sharkyuk

Well made it to 7 years, have since got married to an English girl I met here. Just got back from 3 weeks in the UK and have to say it was the hardest time coming back. Family and friends have come a long way in 7 years, but now I am thinking is it time to go back or do I stay? we are looking at getting the wife's mum and dad over to stay, but bloody hell NZ immigration are not making it very easy almost to the point they don't want them to be here.

So what do I do, never thought I would get to this point.

concretepump

immigration , don't seem two want any one unless they have money, i have had a job offer since we left in 07, have just applied for two year work visa think i will only get offered one , but not leading to PR,
but in your shoes i would still stay in NZ after seven years, traffic is so bad its not real any more there are over 40 million vehicles on the road in UK, the population in NZ is only about five million, we are and still will be in recession for at least two more years and likely more,
we have had non stop rain for two weeks and more to come
good luck in your decision

Genesis

Main reason I would not return to the UK is the mad overcrowding.
Nz is full of issues and no where is perfect but NZ is so empty it is like a haven. I think NZ is as empty as the UK is full. Take 50 million people out of the UK and I would return.

Teresa Green

It's a hard one, i know of a few people who have gone back to the uk only to return to nz again when they realised their mistake. After 5 years here i am not sure i could go back to the uk, nice to visit, nice to shop, but i think i would too many things about here.

sharkyuk

Yea I think we will have to weigh up the pro's and con's before we do anything I think. oh well never mind things may yet pan out you just don't know......Have fun everyone

love30stm

Empty and boring. I miss crowds and didn't think I would say that! That's why I need to go back to see if it is as great as I think it is, planning going for a holiday in September and looking forward to it

shirl

Strange breed aren't we, some want crowds, others want peace and quiet, me I don't know what I want anymore! Today I can see snow on the back mountains, the sky is blue with no clouds, yet I feel like I am trapped in paradise. Have a lovely home but no luck selling it yet! Daughter about to move to Perth, the other one already back in the UK and loving it! Sister here 2 hours away who wants me to stay, and me, I am so frustrated that things are not moving quick enough for me I feel like I am going nuts! My mum tells me how much she misses me all the time and my other sister in the UK could really do with some support right now as another rellie has terminal cancer. We will never be able to recapture days when the rellies were around once they have gone so I think you have to do what is in yer heart. Me I long to get back to the west country and be able to go on a Sunday afternoon jaunt to some little village for afternoon cream tea or a nice fishing village and a cornish pasty! I want to be able to say to my mum I will take you out to lunch or say to my other sister I will come to be with you and help you out. I also want a WINTER CHRISTMAS!

BEVS

"Caught like a bird in a gilded cage" sprang to mind Shirl. that the house sells for you soon so you can move forward with the next chapter

P18PPS

7 year itch - you have to scratch it .... we are about to!

shirl

Yes that is exactly how I feel!

luvwelly

Good luck in getting what you want asap

love30stm

Understand exactly how you feel! My two girls of 18 and 16 are still at home with me, if mine were moving away I'm sure I would feel the same.

I miss popping in for a cuppa with my brother and sister in law, meeting up with friends in costa coffee, going round to see my mum and taking her shopping, driving to the peak district or the Cotswolds to have lunch out and browse around, miss Old buildings and we lived by Warwick Castle.

All the best of wishes for you!!!

God now I feel depressed

Robbo25

Not making any judgement either way as such a personal thing, but after spending 7 months back in the UK I will be interested to see what you make of it post September.

shirl

Have a great time in September Bev,deep down inside you will know if your heart lies in UK or here. I am glad I came to NZ and had the experiences I have had and been through what I had to go through with the rest of Canterbury because it has made me realise what a strong person I can be in the face of adversity. My daughter lives in the Cotswolds at the moment and I absolutely love Bourton on Water and can't wait to have another visit there. But my home county is Devon and we have lived also in Cornwall so will be in the west country somewhere. I just need to be there as that is where my roots are. I really don't want to spend the rest of my life down under.

love30stm

Thanks, I don't really feel depressed btw I just miss certain things, but I have a good life here and lots of great friends, mainly English btw

And we are going to get the NZ citenzship next year and maybe think about Oz, but for the moment I feel a need to return and see people so only time will tell how I will feel later.