Slippers

What about kids' long-term prospects in Aoteroa?

Youth drinking and drug-taking - most likely thru boredom - is reaching very high levels here and so there are downsides to the last of the summer wine life.

Homogeneity in the jobs market and commodities-based economy (and very few signs of changing) might leave NZ kids educated beyond local means to put that learning to good use, and bored, unfulfilled, and gagging to leave. Seems to me emigrants to NZ are greatly upping the chances of having their kids emigrate when older than if they had stayed in UK and will their absence not be a pain to lonely parents in later life?

I sometimes think there are gonna be a lot of NZers missing out on kids and grandkids in the future, not even cos they necessarily want to leave, but because they will have to. It is gonna be a global version of the old moving from the countryside to the city for work.

Slippers

jseni01d

I can't think of many places where youth drinking and drug-taking aren't common. And is there anywhere in the world where teenagers don't get bored and rebel against their surroundings? You certainly won't escape that sort of thing by staying in Britain. No doubt some immigrant kids will grow tired of the very things that attracted their parents to NZ as they grow up and will long for more big-city excitement. Armed with the priceless gift of dual citizenship that their parents will have given them, some will go off and study/get jobs in London etc. Good luck to them!

As for leaving their parents behind, don't forget that these kids will probably have kids of their own one day, and when that happens I wouldn't mind betting that many will be drawn to the very same NZ attractions as their parents.

Cheers,
John

BritboyNZ

True, however the most popular 'recreational substance' in NZ is cannabis rather than hard drugs (it is widely known that even one of our MP's, Nandor Tanczos, one of the greens regularly partakes in the stuff. Hardly a good example) As for harder drugs (usually associated with the dance/club scene) - methamphetamine (speed) manufacture and use is on the increase. The situation in NZ isn't as bad as people think - for the vast majority of people hard drugs in NZ are just simply too expensive - 1 Ecstacy pill will set you back approx $80!! in NZ and are quite difficult to obtain. Compare this to between £3-5quid for one in the UK, where they are more freely available than most people think.

The police & customs seem to be doing a good job of cracking down on it - even arresting and prosecuting those who travel round the country buying pre-cursor chemicals (pseudoephedrine based cough/cold cures from pharmacies). The govt is even considering making these medicines prescription only - can't see the UK govt doing this. NZ's remote location & very thorough Customs means that the vast majority of drugs consumed in NZ are made locally rather than smuggled in - hence the high cost.

Agree with slippers about the boredom factor - where can a 18/19/20something go on a saturday night in a small, rural town?

On the positive side, NZ has a very strong 'outdoors' culture - kids are encouraged to play sport - the national obsession with rugby is testament to this.

Russ

BritboyNZ

Just thought that I'd add that all of that information is freely available in the public domain (do a search on the NZ herald or BBC news sites) and hello to any of the NZ police reading this

Scarlett G

Have just read this thread from the start and wanted to say thank you to the very funny Slippers for his comments, it did make me laugh. We lived in NZ for 1 year, thought we were going for ever but homesickness got the better of us. His comments about the tv are soooooo right, never have we witnessed anything quite like it!!!
I do agree about the lack of things for 18+ to do, and that was something that affected our decison to come back to the UK...the lack of prospects BUT they do lead a much more active outdoor life and seem to be occupied much more than the little 'treasures' you see hanging around at night in bus stops etc in the UK. However, we have seen the error of our ways and I (working on the husband) and desparate to return to NZ asap, we will worry about the boys when they reach that age, the general lifestyle for them in NZ far out weighs what is here for them,
Good luck to everyone!
Scarlett

r.bartlett

wow scarlet

you appear to be one of those mystical 'boomerangs' that we hear of but never see..

welcome and please do join in all the fun..

cheers

richard

umfaan

Hi group!
I am in NZ on PR from South Africa, what I have noticed is that drug abuse is not hidden.... people talk about their problems/addictions/illnesses and there are associations that can help.
Al