Bo-Jangles

I believe it's healthy to have some doubts; I have seen far too many start out with that cocky, she'll be right, I am so smart, what could possibly go wrong attitude. To my mind they have far farther to fall and I often hope it bloody hurts.

cleverchap

[QUOTE=coffeeaddict;9431185]I think it helps if you have at least been to where you are planning on living
[QUOTE]


Nah, I got here nearly 3 years ago with my wife and 4 suitcases and had never been to NZ before.

Still here, still enjoying ourselves and not thinking about going back to the UK or anywhere else for that matter

Genesis

Doubts are good to have. But this person mentioned a wee bit more than just doubts!

Bo-Jangles

Well, Coffeeaddict did say:

In this day and age, with flights cheap enough from the UK, I don't understand why people still have this 'old-fashioned' notion that visiting is somehow impossible. It's nuts!! We're only the other side of the world for heaven's sake. People, I feel, owe it to themselves to at least take a look before they leap. For those that say they can't afford it, they may as well close their eyes and throw all their money through a casino door, cross their fingers and hope for the best. It's equally as risky to put all they have on the line, give up their jobs, homes and families for some chance that they might afford or create a 'better' life here.

This weekend I watched an old UK episode of Location, Location, Location (prime time Saturday night viewing ) where there was a couple relocating from Glasgow to Cornwall. Only 500 miles but they may as well have been emigrating to New Zealand or another country, for the world of difference in lifestyle. Good in them, it was a real heartwarming stuff to see the change in them and I felt quite envious actually. I wish we had explored other possibilities rather than being so one-eyed and fixated on coming to NZ. Hindsight, can be a wonderful and expensive thing!

simonsi

We've done it twice, first in the mid-90s to the Middle East then NZ. No internet forums etc back then :-) all part of the adventure. We just chose periods when the children at the time weren't at a critical education time with public exams etc and go for it. There is plenty of variety to find a lifestyle that will suit, you just have to be adaptable and find positives. Glass empty peeps are going to struggle anywhere tbh....

dannigirl

Bo - Do you think you will ever go back to the UK? Sorry, just being nosey really

With regards to the original issue, I still have the occasional wobble, but I think it was Genesis that commented you really shouldn't let internet forums put you off. Seriously this is such a small snippet of Brit expats that live in NZ, you can't possibly get a full or balanced view. You really need to go way into people's background stories to gain a proper view, everyone has different reasons for moving, everyone has different job prospects, differing amounts of equity they take with them, different personal histories, some are running away, some are not.....you can't possibly base your decision on the small sample from this site (if you think this site is negative do not go onto Expat Exposed). You need to do your own research, based on your own family or individual circumstances.

I admire people who move without visiting but I do think they are a bit mad (in a good way). I still have to give people my lecture about NZ not being a utopian paradise every time I mention that we plan on living in NZ....I am so amazingly proud of my country and love it warts and all but my ties are emotional/cultural/intrinsic. But people still do have this view that it is perfect

I think if your doubts are really serious you should definitely visit to see what your employment options are, look at housing, schools etc to get feel for what day to day life would be like.

ExKiwilass

You need to stop saying "Canada" Howick. You know full well there are big regional differences in prices and taxes depending on what province you are in. friends in NS tell me it's very highly taxed compared to other provinces, whereas in Alberta there is far less tax, and in the Yukon the feds are throwing money at you and giving you tax breaks I don't know where you were living, but we are not paying anywhere near 41% of our gross in tax. It does make it hard to compare the two countries - infact I don't know that it's possible. NZ reminds me of NS - small population, not so many resources, rural, and a problem with hanging onto it's trained youth, but a nice place to live overall.



I did try and find info on average salaries but it's all broken down by province, town, and industry, so I gave up.

ExKiwilass

People think that here too, I just laugh. Then I have to gently break it to them that it's not a tropical paradise. A lot of Canadians visit NZ and fall in love and get pie-eyed ideas about how it's like BC 30 years ago or whatever...I just nod and smile. If they move they'll find out the reality soon enough. I guess it's human nature to idolize a place you don't know very well, but it's equally frustrating to get told you're negative for being honest. To me real negativity would be being unable to say anything positive about NZ at all ala Expats Exposed. But a lot of the comments here seem realistic rather than negative to me.

Bo - hear you!

ExKiwilass

Also nosey - are YOU going back? Seems like you've been circling this for a while now. I've been pretty homesick myself lately.

dannigirl

Ha ha...yes we are going back. We thought we had better have baby no 2 here (as not 100% sure about job situation for us in NZ) so am 20 weeks up the duff, desperately homesick (and hormonal). Plan so far is.....
*Do visa stuff this end and that end
*Have baby
*Sell flat
*Pack up entire lives and move to the other side of the world.......

Stressed, moi?!?!

Not certain of timescale, ideally would move at the end of next UK summer but I am not sure I will hold out that long......... I would move tomorrow if I could.

I actually saw your other post and I think that is the first time I have "seen" you homesick!!! What is up with that?

I am thinking of starting a homesick thread, but I fear it might become it bit too indulgent......on the other hand there are lots of us on here who are homesick for both sides of the world

ExKiwilass

Do it. R u going to go back down south? Or try somewhere else?

I go through regular homesickness...have for years. It comes and goes but it's pretty intense right now for various reasons...my sister is pregnant with her first which doesn't help and a couple of old school mates have recently moved back. I don't always talk about it because, well, what's the point...OH &I have talked for years about going back for a year...it's hard though with his work. My little girl is 7 and it's just going to get harder I fear. I do love where I live which doesn't help with the conflicted feelings.

Howick

kiwilass, I think you'll find that you were the person who made the comment 'Here's it's around 65K Canadian which would be a bit more in NZD'. My subsequent comments have been in relation to that comment. The average salary is not $65k in CAD, & I can assure you that I was paying 41% tax- unemployment & pension included in this figure, just as I did with the kiwisaver statistic. UIP is absolutely a form of tax.

I would also throw onto that, the point that I have not thought once about privately educating my kids here in NZ- I have been very, very impressed with the quality of schooling in the state school we are zoned for. In Canada, it would've been a private education.

ExKiwilass

And i find your comment patronising. I know what I said, thanks, though apparently you've ignored the posts after it where I pointed out I was talking about Van NOT Canada. I do not pay 41% tax. Neither does OH.

Howick, why are you generalizing about "Canada"? Each province has it's own education system, each city it's own school board..not really fair to generalize about the whole country of 30 odd million based on one part of it - there is NO "Canadian" school system. I have my kid in a state school in Vancouver and I've been very impressed by her education too BC rates very well internationally, as does Alberta. I get the impression NZ and BC systems are not dissimilar... However, every province is different...just like many parts of NZ are different...fab state school in one town, crap in another...good weather in the far north, craptacular in Wellington...etcetc

edited to add: I see you lived in To and Montreal.

UKNZAUS

I've seen, and heard of, a few of those cocky types have their worlds turned upside down! Not too far from here too...

In all honesty, it's the same crap - different bucket. Life doesn't completely change when you move. You still have to work (unless you won the lotto), you still have bills/mortgage/rent to pay, there are still school fees and uniforms to buy, expensive food to pay for, etc... how you look at life is how it will determine your fate.

Forewarned is forearmed

nukiwi

I totally agree Michelle