AndyEvs

It's a while since i posted anything of detail on this forum (or rather the old ***** site) so I thought I might post about our experiences.
We moved here in 2004 from Gosport. It was in many ways a spur of the moment thing. We knew we needed to move house as the catchment area was not great for our boys and we were faced with moving to a smaller house to make that possible or doing something else. Since uni we had never stayed in one place more than 5 years, we were struggling with money a bit and when someone at work pointed out that there were teaching jobs aplenty in NZ it sowed a seed.
In retrospect, although we did research NZ via the internet and so on, it's obvious we took a pretty gung-ho approach to moving here. We should perhaps have looked at other possibilities in the UK but we both wanted a change and an adventure and NZ looked to be able to provide that. I'm not close to my family so was not too bothered about leaving them behind, my wife's family on the other hand........
We arrived in New Plymouth and went through the usual stuff that many go through. We wondered what the hell we had done, we railed against some of the differences but also enjoyed so many of the benefits. Over time we got used to life here and it is fair to say that on a day to day basis it is very nice. We still have a modest mortgage and a not very big or flash house.
For our children it was good enough, giving them a lot more outdoor activities and we have had no complaints about the schools they went/go to. Yes there is a less academic focus than the UK and I have my issues with NCEA but in terms of a childhood I have no doubt that it has been good and in some ways better than we were able to offer in the UK.
For us though the pull of family was far greater than we had imagined and as the years went on and it became increasingly difficult to find the money for flights back we felt more and more stranded. For us New Zealand has been quite a lonely place. Early on we had quite a large social circle, but several of our closest friends here left to go back to the UK or Oz after a couple of years. We still have some good friends here but that circle is small and doesn't include many kiwis. Expanding that circle is not an easy task and in a small town that classic experience that many have mentioned on here is very true, very friendly outwardly but not so keen to become 'friends'. That's not to say that we don't have any friends just most are more acquaintances than proper friends.
In 2010 we were both feeling more and more like we were being buried alive and when I spotted a job in Qatar, working for my old principal, we jumped at the chance. We saw it as a stepping stone back to the UK. A chance to earn some money, get some experience in a 'UK' school and then finally move back.
We didn't sell our house here, renting it out instead. When we moved to NZ we sold up and it meant we had no easy way back. We thought that we would keep our option open this time, but still shipped most of our stuff either to Qatar or back to my wife's parent's house.
Qatar was an interesting experience, lots of positives in the sense of money and the opportunity to get back and see family. We had 3 consecutive Xmases in the UK as well as holidays to Amsterdam, Berlin, Ibiza and Kathmandu. But as you can imagine compound living is not for everyone. The 54 degree temperatures meant that the kids were able to spend less time outside and the school I worked in had a lot of issue that eventually resulted in 100 teaching staff leaving in 2012.
We were faced with a number of options, stay at the school (no thanks), try to go to the UK, where the job market for a 40 something technology teacher is not what it once was. Putting the boys through yet another change of school seemed harsh though we know them well enough that we know they would have coped. Or head back to NZ, put the kids back in their old schools, move back into our old house......
My wife left in January so that the kids would be back in time for the new school year. I stayed in Qatar to see out my contract until July. Incredibly I managed to get my old job back, as did my wife!
The transition was very smooth (mush smoother than I imagine it would have been going back to UK) and we are happy enough. We know we have to stay put now until the boys go to uni (or whatever they decide to do).
For us though, the same concerns still sit there at the back of my mind. Moving back to the UK now seems like an unattainable goal, not just difficult but close to impossible. We don't hate it here, we missed it hugely when we were in Qatar, far more than we expected to be honest. We don't hate the UK either.
What the future holds, we have no idea but right now another spell in international schools in an attempt to get enough cash to either travel or even move back to the UK seems the most likely plan if we can pull it off.
Other people will have their views on our choices, no doubt. The black and white thinkers hold no interest for me as my life is anything but black and white and I'm happy with that. I'm not looking for answers (unless your answer includes the winning lottery numbers), but there are certain things (that I won't discuss here) that had we known or considered would probably have made us think twice about coming here.
But I don't regret this adventure.
Although all my vinyl is now back in the UK, what were we thinking?

MrsFychan

life is about experiences and seems you have had your fair share, who's to say if you stayed in the UK you may be sitting there saying "what if we did ...." Doesn't sound as if it's been to bad just different to UK and you have achieved what many sit and ponder on and you had the courage to try it. Good for you and I hope things pan out for you and yours in the future

hullabaloo

Gotta agree with this fella (edit: lady).

In another Universe you are in the same old pub in England with the same old (boring) people wondering if you could have ever done something with your life

Without seeming obvious.... did you ever consider moving to Auckland or Wellington rather than Qatar? You still can. Life is an oyster, or whatever they say.

Adz

Interesting to read about your experiences Andy, especially as we are starting on a similar (albeit slightly topsy-turvy!) path.

My wife and I are also teachers from the UK but have been out in the ME now for 9 years (currently Dubai) but certainly can relate to your Qatari experiences.

We are 6 months away from finally getting out of the sandpit and are currently employing a company to assist us in the paperwork for a move down to NZ to hopefully find a teaching job for Jan 2014, not fussed on location within NZ at this point.

Would love to hear more of your experiences and certainly anything about schools, jobs, education in general and the pitfalls we might experience etc......

