Is anyone positive about NZ?
Jun 15th 2011, 9:39 am
#76
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: west yorkshire
Posts: 222
Re: Is anyone positive about NZ?
Whether I "venture out after dark" has very little to do with this conversation or anybody to be frank and I dont feel I have to justify to you what else outweighs the UK for me. It just does, and my family and I are happy here, I am not trying to paint a rose tinted picture of the place, as I said perfect it sure aint! There are lots of things that really frustrate me here, but thats life and I am not going on a rant about it! For you to say we have only been here a yr 'give it time' is very insulting and insinuates that its inevitable that as time passes we will be 'moaning poms' and desperately unhappy. Everyone is different, fair-do's if we decide in a couple of years or so that we are no longer happy then we shall try somewhere else, the world is our oyster! Oh and its touching that you spent time researching me! ; )
Jun 15th 2011, 9:48 am
#77
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: In a large village called Auckland
Posts: 5,249
Re: Is anyone positive about NZ?
We should start Nannas reunited or something!!!
I really began to feel it when my own blooming Mother started to make comments about how uninteresting and domesticated my life has become.
It's much more a man's world and it seems us women are permanently expected to be in the kitchen feeding the masses. For heavens sake people, you seriously expect ME to be getting up at 5am to knock up a quiche or cakes for work morning tea. Bunch of flipping gannets that they are, then have the cheek to start putting conditions on what you can and can't bring.
Talk about performance anxiety, it's not even funny! 
I really began to feel it when my own blooming Mother started to make comments about how uninteresting and domesticated my life has become.
It's much more a man's world and it seems us women are permanently expected to be in the kitchen feeding the masses. For heavens sake people, you seriously expect ME to be getting up at 5am to knock up a quiche or cakes for work morning tea. Bunch of flipping gannets that they are, then have the cheek to start putting conditions on what you can and can't bring.
Talk about performance anxiety, it's not even funny!
Jun 15th 2011, 5:33 pm
#78
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Re: Is anyone positive about NZ?
I agree with you absolutely wholeheartedly and I have said the same time and time again. It's not what's outside your window that counts, it's what's inside your head.
Depending on the make-up of ones family, work commitments etc I feel as a woman here, life for the most part wouldn't matter one iota whether I am here, Timbuktu or in the UK or anywhere. The larger part of my life is spent either at work or doing mundanely housewifey things, The biggest difference for ME is that here I have to do more of the mundanely housewifey things myself because we can't afford to do otherwise. I still mourn the huge loss of freedom, because we simply don't have the disposable funds to do as we pleased, in the way that we did in the UK. But of course we came here for a simpler life and shortcomings in money were supposed to be made up for by other benefits. I haven't quite figured that out, what we thought we would get in return for the significant downturn in income I don't know.
It affects my life hugely, because unlike in the UK I never seem to get a day off; we can't afford to go out much and even if we could, most of our friends can't either. So if we do go out, it's inevitably to someones house, it's never spontaneous and we always have to watch the pennies and still have to shop, plan, cook, bake, cart food around or whatever for a night or day out. Then after all is said and done someone has to drive home. It bores me no end!!
We're invited to a dinner this weekend and these things now just fill me with dread; the competition, the pressure, I'll have to spend all Saturday afternoon making something wonderful. I'll stress about what can I take, make a big mess, burn something. Gosh perhaps I can feign sickness, what excuse can I make, do I have to go? Then I have to go there and make polite comments about some crap that someone else made and ask them for the recipe.
Can't we for once just go to a restaurant, have a good time, not have to make excuses about the burnt offering or risk offending someone who has spent the past week decorating a brick in luminous lime green icing.
Depending on the make-up of ones family, work commitments etc I feel as a woman here, life for the most part wouldn't matter one iota whether I am here, Timbuktu or in the UK or anywhere. The larger part of my life is spent either at work or doing mundanely housewifey things, The biggest difference for ME is that here I have to do more of the mundanely housewifey things myself because we can't afford to do otherwise. I still mourn the huge loss of freedom, because we simply don't have the disposable funds to do as we pleased, in the way that we did in the UK. But of course we came here for a simpler life and shortcomings in money were supposed to be made up for by other benefits.
I haven't quite figured that out, what we thought we would get in return for the significant downturn in income I don't know.It affects my life hugely, because unlike in the UK I never seem to get a day off; we can't afford to go out much and even if we could, most of our friends can't either. So if we do go out, it's inevitably to someones house, it's never spontaneous and we always have to watch the pennies and still have to shop, plan, cook, bake, cart food around or whatever for a night or day out. Then after all is said and done someone has to drive home. It bores me no end!!
