All through her childhood Emma was told stories of her family’s homeland and in particular their upbringing in north Antrim.

Last week the 19-year-old Kiwi travelled to Northern Ireland for a ten day stay to see the area for herself.

During that time she crammed in visits to all the major tourist attractions on offer including trips to the Giants Causeway, Carrick-a-rede rope bridge, Londonderry and Dublin.

Emma - who works for a real estate company back home - popped in to the Times office last Monday and told us her holiday had been “excellent”.

“It’s been superb, really excellent,” she said.

“I’ve been told all about Northern Ireland and it was great to actually see it for myself.

“It’s actually a lot like New Zealand - apart from the weather!”

Emma set off for home - via Hong Kong - on Tuesday but her grandmother’s twin-sister Margaret Hilditch has made her promise she’ll return shortly.

“I’ll really miss her,” said Margaret.

“It’s been great having her here and I’ve told her to tell her family she’s homesick for Northern Ireland once she arrives back in New Zealand!”

Emma’s grandparents, Kathleen and Raymond Smyth, headed for New Zealand to start a new life in farming.

While Emma’s family may have left the area five decades ago they still manage to keep up with all the latest news from home.

Margaret posts a copy of their favourite paper - the Ballymoney Times - to New Zealand as soon as it hits the shelves here.

Once it reaches New Zealand it is passed around the family so no-one misses out on the latest goings-on in north Antrim.