As our LivingAfterWLS community grows I am humbled and pleased to realize the Internet is truly world wide. In the last week we have welcomed many new subscribers from New Zealand and Australia. Hello to you folks down there!
Please welcome from New Zealand: Kirsty, Raewyn, Katherine-Mary, Jacqui, Linda, Esther, Browyn, Emma, Sally, Megan, Leanne, Royone, Kiti, Cristy, Ayleen and Helen (Ayleen has been with us for several months now!) From Australia let’s welcome Trina, Cassandra, Kel, Julie, Jane, Lorri, Dasha, Merol and Tina. We are glad you have found the LivingAfterWLS community.
I wanted to learn more about where these members come from so I did a little web searching. Here’s what I learned about our neighbors down under:
New Zealand, boasting a population just over 4 million, is part of the Oceania islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia. Geographically it is about the size of my own American state, Wyoming. English and Maori are the official languages and most of the population are city dwellers. Primary industries include: food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism and mining. The independent island nation has a strong agricultural segment including wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef, lamb and mutton, dairy products; and fish. Not long ago our member Ayleen, who is originally from South Africa, told me, “New Zealand is as beautiful as the movies show!”
Australia was first inhabited 40,000 years ago Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia. Today the population is over 20 million on the island commonwealth continent located in Oceania Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean. English is the primary language but Chinese and Italian are spoken by a small segment of the population. The government is a democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British monarch as sovereign and Queen of Australia Elizabeth II has reigned chief of state since 1952. Australia has seen a rapid growth in the cellular phone industry, in fact there are 14.4 million cell phones vs. 10.8 landline phones.
If you lovely members need a speaker at your next support group meeting give me a call! I’d love to meet you and visit your beautiful country. Best wishes to all of you in your life-long WLS journey!
For New Zealanders and Australians seeking information on weight loss surgery I highly recommend the site Obesity Surgery Society of Australia & New Zealand (OSSANZ) It includes a surgeon’s directory and great information about obesity and treatment with surgery. (LivingAfterWLS is not affiliated with this organization.)
2 comments:
Hello New Members! My Mom and I are glad you are here. Kaye - If you need somebody to go with you to NZ or Australia we are available! We'd love to go there! So glad we have friends there!
Welcome,
Rose Green
Your beautiful continent is the only place in this great big world that I would agree to visit.Outside the USA of course. From the spectacular GREAT BARRIER REEF in Queensland, the outback in the Northern Territory,Golden Heartlands and Gascoyne region of Western Australia,the gorgeous coastlines and Kangaroo Island of South Australia,the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, and the bustling city of Melbourne in Victoria. I'm sure each of you are as diverse as your homeland. So Welcome to you all!!!
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