DennisBergkamp

I love the idea of getting away
not seeing all those faces you really want to avoid (all my extended family!)

And moving from the UK is no bad thing. Its a good safety net, as if you mess up in NZ and have to go back, the UK is hardly a warzone

I'm 23, no kids, wife, property, so i got little to lose. I guess if your older and have kids its a different story

shirl

Ah I was born and brought up in Exeter. My mum still lives there and I keep thinking I will go back and visit her soon but at the moment that is not possible. I was wondering the other day about going out and about to the little beaches. We also used to live in Exmouth before we moved to Cornwall and the parking on the Exmouth seafront at that time was free and we often went to Teignmouth, Torquay Brixham, Sidmouth Lyme Regis etc on a sunday jolly. Never used to have problems with paying excessive parking fees but now in NZ we hardly pay any parking not even in the Malls and only when we go into the centre of Christchurch and don't really have to think about carrying change any more. I agree it is best to try something new than maybe to live with regrets. NZ is not for everyone, my daughter moved back to Exmouth after over 5 years here and I think there may be a slight yearning there somewhere for her to return to NZ although she probably wouldn't admit it!! I think she realises why she left there the first time round and is maybe regreting going back!

Genesis

I was 47 odd when I emigrated. A wife, 3 very young kids, a property and 2 careers to give up (hers and mine). I did not see it as a 'risk' at all. Au contraire I saw it as a HUGE adventure. But then I was not that close to my family, had a small social circle and neither career was doing that well and the area we lived in was well crap. We burnt ALL our bridges and have never regreted doing so. We are those in the camp who reckon to move on you have to genuinely give up stuff and start agin. And that is not to say that those who hang onto stuff in the home country are wrong..not at all. Different folks different strokes.

DennisBergkamp

Sounds like you made an excellent choice

NZ will be an adventure. So much to see. It'll be like one big permanent holiday

Genesis

avo over 5 yrs I am still excited about living here. Nz is a really special place. It is so empty and such a 'new' place..granted the latter has its downside ie no really historic buildings etc but I had 47 years of that and whilst I miss heaps about the UK NZ really has way surpassed all our expectations. And I do not speak with rosy glasses as we have had more than our fair share of problems along the way. I still reckon (maybe excepting Oz) NZ has to be one of the best places to raise a young family. Okay eventually most young people need to move on as NZ has only a finite amount of space to explore and has limited potential given its size and tiny population but that is cool. But many chose to return having had their OE as they realise NZ does have that uncrowded allure that few other countries in the 1st world can offer.

DennisBergkamp

This song makes me think on NZ and the peace of mind i'll get

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5mFKeL67Dk

Hans-S

Those are our stomping grounds too. Funnily enough went to Sidmouth only yesterday for a walk along the beach. We have fun memories of punting in Christchurch and visiting the small aquarium in the square. Also the FREE buses which you can jump on and off - they enabled us to see all around Christchurch - it was great. My hubby and I spent two month's travelling around NZ in a small and simple camper - so no luxuries! We feel that we did not only do the touristy side of NZ but lived every day life. We dealt with the weekly shopping, washing and ironing, kept an eye on spending and even had to visit a local garage in Nelson on a Saturday morning because of an oil leak!We are aware that moving is completely different but the need to emigrate is so strong, it is something that we now have to do. When we returned home from our trip we were heartbroken -we were homesick for NZ! Since then we have had a son who is now two and we can think of nowhere else we would like to bring him up. We will be no better off financially and from some of the other posts I understand we could be worse off but the quality of life makes it all worth while and it's just feels the right thing to do for us as a family. There is a phrase that lots of people keep telling us at the moment, which it looks as tho your daughter is also realising - the grass is not always greener but I strongly believe you have to follow your instincts.

Hans-S

Oh yes, packed to the rafters it is! I know UK is not 'bad' place and I know that NZ has it faults too. We have tasted the good life in NZ and would like a little bit of that space away from the maddening crowds!

Hans-S

My hubby and I are 38 and 32 and have a two year old, we both work and have a property. We too, do not see it as a risk emigrating and I think we are in the camp that you are in. Obviously it is very tough emigrating and I just wonder if we don't sell the house are we going to think ah well, it hasn't worked out lets go home. Alternatively, selling lock stock and barrel - do you try harder to make things work?

Genesis

You do not have the safety net of anything back in the old country so maybe it does make you work a bit harder. That is not to say people who have returned to their rented homes have not given it their best..but maybe had they burnt their bridges they may have stayed a wee bit longer..(but still might return inspite of elongating their stay).

Expat Kiwi

You know people wouldn't move all that way and then not try to make it work.

Renting their homes out doesn't necessarily make people feel less settled, nor does a symbolic burning of bridges make them more likely to succeed.

If anything not selling-up makes it harder because there is no cash fund (savings) to fall back on if things get tough. So many people sell up and then 'waste' a good chunk of that capital on moving costs, buying furniture, cars, etc. it's all dead money too because they never get it back.

Keeping on a solid investment isn't such a bad idea IMHO.

The problem with burning bridges is that they're darned expensive things to re-build.

JohnThePom

As far as I'm concerned selling the house would make it easier to move back, as I would have more flexibility over where to live.

Giving up my job was/is a far bigger burning of a bridge.

WP

Charismatic

Now if we could only combine the two, chocolate box villages with low population density....

I loved things about the UK but on balance I still wouldn't go back to live there, it’s utterly buggered financially and socially they don’t seem to be making much progress. However if New Zealand doesn’t raise its game or young people are going to find it difficult to continue to reside here in the future as well and if we can’t attract and retain skilled foreign workers (who tend to be ever more transient in nature) then quality of living here will fall even further behind our OECD rivals. Bitter medicine to swallow if things are to get better in a relevant timeframe.

Expat Kiwi

I agree with you, I'm concerned about the numbers of young and skilled people leaving New Zealand. I've done it myself so I know exactly what the drivers are and don't blame them, can't see it getting any better to be honest.

Genesis

My bridges were pretty much crap anyways so I was happy to set fire to them. So it was REALLY easy for me to do it. I really admire people who make the move who were content in the previous place. That is a ballsy thing to do IMO.