Noa Bak-Craig, 28, a teacher assistant from Denmark, moved to Nelson in February this year with his wife Eva. He played football for Suburbs Football Club this season and also coached a senior womens team, the Swans. Growing up and living with cerebral palsy has presented many problems for Noa, but his positive attitude, cheery demeanour and faith have enabled him to overcome them and achieve at a high level. He talks to Justin Eade about his journey and how he made his way to Nelson.
I am from Denmark and grew up in a little coastal fishing town called Gilleleje, where my favourite parts of life were the nice summer days swimming off the pier every night with my family, and the warm, cosy winter nights in front of the fireplace while snow fell outside.
From the age of 18, I lived in Copenhagen, the capital city. I am a “big city” guy at heart, enjoying the hum of life and all the different people around me, and embracing the opportunities for me to train for athletics to a high level.
I had some strokes at the age of two and a half, and I tend to describe my life as a big rehabilitation process ever since. It has been a long journey across all those years, from beginning in a wheelchair with a neck support, to how I am now with my capacity. The stroke in my heart also led to me getting a heart transplant at the age of three, which meant so many hospital visits and medical issues which are not typical to go through as a young person.
When I was 18, I started on the Danish national team for cerebral palsy football. We played in tournaments where those with cerebral palsy from many countries around the world compete against each other. I went all in, and it was a big learning process for me to suddenly be good at doing something. For the majority of my life, I had competed against people with no disabilities, but now I got to compete on a more even playing field.
At the age of 20, I got scouted into the Danish Para-Athletics team as a 100 and 200-meter sprinter. I found that was easier on my body than playing football due to it not being a contact sport, and I enjoyed being able to see the development of my speed. I am still pushing to be faster and faster. Going to two European championships and one World Para-Athletics Championship was a privilege to experience, and I developed a lot through these overwhelming and high-pressure situations.
I met my wife Evangeline through being contacted online initially. To make a long story short, in October 2021 she watched a YouTube film made by MovingWorks about my testimony of what God has done in my life so far (from being a sick child in a wheelchair to being an athlete). She contacted me to thank me for sharing my encouraging story, we started to talk, and she came to visit me in February 2022. In line with my speed on the running track, I proposed to her on February 27, 2022, and we were married in June that year in Denmark. It’s coming up to two years now that we’ve been married.
My wife was offered a job in New Zealand on the very same day as she interviewed… so we took that as an open door to move here. She had tried to find work in Denmark in line with her degree and her experience in Copenhagen after her partner visa was granted, but nothing was coming through. She asked me if she could apply for ONE job in New Zealand, to see if that’s where God opened the door, and sure enough, the immediate job offer meant we started working towards the big move straight away.
I really appreciate the beauty and scale of nature and the friendly community we have in Nelson. We arrived in the country in February this year and there has been a lot to adapt to, but we love Nelson. I am coaching the Swans women’s football team at Nelson Suburbs FC, and working part-time as a teacher assistant at Waimea College. My wife is a relief teacher aide at Nayland College.
There are similarities and differences between here and Denmark. The similarities are that both countries speak English, and both try to preserve the nature they have (though in different ways). The differences are, New Zealanders are more chill/relaxed, while Danes are more serious. This can be both good and bad in different ways and settings! There are many foods we eat in Denmark, especially for lunch, that you cannot buy here – like heavy rye bread, curried herrings and remoulade sauce, which I love. The houses are also not as warm here in New Zealand… brrr!
We have been overwhelmed by the kindness of many here. For example, the women in the Swans football team that I coach banded together to gather some items for our home, and our friends from Hope Community Church have given their time and even their homes so we have places to stay. They’ve picked up appliances for our home, and we had a car to use to go on a holiday in April! We are glad to call Nelson home for now. In my spare time I play and coach football at Nelson Suburbs, with my team Athletico, and I coach the Swans. I also help with the youth group at Hope Community Church. My visa lasts for two years, and then we will have to see what we do. My wife’s family lives in Whanganui, so we could consider moving north at some stage.
