Arrived in NZ 2005, no job, no home just 5 suitcases & 3 little kids....this was our big adventure leaving behind, family, friends, solid jobs & careers and a lovely home.....

Came because we thought we could provide a better life for our family far away from the madding crowds...

8 years on missing those madding crowds....I have been back once in 2009 when my mum suddenly passed away...spent 10 days with dad & my brother....was a hard journey there leaving my family here in NZ but was a hard journey home leaving my family behind...

In the 8 years we have been on our adventure, we have lived in the same place on the SI...we have not been out of NZ for a holiday, actually not been off the SI for a holiday....have seen little of NZ really due to the cost.

We have a good life here, i have some frustrations but no different to those i would have in the uk....

Kids are growing fast, one at NCEA 2 & one at NCEA 1 this year & the youngest will start high school 2014....The older two are 16 & 15 and would be happy to return to the UK...our eldest has pretty much secured himself an mechanics apprenticeship....this would be most unlikely available to him in the uk????????

Problem....jobs!!!!...getting back on the property ladder!!!....I know we would just be doing it all again but in reverse....this time though worring about our Kids getting jobs...My hubby worries about being over 45 and not being employable back in the UK....and the pressure the economic situation would have on us by going back....but i want to go back i miss England and all its crappiness....i miss familiarities....i miss cheap food....

I just want to go back, i have outgrown my adventure i miss England and English things....the ease of being able to visit some awesome historic places....real historic places.........- but would it be wrong and hard for our kids to go back...what if it all turned pear shape i would never forgive myself if my kids did'nt have the same opportunities in the uk as they will have here....

Any one have any ideas on what the job situation is really like in the uk....finding it hard to find jobs online....any ideas.....

Very confused!

We have just returned and have found things more expensive and lots of red tape, I managed to secure a role while in NZ but Hubby who works in customer service is really struggling, being away so long you will not have a credit history so getting credit cards or a mortgage will take time, even then you will come up with barriers,
With jobs it will depend on what you do and where you want to live, we have been back 2 months and wondering what we have let ourselves in for! The things we missed we have overdosed on and now over the honeymoon period missing the sun and friendly kiwi laid back attitude everyone here seems to be in a rush!

Thanks for your honest reply janeyk......How long were you in NZ and how long have you been back...?

We are from the South East; have ties in West Sussex, Surrey & East Sussex, but have thought about going up north, maybe Lancashire.....

Never thought about credit history side of things....any idea if banks will take your NZ history into account if you can prove good mortgage payment history......

When we came to NZ we had not problems getting a mortgage after 6months....but understand the financial situation in the Uk is dodgy...

Did you try to get credit with a bank that you were with prior to coming to NZ?

Hubby was in the police in the uk, but not here....i have a history of accounts and now work in the health service as a Hospital Aide....i don't think i will have trouble getting a job as Healthcare Assistant anywhere in the country as there always oldies to look after...however my hubby has concerns what work he would get...

Do you have kids? and if so did they have difficulties fitting back into the English schools? My youngest is a kiwi but the other 2 are not so...I worry about there job prospects too in the uk.....like i say my son has a good chance of an apprenticeship here...

Thanks

We talk a lot about going back (We're in Australia). We're very happy here but family being so far away is starting to get to us. We're not sure what to do. Our plans are to buy property here, then let it out while we go back to the UK to "try it out" for a bit.

We know we will be considerably worse off there. Childcare assistance is a joke there compared to here, wages are lower and housing costs are more, but we have to weigh this against never seeing our families, and that is a heavy weight.

We're planning on going back for a long holiday this year to get a feel for the place again. We haven't been back for five years (pre GFC, "austerity" etc) so hopefully that should be instructive and give us some help. This is the curse of the expat, really. Having two citizenships is a blessing and a privilege, but it can also present you with some really tough decisions.

This is one of those "piece of string" questions really. I suspect there are swings and roundabouts - if you can get a job, then I think you are half way there - and it seems that many returnees have won something before they land which is a bonus that those going in the other direction don't have. If a sense of being in the "right" place is your driver for a move then it will be worth it. If, however, you are looking for your best economic situation at the moment then maybe it won't be time for a move unless you have a cast iron job.

