Pandemic triggers ‘shift inside’

OUR guest writer is none other than Danny “Sir John” Isla, the founding president of Lexus Manila Inc. He tells us about how one visit to the country that has more sheep than people would suddenly transform him into a resident of Auckland, New Zealand, together with Joy, his jovial and lovely wife of 44 years. Here:

‘The long white cloud’

LIFE has a funny way of throwing unexpected twists on us.

My wife and I never planned to live in New Zealand. It all started as a regular visit to our children living in Auckland, lasting usually just a month or two every year. But then, the pandemic struck and, suddenly, one of our visits turned into a longterm stay.

Locked down in New Zealand for more than two years, we had ample time to reflect on our lives and our priorities. And, as we looked around at the peaceful surroundings, the warmth of our family, and the incredible

healthcare system, something shifted inside us.

We realized that living in New Zealand could offer us so much more than just short visits. The benefits were undeniable—not only would we be closer to our loved ones, but we'd also have access to top-notch medical care, free of charge. Plus, all the other positive factors we'd come to appreciate during our extended stay—the clean air, the ease of doing business, and the general sense of tranquillity, almost eternally renting the air.

It wasn’t an easy decision to make, uprooting ourselves from

our home in the Philippines and starting anew in a foreign land. But sometimes, life presents us with opportunities we never even knew we wanted. And in our case, embracing the unexpected journey led us to a place where we truly feel at home, surrounded by the love and support of our family.

So, here we are, living out our days in the land of “the long white cloud,” grateful for the chance to call New Zealand our new home. It may have started as a coincidence but, sometimes, the best journeys are the ones we never planned for.

Mitsubishi 3S

THE third 3S dealership in Metro Manila of Mitsubishi Motor Philippines’ Peak Motors was inaugurated recently at Commonwealth Avenue, QC. Nelda Castro said it was the 67th 3S dealership opened nationwide. More power!

PEE STOP

Honda’s Andre Vitug reports of a “homecoming promo” where service discounts can go as high as 50 percent on Honda’s 13 dealerships nationwide. Visit www. hondaphil.com for details. The promo is good up to March 31.