C&R

This is for those who have a yearning to live in Oz, who think its the best country in the world, and how nothing can be better then getting that visa granted and moving down under...

I was in Australia staying at my Dads recently, attempting to put together the Oz visa application that never got submitted because of a delay with Vetassess and the lack of their golden ticket. I knew a friend who lived in New Zealand, and him and his wife invited me to stay with them. So off I went, I travelled from Wellington to Napier, then from Napier to Palmerston North, then onto New Plymouth and back to Wellington.

What I noticed: Firstly, I would like to add, New Zealand people are a hell of a lot less brash and arrogant then Ozzies [can be..] they speak quieter, ie - the tv adverts don't shout at you like they do in Oz. I am not knocking Ozzies, but I have been there enough times to grant my own opinion on certain character traits. The scenery in New Zealand is outstanding, one minute you could be in Scotland, then Switzerland, then Australia along the coast, then back to the Lake District. I kid you not, it is amazing. People tend to go on about how friendly Australians are, well from my experience New Zealanders are genuinely friendly, and are much much more laid back.

Throughout my trip, I kept asking myself why am I and my boyfriend going through the stress of applying to live in Australia, it is not the perfect place it is made out to be after all, we spent a year there, and know the downfalls of living there, particulary with employment issues. I am sure New Zealand has its faults too, but coming from the UK, I don't know, I tended to warm to the place more then Australia, there is a certain kinship I think British people have towards New Zealand, probably due to the greeness of the place - I cannot put my finger on it. There are doubts in my head about living in Oz now, but thats something we have to work out ourselves.

But if you get the opportunity to visit New Zealand,then I would highly recommend it, before you make the big move and expense to move to Australia.

diddy

Horses for courses.....

bondipom

No hobits, orks or other weird middle earth dwellers here.

C&R

I am aware alot of people are not going to like what I wrote, but its a comparison. Had I not gone to NZ, then I would still think the same as everyone else on this forum. I just think people should be aware that Australia is not the perfect place it is made out to be, its difficult to live there, particulary the work situation. Sometimes things need to be said, rather then hiding behind rose tinted glasses.

Amazulu

Ask yourself why so many Kiwis are moving to Australia, about 650/week at the moment. There are over 100000 in Perth apparently. I think you'll find the answer is money, I think it is harder to make a decent living in NZ. NZ has all the social problems of the UK & Australia, some better, some worse.

NZ is a great place to visit, I know I'll be going back, but not to live.

bondipom

Are you saying NZ has a better work situation?

Linda Lushardi

I' married to a NZer and lived there for quite some time. Visiting is a damn site different to living there.
For me (and my husband) Australia beats it hands down. Yes, its a beautiful place and i reccomend anyone going for a holiday as its beautiful to look at, but living there has its own set of real problems

As for brashness of people. I hope you dont bump into my sister in law... :scared:

C&R

I have no experience about the work situation in NZ, I only about how hard it was to live and work in Australia, and what my boyfriend who is a highly qualified engineer had to put up with, and also what my Father has to put up with too. But having said that I was advised there was more scope in NZ for qualified engineers then there is in Australia, this is the advice from someone who lives there.

C&R

This is it, an even balance. Living and working in Oz, and visiting New Zealand on holidays. Perfect combination. But for me personally, I can see myself and my boyfriend being far happier living in NZ then Australia. Its just my personal opinion.

Linda Lushardi

Good luck to you, but i just hated it after 6mths.

C&R

Why did you hate it? Had you lived in Australia before hand, or did you go to Australia after New Zealand?

bondipom

Must be a specialised area of engineering. The resources boom has created a huge demand for engineers here. Most professions pay less well in NZ and most of those opportunities are limited to Auckland which is a rainy whole abuot as attractive as Birmingham.

diddy

You must be new to the site as the rose tinted glasses issue is probably discussed more than anything else on here. Nothing you wrote is new, so like I said 'horses for courses'.

C&R

I am not new to the site. I just don't get the opportunity to check out this forum that often. But like I said, I am just writing about the comparison, thats all.

Linda Lushardi

No i had never been to Australia before coming here, but i had never been to NZ either, and the only reason i went there in the first place was because i married a kiwi. He had been away from there for 12yrs working all over the world and wanted to go back and spend some time there.
After being way for so long he was VERY shocked at how unhappy he was living there after experiencing living in other places. He had lived in America, several places across Eurpe including the UK and he admitted that NZ was just too isolated and in some ways "backward" in its approach to certain things. Not sayng the people themselves are.. far from it, very intelligent.
For me, i just couldnt adapt to such a culture change. I come from a big city and found it positively painful having to go to bed at 9pm as theres sod all to do nd nwhere to go as it shuts down. The lack of choice in shopping. The underlying racial tensions between pakeha and maori got extremely tiresome. The standard of housing is appaulling and i mean REALLY appaulling! Wages are low in comparison to other places, and lastly, although on the surface kiwis come across as very friendly people (ok most are i married one after all..lol) there is a definite undercurrent there and a fair percentage small town small minded people too. I think thats what me and my husband found the worst of all.
Of course all this is just my experience and there'll no doubt be others come on here saying i'm talking crap but thats what we experienced. You may not and see it differently so dont take my word or anyone elses you need to do it for yourself
As i said before good luck to you.