaki comes into view—that moment when her heart says, “I’m home.” ❤️ Alina is also preparing to return to Romania, where she will reconnect with her mum, family and roots. In October, she will also be part of two meaningful retreats in Slovenia and Bucharest, exploring connection, authenticity and coming home to ourselves. Together, they reflect on what it means to move to another country and create a new life. New Zealand feels like home, but Romania will always be home for Alina, just as Spain remains home for Clara. Maybe home doesn’t have to be only one place—it can live in different countries, relationships, memories and parts of ourselves. 🌍 🎧 Listen to the episode and let us know: When do you feel most at home? Is home a place, a person, a feeling—or a little bit of everything?

In this episode our guest Benjamin from New Zealand talked with hosts Maria and Brian about living abroad and returning to Aotearea and falling back in love with his birth country. During this conversation, Benjamin shared with us about being a father to a stillborn child and his project to create a platform to support men, and the people around them, in navigating that experience. Benjamin also discussed health and wellness topics along with his experience co-founded a thriving community health, fitness and wellbeing hub, Redefined, based in Bay of Plenty, the values he carried and picked up while living abroad, and his involvement in BROS.nz, a men's brotherhood and depth-work community.

In this episode, we welcome back our previous guest, Lidia, from Spain. Lidia first joined us on the show a year and a half ago, and since then her life has evolved in many exciting ways, including getting married earlier this year. During this conversation, Lidia shares her journey with the Ngāmotu Breakfast Toastmasters Club, reflecting on the skills she has developed, the confidence and connections she has gained, and some memorable anecdotes along the way. She also explains how Toastmasters works and why it has been such a rewarding experience