Our current plan is to wander over in time for the start of Term 4 in October so that the old job hunt will be a little bit more face-to-face. If we cant get a job then we can just have a nice holiday and roll with the punches for a year. Fortunately no kids to worry about on our side which kinda makes things a little easier I would imagine. Already have a nice NZ approved Cv sorted, just got to sort out police checks from the UAE and Kuwait, not the easiest job!

Just joined here so not sure how to PM but would be keen to hear more about the ins and outs......probably after a relaxing chrimbo!

Adz

Sherlock Holmes

Hi there and welcome to the forum.

You won't have access to the PM system until you have made 3 posts. So if you answer this one......

Enjoy B.E.

Adz

Thanks Sherlock....much appreciated and merry christmas....hope you have bought Watson something nice

Sherlock Holmes

I have put the violin away.

AndyEvs

We did consider Auckland, briefly, after I was asked to apply for a job in Takapuna, but unlike the majority of ex-pats we have met we have a meagre income and a mortgage so when we looked at house prices it was obvious a move to Auckland was out of our league. I didn't fancy the idea of commuting long distances. Here i can cycle to work in under 20 mins, but a house in Takapuna? We had friends that we visited quite often that lived on the North shore, a doctor and a hospital manager and even they found it tough financially.
NP is a quiet place which means that we don't spend a lot of money here, which works for us. I think if we lived in one of the big cities we'd end up living beyond our means again.
As for being in the same pub with the same people, I like pubs and I like the people we go to them with, but I understand what you are saying about not wanting to be wondering what if.....
Of course it's just as easy to sit here and wonder what if we had never made the move, if I'd applied for that job in Devon or wherever, so it works both ways.
Bottom line is my heart is in the UK, but my head knows this makes more sense currently. It's not simply a case of if you don't like it, quit moaning and go back, way more complex than that.
Hi Adz, more than happy to offer any thoughts on the move, by PM if you wish. Good luck getting the police clearance it was a bit of a marathon in Qatar simply because there were so many conflicting stories about where you had to go and what paperwork you needed.
Teaching jobs in NZ are much more difficult to find than when we first arrived, but it does depend on what your subject is and where (in terms of location and school) you are willing to work. Primary is even more difficult to get into, but again that does depend on where you are. By term 4 all of the supply budget will be spent and with seniors gone there won't be much supply work but it is always good to go into places face to face here.
Enjoy that Diner's Card while you still have it and PM me for specifics if you like.

love30stm

Bet you don't look like Benedict Cumberbatch now he's a hot Sherlock

simonsi

I would be if I were you, just as you would not consider all of the UK the same and of no consequence where you live and work, NZ is the same with a wide variety of communities/locations, some of which will suit and some won't.

Snap Shot

Sound advice from Simonsi. I sometimes think I've got quite a broad palette for where I'd go back to in Britain but then I think of the details - so that's Battersea then. Um, no. Birmingham ? Glasgow ? Um, well. So much for that 'broad palette' then !

Synky

Hey what's wrong with Glasgow? (says the person wanting to leave).

Snap Shot

Nothing wrong with Glasgow. My husband was born in Scotland, I've got a Scottish MIL. However, they talk mighty fast in Glasgow with a strong accent. We stayed in a B&B near the Botanical Gardens in Glasgow for a week's holiday many moons ago. Curry on Suchie Hall Street (sp?), a walk round the Rennie Mackintosh Museum at the University, the bridge over the Clyde, cannae whack any of it for a good time. Although know-it-all-Edinburgh accents are more grating to me. The Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Festival was excellent though. Edinburgh Castle was interesting. My husband has a cousin who lives in Broxburn, EH54 and she's really nice. We had another holiday in Stirling a couple of years ago, that was good too.

As I'm from the South East of England, it would probably be roughly that geographical location that I would be comfortable moving to. Although I wouldn't rule out Hertfordshire and some central England counties.

Snap Shot

AndyEvs - phew ! Is really all I can say. Although it sounds like you have reluctantly come back to NP for no other reason than you have a house there. Oh yeah, and jobs and that's where your children are at school !

We bailed out of Woking in February of last year bound for Christchurch via Auckland. Living in an earthquake zone was so when my husband got a job offer in Wanganui he said yes please.

We've been here since June last year, rented a property at first then purchased the house we are now living in. So far so good, well it's ok at the very least. You see, we've still got all our vinyl. I even purchased a second hand (state of the art in it's day) stereo. I've also purchased, for my husband's Christmas present, a 5-in-1 record player. It plays vinyl, cd's, cassettes, the radio and has a usb port but not an ipod dock. Sorry, just drifted into geek speak there. I've been able to play a record of, 'Festival of Carols from the Choristers of Bath Abbey' it belonged to my grandmother. It's good for a bit of the ole dolce jubilate at this time of year.

I can relate to your remark about feeling you are being buried alive. I don't worry about making friends. My husband and I are not gregarious. Although we did go to a nice brunch yesterday morning at someone's house. I was out of work for a year after arriving in Wanganui. My current employment was a temporary contract in a town 40 miles away, which ended on Friday 21st December. So, New Year, back on the job hunt for me. Back to square one, yes, I recognise it from the last time I was there.

thepinkone

AndyEvs - maybe we could meet up, get heathergirl in on the act too as her and her husband aren't too far from NP - what do you think?