deb_steve

We have just booked out flights for wed 8th July to start our new life and I cannot stop crying.

It was our grandsons birthday on sunday & he was 2, we had a family day out to Chester Zoo. Having all the family together was both wonderful yet upsetting when I see what we are leaving behind.

I have to say this is the hardest thing I have ever done,leaving behind my children & grandchild. Even though I know it is the right thing for us, as it gets nearer I am getting worse and am sooooo dreading the final farewell.

I knew it would be difficult but I did not realise it was going to be so bad. I feel like it has only just hit me that it will be a long time till I see them again once I have left.

I may be being a bit of a drama queen but at the moment I am so emotional.
Please someone tell me it gets easier.

MnB

Hi there, we're not quite at this point yet .... so don't know if it gets any easier, but just wanted to say I feel for you, it must be traumtic but remind yourself of the reasons you're doing it .... 'your new life' etc.

Our close friends have a son & grandchildren in Perth ... they visit every couple of years, make regular phone/skype calls and although they would love to be with them more find that this contact does ease the 'pain', I know they keep reminding themselves that they are only 24hrs away.

Best wishes for your journey and new life!
B x

DGH

Yes, this is the bit I'm worried about too. Have you got Skype? We've just set my parents up with it on the internet and it's fantastic. You can have telephone conversations with a video link. Just like being in the same room. May help to bridge the gap across the oceans a little.

deb_steve

Yes got skype thankfully. Trying to get kids set up with it at moment but they seem to be in denial still.

God I will miss them so much
xx

anniiee

Hi,

We arent at that stage either but it wont be long. We are making sure that our families have web cam's plus we've allready got skype. I must admit saying goodbye is the part that I'm dreading. I've alredy booked my son a flight out to visit us at xmas
When my sister moved out there, although it was upsetting at first, things did get better, we spoke every week on the phone using skype and web cams and it didn't feel like we were so far apart !! As time went on it did get easier and easier.
Keep your chin up and remember why your going on this rollercoaster. All the best with everything

zummerzet_lou

The last week for us was horrendous .. the leaving party, and then the final goodbyes to parents and friends were all spent in tears. Felt absolutely awful and had we not been so sure this was the right decision, it would have been soo easy to just call a halt to it.

Saying that, once we were heading for the airport, it became a lot easier. Probably because of the excitment?

Once here, we now skype our folks twice a week, talk on the phone and have already had a few visits so it does get a lot easier, and really hasn't been anywhere near as bad as I was expecting.

HTH,

Lou

teebrown

Hi, I have been through it, we have been here 3 months now and yes it does get easier. I lost my father a few months before we left, so leaving my Mum all by herself was so hard. She knew why we were doing it and encouraged us (even if deep down she was doubting what she was saying).

The week before we left we stayed with Mum and it was like a lead weight around my neck, I was walking around try to smile and not letting myself even think about the 'big' day. On the day my son broke his heart, he was 6 and something I had never seen before and tears were streaming down my face.

But now, well I speak to my Mum more now via MSN webcam usually everyday than I ever did, I bought a Thi Chi phone card - this lets me speak to the UK for 4c a min. The webcam is brilliant, the kids get to see their nanny and it's all good. I'm glad we made the move as it was for the family, my family.

As soon as I got off the plan and hit the hotel, I had my laptop on speaking to home - it certainly helped.

Deep breaths, it will be alright.

deb_steve

I am such an emotional wreck, I even sat here crying reading all your goodbye
stories.

It feels better to know it gets easier, and I am quite sure I will probably speak to our youngest son more from NZ than I do in the UK.hopefully)

I am just scared our 2 year old grandson will forget who we are.

xx

Kiwi-Irish

Gosh, I really feel for you.
But remember - you have to do whats best for you. Hopefully you can afford to visit him or have him come out to you as he's growing up.

teebrown

Your grandson wont forget who you are, keep the webcam up and running all the time and you will see him grow up and he will see you, to him this sort of technology will be normal - the world is getting smaller.

Kimi-Deacon

We also left a Daughter, Son and 2yr old Grandson behind, i am not going to say its easy because it most definetly is not, but Skype is fantastic i talk to my family twice a week on Skype and in the case of my Big Sis sometimes twice a day, that should stop soon as she is moving here at the end Aug

For me leaving the Grandson was the hardest part as i was there with my Daughter when he was born but talking on Skype is great, my Grandson loves it and says to his Mum, and my Mum and Dad, its Noisy Nanny on the computer, he then gets all his Toys to show me and we play games on Skype, so it really isnt as bad as you think. On Christmas Day we Skyped them and i got to watch him undo his Christmas Presents and it felt like we were really there.

The way we look at it is, you are also giving your Children and Grandson an opportunity to live in NZ if they want to in the future, as you will be able to Sponsor them after 3yrs. Hope you have a safe journey and Good Luck with your new life in NZ

weejie

Know exactly how you feel;we leave in 6 days and have just had all the farewell parties. I am crying all the time too,especially when I think about saying bye to my folks and in-laws on Sunday.We have banned all family from the airport on Monday,would be too emotional. I want my 2 sons first time on a plane to be exciting,not marred by being sad and crying. I am going about thinking this is my last Monday,last trip to the chemist,last time doing lots of things and although I am trying not to I am getting upset by it all. I am not excited yet,but feel scared as it is all too real now. We cleared all the cupboards today of things we won't need like tins,stock cubes,coffee etc and cleared the medicine cabinet,under the sink etc. Then I sat and cried my head off. I've been told this is natural. And it gets better. You are not alone feeling like this.

Phyl x

Justcol

I never felt any sadness when we left Manchester last year.
We left parents,brothers, sisters and freinds behind and everyone of them wished us well
and understood why we were making the move.

New Zealand is a GREAT place to live.
The people are friendly, the country is beautiful and when the summer arrives
and the sun has got his hat on its the only place to be.
Look forward not back and enjoy your new life.

Jo-Chris

Just made me cry reading your messages we haven't even booked our flights yet! Think I am going to be an emotional wreck by the end of this process!!

RobDon

You and me both!!