Jaffa30

you should get in touch with her muppetking - you'd both get on like a house on fire

muppetking

!00% right...we both recognise the hypocrisy!

Jaffa30

no kiwi with half a brain listens to winston peters. but politicians like him, for example pauline hanson in australia, know it is an easy way to pick-up votes without some genuine health, education & economic policies.

jajpe

thanks for all the travel and schools advice!

it has helped us to do the research. i think we will go with the transscenic company though, as the 'strait' one, although very temptingly cheap, would get us into wellington a lot later in the evening and the day might be long enough for the kids!!

muppetking, unfortunately i can't seem to open that attachment although maybe it's just as well by all accounts. i have been strangely positive about the whole thing these past few weeks and it's a nice feeling. i know there are things in every country that could be better but i think that we have settled in our minds now, that if this oppertunity comes through for us then we will grab it with both hands and make the best of the experience for how ever long. at the end of the day we have lived in northern ireland for all of our lives so far and for all it's obvious problems (the troubles here began the year i was born though i don't think there was a connection!!) i can still honestly say i have had a good life and enjoyed a happy childhood.

what i am trying to say, though i know i'm not making a great deal of sense, is that i don't believe a perfect environment is the secret to happiness, but rather that happiness and peace comes from the inside. i know that new zealand will not be paradise, and i appreciate your honesty at times about some of the down sides, but i think that we are excited about a new adventure or challenge in our lives and at a good stage in our marriage, and hopefully at a good time to open the children's minds up to new and broader experiences and protect them from some of the narrow mindedness that sadly is the mark or our little country.

crikey, i really am ranting now. in my defence, i have been up all night working so i think it is high time i got some sleep!!

have a good day everyone, or night - i don't know which it is anymore!

jajpe

thanks lee, yeah good point about looking at a place from the outside in. i imagine that if i hadn't have lived here wild horses wouldn't drag me here as the news reports even now in supposed peace, are depressing to say the least!

i was just about to start a new thread with a question but since this is still going i'll try it here.

it's really just about how to present the PR application?

anyone got any good suggestions about how to put it all together in the end when forms are filled in and all suppporting documentaion is collected. i started to sort some stuff out yesterday and just wonder if we do it ourselves, which we intend to at his stage, how we will make it neat and easy to see at a glance what fits where.

will appreciate any suggestions!

lizzie

I went to town on our application presentation as someone once wrote on here that they had neatly presented in a folder and that NZIS had appreciated this and got a quick response. I bought a folder with a clear plastic sleeve for each attachment, I did an index and numbered everything. It was really easy to see what each item was relating to and the application form slotted neatly at the front. Must admit I did excel myself. Don't know whether it had any effect but we did hear very quickly.

It won't get you any more browny points at the end of the day but it will make you feel more confident about your application if it looks good.

Lizzie

jajpe

thanks lizzie,
sounds good! have you applied for pr already then or was that for the job search thingy. how are things this week? any interviews or anything?

we won't be able to apply until i get a job offer but i want to get as much organised as possible so if we're sure when we come home from holiday then we can put in in fairly quickly.

thanks again