Meet Shankar Nautiyal—yoga teacher, meditation guide, and real estate professional. Teaching since 2007 across India, South East Asia, and New Zealand, Shankar blends breath, alignment, and mindfulness with the wisdom of mantra meditation to help people live consciously.

Originally from the Himalayas in northern India, Shankar carries the rich culture, food, and values of his mountain home into everything he does. He sees a beautiful similarity between his village and New Zealand—with stunning landscapes, calm natural surroundings, and the perfect place to raise children—bringing that same sense of peace and community into his work.

Alongside yoga, Shankar helps families buy and sell homes with care and dedication, drawing on his family’s construction roots in India and formal real estate training in New Zealand. Whether teaching or guiding clients, he brings heart, culture, and community to every part of his life.

Chloe moved from France to New Zealand in 2015 with her partner. After spending three months travelling around the country, they settled in Auckland, where she worked towards passing her English exam so she could practise as an osteopath in New Zealand.

After a year in Auckland, they were ready for a lifestyle change and moved to New Plymouth. Passionate about surfing, hiking, and biking, Taranaki felt like the perfect fit — especially for the surf. It has also been a wonderful place to raise their two children, who are now seven and four.

After her son was born, Chloe opened her own clinic, Holistic Osteopath, to create more flexibility around family life. She supports people with a wide range of conditions, including back pain, sprain injuries, and headaches. She is especially passionate about working with women during pregnancy and postpartum, as well as caring for babies.

Chloe has found a beautiful balance between work, family, and the outdoors — and Taranaki now truly feels like home.

Juli is German and more European. She has always been interested in seeing the world rather than staying in one place. She loves challenges, which is why she moved here with her family.

Learning languages is her hobby, as well as cooking and baking. Her newest hobby is skateboarding. She hopes to be fluent in te reo one day.

Sean is a US expatriate who relocated to New Plymouth in February 2025 so his wife could return to her home country, his children could grow up in a safer and happier environment, and his family could live close to the ocean in one of New Zealand’s most beautiful and vibrant regions.

He owns a small technology business in the United States that delivers managed technology services, specialising in computing infrastructure, communications systems, and cloud connectivity.

Sean’s interests centre around family, wellbeing, the outdoors, music, business, investing, and intentionally creating joy in his life. He has worked hard to build both his career and lifestyle, feels privileged to call New Zealand home, and is deeply grateful for the opportunity to live here.

Rebecca was born and raised in Sweden and arrived in Auckland in 2011 at the age of 19 on a student visa, never intending to stay long. Through meaningful connections and life-changing experiences, New Zealand became home. She met her husband, Oliver, in 2013, and they moved to New Plymouth in 2017. With a background in hospitality—particularly baking and desserts, including several years at Federal Store—motherhood offered a pause for reflection and a reconnection with her original passion for wellbeing. Rebecca now works as a Pilates Instructor at Physio Pilates New Plymouth, supporting women and clients to live healthier, happier lives.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Martha arrived in Aotearoa New Zealand in 1989 and has since made New Plymouth home. Her career has been largely in hospitality, where she has seen the growth and evolution of cafés and restaurants across Taranaki. She has long been involved in representing Argentine culture at the Taranaki Multiethnic Extravaganza and supporting the Latino community through cultural and social initiatives that help new migrants settle in the region.

Martha has a strong passion for music and has volunteered with WOMAD for many years, more recently working in contracted roles coordinating artist hospitality, including the welcoming artists’ BBQ. She currently works part-time as an ESOL Teacher Aide at Devon Intermediate and teaches Argentine and Italian cuisine through Taranaki Community Education. Proudly Argentine, Martha is known for her passion, generosity, and love of sharing food, music, and conversation, and for her curiosity about other cultures and traditions.

In this episode, hosts Brian, Clara and Alina sat down with their special guest, Reyna, from Indonesia. Reyna talk about growing up in Jakarta, getting her dream job as a flight attendant and the culture shocks she experienced as she moved from Singapore, Japan and New Zealand. Reyna, is a long time yoga practitioner who eventually fulfilled her hidden dream of becoming a yoga teacher and is now leading classes at REVA yoga here in New Plymouth. Her message to those making themselves at home in new places is to 'be kind' and 'be yourself' to attract positivity.

In the first episode of Making Yourself at Home, the hosts come together without a guest for an intimate and relaxed conversation. Alina (Romania), Brian (USA), and Clara (Spain) reflect on how they spent Christmas, sharing old and new traditions from their home countries, stories of family visiting from overseas, and gathering with friends. They also look ahead to 2026, discussing intentions, goals, and what they are hoping for in the year to come, with space for spontaneous conversation and connection along the way.

In this 1 hour show you'll meet some of the beautiful people who make up Taranaki's vibrant international community.

Laura is an actor, writer and creator who moved to New Plymouth from Los Angeles with her husband in 2024. They were looking for a major change, and New Zealand seemed to be the perfect place for it! Since arriving, Laura has thrown herself into exploring the country, hiking, meeting people and building community. She joined the local Improv Taranaki group, where she has been performing in shows, including a recent musical, and has started teaching some classes there as well.

She also enjoys hiking, traveling, mountain biking, swimming, playing music, and baking. She desperately misses her little dwarf bunny Houdini, who was not allowed to come with them on their journey.