GoingIn2011

I would never say its a bad idea. All of the countless surveys put NZ way ahead of the UK. It is a great place to live in my view.

The negativity as far as I can see comes down to two main things:
- the financials
- the distance from family

If you square those two things, then you will love it here. Those are big hurdles though and should not be underestimated by any means...

MrsFychan

I would also advise to lower your expectations on everything.

Mark Smith

Life is pretty damn good (fingers crossed). We earn a little more money here, so that offsets the cost of living. Have bought our first home which would not have been possible in the UK, 15 min commute to work, lots of amenities closeby on tap. Have made lots of new friends through our club and enjoy a busy social life. Watching the (slow) rebuild of a city is probably a once in a lifetime event, every little change is amazing to see. I certainly worry and stress a lot less. Has been a real privilege.

Tom H

How positive do you want???

I almost wake up every morning, needing to relive myself as to how lucky I am living in such a world class amazing beautiful country. Driving down the main street to highway 1, seeing the Southern Alps dead ahead, I have to stop every day just to take a photo at the scenery. To the left and right is a championship golf course that i'm a member of and is extremely cheap to join.

Then there's the uniqueness of being knocked over at least twice a year - especially at pedestrian crossings. What a story to tell! Being able to describe to your kids the feeling of a bonnet hitting your legs at speed - I'd be excellent at teaching road safety to children

Being 88888888 around by your insurers and government offiicals over your first property you had here is also amazing. Nearly 4 years and counting. Amazing!!! I just love it when a note comes through from the insurer or through the government department about our property going through the 1,568,327 decision. It's such a lovely feeling to drive past it and see all the windows boarded up, overgrown weeds, you literally cannot even get through to the communal area anymore.

I beg for some rain in this country or especially in Canterbury. It's a constant 100 degree baking hot sun here. No wonder why so many Brits want to jump ship when the weather is as good as it is here. Even in the winter, you'll see locals and nationals on the beaches in bikinis, swim shorts and topless. Wow a 24/7 year round beach access - yay!!!

I love living here. How can anyone want to even think about returning to the UK is beyond me. Any moans are a figment of ones imagination. It's all hunky dory in this country. I love it so much, I ended up setting up a Chinese bank account in preparation for the next 5 years...

The negative stories are just made up. If you do see a bad experience, it's always the foreigners fault. Irish builders have cocked up housing rebuilds, Asian drivers always cause accidents and any moans you here about housing are the fault of the Chinese for buying everything up. What's that, racism???? Doesn't exist - if you ever here the phrase "eff off back to England you effin pommy barsteward", it's a great compliment! You should take them for a drink as a thank you for such a kind comment

Plus the NZ passport is such a groovy passport. It also gives you the freedom to work in Australia. Australia and New Zealand or Europe???

snaps

So far have yet to meet anyone wanting to go back in the short term.

MrsFychan

I'll remember that when I'm crying my eyes out having not slept because of the wind and having to yet again wipe the bloody windows in the morning, and being cold at night and having to account for every penny as its so expensive for less quality goods, and I and the kids are left alone again because the roads/trains aren't working

Tom H

Just think of all that water from your windows though. You could use that to wash yourselves, feed your plants or wash the potatoes. Plus in 10-20 years time, that water could be worth billions whilst the other developed countries have moved with the times.. You could have residents from China or Japan queuing up with their millions to buy it from you


Plus in cold nights, have they not taught you to learn from their masters that crossed the Antarctic. Literally, sleep wearing 27 wolly jumpers, ski trousers, gloves, hat, scarf and feet warmers. How amazing is that feeling of wearing so many clothes to keep warm I thought it was a common school subject for kids - we lived like this in 1864 and we expect you to live like this in the year 2015


What's wrong with your K-Mart can opener breaking after a week? It means you'll go and get another one. It's one of their key operating techniques here. Make stuff that'll wear out or break within a week or two, and then you'll be back for more. Don't want that, well just go to Farmers and pay $279 for one


Oh and where else can you have shoes on, where there may as well be no sole. How amazing is it when you are running on gravel with soulless trainers - the feeling of stones causing grief to your feet is great.

GoingIn2011

Reading thru the cutting irony, many of those points come down to money. And as I say in my Auckland - I wouldn't legendary post you've got to have a shed load of it to make your life here vaguely comfortable.
If you don't have a crock load of reddies to burn you should definitely think twice. Someone mentioned 120k for Auckland. For a family of 5 with a significant mortgage I would say more like 150-180k for some level of comfort.
All of that said, it's hardly magic in mother England either....

GoingIn2011

Ps I would say it's no better no worse. I don't have significant family to miss and my other half isn't fussed. The kids miss their gps though so that's a shame

LauraNotts

I sometimes look at my life and think 'how did I get here?' and it isn't perfect by a long stretch but I certainly do not regret the move. If I have thoughts of moving back (which are always transient) its mostly because I feel a bit bad I am so far from family and they miss me rather than I miss the UK (which I really don't).

I am happy here. I have good friends and life that is my own. Sure there are things that would make it better, but I can work towards those things here just as easily (if not more so) than I could in the UK. So this was a positive move for me and I am happy.

sazzle1979

QUOTE "What's wrong with your K-Mart can opener breaking after a week? It means you'll go and get another one. It's one of their key operating techniques here. Make stuff that'll wear out or break within a week or two, and then you'll be back for more. Don't want that, well just go to Farmers and pay $279 for one "

Sorry TOM H - this made me smile - I am still trying to find a can opener that will work, not break after a week and doesn't cost the earth

Pom_Chch

Good grief, what are you all doing with your can openers I bought my cheap shitty K-Mart one when I first moved and it lasted a whole 2.5 years - it finally crumbled in my hands meaning a trip to my neighbours in my jim jams to borrow hers!

In a round about way though, probs not going to move back to the UK due to a string of faulty can openers

Bo-Jangles

Come on people, you're letting the side down, you seem to be forgetting this is the land of milk and honey, where we all have 100% pure fresh fruit and veg from your garden, world-class, export quality meat and fish.


Why the fire-truck would you even need a tin-opener?

Moses2013

I actually always thought that most people are positive about New Zealand, because they are looking for a country that's less populated in the first place. Other reasons for moving from the UK are weather and scenery, but if you end up in Auckland or the weather isn't as you expected, it can be a negative. Money issues and missing family is another thing. It also depends what kind of life you had in the UK and the ones coming from a dirty city, looking for rural living and end up in a bigger house, will always enjoy New Zealand more. I always loved New Zealand, but I have a house with low mortgage, nice scenery and good job in Ireland, so moving to Auckland or Wellington would have more cons than pros for me personally.

RobDon

We love NZ and have no intention of going back.
Financially we are actually better off here and work less hours.
We love the emptiness of the country and love the fact that we don't have to
endure a "rush hour" any more.
The scenery is just awesome and life just seems to amble on by rather than
just flying past.
Of course nowhere is perfect, there are problems here as well as the UK,
but our life here is pretty close to perfect.
Maybe we are just extremely lucky, but if you don't give it a go, you will never know.