Hi
We r in Rotorua. The Coromandel is gorgeous but I cannot tell u about work there. You do not say what qualification you actually have to teach. I have a post graduate certificate in Education (Further Education) and it is not recognised at all by the NZQA, there is no equivalent in new zealand. You can do a Certificate in Teaching adults here but it is a level 4 qualification whereas the PGCE is a level 8. There are not that many Further Education Colleges here. Kids especaily in rotorua can leave school without any qualifications at age 15 and get a job. The big emphasis in further education has not caught on here. My husband and 3 of the kids absolutely love it here, ask them if they want their life back in the uk and they say no way. It is much more relaxed here, the weather is certainly better, there are not so many restrictions but with that comes kids driving at 15 yrs, No one on the road has to have insurance it is not compulsory. Our oldest went back to the in February, he missed his friends and his life, it is very difficult for teenagers because this country is nothing like the uk, we speak the same language but our culture is so very different. The wages are very low and the cost of living very similar to the uk. Our food bills are the same as the uk but the wages are a half of what we used to get. We sold our house in the uk, (my biggest regret) i wouldn't advise anyone to do it until they have lived here for 2 years and are certain that they will like it. You don't have many designer labels here, no peer pressure on kids. There are no clothes to fit women 5ft and under lol. Food-there is less choice, so much less, I do miss Morrisons and Asda. The country is beautiful and the lakes are free. Please make sure u have residency before u leave the uk, because if u do not and the kids leave school here u have to pay international fees for college and one year course is approximately 21,000 dollars. We came over on work visas and found this out in hindsight! Xmas can pass u by here!! Locals all go on holiday, not many shops dress up. Not many houses have central heating and double glazing Haha(never heard of it)!! Computing in senior schools, is just appearing. no interactive whiteboards to use!!! Not so many people here, so less competition and less variety of up to date mobile phones and computers. You may miss the british Humour but we do get sky, not quite like home though. I can only tell u what it is like for us and I am sure others will say differently. If u want anymore questions answered, just ask.

Heavenlysent, at last, someone who will admit the cost of food is same as Uk but wages lower!!
Hell for 5 years I thought I was living on a different planet to some posters!
I have 3 boys, big boys eat loads but dont gain weight just grow taller!
I have tried every soddin shop in hamilton to cut down on food bills and all I get when I manage to spend under $400 pw is " There's nowt to eat"...
AArrggggggg!!!

Not to mention a massive shortage of chefs, and restaurants even having to close down because they just can't get the chefs! It's insane. I've even seen programmes about the chronic shortage of hospitality staff in Queensland so it defies belief that a chef can't get work out here.

And get this - I've been cooking/catering for over 25 years - had my own businesses, etc., but when I started doing agency work (absolutely vile) here in Perth, I was the lowest of the low because I didn't have the qualifications on paper, and was not allowed to cook at all They allowed me to peel carrots and pick leaves off stalks. If they'd given me half a chance, I could have been really valuable to them - but oh no! if it's not there on paper, your'e at the bottom of the compost heap!

Thanks Heavenlyscent, I really appreciate your honesty. It is a difficult decision to make when you are still in the UK & the children have school,college,work commitments etc. In hindsight we probably should have thought about immigrating years ago, but circumstances didn't allow it. As we are in our late 40's I worry that it is too late to make such a big move. My husband is Greek, so we go to Greece every year. We swing between buying a holiday home there, or trying to decide on wheither to immigrate. Decisions, decisions !! If we decide that we are going to immigrate (which would only be if OH has a job offer) we would rent out our house here - partly because it would mean the children would have somewhere to stay if they wanted to come back. I got the impression in your post (although apologies if I am wrong) that you were less happy in NZ than your husband & three of your children ? If so, is there a reason as to why - if you don't mind me asking. I worry about silly things like making friends, getting used to the driving, quality of healthcare (our youngest was very seriously ill a few years ago), special needs support in school, etc. I would like to read more views on these. One last thing, it is so expensive to fly there (for our family of six !) so you can't realistically just book a flight anytime you feel like a visit to the UK or Europe to see family!!
Sorry for being such a long post !

It's not just food, is it? It's almost everything.

I've been wondering how New Zealanders get by and the only potential answers I've come up with (pure speculation) are...

1) There's a lot of 'cash in hand' work out here that hides true incomes.

2) State benefits top up the household income.

3) People live a life of utter drudgery.

4) People are happy doing 'outdoors' stuff that doesn't cost much.


any other ideas?

You could achieve much the same thing by moving to London, Scotland or somewhere in mainland Europe. More challenging in many ways yet easier to get back home if things don't work out.

Countries like Australia and New Zealand don't seem to have any appeal in themselves, from what I've read on this board. They seem to act like some fantasy version of England for many people. A friendlier, sunnier England where people have bigger houses.... And as they aren't...why bother living here?

Emmigrating only works if there are very strong push and pull factors. You have to really want to leave somewhere, or go somewhere, for it work I think. And from what I've read of your posts I wouldn't say you have very strong reasons for wanting to move.