We're invited to a dinner this weekend and these things now just fill me with dread; the competition, the pressure, I'll have to spend all Saturday afternoon making something wonderful. I'll stress about what can I take, make a big mess, burn something. Gosh perhaps I can feign sickness, what excuse can I make, do I have to go? Then I have to go there and make polite comments about some crap that someone else made and ask them for the recipe.
Can't we for once just go to a restaurant, have a good time, not have to make excuses about the burnt offering or risk offending someone who has spent the past week decorating a brick in luminous lime green icing.
OMG HA! So true.I failed as a kiwi woman, I have absolutely no crafty genes and I hate small talk! To be fair my friends aren't like that, but a lot are.
Jun 15th 2011, 8:28 pm
#79
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,820
Re: Is anyone positive about NZ?
We should start Nannas reunited or something!!!
I really began to feel it when my own blooming Mother started to make comments about how uninteresting and domesticated my life has become.
It's much more a man's world and it seems us women are permanently expected to be in the kitchen feeding the masses. For heavens sake people, you seriously expect ME to be getting up at 5am to knock up a quiche or cakes for work morning tea. Bunch of flipping gannets that they are, then have the cheek to start putting conditions on what you can and can't bring. Talk about performance anxiety, it's not even funny!
I really began to feel it when my own blooming Mother started to make comments about how uninteresting and domesticated my life has become.
It's much more a man's world and it seems us women are permanently expected to be in the kitchen feeding the masses. For heavens sake people, you seriously expect ME to be getting up at 5am to knock up a quiche or cakes for work morning tea. Bunch of flipping gannets that they are, then have the cheek to start putting conditions on what you can and can't bring.
Talk about performance anxiety, it's not even funny! 
I have full-time study, and 3 children to look after without feeding an army too
Jun 15th 2011, 8:55 pm
#80
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Re: Is anyone positive about NZ?
My Mum said the same when she came over for Christmas. In 4 years of being here, I have NEVER made my hubby's morning tea for work. He has mentioned that the others' wives do it...!! Well, enjoy it from them then I have full-time study, and 3 children to look after without feeding an army too
I have full-time study, and 3 children to look after without feeding an army too
Jun 15th 2011, 10:41 pm
#81
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,820
Re: Is anyone positive about NZ?
Jun 15th 2011, 11:04 pm
#82
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Re: Is anyone positive about NZ?
We should start Nannas reunited or something!!!
I really began to feel it when my own blooming Mother started to make comments about how uninteresting and domesticated my life has become.
It's much more a man's world and it seems us women are permanently expected to be in the kitchen feeding the masses. For heavens sake people, you seriously expect ME to be getting up at 5am to knock up a quiche or cakes for work morning tea. Bunch of flipping gannets that they are, then have the cheek to start putting conditions on what you can and can't bring. Talk about performance anxiety, it's not even funny!
I really began to feel it when my own blooming Mother started to make comments about how uninteresting and domesticated my life has become.
It's much more a man's world and it seems us women are permanently expected to be in the kitchen feeding the masses. For heavens sake people, you seriously expect ME to be getting up at 5am to knock up a quiche or cakes for work morning tea. Bunch of flipping gannets that they are, then have the cheek to start putting conditions on what you can and can't bring.
Talk about performance anxiety, it's not even funny! A lot of these kiwi men are married to Canadians who are basically a support group for each other...they find the cultural differences quite frustrating.
Jun 15th 2011, 11:28 pm
#83
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 0
Re: Is anyone positive about NZ?
I think I am realistic about New Zealand. Like Michelle, I have a love-hate relationship with it (but then I feel the same about England too).
I love living in NZ most of the time but things that get me down are the poor driving standards, the lack of decent clothes shops, lack of money & the poor housing.
We have had 3 heat pumps fitted in our house, so it's better than it was (& our house is only 7 years old) but I would love to be able to afford to put double-glazing in.
I find clothes shopping a nightmare so tend to order stuff from M&S quite a bit. As books are so expensive I tend to order from Amazon or the like. I also swap books with a friend, as we like similar stuff. Going clothes shopping here generally puts me in a bad mood
.
I drive very defensively as meeting idiots on the road is the norm
By NZ standards we aren't badly off as OH has a good salary but we also have a much larger mortgage than we did in the UK (our choice I know). We are hoping to get some money from our endowments next year & pay a chunk off. Unfortunately, I'm not working as I loathe the maternity system here. I do miss midwifery but it was making me so miserable here that I had to pack it in.
I'm not a big fan of winter in the UK or NZ (I did suffer from SAD quite badly in the UK). So this is the time of year I become most disillusioned with NZ.
I love NZ in the spring & summer though. I sometimes have to pinch myself that we live here. We have made some really good friends & do go out for the occasional meal together. Usually on someone's Birthday. We have impromptu barbies on the beach etc.
