ajwbond

I don't think anyone wishes anbody ill will and I'm sure we all hope that the people loving New Zealand continue to do so.

The issue I think is that all the issues which are very improtant to a new migrant or anybody thinking of migrating are very often given the grass is greener here treatment.

There are certain absolute facts about New Zealand which cannot be denied, and yet there are those that do deny them, or make excuses for them.

Fact - the majority of houses in New Zealand ARE shockingly badly constructed, including new builds.
Fact - houses in all the major areas of New Zealand ARE way overvalued, who in their right mind pays a million bucks for a garden shed?
Fact - The crime rate per capita in New Zealand IS high.
Fact - The majority of wages in New Zealand ARE low compared to living costs.
Fact - most items in New Zealand ARE very expensive.
Fact - New Zealands green environmentally friendly images IS a sham.
Fact - There is a reason the sun shines brighter in New Zealand, it has no ozone layer, therefore it WILL fry your skin.

Plenty more but I don't want to bore you.

people with blinkers on or those just refusing to except the facts do not help people considering a move, they only prove that there are those in denial. Fine, keep your denials to yourself as it is only helping yourselves and will not help anybody else.

The Weezer

MrsFychan

everyone experiences are valid.
If it riles you please don't resort to name calling.

Good for the people having a fantastic time and making it work great for them. Its a shame that others cannot, for whatever reason, make it work here in NZ and then there are the majority of people who generally just plod a long.

I think all right minded people will see that everyone has a different story to tell, fact of life where every you are what ever you do. You will never truly know how things will be for you until you do something yourself. Just try and take on both side of everyone's experiences and understand you will still have to do all the things you did wherever you come from just in a different way, some things will be easier some harder.

Obviously things will change in this country, housing for example will have to get better as more and more people come to live here, they will bring the knowledge of what works and what doesn't and adapt it to NZ, that is how things happen. Hopefully this will bring better work prospects for the younger generation and a more stable and economically better future for everyone.

garethwm

At risk of being told off again, some of your so-called undeniable facts are demonstratibly wrong. Its very hard to measure crime rates between countries, but one measurable aspect is the most serious of all crimes. NZs murder rate is very low by world standards, in fact the 2012 rate was marginally lower than both the UK and Australia. In regards the ozone layer, of course there is one, otherwise there would be no life. The global average of ozone is 300 units. Over NZ, the ozone layer ranges from 250 units in autumn to 450 units in spring. The ozone hole is well to the south of NZ. In the height of summer there is a lowering of ozone over NZ, doubling your risk of skin cancer compared to UK, but only marginally worse off compared to places like Australia and Norway. In regards houses, especially new builds, again your statements are a matter of opinion, not undeniable facts, but then thats just my opinion too isnt it? One thing is that the houses here are bigger, on average, and so are the sections, on average. Some of your other statements are matters of degrees. Most things are VERY expensive compared to what? New cars, computers, TVs, petrol, insurance, whiteware, rent, restaurants, for example, just off the top of my head, are either the same or cheaper here.

garethwm

I think in regards the implied and sometimes stated notion that Kiwis are a bunch of racist, bigoted ignorants, one thing I have noticed from this forum is that there are as many who complain that Kiwis are too PC. Quite peculiar. One things for sure, as a gay man, Im quite proud to be living in a country that was one of the first to legalise gay marriage. Also proud of the number of ethnic minorities elected into parliament, and the comparitive higher proportion of woman. Lets face it, how many countries would elect a transvestite into parliament, and that from a conservative farming electorate?

Catchafire

We bought our house for 250K, it been dry and warm - NO! Your are in denial! It cost you a million bucks and is so moldy your kids are making blue cheese from their ears.

We have a great lifestyle, work life balance - No No No! You are clearly delusional. YOU HAVE MADE THE BIGGEST MISTAKE OF YOUR LIFE. You need to be back in the UK to be happy, work 10 hrs a day, commute for another 2. Only when you are living in a box like apartment staring out at a brick wall from your kitchen window, can you possibly be happy.

Our kids are happy and well adjusted - Christ mate, you need to get your head examined. Your kids will be barely literate "she be allrighters" with no concept of what its like to be British.

New Zealanders are amazingly open and friendly - You have been Brainwashed!

There is clearly no hope for you, keep living in your denial, because I know that you are secretly unhappy and all this "amazing stuff" that you do is just to make people back in the UK envious.

I am so lucky I escaped. I did not fail. You cant possibly be happy......

The Weezer

Where did anyone say EVERYONE in New Zealand is unhappy?

Some are, some aren't.

Some are trapped, some aren't

and so forth.

It's possible to give an opinion without resorting to sarcasm, outrage, or abuse.

Or is it?

Anyway, the price of houses in New Zealand vary wildly, depending on where in the country you bought, and even more important, how long ago you bought it.

MrsFychan

around and around in circles we go

bourbon-biscuit

Yeah, it's gotten that way. Use your magic wand to end it!

Pom_Chch

There's nothing wrong with giving an honest opinion regarding positives and negatives, this can be a useful tool. But to suggest that expats living in NZ are unhappy, in denial and only here to make people back "home" jealous is something entirely different. Not only are you sounding completely ridiculous and full of sour grapes over other people's happiness, it also loses you a lot a credibility IMVHO.

Bo-Jangles

https://audioboom.com/boos/374946-st...e-on-emigrants

Priceless, shame I can't find the video! Quality of life .... in the former British colony, massive prawns.. quality of life, prawns on Christmas day.. massive prawns on the beach.. quality of life, five times the size blah blah blah. Just stay in Kent and eat five ******* prawns.

The Weezer

I believe there was an element of satire in what I said. Anyway, I have a family member who emigrated in the 50s. Before she left she gloated a bit about how much more sophisticated her life will be. Turns out, it didn't go terribly well for her, especially at first, and she found it hard to settle and to find good work (she had a very good job at home). She found it much harder to get by than she'd ever figured on. Our family has no doubt part of the reason she didn't go back is she was too proud to admit she'd made a mistake, and because she had crowed so before she emigrated, she was left too chagrined to return. These things happen. When some friends and compatriots of hers later emigrated and settled nearby she was happier, but by then moving back was more complicated. She never stopped pining for home. She didn't emigrate to NZ, by the way.

Anyway, why would I have sour grapes? I can leave any time I want, in fact, I happen to be overseas now, and have been for quite some time. I go overseas every year and travel a lot, in NZ and elsewhere. We took a grand tour of Australia earlier this year, and just missed seeing the Royals at Uluru. There was no bitterness as I swam in the Great Barrier Reef, or as I sat in a churro and chocolate restaurant on the Gold Coast. I simply want to make some observations about what life in New Zealand is like. I think the good people out there reading the forum could use some different points of view.

At any rate, even when you want to leave immediately it's not always possible. There are many things to organise before hand.

MrsFychan

The Weezer

Excellent!

Justcol

No there wasnt, that is the only satirical comment you've made


Good for you

So based on an assumption of an event that happened 60 years ago, you feel qualified to now make the same assumption about every migrant in NZ

So why are you still here

Really !!
And yet I can still read your posts here in NZ, Whoever said we were behind the times down here was obviously wrong aye !!

Thats nice, how lovely and special you must feel

Oh how terrible, They must have been devastated to have missed you

And that's fine, but all you did was make ridiculous assumptions and silly accusations.
You basically said that even those of us who are genuinely happy here are in fact really miserable and pinning for home,
we're are just in denial of our misery and are too ashamed to go back because we're frightened of facing friends and family, which is complete nonsense

I'm not really sure what point your trying to make with this comment