Colin in the middle

Positive stuff about Auckland

1, Cheaper Petrol than the rest of the country (certainly not $1.69 as was charged in Ohakune last week )
2, International Airport
3, Sky Tower
4, Kelly Taltons
5, Three Lane Motorway
6, People lots of them
7, People who like Auckland

Positive stuff about the rest of New Zealand

1, Mountains
2, Rivers
3, Lakes
4, Not so many people
5, Bubbling Mud
6, Earthquakes
7, Volcanoes
8, Highways that would not be classified in the UK as B roads
9, Beaches
10, People who dislike Auckland

Dandy Dan

See? Doesn't it feel better being positive!

Dandy Dan

Plus - Positive Stuff Rest of NZ:

Space
Cheaper house prices
Community-spirit

garryhg

jacky g here

the reason i started this thread was because some of the posts were becoming very anti auckland,which is fine and as someone has stated,everyone is entitled to there opinion about auckland..
i was curious given the fact we have not seen much of the island yet..
to see what the differences were...

but I felt certain posts were starting to be aimed more at the people living in auckland than auckland itself

i for one am glad to here about places good or bad

given the fact that we are new in this country and feeling very isolated at moment,didn't expect to be made to feel isolated from the rest of nz(especially from ex pats)just for living in auckland,we don't have the choice unfortunately oh job dictates where we live....

didn't mean to cause world war 3,having said that nothing like a good heated discussion to get the circulation going

kiwiflyer

Its simple if you live in Auckland you will be the target of comments of Just Another Flippin Aucklander shortened to Jafa.

First place everyone stays when they arrive in New Zealand is Auckland and they think the place is wonderful until they visit other places then see that Auckland is just the place they wanted to escape from. Most of the people who have posted supporting Auckalnd have only been in the country for a few months and do not have a clue or what they are missing.

So stop attacking the people who have moved out of the city to a more relaxed lifestyle thay came to New Zealand for. Auckland is overppriced and over run with snobbery and alofness which probably suits a lot of Poms.

garryhg

i wasn't aware i was attacking people who don't live in auckland

as i have said in my last post i would never judge someone for where they lived regardless of if i like it there or not

i for one am not qualified to judge anyone on where they live as i have not seen much of nz at all,i am still trying to get my daughter settled,she is struggling

the abbreviation JAFA just goes to prove what i was saying about it becoming personal against people who live in aukland and not there opinion on the place itself...

you may well be right and i will look back on this when i'm not living in auckland and say why the hell did i live there.....
but i would like to think i would give my opinion to new comers on the place and not the people.....

Dandy Dan

maybe the comments you refer to weren't aimed at you specifically? There are other posters from Auckland who seem to put anyone who doesn't live there down and I think the comments may be aimed at them? Just a hunch

Dandy Dan

and the clue maybe in the answers that have been posted? Auckland v rest of NZ? If you want that change of lifestyle you came for you really should come see the 'rest of nz' then you'll see for yourself what we're all on about

garryhg

yeh do intend to dandy
as i've said previously i have been disapointed to with where i am,lack of garden,over priced rents,and the fact you don,t see children out playing here,very sad...

came from a small town back in scotland and had a good life,at the moment i would have to say our life is not better ,but definitely worse...

at the moment i'm restling with my demons and trying to justify to my self and daughter(who is not happy)why we came here....

unfortunately it has taken so long to get daughter settled at school i think another move would be to traumatic for her....

looking forward to summer and seeing some lovely places in nz.....

Dandy Dan

It wouldn't be traumatic if it was to her benefit and there really are some great schools out there that don't have the same up themselves attitudes you'll get in Auckland. There's too much bitchiness and one-up-manship in Auckland - just a home from home UK really. Get out and live what you came for!

garryhg

one of the reasons daughter can't settle at school,bitching form other girls,not making her feel welcome,going to other school on wednesday,

oh works in auckland city hospital,kind of restricted where we can move to ,and signed up to this house for year,thought we had picked the right place when we were back home

Dandy Dan

There are other hospitals and in some circumstances tenancy agreements can be broken - ie. hardship = your daughter not settling in schools in area. You sorted moving to the other side of the world! No doubt you've the resourcefulness to sort a move to where you really want to be! In 'rest of nz' the housing is so much more affordable and you get more space/more for your money. Kids do play out. You've greater access to the countryside, rivers, fishing, quad biking, tramping cycling, still great beaches, and you get that community spirit. 10 acre blocks can be picked up for around $150k and a really great house built for you for around $250k.

kiwiflyer

Look if your scared to move out of Auckland for fear of settlement factors then well get back on the plane and head by to blighty.
You came 12,000 miles to escape everything you have described and what have you got? Excatly what you wanted to escape from and the answer is dont stay in Auckland.
Sure you husband can find a job in another hospital in New zealand? plenty of health proffesional jobs being cried out for.

southerner

There were some interesting stats out recently that showed every other region of NZ had a net migration in flow from Auckland. That is, more people move out of Auckland to the rest of NZ than move the other way.

The reason that Auckland continues to increase in population faster than any other region is because:
a) it takes a larger share of immigrants from overseas
b) demographics mean it has a higher birth rate than elsewhere (I guess that means the large PI population)

Now all of that begs the question, should so many immigrants be going to Auckland in the first place.

I guess some of what happens is natural:
a) immigrants like that Auckland has a bigger job pool;
b) its the biggest city, and in many cases still smaller than cities where immigrants have come from, so seems like less of a culture shock;
c) its perceived as having better weather than elsewhere;
d) because its big, its easier to do research on.

I don't dispute that for some Auckland is the best choice (mainly for those where size matters). But I also think that a lot of people choose it for the wrong reasons. The fact that many native Aucklanders are leaving for elsewhere is instructive, as is the fact that many immigrants try it then move on to somewhere more suitable.

Jude J

Jacky, I am so sorry to hear you and your daughter are having a rough time. How old is she? I have a 17 year old daughter, we have been here almost 5 years and she is very happy, has stacks of friends and I'm sure would be happy to do something with your daughter. Where you are sounds totally different to the Shore. My kids had no problem making friends at their new schools, but maybe thats because they were a bit younger?

As for the rest of this Auckland v rest of NZ. How ridiculous! But I guess this would happen with NZ ex-pats moving to UK and comparing London to the rest of the UK.
I have only lived in Auckland, but so far I have been to Queenstown, stunning, beautiful picture perfect place but a long weekend at a time is enough for me, I couldn't imagine having a life there.
Christchurch, only been for a few hours but would love to go back, from what I have read from posters that live there it is fantastic.
Not been to Wellington yet but look forward to seeing it as it sounds great, vibrant, lots to see and do etc.
Been to Taupo, Rotorua, Coromandel, Mount Manganui, Tauranga, Great Barrier Island, Bay of Islands, and numerous other places. It all sums up New Zealand to me. It's all so beautiful, especially Bay of Islands, I love that place. However, I do feel that Auckland is 100% New Zealand. It cant all be rural life style blocks and scenery. You have to have something else going on too!
From what I've seen, I couldn't live anywhere else. I dont feel I live in a city. The only time I've ever been affected by the traffic is when I picked my sister up from the airport and I was so excited to see her I went the wrong way and ended up around Penrose in rush hour, not sure how to get back to where I actually needed to be! I think if I had that on a daily basis it would piss me off.
I go into the city for nights out, to see bands, visit museum etc.