As a former Kurdish refugee who arrived in New Zealand at the age of eight, Ash Ali-Aliz understands what a huge culture shock it can be to settle in a new country and assimilate into a new way of life.
“I remember my siblings and I being teased at school for things as simple as our names, the way we dressed and what we had for lunch. Being sent to school with Kurdish food like rice and curry or meat patties packed with