Mrs Falk said her mother was originally from Ecuador but went to Germany in the late 1960s after meeting her stepfather.
The family ate a lot of rice with beans, which was "quite a South American thing" influenced by her mother's heritage.
She also had a big influence in healthy food from her grandmother, Tilly, who was one of the first people to buy from the first organic food shop in Hamburg some 40 years ago.
Having lived in New Zealand for the past five years, she said the things she missed the most were European delicacies such as good bread and cheese.
"The variety of cheese in Europe is just so fantastic and cheap," she said.
"And what I miss is riding my bike. In Berlin everybody is on a bike. You don't need a car, there is such a feeling of freedom."
At age 17, Mrs Falk moved to Hamburg where she finished her schooling, then worked to save money to visit New Zealand.
"I fell in love with it. I felt like this was home. I never had that in Germany."
Mrs Falk visited New Zealand twice in her early 20s and it was on a flight back to Germany that she decided the next time she would come here, she would stay.
"I promised to myself, next time I go back I will stay. It took me six years to sort everything out there but I did it."
In 2004, she started her naturopathy training in Berlin and in 2005 she met her Kiwi partner Jenni Werth, and the pair fell in love quickly.
By 2008 they celebrated their civil union and by 2009 they had decided to move back to New Zealand.
Mrs Falk said one of the things she loved about our country was Maori people and their culture.
On her first visit here she met an elder Maori man up in Warkworth who had different travellers work and stay with him.
"I spent a lot of alone time with him and he took me out and we would do things like collect pipis and go diving. We had barbecues and he taught me stories from his family.
"One day he asked if I wanted to come with him to a birthday party in Auckland and I agreed.
"I went but it was a big surprise when I got there and found out it was a tangi.
"It was quite a shock when I realised there was a dead person lying there but I went with it. They were all singing us into the room so I got the whole thing. It was quite amazing to be there and very healing to see and experience how much they show their emotions in the process of letting go. It was actually a happy place to be in, all that singing and eating."
Mrs Falk has since been drawn to Maori culture and has learned about different native plants, traditional Maori medicine and mirimiri massage. She has also incorporated the practices into her health practice - Autumn Falk Naturopathy.
"I really do feel connected to Maori people, that's a big factor why I am here. I went to where my mother comes from but there was no big connection to the indigenous people."
Having been in New Zealand six years, Mrs Falk doesn't plan on ever moving home to Germany.
"I love the space and how much nature has to offer. Being alone on the beach or in the bush is amazing, so that's really precious."
Mrs Falk said she ended up in the Bay because of its good weather and optimum growing conditions.
She and her partner are saving to buy a piece of land to carry out her dream of cultivating medicinal plants to complement her natural health practice (a big community herb garden).
Fast facts
Germany Population: 82 million
Capital: Berlin; 3,327,000
Area: 357,022sq km (137,847sq m)
Language: German
Religion: Protestant, Roman Catholic
Currency: Euro
Life expectancy: 78
GDP per capita: US$26,200
Literacy percentage: 99