Well said

Hi Just to let u know both mu husband and i secured jobs before we left the uk. The school i was working at was closed down 6 months after being here so our residency was declined. With wages being so low, much lower than our expectations, having to use 500 dollars a week from our savings to be able to keep our heads above water, enough is enough of being here. It costs us at least 11000 dolars for us all to have a return flight to the uk, so a holiday there is out of the question. (You cannot buy cheap flights, as the travel agent told me they would rather send a plane half full than to selll cheap seats). Much cheaper to buy a flight here to nz over the internet in the uk. My job was on the skills shortage list but the reality is there are no jobs here. I went to Auckland last week for an interview (3 hour drive) and was told my qualifications are fantastic but they wanted new zealand qualifications. They advised me to re-train over here at a cost of 21,000 dollars. The same course in the uk will cost me 1,000 pounds, so i will carry on cleaning till i return at the end of june. You have to pay for the doctors everytime u visit, it is not free and schoioling is not free either. The fees here in Rotorua are between 300 dollars to 1000 dollars a year and then u have to buy all the books, even the ones that they write in, homework books and text books, then you pay exams fees on top of this. Only one shop in town has the monopoly for school uniform which is so expensive it is rediculous, give me marks and spencer!! Since being here they have just recognised dyslexia as a problem!! So special needs in schools are certainly not up with the uk. We had a 5 bed house, good cars, travelled abroad 3 times a year, this country is lovely to visit to live, not for us, they exist, they don't know how to live!! I have tried to be honest.

It is really shocking to see how these people these live! We were so spoilt in the uk, just took it for granted.

Heavenlyscent, couldn't agree with you more. My husband and I both have good jobs but we are still struggling to make ends meet. We got residency before arriving here (18 months ago) so school fees haven't affected us, but completely agree with everything else. We are struggling with the should we stay should we go problem at the moment. Problem is, we haven't got a bean right now and it will take forever to save up to get home if thats what we decide to do. Our son is perfectly happy here but would be perfectly happy to go back to the UK too. He doesn't see that its any better or worse here. I mistakenly thought that if i really missed people in the UK i could fly back at least once every two years - not a chance. Truth is, i can't see myself living here for too much longer, the scenery is fabulous the smaller population is great too, but I don't do anything different than i did in the UK except work longer hours for a lot less money, worry about paying bills coz they are constantly in the mail box and don't think i have a cat in hells chance of a holiday any time soon.

A big reason for moving here was the 'safer for children' image, but after reading about the little girl in Portugal being snatched from her bed, conversations at work led to all the attempted abductions just here in Christchurch - couldn't believe my ears - one just the other day in fact. It took a lot for myself and OH to relax with our son when we got here, well thats not gonna happen now. There is definitely a lot more crime here than i expected and i believe its getting gradually worse.

OH worries a lot about terrorism in the UK, so maybe that will be the deciding factor on whether we stay or go - who knows - what i do know is that if i had money i would have been on a flight home many times over.

I have to add though, I don't particularly want to go back to where i used to live, i miss family and friends loads, but a reasonable commuting distance would do me just fine, at least then i can see them for weekends if i want to instead of NOT A CHANCE MATEY!

I've been looking into Norfolk/Norwich of late - can anyone give me any info on that area - i believe its beautiful.

Hi

I just thought I would reply to your thread, we moved to NZ/Aus 10 years ago with the promise of cheaper housing, better lifestyle etc, same as you at the time in the UK we had a nice house two cars etc. Hubby thinking grass was greener on the other side. After 10 years of misery for me, and the constant reminders of how well off we were, and it would get better. I started looking at the price of food of the asda site, interest rates, tax bracket, and weighing it all up you are not better off at all over there infact I think worse off, the only way is if you have a lot of equity in your house, which enables you to buy a fantastic house and enough to carry on a good lifestyle, but if you are on a budget its hard. Also there absence of family and the cost of flying back, which is an enormous cost. If you are thinking of going rent your house for a good few years first, because we totally lost reach of the UK property market.

We have now moved from OZ and I shudder at the thought of returning. We are citizens of NZ, but I doubt I will ever want to go back whilst I still have family.

Good luck, with your decision

Mandy

Hi
In reply, we too believed what we were told that NZ is safer for children but our 15 year old daughter was sexually assalted in 2005 and the case is going to the high court in June 2006, as soon as that court case is over I want to be out of this country. Living in the UK had its problems, but i have never lived like this in my life. It is not an easy decision to go back though, cos eventually it may split my marriage as my hubby and kids do not want to particularly return and i can't understand why they want to stay here after everything we have experienced here. Two gangs rule two sides of Rotorua, Mongrel Mob on the eastside and Black Power on Westside, so u don't live in these areas with kids unless u want them involved. One member was shot dead in daylight in the street in 2006. These factors were not mentioned before we left. Drugs are a big problem and so available here. Dope is endemic in nz society. P is the latest drug the local kids are all in to (that was confirmed by the 2 social workers i interviewed last night).
Norfolk is lovely, Norwich a great place to live, my parents lived just outside for 2 years and loved it. The broads are especially nice, touristy but quaint. We too r loking at other places to go back to. On the Homes website they list the 10 best places to live in the UK, its worth a look.

OMG - no wonder you want to return, you wouldn't see me for dust. We actually live in a really nice suburb just out of Christchurch so don't see much by way of gang culture or drugs - but saying that - the local paper constantly rants on about problem teenagers and burgaries in the area, we've even had a security guy knocking twice at the door to encourage us to have an alarm system fitted because (he reckons) there is a least one break in every night where we live!

I think we have decided to give it until around Jan/Feb '08 - that will give us time to save some money, if i still feel the same way, home it is - and to be honest, i can't see much changing my mind short of something fantastic happening. I'm sorry to hear it could be difficult for your married life, moving back, I too can't understand why someone would want to stay given your circumstances.

My friends brother is a policeman and he reckons there is no way he would let his kids out of his sight here (both are kiwis).

Your info (especially regarding drugs) is invaluable, i have started making a list of reasons to stay and reasons to go, the reasons to go are upto 16, reasons to say - 3!

I will definitely take a look at the Homes website, thanks for the tip - I hope everything works out OK for you and your family.

You poor woman........just wanted to send you loads of hugs and love
Hope you get back to Uk with family intact

Could you tell me which website this is please.