For us, living in UK is cheaper - our outgoings are around 3/5 of what they were in Aus (based on my cc spend per month and that includes Aus cc charges), we have more trips away (significantly cheaper) and the weather is perfect for me being outdoors, walking in the countryside etc. we don't have young kids but my observation is that the kids I see are happy, playing outside a lot and with parents actually engaging with them. Where we are I don't know anyone unable to find a job if they really want one but this is an expensive part of the country.

Good luck with whatever decision you make but I would say that if a place isn't floating your boat, move on so that you don't get past the point of no return and get stuck there for the rest of your days

The trips away thing is a major pull for us. We used to love going to various European cities for a few days, and being able to leave the kids with their grandparents is most appealing. I agree with the weather point as well. We are on what must be our seventh month of summer at the moment, and the weather here has been identical for a week, with another identical week promised. The beauty of the sunshine is greatly devalued by its commonness, sadly.

Hi,

Unfortunately only you can decide what to do. It will depend largly on what you do for a living.
We moved back in Dec after 6 years in NZ for all of the reasons you said. We were in Auckland and I found it to quiet, I felt retired. I wanted interesting shops and places to visit of a weekend.
I do think some things are expensive here things have gone up everywhere. I love having the choice of things though and also found NZ very expensive.
My husband had lined up work before we returned and we managed to secure a rental.
Its my understanding that apprenticeships are for 16-18 year olds. I must admit the single biggest reason for coming home was the better opportunitys for my children. I hated the schooling there and am relieved to have my son back in school here. My other son is doing his A levels.
It is entirely your choice and took us 3 years before we were able to leave. I know I can return to NZ if I want to at a later date but for now I love being back.
Good Luck

I agree Zen10 wonderful summer here in NZ....however this is the first summer like this since we arrived.....previous summers have not been what i had expected....

Thanks for your reply.

How have your kids settled into English Education?

My 16 year old is desperate to get an apprenticeship once he finishes this years NCEA level 2....and is likely to get one in the town we live in.....but i don't seem to be able to find information about apprenticeships being available in the Uk, someone back home said they are pretty null & void...?

I am not sure how the kids education is compared to that in the UK...my middle child is 15 taking her NCEA level 1 & i have a younger child at Intermediate school who starts high school 2014...not sure how they would fit into the uk system...

[QUOTE=quoll;10648296]This is one of those "piece of string" questions really. If a sense of being in the "right" place is your driver for a move then it will be worth it. If, however, you are looking for your best economic situation at the moment then maybe it won't be time for a move unless you have a cast iron job.

Thanks QUOLL
You are right, the place is not floating my boat...the best economic situ only comes into it regarding how hard its to get jobs...my hubby is ex police...left force when we came here and did not join up in NZ....most people i know back home have not lost there jobs or find it hard to get jobs, but do moan about taxes etc.

As we have citizenship we know we can come back if we want to but its costly business converting dollars to pounds and back again....

You are right the driver has to be are we in the right place....thanks

[QUOTE=Spacecake799;10649740]Hi,

We moved back in Dec after 6 years in NZ


Sorry forgot to ask, did you still have uk bank accounts whilst in nz? if not have you found it hard to get credit like someone else mentioned?

Cheers

Having citizenship is very important. We all have Australian citizenship, the value of which I believe will grow a great deal through the next few decades. However, as I say above, this cannot be a substitute for being with family, and it is on this point that we're stuck at the moment. You are also right about the costs. The costs of moving are high, although now Sterling has collapsed our Australian dollars buy a good deal more pounds than they used to, which is an upside.

This is a very personal business for all of us. We all have our own push/pull factors influencing our decision-making process. For us, we will be financially worse-off in Britain, sadly, but we are not materialist people at all, plus we will hopefully own property in Australia before we go back. I think this is an important psychological anchor as well as a material one. The bottom line is we rate time with family more than being better off financially, so I think we will return at some point, even if it is only temporary.

A few years ago we thought about going back to England. We went back for a short stay to checkout what life would be like to live there. Was surprised at the rubbishy services and run down state of some areas. Prices were also high. One day we took a train to Derby and it broke down and passengers had to be transferred to a bus to finish their journey. Read recently some shocking reports about the NHS services. Needless to say, we weren't terribly impressed.

Where are you living when not in the UK?

I live in a country where the people are polite. Public services are excellent. Cost of living is reasonable. It has four seasons. Summer is somewhat humid. The diet is healthy and longevity is long. Where do you think?