Originally Posted by Aucklander

I sympathize with you as I know how difficult it can be, but before you move out of NZ maybe the key is to give another area a go.

I am sure Auckland would have more opportunities than Tauranga simply because of the population. Christchurch will also offer a lot of opportunity once the rebuilding can start.

Just by way of example when we first arrived in Australia (1967 I know centuries ago) we went to Newcastle first which is 162 Km north of Sydney because at the time we were told that was where the jobs were. Big mistake spent a lot of money getting settled only to find my husband could only get odd jobs & no jobs for me. The policy at the time was not to give a married women a job because of a shortage of jobs.
So after 4 months we upped & went to Sydney to start the whole process again but this we both found jobs & we stayed there for 29 years, & have to say it was the best move ever.

However moving on to 2011 & the world is different. Many countries are suffering with high prices for many reasons: Unrest in the Middle East & Floods & Droughts in other parts which in turn all push prices up.
Here in Spain 30% unemployed! makes NZ look brilliant by comparison.

My son is Australian born & lives in Brisbane. Working for the last 20 years in the building industry self employed & normally does extremely well. He works by word of mouth in a group of various trades people involved in the building industry & mostly on homes in the top bracket.
However even this has dried up & he is now working for someone else & after hours he is working on his private jobs. Because he is supporting a family & a house build started before the downturn he has no other option but to keep his head down & work longer & harder to survive.

So the point I am trying to get across is don't think life in Australia is rosier than NZ at the moment. A lot of people are doing it tough there also but from my experience there has always been these 10 year troughs. After every period of growth the market shrinks then it takes off again. Bit like a see saw.
I was in business in Australia & managed to survive through 3 of these recessions in 32 years.

I hope you will find a solution to what is best for you.

Originally Posted by Expat Kiwi

But you should also read what Aucklander said about New Zealand when she was living there
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...62#post6102962


Just goes to show that situations change for people all the time, life is fluid like that.

Originally Posted by kazed

Not so sure about the boring bit either - why would NZ be known as the Adventure capital of the world. Granted some touristy places are hyped up rather and a bit of a let down.

Originally Posted by scracha

Well, since my last post in 06, not a lot has changed. If anything, I feel my previous comments about poor housing, drink driving and anti-social neighbors have been backed up by more experience.

Moved a few k's up the road and spent all our (and then some) hard earned "pommie pounds" on a "lifestyle" block. Little slice of heaven; for a couple of years until the local council shafted us, swept our objections under the carpet and put a dog pound up < 300m away. Serves me right for declining the invitation from the local freemasons. Guess I'd best save up my pennies for the double glazing (did I mention poor housing?).

I've noticed that the majority of my friends around here are foreigners (Dutch, Japanese, English, Scottish...some lived here for 30 years). This was not intentional, I've got a handful of good kiwi buddies in the area but I got sick of banging my head off a wall. I think it's a small town thing as seemed to click much quicker with my friends in Wellington and Palmy (ongoing debate, but IMHO Hamilton is far worse than Palmy).

Cost of living seems to have skyrocketed but income has hardly increased. This is probably old news to everyone. By pretending to have assimilated, I've offset this somewhat by doing what the locals do (working 60 hours a week, 2nd job, paying tradesmen cash, terrible DIY jobs, bartering, maxing out credit card, maxing out other credit card, fortnightly trip to PAK N SAVE, homekills, disconnecting speedo on diesel, burning trash, driving with no rego for the odd month, drinking local home-brew and cheap alcohol although I draw the line at drinking HAAST or Ranfurly beer. I'm considering the other popular Kiwi income stream : claiming WINZ, or making a dodgy ACC claim whilst working on the side. Maybe I should just get into the burglary business as most of the rich farmers leave their places unlocked and to be honest, you'd have to murder someone twice to do gaol time here.

With fuel costs its tricky, but I have to escape the area at least once a fortnight. Two weekends on the trot and I start growling at people. I would suggest having a sport or hobby that frequently entails getting the hell out of dodge as being essential to any ex pat living in small town eNZed. With good friends in other towns, at least I'm not getting stung for motels or dossing in the car as much these days.

