chippy64

Thanks Becky . My OH is a carpenter, so he has plenty of work. Re feeling guilty, I felt that way too at first but the way to look at it is that it happened, it needs fixing and if you don't do it, someone else will!

Steve88

Thanks, yes, you're right...... think I need to keep focussed on the bigger picure!

BEVS

True.

banski

Hi,
well here in uk he earns approx £30,000 pa and we dont have an extravagant lifestyle and dont expect to have 1 there either I just need to know we can pay the bills and do some activities with the boys that sort of thing, the move is more about the boys and giving them a better lifestyle. yeah keeping in touch would be good

Charismatic

Moneyweek:
"[Cypriot solution to needing 5bn euro a few weeks ago]...nick lots of money from Cypriots. Up to 10% were to be filched from accounts to underwrite some gargantuan bail-out. The Cypriots reacted in the only respectable way possible, by driving JCB's into the front of the banks to get their dosh out.

Now the Russians have stepped in and offered to bung the tiny island some currency. So there's the choice for the Cypriot government: take the money from an unaccountable, undemocratic bunch of self-interested gangsters - or go with the Russians."

ChrisWilson7

Last week and yesterday I walked around the CBD and, apart from being a bit empty of buildings (!), it looks and feels like a good and positive place to be. Certainly much more than 2 years ago when I saw it last. I liked the blueprint when I saw it originally online, and re-viewed it on a wander around the CBD as I passed the cathedral last week. I like the emphasis on green space and compactness. Love the Re:start mall and riverside.

I'm in Burwood at the moment and might be moving nearer to Spreydon at some point. Looking for geographical/environmental work in the rebuild and have some promising leads on that. Very much enjoying the place and looking forward to settling further. If there are any Chch events or meet-ups, feel free to copy me in - that wine and food festival does look good .

ChrisWilson7

The CBD red zone cordon is gone! It was finally removed today allowing all roads through the central city to be used again, at least by pedestrians. The NZ Defence Force have left after 28 months manning checkpoints, and I went down to thank them at lunch - they were great, and happy to pose for a commemorative photo for me.





I also went to the Lyttelton Festival of Lights tonight, what a great little shindig that is!

Pinksar

Hi all - I've just found this thread as newly joined and its really useful!

My hubby and I are hopefully moving out in September. Just getting paperwork finalised for visa application (medicals done and police certs applied for) so as soon as they're back we can send our forms in, so fingers crossed. Hubby is in construction and has been employed to work on the EQR.

We have no idea where we will be based as yet until we arrive so will then be going hell for leather investigating areas to live etc. as we get temporary accomodation for 6 weeks. Anyway, we are both really excited and can't wait to get there.

This whole forum has been invaluable and I'm sure I've asked some truly dumb questions but everyone's been so nice and helpful. I really hope people do meet up as I'd love to catch up with some of the people on here. I won't be working straight away as will be responsible for finding a property to rent etc while hubby works, so I'll be a bit lonely to start with! We don't have kids, so it's just us - we're both in very early 40's and desperately trying not to be lol! I do have a friend in Christchurch - a native Kiwi who worked in the uk with me a few years ago and that helped massively with prep work.

We have been warned that its not a bed of roses but we are open minded and just excited to be doing something different and getting the opportunity to live and work in another part of the world. We want to make this a permanent move - I don't see us returning to the UK other than for visits.

For those that have only just made the move - is it what you expected? I'm not sure what I expect really - we're realistic though so not expecting utopia!

Good luck to those going through the process like us.

Persephone

Having a kiwi on the ground to help you will be invaluable. Just to help get stuff organised and work out how things are run. My partner is a Kiwi so I found the transition a lot easier than I would have if I was on my own.
He still talks about when he went away for 3 weeks and the rubbish wasn't collected, I hadn't realised that I needed to move the bins to the kerb side. This was early on, I hasten to add We lived at the end of the street on the edge of town so hadn't seen that everyone else had put their bins out...

Being realistic is better than looking at the move through rose tinted spectacles. Nowhere is perfect, if you expect Utopia then you'll never find it. And if it doesn't work out for you, you don't need to stay.
I am not in NZ at the moment [a temporary state of affairs] and am looking forward to getting back there. It is my home now. Equally I could live in the UK just as happily and Mr S has always talked about doing that for a couple of years at some point. I did not move because I wanted to get away from the UK.
Let us know how you get on

Pinksar

Thanks - will definitely keep you posted!

angelacindynz

Hi, me and my boyfriend have been here 1 month so far so good. My fellas a brickie and I'm currently looking for work. We are both here on our own from Leeds/Barnsley aged 33.

My fella wants to know if there's a football team in Christchurch that he can join?

Many thanks

chippy64

For any Scots in ChCh -

Kirk’in o the Tartan Church service:
Scottish Heritage Council
St Andrews Church at Rangi Ruru
14 Merivale Lane Christchurch
Service: Sun 20 Oct 2013 (Service commences
at 1:50pm with a parade of banners into
the Church. Afternoon tea is served at the
conclusion of the service)
The Heritage Council
is holding the annual
Kirk’in o the Tartan
Church service. The
Act of Proscription
banned the wearing of
any sign of Tartan. The
Scottish Highlanders
subsequently hid pieces
of tartan under their
clothing and brought
them to church for a
secret blessing or kirkin’
at a particular point in the service by the minister. This
service invites all present to bring their Tartan to the table
and have it blessed.
Admission is free, no bookings required, open to public.

vetnurse1

Gaelic football?? Christchurch have a very active GAA, set up as a result of the Irish builders and workers who have come over recently. It's a very friendly club I hear. Link here and you can find them on Facebook:
http://christchurchgaa.com/

Pom_Chch

Hello!

Thought I would resurrect this thread with an article in Stuff yesterday as there seems to be a few people on the forum moving to Chch at the moment.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destin...op-rising-spot

I have been pleasantly surprised with all the stuff going on here lately. Not sure about you lot but my diary is filling up with all the stuff going on in Chch. Next stop - South Island Food and Wine Fest on Saturday, can't wait

TomandFiona

Hello,

Only just found this site so thought we'd touch base. We've just got our visa's and we're hoping to fly over from Derbyshire in a couple of months. We're in our mid 30's and we've got 2 kids aged 2 and 10. I've got a job at The Flooring Centre and Fiona will be helping the children to settle at least to start with.

We've got a theory of finding a school we like and working back from there as regards to deciding where we will live. From her research online my wife has pin marked Cashmere School, does anyone have any feedback on this or any other suggestions to hopefully expand our options.

We are nervous but looking forward to the adventure and making new friends.