Linda Welch

Our agent in Christchurch is about to submit our application. We have passed our medicals end my husband has job offer. We have a lovely NZ family who want to rent then buy our house.
Our 3 young kids have come around to the idea and I am getting last minute doubts !
We want them to have a better quality of life and opportunities in NZ- South Island. Where we live has changed a lot in the last few years with a large increase in crime. Their Catholic school which was once so good now has trouble getting and keeping good teachers. There are 35 kids in each class in juniors ! The mix of children in the school changes each year as people move out/away. The mix of children seem to get slightly more streetwise each year.
My husband spends between 2 to 3 hours a day travelling to and from work on the tube !! But saying all this we still have a good life with great friends, family and neighbours and our children are doing well at school and are settled. It is such a lot to risk.
I have been reading with interest the threads about moving for the kids and future opportunities. Some are quite pessimistic.
It is so difficult to judge what joining Eurpoe will mean in the future. It could be fantastic with great travel and job opportunities.
We do dream of living somewhere private, safe, quiet with lovely views and lots more family time to enjoy it !
Any comments good or bad ?!!!


:scared:

HUP

I think everyone has this dream and unfortunatley I think thats all it can ever be for most of us. I don't think there is anywhere in the world that could boast all that (Even if there was everyone would soon catch on and rush over there and bugger it up)

Everywhere has its good and its bad and in the end its how it all balances up for you. We will be going to Oz and have a reasonable sum of capitol to take with us. Though we are ever so concious that the capitol is finite and needs to be invested in our family home. So life will continue for our family. It will be a different life though with different experiences and opportunities, both good and bad.

Linda Welch

Good luck in OZ.
My husband and I have been married for 18 years and I think we are known as quite a reliable boring sort of couple up till now!
Nobody can beleive that we are planning to go to NZ without even having visited before. My husband says we have saved up all the daring and exciting things into this one big move !
Still I think what you said is very true.
Best wishes for the future HUP.

jandjuk

Compared to one of the richest most densely populated countries in the world (UK) then NZ by comparison may have less 'opportunities' - especially if you want your children to become world leaders in their chosen field. Yes it is true they may well leave NZ at some stage to pursue their career on the world stage.

However, there are still plenty that perform on the world stage without leaving NZ. (or don't want to perform on the world stage..)

There will still be crime, but if you can afford it, you will find a good area with good schools which suit your needs. Notice I say 'if you can afford' it - once you start earning NZ dollars things will stop looking so cheap.

In your position I really would go with the idea that you're going for a few years just to try it out - and always have a fall back plan. If you have the right attitude (ie you're going for the 'experience' and not expecting a paradise) then you will be fine.

robernelli

Good point. Nowhere can stay perfect for long because part of the attraction is affordable and if it is affordable, everybody tries to latch on to to the latest 'good idea'.

S/pick

My family and I have never been and I don't mind. I did'nt want to go for a holiday because everywhere is nice when on holiday. My husband his now having second thoughts and wants to leave Surrey to go to Scarborough. Where there are only a few schools acheving over 80% compared to my daughters school which is acheiving in the 95%. All these schools are catholic or c of e and we are not church goers. i would love a change even if it was'nt for ever. It would be nice to not worry about money. We find ourselves working to living and i don't think that would change in Scarborough. It is not a place I want my children to grow up in.

Everything is worth a go.

Linda Welch

It would be great to find a place in the Uk which has a good family quality of life and great schools which have no waiting lists !
The schools we have looked at in NZ seem great with good quality of education as far as we can see.
We feel that if we dont do it know we never will. If it does not work out at least we will know for sure which is better than always having regrets for not trying. Hopfully the kids will gain from the experience !
Good Luck !

GetMeOutOfHere

Your post summed up me & wifes own feelings, :scared: emotional rollercoaster, some days seem to be feeled with doubts about, where will be best?, will I get work? So many unanswered questions. Sometimes we have to jump in feet first and do it, if it's not for you then whats the worst thing you do, come back?
This site & many more help a great deal to resolve many unanswered issues, a great source of companionship & friendship can be gained from this site. We are all going through or have been there, so any problems or niggles then just make a post, plenty will help if they can

newkiwi

We do dream of living somewhere private, safe, quiet with lovely views and lots more family time to enjoy it !
Any comments good or bad ?!!!


:scared: [/QUOTE]

Hi there
My wife and I moved to NZ in Feb, also having never been before. We dont have any regrets. We dont have kids though so i cant comment on schools etc.

The fact that you ahve a job lined up will make things a lot easier. When we moved down I had a job lined up, but my wife didnt. She got a job in 4 weeks, having been out of the workforce for two years previously, so the opportunities for work are better than many would like you to believe.

Good points about NZ...the scenery is amazing, UK capital still goes a long way, altho when u start earning NZ dollars the cost of living becomes relatively more expensive. People are pretty laid back and socio economic problems seem limited. It is an amazing country.

Bad points...NZ is quite isolated, but there is so much to see and do in NZ youll take many years before you see it all. The career opportunities for high flyers are probably higher in Aus, but the fact that you already have a job offer lined up helps.

Some of the posts are quite negative, but take it as a reality check, at least you wont be expecting paradise when you arrive. The worst that can happen is that you return in 3 or 4 years all the richer for the experience. If you figure that as the worst case scenario then you sould be fine.

There are tons of immigrants in NZ, choosing to stay...

Good luck, you stress levels are bound to only increase in the coming months....

hamiltonnz

Im a kiwi. I lived in London(Twickenham) for a year and worked there. I dont believe there is any comparison. Come on over - Youll love it here. Find a nice sunny place to live like Nelson or Tauranga or napier. Clean fresh air, slower pace of life, lots to see and do, not too expensive. From my experience you wont regret it.

muppetking

We will be leaving in the future precisely because of the LACK of opportunities for our children in NZ. Look at it as an adventure and don't build the place up to be something it could never be.

southerner

What specific opportunities for children are there lacking in NZ?

Obviously I know about some very specialised fields where you really have to go overseas to be on the big stage, but that is part of living in places like NZ, Scotland, South West England, etc with low populations.

As a young kiwi I never thought of myself as lacking in opportunity, and looking back now I actually think I was lucky to have the background that I did have. I don't look at my peers here in London and think "God I wish I had the same opportunities as you". Often I think the opposite.

Anyway, I don't doubt that what you say is true. But as it is so different from my own experiences, would it be possible for you to expand on what you mean by "lack of opportunity" as you see it? This will help me and others to see the other side of the coin.

Thanking you in anticipation...

Bladesman

Linda,

We came over to NZ in June, like you we both had doubts, we had both never been to NZ and like you we wondered if we were doing the right thing for our son. We figured that if we didnt go we would always be thinking what if? If we do actually return then we may have lost a few pounds/dollars but have the experience to remember and the knowledge that we at least tried it.
One thing that I would say is that if you are not both fully commited to the process then hold fire until you
both are otherwise problems will arise.

GetMeOutOfHere

Great advice, my thoughts exactly, you'll never know unless you do it
Anyway Bladesman, can you tell us more about your situation, hows the whole experience been for you? Where have you settled, any job yet?

wog_boy

I live and work in Chch and I can see the daunting future that many Kiwis face. As property prices have soared because of the huge influx of rich immigrants they have the same problems that young people in the SE face, they cannot afford to live in their country.
Unfortunately the only way out of this is to leave the country for a few years in order to make some serious savings. Unless you are qualified and skilled that is not always easy especially in the current climate.
So you are right to be worried about what your kids gonna do when they grow up , however i believe that NZ is a much better place for them to be brought up.
As an earlier post mentioned you are not obliged to stay....

the greek