We have got involved in volunteering at our local theatre which is great fun, we have met lots of interesting people from all walks of life.
We have got kayaks & love getting them out on the sea & paddle away for hours in them. We wouldn't have done either of these things in the UK.
BJ I would draw the line at making stuff for OH's morning tea. OH knows better than to ask, I think they tend to head out the office for coffee though.
I do enjoy making sweets for 'Bring a plate' things. But then I did do 'O' & 'A' level domestic science, went to catering college & have a BA(Hons)Home Economics, so I should be quite good (do have the odd disaster
).
I could lend myself out to you occasionally for a small fee
I have a friend who is ultra-positive about life though & she sold NZ to me. Unfortunately she sold me such a positive image that I was ultimately disappointed. I tend to take any of her recommendations with a pinch of salt now.
If coming to NZ is what you want to do then you should do it. Your experiences will be unique to you, as mine are to me.
I love living in NZ most of the time but things that get me down are the poor driving standards, the lack of decent clothes shops, lack of money & the poor housing.
We have had 3 heat pumps fitted in our house, so it's better than it was (& our house is only 7 years old) but I would love to be able to afford to put double-glazing in.
I find clothes shopping a nightmare so tend to order stuff from M&S quite a bit. As books are so expensive I tend to order from Amazon or the like. I also swap books with a friend, as we like similar stuff. Going clothes shopping here generally puts me in a bad mood
.I drive very defensively as meeting idiots on the road is the norm
By NZ standards we aren't badly off as OH has a good salary but we also have a much larger mortgage than we did in the UK (our choice I know). We are hoping to get some money from our endowments next year & pay a chunk off. Unfortunately, I'm not working as I loathe the maternity system here. I do miss midwifery but it was making me so miserable here that I had to pack it in.
I'm not a big fan of winter in the UK or NZ (I did suffer from SAD quite badly in the UK). So this is the time of year I become most disillusioned with NZ.
I love NZ in the spring & summer though. I sometimes have to pinch myself that we live here. We have made some really good friends & do go out for the occasional meal together. Usually on someone's Birthday. We have impromptu barbies on the beach etc.
We have got involved in volunteering at our local theatre which is great fun, we have met lots of interesting people from all walks of life.
We have got kayaks & love getting them out on the sea & paddle away for hours in them. We wouldn't have done either of these things in the UK.
BJ I would draw the line at making stuff for OH's morning tea. OH knows better than to ask, I think they tend to head out the office for coffee though.
I do enjoy making sweets for 'Bring a plate' things. But then I did do 'O' & 'A' level domestic science, went to catering college & have a BA(Hons)Home Economics, so I should be quite good (do have the odd disaster
).I could lend myself out to you occasionally for a small fee
I have a friend who is ultra-positive about life though & she sold NZ to me. Unfortunately she sold me such a positive image that I was ultimately disappointed. I tend to take any of her recommendations with a pinch of salt now.
If coming to NZ is what you want to do then you should do it. Your experiences will be unique to you, as mine are to me.
Jun 16th 2011, 12:43 pm
#84
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 345
Re: Is anyone positive about NZ?
I miss NZ. I only live in australia but I miss NZ heaps.
It's really big downfall is that there are no real incentives for young people to study and then stay in NZ to start their careers (hence I am in Oz).
If the wages were higher, I would be back in a second.
IMO, house prices in NZ are cheap. I have been looking on TM and I can't believe some of the prices. However, I do live in Sydney where the house prices are ridiculously astronimical. i.e. recently a tiny terraced house sold for 8 or 900k. The house was condemned and has to be demolished which would cost the new buyer to do and then they would be left with a section possibly the same size as my lounge and dining room combined - WTF? So that makes house prices look cheap to me.
For me its all about the lifestyle. In NZ we lived in a little beach side community and the OH had a motorbike and he would take that and go fishing down by cape kidnappers every day while I walked the dogs down the beach. Or if I didnt feel beachy I would just pop round the corner to the river for a swim.
Here, I have to drive for at least an hour to get to the beach and then its jam packed with people and I dont want to go there anyway so then I have to dirve 3 hours to get to one with a bit of arm room.
Anyway, I am going off on one. I miss NZ, not the wages but the lifestyle, the people, the laws (NSW is a major major nanny state), the scungy buggers...everything LOL
It's really big downfall is that there are no real incentives for young people to study and then stay in NZ to start their careers (hence I am in Oz).
If the wages were higher, I would be back in a second.
IMO, house prices in NZ are cheap. I have been looking on TM and I can't believe some of the prices. However, I do live in Sydney where the house prices are ridiculously astronimical. i.e. recently a tiny terraced house sold for 8 or 900k. The house was condemned and has to be demolished which would cost the new buyer to do and then they would be left with a section possibly the same size as my lounge and dining room combined - WTF? So that makes house prices look cheap to me.
