Catchafire

A lovely title just to cheer everyone up!

What are the five big things that every newbie should have to consider before taking the leap based upon your experience?

BEVS

I can try to start this off, having been here for 10 years and seen some of the results. Not for everyone you understand but I have seen some heartbreak out there.
'Ruin' is a huge word though. . All things pass with time.

1 - The strain on a marriage/partnership, where one settles, the other does not.

2 - Finding yourself in a financial situation you had not bargained for, in a place you are far from familiar with & with no network of support .

3 - Prejudice

4 - Children having a tough time for whatever reason where previously they were fine.

5 - Realising that precious family ties have loosened more than you would wish causing emotional anguish

pippalonghorn

I have to agree with BEVS first 3.

4. Loneliness
5. The whole situation making me doubt every decision I now make and also
Loosing a lot of self confidence.

M_and_M

1. Prejudice. Specially in the workplace.

It's the one single thing making me want to go back to the UK.

2. Work life balance.

I used to have one and now I don't.

3. Financial strain.

Both the cost of the move, relocation, starting a mortgage again, cost of living being higher, struggle to get jobs.. Etc

4. It's like life, but not as we know it

Every culture is different but in some ways the very subtle differences rather than a total different culture makes it much harder to adjust to

5 the very different workplace - not necessarily for the better.

This is the thing I am struggling with most.

BEVS

No Not here please.

Feel free and please do start a new thread about that topic. Otherwise this thread will be derailed by the discussion about that rather than people simply listing their 5 choices.


edit here .....

Snaps has taken up the suggestion to start a new thread on the topic HERE in order to leave this thread clear.
Thanks Snaps.

.

Bo-Jangles

Agree entirely, it is life changing alright but not necessarily for the better.

1. Oppressive work culture and low standards has been a big adjustment
2. Being short of money and balancing the finances
3. Lack of travel and holiday opportunities
4. Housing issues; renting or buying, price and quality wise
5. Keeping it together when all of the above factors seem to be conspired against you.

Pom_Chch

Numbers 1-3 are NZ specific and I guess 4-5 are for any location an expat chooses to emigrate to:

1. Don't underestimate how far away you are from the UK and how expensive it is to get back especially should you need to in an emergency.

2. Have a valid drivers license. You can probably get away with public transport to and from work but NZ's best bits are outside of the cities where public transport does not go.

3. If you are into shopping, particularly for designer clothes/bags/shoes, you will be disappointed. No one moves to NZ because of its shops.

4. Make sure your wages will be enough to cover your outgoings and that you have enough money to really enjoy what the country has to offer.

5. Make sure you arrive with enough money to set up with - a car, bond on a house etc. Worrying and stressing about not having enough money to buy necessities is not a good start to your new life.

RedDragon2008

The women are ruff



x 5

crap coffee

Its possible. . . in Wellington anyway.

bourbon-biscuit

1. Your relationships with family in your home country are likely to experience strain and for some (many?) people those relationships may weaken over the years as you become increasingly peripheral.

2. It can be very hard here financially, especially if your family income is not at least 3x in dollars what it was in the UK in pounds and/or you have a decent deposit to ensure housing costs are minimal.

3. Your kids can end up living in a culture you don't entirely identify with, half a world away from your family that they don't entirely identify with.

4. The sheer energy it takes to emigrate can mean your expectations for life here become inflated - and once here, if you want to return it might be an even longer harder journey than the one you took to get here.

5. The number of families who split after emigrating - this is so much more common than I think people realise. If there are kids involved this can lead to such incredible difficulties.

Stormer999

Sorry can't think of one never mind five...

Choccie

Bourbon Biscuit number 3 just about sums it up really. My son talks about us emigrating to UK where to me it's going home.

Tom1983

1. You could find yourself living in a cardboard box paying $500 per week rent due to an out of control pathetic rental market

2. Don't bother coming here if you haven't got at least $70,000 saved up for a house.

3. Things will cost a bomb if/when Nationals privatisation gets the go-ahead. Especially if they decide to fully privatise companies instead of their current part privatisation

4. You may think you are coming where your job is in demand but in reality that's rubbish. You'll find yourself being made redundant after redundant, especially if being on the rebuild

5. Being million miles away from family

Choccie

Tom

It sounds like you are having a really hard time of it.

Wishing you all the best.

bearskin

...or the weather