I am a transplanted (by choice) Polish American living in New Zealand for the past 35 years. If you do the maths that probably makes me a kiwi by now [and I do have the paper to prove it]

I was born and raised in the East Bay in California [mother-Blanche Bernice Turpen/father-Bronislau (Barney) Wladislau Stempczynski] and went to school primarily in San Leandro [Washington Elementary; Bancroft Junior High - is that right?? man that's a long time ago??? and of course Pacific High]

I went to UCLA briefly and then ended up in Honolulu where I met a kiwi sailor and was married 5 weeks later. We have 5 children - Jon, Rebecca, Liam, Brendan and Kieran as well as 3 grandchildren - Tawhiti, Renata and Mikaere who are Becky & Taaki's boys and our taonga iti.

My life has centred around my family/ friends and in more recent years my work as a teacher which has led me to St Joseph's Catholic School in Levin as the Principal.