For me its all about the lifestyle. In NZ we lived in a little beach side community and the OH had a motorbike and he would take that and go fishing down by cape kidnappers every day while I walked the dogs down the beach. Or if I didnt feel beachy I would just pop round the corner to the river for a swim.
Here, I have to drive for at least an hour to get to the beach and then its jam packed with people and I dont want to go there anyway so then I have to dirve 3 hours to get to one with a bit of arm room.
Anyway, I am going off on one. I miss NZ, not the wages but the lifestyle, the people, the laws (NSW is a major major nanny state), the scungy buggers...everything LOL
Jun 16th 2011, 7:38 pm
#85
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: waikanae
Posts: 124
Re: Is anyone positive about NZ?
So would the OP like to come back to us on all this now?
Jun 17th 2011, 1:13 am
#86
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 38,620
Re: Is anyone positive about NZ?
Depending on the make-up of ones family, work commitments etc I feel as a woman here, life for the most part wouldn't matter one iota whether I am here, Timbuktu or in the UK or anywhere. The larger part of my life is spent either at work or doing mundanely housewifey things, The biggest difference for ME is that here I have to do more of the mundanely housewifey things myself because we can't afford to do otherwise. I still mourn the huge loss of freedom, because we simply don't have the disposable funds to do as we pleased, in the way that we did in the UK. But of course we came here for a simpler life and shortcomings in money were supposed to be made up for by other benefits. I haven't quite figured that out, what we thought we would get in return for the significant downturn in income I don't know.
It affects my life hugely, because unlike in the UK I never seem to get a day off; we can't afford to go out much and even if we could, most of our friends can't either. So if we do go out, it's inevitably to someones house, it's never spontaneous and we always have to watch the pennies and still have to shop, plan, cook, bake, cart food around or whatever for a night or day out. Then after all is said and done someone has to drive home. It bores me no end!!
We're invited to a dinner this weekend and these things now just fill me with dread; the competition, the pressure, I'll have to spend all Saturday afternoon making something wonderful. I'll stress about what can I take, make a big mess, burn something. Gosh perhaps I can feign sickness, what excuse can I make, do I have to go? Then I have to go there and make polite comments about some crap that someone else made and ask them for the recipe.
Can't we for once just go to a restaurant, have a good time, not have to make excuses about the burnt offering or risk offending someone who has spent the past week decorating a brick in luminous lime green icing.
I haven't quite figured that out, what we thought we would get in return for the significant downturn in income I don't know.It affects my life hugely, because unlike in the UK I never seem to get a day off; we can't afford to go out much and even if we could, most of our friends can't either. So if we do go out, it's inevitably to someones house, it's never spontaneous and we always have to watch the pennies and still have to shop, plan, cook, bake, cart food around or whatever for a night or day out. Then after all is said and done someone has to drive home. It bores me no end!!
We're invited to a dinner this weekend and these things now just fill me with dread; the competition, the pressure, I'll have to spend all Saturday afternoon making something wonderful. I'll stress about what can I take, make a big mess, burn something. Gosh perhaps I can feign sickness, what excuse can I make, do I have to go? Then I have to go there and make polite comments about some crap that someone else made and ask them for the recipe.
Can't we for once just go to a restaurant, have a good time, not have to make excuses about the burnt offering or risk offending someone who has spent the past week decorating a brick in luminous lime green icing.
Expat friend of mine once turned up to a 'gathering' with expensive biscuits she bought from a shop. There was much shuffling of the eyebrows and nudging of elbows. No one ate them....'cept for me.
Jun 17th 2011, 8:16 am
#87
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: In a large village called Auckland
Posts: 5,249
Re: Is anyone positive about NZ?
Honestly, it's all such a friggin drama sometimes, you can't do right for doing wrong.
Jun 17th 2011, 11:37 pm
#88
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Rotorua
Posts: 1,627
Re: Is anyone positive about NZ?
Last BBQ I went to I took some proper pork sausages from the butchers, they didn't go down at all well and were pushed to sides of plated. Seems the preference was for the daggy pre-cooked pork flavoured 'Sizzlers'.
Honestly, it's all such a friggin drama sometimes, you can't do right for doing wrong.
Honestly, it's all such a friggin drama sometimes, you can't do right for doing wrong.
Sizzlers are SAUSAGES??!!
Not called that in this household!!
Jun 18th 2011, 4:20 am
#90
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: In a large village called Auckland
Posts: 5,249
Re: Is anyone positive about NZ?
No, they're not technically allowed to be called sausages, because the are less than 50% meat.
Wendyl says:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/...ectid=10721099