shaozzy

Hi there, we are from the I.O.W. too! We have been here nearly 3 years now and love it, we live in a place called Te Awamutu which is just outside of Hamilton. Hope everything goes well for you and husband to be sharon

UKNZAUS

HI IOW bird

We're in Auckland (up in Orewa/Red Beach area in Rodney District) and have been here for 8 months, spent 3-4 months in Torbay on the North Shore before hopping up the road. If you need to know anything specific, ask away - if I can't help I'm sure others will be along to help out.

North Shore is lovely but houses are very close together and more expensive rentals than the rest of Auckland (might be wrong on some parts though) from what I've seen.

Good Luck with your wedding plans too x

Michelle

Persephone

Hi there,

I'm planning on moving sometime this year but not to Auckland so can't help you with that.
Just wanted to say hello and good luck. Wow, can't believe you've got so much going on at the mo, do you ever get any time to relax? Mind when you're over in NZ, married, jobs sorted and settled in, then you can sit back and just enjoy your new life

Ignore joggerfan I've been on here about 6 months now and though there are the odd spats between people, I have to admit I haven't seen someone be quite so offensive.

Duh,feel a bit thick, been trying to work out iow!! Thanks Shaozzy!

Lots and lots of luck for your wedding and the big migration

Sue

CCGM.IN.NZ

Correct! Hi iow-bird. Your head must be all over the place. We live in Eastern Beach and love this area. Downside is its quite densley populated and houses are very close together in some places. Might be a good idea not to commit to anything long term until you have a chance to have a good look around and decide where you would like to be. Where you or your hubby-to-be will be working could be a deciding factor though as getting into the city from most surrounding areas can be a bit of a nightmare in rush hour . Apparently this is a good book to have "WHERE TO LIVE IN AUCKLAND"by BARBICAN PUBLISHINGS. Trademe will give you some idea of rental and purchase prices for properties in these areas. Good luck with all your plans . Carol

iow_bird

Hi

Thanks for the replys... I'm kinda holding it all together at the moment...I've got a man, dress and venue sorted for the wedding, I guess everything else will fall into place, mums being a star and taking a lot of the pressure off!! Think she's enjoying it really!

The most stressful bit is sorting out moving...and trying not to get excited incase it doesn't happen. Our agent has said we can get our medicals done in New Zealand and that the turn around time on work permits is pretty fast. He seems to know what he's talking about, all our communication is via e-mail and the odd phone call so I'll be a lot happier once Ben's been out there. He goes in 11 days and I really wish I was going with him!! We've not been apart in over 2 years so it's going to be hard, but hopefully worth it. We decided we need to save every penny for when we get out there, it just wasn't sensible for me to go too!

If we finally do get out there, it's going to be such a relief to be able to sit back and relax a bit for a while!! Looking forward to having some fun....so very envious of those of you already out there.

Any of you know what the maternity leave laws are in NZ? We'll be looking to start a family in the next year or so, do you know if that will affect our visas? and would a child born in New Zealand be an NZ citizen? Had a look online and can't find much info!

Thanks again

Katie
x x x

iow_bird

where abouts on the IOW did you live? We're in Ryde, why did you leave for New Zealand?? We're fed up of knowing too many people from school, lack of job opportunitites and ferry fares!!

I had a job offer in Hamilton last year but had to turn it down!

shaozzy

We were in good old Freshwater! Just had enough of it really and have never looked back! Used to work at St Mary's and OH worked at Camphill. We have a friend moving over from Newport this month, so there are a few of of us caulkheads here already Sharon

eddie_nz

so down to the nitty gritty,

are you bringing money to NZ, after all its hard to save here and house deposits are expensive,

Re child care

Probably better in the UK depending on job and time on job,

and the biggie

are you and your mother happy having children/grand children 1/2 way around the world from each other????

you know lack of baby sitting/asking mum what she would do etc etc its very hard to do all that without a family network. if you partner has family here its just going to upset your mother as to why your with them and not her..

iow_bird

Hi
Mums's being really supportive! They plan to buy a property out there and spend 6 months in NZ near us and 6 months in the UK near my brother. Mum will come out for at least six weeks when we have our first child and we plan to come back to the UK every couple of years. She understands completely why we're going and agrees that it's the best move for us! I backpacked round OZ a few years ago so know what it's like to be away from family, and mum and dad emigrated to canada away from all family when I was 8 and my bro was 4, so we're all prepared for being apart (as much as we can be) Mum and me are really close, I'm sure we'll be on the phone most days and e-mails a great invention!!!. My OH's family are all on the island as well, so no issues there. They're all being supportive too, but it's more of a worry as they won't be able to visit often.

