Wakako Toya

Teacher, The Nest (Kōwhai)

Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care (Japan), Qualfied Nursery Teacher (certified in Japan), Preschool Teacher Level 2 (Japan)

Waka is from the outskirts of Tokyo, Japan, where a lot of elderly people, and families with children live. Her hometown is small but very convenient to live in with everything in walking distance. She grew up with lots of outside activities during her childhood, especially with her grandpa who took her for a walk to her kindergarten every single day, which is one of her fondest memories. Walking for 3 kms return wasn't easy for a 3-4 year-old, but she loved the time with her grandpa and enjoyed finding treasures on the way. She strongly believes that this was where her love for hiking/tramping started from.

Waka studied Early Childhood Education in Japan in 2007, and worked in a childcare centre in Tokyo for over seven years. In 2014 she moved to Australia for a volunteer program in a local childcare centre. While in Australia she also attended a college to gain an Australian ECE Certificate. She learnt how beautiful and multicultural childcare centres in Australia are. After two years in Australia, she came over here to New Zealand to explore her passion in ECE. Waka fell in love with this country and especially Queenstown.

In her spare time she often goes bike riding, hiking, camping and road tripping. She hadn't done much of that in Japan, but NZ's incredible landscape brings out her adventurous soul. She found that it's never too late to try new things! Talking of new thing, Waka is currently on maternity leave enjoying spending time with her daughter.