18/09/2026
Funny how life works sometimes.
You spend years just trying to get ahead, and one day you stop and realise how far you’ve come.
Growing up, we didn’t have a car in the family. We travelled in rickshaws, buses, trains and sometimes the whole family squeezed onto a scooter.
My parents worked incredibly hard to give us the best life they could. Dad started working at 13 and Mum got married at 17. They had responsibilities very young but always did their best for us.
When we came to New Zealand, everything started from scratch. We knew nobody and didn’t really know the language or the streets.
There were times we tried to save $2 and walked 5km because we didn’t have the money. We slept in the car because there was no home to go to, and used our luggage bags with a mattress on top as our bed.
A few months later, we bought our first car for $1,000. No working air conditioning 😂 But it felt like a massive achievement.
I worked as a pizza delivery driver, cleaner and chef. Worked hard, saved, learned and kept going.
Almost 9 years later, I’m looking at something I never imagined I’d own.
A Defender.
It’s just a car, but for us it represents so much more.
There was nothing wrong with the life we had back then. I’m grateful for every part of it. But there’s also nothing wrong with rewarding yourself and achieving a dream you had growing up.
Keep learning. Keep growing. Keep working hard. Keep helping people. Do the right thing.
And never give up.
From no car in the family, to a $1,000 car, to a Defender.
Grateful for the journey. ❤️
Thank you Alia, our family, friends, teachers and mentors, and especially Mum and Dad — for everything. ❤️
