Although Kate Paris has been in Patea less than three months she knows it was absolutely the perfect move for her.
It was a coming home of the very best and most emotional kind, she said. "Taranaki is my family home. It's where I belong.''
Ms Paria left Auckland last year and moved into a house in South Taranaki in December.
"My house cost half the deposit my friend had to pay for a small apartment in Auckland. It's crazy.''
Although she is a committed teacher she is also an ardent volunteer with Greenpeace NZ.
Her involvement with Greenpeace started when she dropped by its office in Auckland in 2007. She started volunteering regularly and soon became involved with the actions team.
Ms Paris remembers donning a pair of orange Greenpeace overalls for the first time.
"I was completely elated, I had to pinch myself ... direct action is important.
It shakes people out of their denial when you are prepared to put your freedom on the line to make a statement."
Ms Paris has been involved in a number of Greenpeace actions – from tree planting on a large-scale dairy conversion to blockading a destructive fishing trawler from leaving port. Her most recent action was in Tauranga, blocking a shipment of imported palm kernel animal feed from Indonesia which was intended for Fonterra dairy farms.