Kiwis based overseas have expressed joy and apprehension following an announcement by the Government on Thursday of a five-stage plan to reopen New Zealand's borders.
The first phase of the plan, announced by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, will see vaccinated Kiwis and other eligible travellers from Australia able to enter the country and isolate at home from 11.59pm on February 27.
It will be followed two weeks later by fully vaccinated New Zealanders and other eligible travellers from rest of the world able to enter and home-isolate from March 12. Critical skilled workers earning at least 1.5 times the median wage and highly skilled workers’ family members eligible to enter New Zealand will also be able to enter.
READ MORE: Jacinda Ardern reveals NZ's new border reopening dates
Bruce Haskell, a professional equestrian event rider and coach who moved to the UK in 1999, told 1News while “the feeling of being isolated away from New Zealand, you could deal with that”, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic began to take its toll.
“It was an emotional rollercoaster of going from being very, very grateful that the country was isolated and people being looked after and they were protected from this horrible situation that we had in the UK … but that as time wore on and Covid kind of changed, and especially with the vaccinations in New Zealand lagging behind, it was really hard to kind of go, ‘What’s my country doing? When are they going to catch up?’
“The whole separation anxiety of not being able to literally go home when you feel like it was very, very hard to deal with.”
Despite his concerns around the MIQ system leaving would-be returnees "in limbo" and the lack of detail around home isolation, Haskell wasn't angered over the situation.
“This is a pandemic that people have had massive tragedies in their lives and me not being able to get home is minor."
But he added, “I have had friends who have been separated from their families in times of grief and it’s not been a great experience.”
Haskell called the announcement that the MIQ system would soon be lifted “a relief”, adding that it “was never going to work for me. I tried enough times”.
“Having it lifted and being able to choose when I go home and see my family safely … I’m extremely happy about it.
“I can’t tell you how much it’s going to mean to me to get on a plane, see my family, say, 'thanks, right, back out of here to the UK'.
“I can’t wait to tell them what we’ve been up to in two years face to face, and I’d love to talk to mum about how to get off the mute button because that would be very helpful for us.”
While Haskell was optimistic following Thursday's announcement, some overseas-based Kiwis took a more apprehensive approach.
Sam Marelich says the Government has "moved the barriers so many times in the past".
Sam Marelich helps technology start-ups recruit sales teams in New York. He last visited New Zealand in 2020, two weeks before the Government shut the border.
“Honestly for me, it’s been pretty good. I haven’t had anyone in my immediate family - no one’s had children, no one’s had terminal illness, no one’s had a wedding so it’s really just been I haven’t been able to see them," he said.
He said prior to the pandemic forcing the closure of the borders, “the longest I’d gone was maybe six or seven months”.
Marelich expressed scepticism around the Government's planned reopening of the border, adding, "They’ve moved the barriers so many times in the past. It’s really hard to trust them."
Despite his concerns, Marelich said he is "certainly very keen to get back".
“I think the first thing I want to do is see my family. I’ve got three sisters, a brother and my parents, and then I’ve got extended family. I just want to go and see them more, so FaceTime doesn’t quite compare to seeing family in person."
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