Belarus couple happy to be here

Lightly sleety rain on a bitter wind did not seem to faze Fanis Shakirzianau and his wife, Sviatlana, as they left the Dunedin City Council as newly sworn New Zealand citizens this week.

For the Belarusian couple, the wintry weather was relatively tropical compared with the cold they have experienced in other parts of the world.

Mr Shakirzianau was formerly the coach of the Russian, Belarusian, South African, Slovakian (and now the New Zealand) ice skating teams, coaching world champion and Olympic gold medal ice skaters.

So living around ice comes with the territory.

But with coaching national ice skating teams comes a lot of travel, and Mr Shakirzianau (59) said the coldest place he has lived was the 11 years he spent in Siberia.

There, the temperature could fall as low as -46degC and it was dark for three months of the year, he said.

''We are not bothered by [the] weather here.''

Despite living in many different countries over the years, Mr Shakirzianau said they decided to settle in New Zealand and gain residency because of its very special character.

''We just like this country. We like the people and the country is just beautiful.

''It is very difficult to find these two attributes together in one country. It is why we want to settle here.''

Mrs Shakirzianava (51), a keen photographer, agreed.

''We are loving New Zealand. It is a beautiful country, with friendly people, lovely atmosphere.

''I love to take photos of anything and everything. I am a crazy photographer.''

Mrs Shakirzianava is an activity co-ordinator at the St Clair Park Residential Centre, and the couple's daughter, Marina, lives in Auckland where she, too, is an ice skating coach.

Mr Shakirzianau and Mrs Shakirzianava were among 40 people to swear allegiance to the Queen before Dunedin Mayor David Cull at the Skeggs Gallery this week.

• Others to become New Zealand citizens were: Leanne Anderson (Britain), Albert Leslie Bagnall (Britain), Kevin, Karen, Daniel and Ellie Bosworth (Britain), Jenny Chamberlain (Britain), Jack Curley (Britain), Lielt Mulatu Asfaw (Ethiopia), Le Roux Fincham-Putter (South Africa), Craig (Britain) and Ann Findlay (Belgium), Kundai Jamela (Zimbabwe), Sasithorn Jarisu (Thailand), Yair Yaacov Kohn and Nurit Kohn-Segev (Israel), Kwai Loong Lee (Malaysia), Seow See Ng (Malaysia), Sam Lee (Malaysia), Rina Levy (Israel), Ilan Avraham (Israel), Helen Lower (United States), Jing Luo (China), Faye Nelson (Canada), Bryson Malmberg (Canada), Yohanes Nursalim (Indonesia), Paula O'Brien (Britain), Shammika Rashad Edirimuni and Deshika Nilmini Rodrigo (Sri Lanka), Chethaka Rahul, Anuki Disara and Tenuri Ehara Edirimuni (United States), Soban Singh (India), Mark Stewart (Britain), Alapasita Lusana Teu (Tonga), Tuan Anh Tran (Vietnam), Stephanie Lind Wei Wong (Malaysia), Calvin Lyn Zao Wong (Malaysia).