Todd Henry, an Oxford native, is among the growing number of Americans who are moving to New Zealand to avoid dealing with the U.S. political divide, writes Pete McKenzie for The New York Times. 

Henry, who currently owns a bar in Auckland, moved to New Zealand in 2013. 

For him, the country’s positivity was a huge contrast to the mood he was used to back home, where “a vibe of negativity permeated a lot of conversations you had with people.” 

“It’s hard to describe, but I felt like that weighed on me,” he said. “Everything was a political disaster.” 

Henry noticed that when he visits the United States, he is faced with a growing interest in his decision to move. 

“I watched it go from people saying, ‘New Zealand, what’s that and why do you want to move there?’ to ‘How do I move there too?’” he said. 

Even with some familiar shifts in New Zealand politics, Henry and some other Americans who moved to the Pacific island nation were shocked by the situation at home. 

“It’s bizarre watching that stuff from here,” said Henry. 

Read more about Todd Henry moving to New Zealand in The New York Times. 

_____