Money worries aside, I'm now in the situation of being BORED OUT MY SKULL. Were I 20 years older I guess I'd be like a pig in poo. Or maybe not as savings are all gone. Career opportunities out in the wop wops are rare and the job situation nationwide is dire. Wondering if it's this town and whether moving to outskirts of Wellywood would solve many issues. Missus reckons if we're getting jobs, restarting business, making friends, etc all from scratch again we'd be as well in OZ.

My attitude is all wrong and I'm not trying hard enough, obviously.

Originally Posted by Genesis

I would be off to Oz. Been here 6 years now and NZ has lost its allure for me for many a reason. I think I generally don't like kiwis. They drive like shit, they think drinking and driving is okay, they are crap at service and their friendship is only peripheral. I know I am writing off a few million people at the tap of a few keys but there is something about the psyche of the average kiwi that irks me. They rarely thank you when you give them the road, and nearly all the mums at both schools I have attended have been unbelieveably cliquey, my Dad used to say its the little things that matter!!. I used to say I felt at home here and that I had found my place. Perchance it was just my extended honeymoon period. I am sure there ARE some nice kiwis out there...I know a couple..just a couple. If it were not for my kids and Kate's really good job I would be off. Fortunately in the midst of my angst I do find myself living a very, very good quality of life and we want for nothing even after our disaterous losses on the finance market a few years back. So in many ways I consider myself very lucky. Oh yes and the sport thing. I loathe sport the way kiwis love it. Don't watch or play any..I just keep fit quietly and alone. I would LOVE to live somewhere where sport was not so revered. Shall I get my coat??

Originally Posted by Bellasmum

Turn talk back radio off.

Originally Posted by Expat Kiwi

Sport, clubs, church groups they're all good so long as there's plenty to chose from, they don't cost too much and the kids learn that they have to put something in to get something worthwhile out. Making a commitment to something and sticking to it counts for a lot IMO.

I think Aucklander lived in Auckland I can't think of much in the way of adventure sports there, you can pay to bungy from the harbour bridge, or jump off the sky tower, but when you've done it once its back home to see what's on the TV and in the back of the fridge

Yeah, no-one worships material things in NZ but the malls are fuller than the churches so that must tell you something.

Originally Posted by Aucklander

Theres not too many adventure sports when aged almost 70! .

Originally Posted by Aucklander

Theres not too many adventure sports when aged almost 70! Also do not like sport apart from winter Olympics etc. Having grown up in South Africa rugby does not interest me.
Interestingly living in Tenerife with population of 900,000 we have a wealth of all types of entertainment on offer. a month long carnival has just finished the most amazing non commercial one I have ever seen.
However yes we are returning to Auckland & we will just have to adjust to the sport biased culture.

Originally Posted by kazed

Would love to go back to SA. Sports culture there too. I grew up there but originally from Ireland. Hence always looking for a similar lifestyle to Cape Town, SA, that's why we chose in NZ. Let's face it there is always going to be something not quite perfect where you choose to live. So far think this is the best. Lived in NY too - it was the pits!

Originally Posted by Aucklander

Yes think I have been searching my whole life for a place like Cape Town & the closest I have found was Mission Bay -Sea Point. Nowhere better in the old days I left in 1965!

Originally Posted by kazed

That's one of my greatest concerns that I will be searching my whole life for something like Tokai. I must make it my mission to visit Mission Point in that case. We left in 1986 back to Ireland. (I was a mere 16 years old then). I look back fondly too. (Been back myself before I got married in 94 but just not the same - still the best steaks in the world!!!) One day we will go back for a holiday.

Originally Posted by Aucklander

Theres not too many adventure sports when aged almost 70! Also do not like sport apart from winter Olympics etc. Having grown up in South Africa rugby does not interest me.
Interestingly living in Tenerife with population of 900,000 we have a wealth of all types of entertainment on offer. a month long carnival has just finished the most amazing non commercial one I have ever seen.
However yes we are returning to Auckland & we will just have to adjust to the sport biased culture.