Clareuk

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-59653236

UK to remove all 11 countries from red lists / bet everywhere else NZ included is going to clamp down hard against the UK ..hope I’m wrong

EuropeanLurker

I'm struggling here - it's been so long. Just read an article from a former classmate who has lost her father recently and it made me think of how I am losing valuable time with my own parents.

Kiwis don't seem to care at all, the response you get is "you shouldn't have moved here". Meanwhile, they were all crying when they couldn't see family outside Auckland for four months. Well, maybe you shouldn't have left Palmerston North then.

tabbycat

I’m so sorry you’re in the same boat - it’s an awful situation to be in and not made any easier with insensitive comments like that. It must be quite nice for those living in NZ with all their loved ones nearby and/or with no desire to reconnect with the outside world, eh!

With this new strain of Covid I’m hoping it’s a sign that the virus will gradually mutate itself out of existence or at least into something mild so that we can see loved ones again.

in the meantime, stay strong - you’ve done the hard yards and (fingers crossed!) it’s uphill from here!

EuropeanLurker

Thank you! I sure hope we will follow Australia and the borders will open soon. Have my (refundable) tickets booked for this winter!

Justcol

In all my years in NZ I've never had anyone say that.

I'm a firm believer in "if you're truly not happy here go home" which strangely seems to upset a lot of people

tabbycat

But it’s never that simple is it? You yourself may be in a situation that means you could just up and go “home” if you wanted to, but many many expats aren’t (work, kiwi spouse, children, finances - to name a few).

In normal times, most expats would probably be happy with their lives in NZ (me among them), but I think they/we are more than entitled to feel miserable and homesick being away from loved family and friends for so long in this current climate. If anyone here needs to vent I don’t see a problem, we should be supporting each other in what is a **** situation that many will luckily never face.

Can’t wait for Covid to bugger off and be a thing of the past!

Moses2013

That is true and it's often not always that simple. Even in normal times a lot of people probably won't have the money and time to visit family, so it's always something to consider when moving to NZ if you value your family. When people on this forum ask about moving to NZ/Canada etc. you often get comments "It may work it may not but if you don't try you will always regret it" "You are young give it a try". When you want support it's usually "There's a boat in the morning" "If you're unhappy go home".

Clareuk

so sorry I really understand it’s very hard isn’t it.
I’m kinda of in a quandary myself I found myself dumped and separated after being married more that 25 years this year to a kiwi
id been in NZ and some years in Aus over 25 years and being a mum / homemaker with a part time job is all I know 😪 had children now young adults themselves so wondering what on earth I’m supposed to do to live I had a breakdown - his BIL a lawyer I got screwed but that’s another story
Anyway, decided to come back to the UK and bolted home to the UK to see my mum sister etc who I hadn’t seen in a looong time ( which I’ve loved ) and potentially live there
However, realised NZ and my kids the pull is stronger there. I just can’t settle here.
Then Omicron happened and I’ve heard whispers of another darn variant in France emerging Ahhhhhh!!!
I want to come back to NZ desperately but blooming Covid!!
so yes understand totally !!!

Justcol

No is saying anyone can just up and go.

When folk move to NZ they don't wake up and one day, think I'm off to NZ and jump on a plane the next day. They research, plan and make it happen. Why does everyone think it's so much harder to do the same thing in reverse ?

If push came to shove I'm sure I could find a job in the UK, just as I did when I moved to NZ. I'm sure my kiwi wife would support me if she saw I was genuinely and deeply unhappy. In essence, I would find a way to clear any hurdles that were in the way, just as I did 13 years ago when I left the UK.

tabbycat

Well it’s very nice for you that you have those options, but not everyone does and repeatedly saying “if you’re not happy, just go home” is not helpful at this time. And, as I said, many expats don’t want to up sticks and move home, they just want to be able see loved ones again, even for a short time.

Justcol

Like the rest of us, they'll just have to suck it up.

tabbycat

This thread was initially created by me asking for support and unity and thankfully some people replied to me with kindness when I needed it, so I will happily offer the same to them. If you feel the need to be cruel, then you do you, but do it elsewhere.

Justcol

so somehow sitting around posting "oh that must be terrible" or "I'm so sorry I know how hard it can be" is supposed to make someone feel better?
I've had to cancel European trips to see family, have missed my children's milestone birthdays and will potentially not be able to attend my son's wedding. We've all got stuff going on but we're not all bleating away on here attention seeking, which isn't going to change a thing.
This place was always a great source of advice for potential migrants but since COVID put migration on hold it's become little more than a pity party for the miserable.

tabbycat

Corr you’re a right ray of sunshine aren’t you 🤣 you know that you can just scroll on over threads you don’t like without getting butt hurt over other people’s problems? Ba-bye!

Cat_mac

Hello! I am in the same boat as you.
me and my husband are Brits, living in Auckland for 10 years. We’ve had 2 children over here, the youngest is 6 months old and has never met any of our family. Those first few months with little support were rough. I dared to dream that perhaps my parents could make it over before his 1st birthday but that dream is fading now.
However, I do feel very lucky to be in NZ, there’s no country I’d rather be in. Sadly, we had a dear friend who had enough of being ‘stuck’ in NZ and returned to the UK, contracted the virus and passed away 2 months later. I feel like we are so privileged in NZ to be relatively virus free and it’s easy to take it for granted. Let’s just hope NZ finds a way to open up and soon.