MarineboyNZ

I am Category D – 1 Going back and flight booked for early March. I have read before some statistics that after 13 years 50% go back to the UK. But at the year 2-4 stage, 1/3 want to go back, 1/3 want to stay and 1/3 want to go back but cant.
Its all very subjective as to why you either do or don’t like the UK or NZ and I also feel that your desire or ability to remain in NZ is often influenced by what you left behind.
I absolutely get the appeal of this country. But for us, who is returning after about 12 months with their kiwi partner of 17+ years, we had to try it out living here, but it ain’t for us. We should have paid more attention to the fact that it took us as a couple 17 years and 9 visits before we decided to emigrate. I think that if you settle here on your 1st or second time of visiting you can be awe struck by the place and get embedded quickly. When you have visited 9 times, you see that it isn’t the picture postcard symbol of paradise that is peddled all the way around the globe; far from it!
I think that timing of when you arrived is a key factor. Those that came over a long time ago on a NZ$ rate of $2 $2.50 $3 $3.30 etc would have felt quite wealthy with any UK savings. Their dilemma is “I have all this $ wealth that is worth a shed load of £” and now the UK from a financial perspective can look quite appealing. I wish I was in that position but also, we would not want the reason to return to be a financial one: we just don’t like living here pure and simple and that’s our opinion!
So I wish those staying a happy future and hope that when you get to year 13 you are not one of those “1in2” that choose to go back, as you would feel like a stranger in your “home” country. We are really looking forward to moving to just outside Edinburgh having spent 51 year in Hertfordshire and look forward to returning to see family in NZ as it’s a great place to visit just not to live – not for us!

garethwm

It would be interesting to know where you got the stats from Marineboy. Anyway, perhaps what some people think is boredom is actually homesickness? Understandable. Ive heard similar things from returning kiwis about various countries theyve been living in, though this is just anecdotal.

paddy234

I'd love to see know that percentage to but to be honest the good amount of Brits i have talked to here almost all of them are very happy here, the climate and lifestyle being the main thing. I feel if you earn at least the same as you did back home then you will be much happier

bourbon-biscuit

Yes, I would expect about that
Says very little about British immigrants in NZ; says much more about (a) the clientele of the English bar, and (b) the behaviour of struggling immigrants (frequent places that remind them of home; stick together; seek out people that validate their experiences). Not judging the bars or the behaviour of the immigrants here, just making sense of it all

The extent to which immigrants adapt and settle and develop a sense of belonging to NZ depends on so many factors. Not all of those factors are about NZ; in fact, I suspect that the biggest influences on whether an emigration journey ends in settling are stuff that has very little to do with NZ. If you have no particular familial ties to the UK, bring a close family with you who all are adaptable, have good work experiences, bring enough money to feel better off than in the UK (it helps to be able to own somewhere you dreamed of from the UK), have interests and enthusiasms that are a good match for NZ life (outdoorsy, non-metropolitan, and home based), and are an adaptable, positive, open (helps for adjusting and making friends) sort of person I think the chances of settling are high.

I've seen several people make a go of it AFTER divorce and meeting a new partner (NZer) in NZ. I suspect that boosts your sense of belonging and ties to the place no end.

Kotare

I was talking about an English pub in UK, not an English pub in NZ :-) Perhaps the stereotypical view of Brits being unhappy moaners applies regardless of residence :-)

barnsleymat

You're doing some moaning about moaners, surely that makes you a moaning moaner doesn't it?

Anyway my thread has been bloody hijacked by the moaners and by the moaners moaning about moaners.

Piss off and moan on another thread will you!!

Pom_Chch

BUT, are we allowed to moan about the price of cucumbers?

barnsleymat

Go for your life, you can even moan about people not growing cucumbers themselves.

But you have got me started now.........

Six bloody dollars bloody each, bloody cucumbers, ninety six bloody percent water so we're only really paying for 4% as water is free. It's easier just to pour a glass of water on a couple of slices of bread and have done.

Cucumber sandwiches my arse.

Bo-Jangles

Yes I too had noted some irony in missing option of grumpy old Kiwis that seek out and tag along on numerous British Expat forums and British pubs and then get all arsey and continually moan about the things that other people are moaning about.

Kotare

Actually I was born in Bournemouth, so obviously moaning comes with the Mother's milk and what is this about British forums I only frequent British Expats (a repository of moaning Brits) - no not referring to you of course BJ

Pom_Chch

Well, why don't you grow them yourself?

PS - cucumbers at my local green grocers are $1.49

Snap Shot

My husband bought a packet of razor blades for $48 yesterday

Although they are not in security packaging like they are in Britain. No, they are not solid gold or made out of cucumbers.

bourbon-biscuit

Ha! Yes, maybe!

You should have made that clearer in your post and saved me the thinking and typing time: you owe me 20 minutes of my life

Bo-Jangles

On the brightside, your love of cucumbers might actually have been a saving grace and may have helped to keep you solvent. I hear there are some poor people in need of rehab and many more who are turning to crime and struggling to fund their 'smashed avocado' habit.

Writer smashes millennials for reckless spending on all those avocado brunches | Stuff.co.nz

Moses2013

But I'm sure it was the larger packet with more blades and he probably got a free razor too.