We have some funds to set ourselves up in New Zealand, I'm on minimum wage here, will be working as a radiographer in New Zealand (had an e-mail this morning asking me where in Auckland I'd like to work as there are several employers interested)! So we'll have more money coming in out there, have done our sums and we'll be better off financially out in NZ than we are here! Which is a bonus!

Thanks for the advice!

Katie
xx

eddie_nz

I'd triple check the maths

Buying a place, raising kids, flights back to the UK for the family every couple of years is a big financial burden/expectation to give yourself.

Moomoo

Hi we are in Ryde too..................hope to be in Auckland by October ths year...............if we can sell the house...............

Moomoo

lapsed kiwi

Why are some assuming this OP is stupid? She has just said she's a radiographer, she can probably work out maths as good as any of us, and I'm sure that occupation attracts a good salary in NZ. And if you start factoring in flying your whole family backwards and forwards to UK every couple of years, the move will never look affordable.
iow_bird - good luck with the move. Your baby will be a NZ citizen provided he/she is born in NZ and you have permanent residency at the time of birth. Generally, maternity leave and pay is not as good here as in UK; you can take a decent amount of time off work but few employers pay more than the statutory minimum. I think you can split the time between partners if that helps (eg if you are higher-earning than husband).
The Auckland area is a great place to live but as you've read there are good and bad areas. Feel free to post where the job offers are based and I'm sure you'll get heaps of feedback on those areas.

iow_bird

Thanks for the reply lapsed kiwi x x

We've done a lot of research on the financial side of the move and we know that it's going to cost us a fair bit! But, with our circumstances on the Isle of Wight, we will definately be better off financially in New Zealand. We'll be more likely to be able to get a mortgage if we choose to, and will have a better quality of life. We're not moving for financial reasons and we're not moving so we can buy a house, we both have itchy feet and have always planned to travel together, both as a couple and hopefully, in the future as a family. I'm bored of the Isle of Wight and England in general, and if it doesn't work out in New Zealand we'll move on. I'd rather have the experience of living in a different culture than the security (and burden) of a mortgage. We're both still young enough to have plenty of time to get on the property ladder, which ever country we end up in!

I expect some of you will say I'm niaeve for having this view of life, but I don't care! We're both really happy, excited and if everyone wanted the same thing the world would be a really boring place.

Can't wait till Ben goes to New Zealand! Hopefully the ball will start rolling a bit quicker, feel like we're in limbo at the moment! I think everythings beginning to sink in a bit now, wedding is only 10 weeks away, nothing seems to be done, and we're hoping to leave soon after the wedding, which means it'll kinda be our goodbye do as well (if everything goes ahead)! Really scary not to know where we'll be in 3 months time, can't quite get my head around it!!

Thanks for everyones help.

Katie x x

iow_bird

Hi

Ryde sucks!! Have you got everything arranged for moving yet? Seems to be loads of people from the rock on here!! The Island seems to trap people, or make them run as far away as possible! I you couldn't get much further than New Zealand really.

PM me if you want to chat, (I'd PM u but have no idea how to)!!!

Take it easy

x x x

ldwilliams

Hi IOW,
We live in Mellons Bay which is East Auckland. Other suburbs nearby are Howick, Eastern Beach, Bucklands Beach, Half Moon Bay, Cockle Bay, Pakuranga, Highland Park etc. There are loads of Brits (and South Africans) here. It can be cheaper here than in other areas of Auckland. There is a good big shopping centre called Botany nearby and a swimming pool with good facilities (gym, sauna, kids pool). There are also some great beaches here. It depends on what you are looking for in an area.

You are about a 30 minute drive from the City, but the Ferry service is very good and only takes 35 mins. I do it every day as I work full-time in the City. Petrol is expensive here and it's cheaper for me to take the Ferry. A 10 trip ticket costs $65.00 and a monthly ticket is $226. The ferry carpark is free.

The suggestion about buying the book "Where to live in Auckland" is a good one. We settled where we did because my Mum and sister live in this area, so didn't have to face the difficult decision you have. Good luck!