British Expats

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-   -   Emigrating to NZ (https://britishexpats.com/forum/new-zealand-83/emigrating-nz-935079/)

Pulaski Oct 6th 2020 9:10 pm

Re: Emigrating to NZ
 

Originally Posted by scot47 (Post 12919422)
Beware of buying a dream. Reality may be a shock. .....

It seems to me that expats/ emigrants fall into one of three broad groups:

[1] Those who go with/ to family, either their spouse/ partner, or blood relatives; these people have another focus other than purely the experience of life in their new home country.

[2] Those who go for work, either transferred by their employer, or to take up a specific job; again these people have another focus, and they can hedge their bets too - the work may be only temporary, and they can stay if they like it, or leave if they don't.

[3] Then there are people who just choose to go to another country, not for a specific job, but they''ll need to sort out some sort of employment in most cases, I'm going to divide them into two groups: [A] those who want adventure, and experience, or a change, to try something different, and [B] those who are looking for something "better", and this is where I agree with Scot, above - if you set the goal as finding something "better", unless you are a refugee from war or famine, you are setting a high bar, that might be unrealistic. :unsure:

hallie_day Oct 7th 2020 3:16 am

Re: Emigrating to NZ
 
I know you don't want any more anecdotal experiences, but this came out today and is exactly what I tried to communicate.
My kiwi friends thinks that there will be a return to more traditional methods of teaching, but it could be too late for my kids.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/a...ectid=12370564

I just don't think that stats like this can be ignored:

International surveys show NZ 10-year-olds' reading levels fell in 2016 to their lowest since the surveys started, and our 15-year-olds' reading and maths levels declined in every survey between 2000 and 2018.

Justcol Oct 7th 2020 3:25 am

Re: Emigrating to NZ
 

Originally Posted by Pulaski (Post 12919449)
who are looking for something "better", and this is where I agree with Scot, above - if you set the goal as finding something "better", unless you are a refugee from war or famine, you are setting a high bar, that might be unrealistic. :unsure:



REALLY...

what part of NZ do you live in to base that comment on

Pom_Chch Oct 7th 2020 3:58 am

Re: Emigrating to NZ
 

Originally Posted by Justcol (Post 12919518)

REALLY...

what part of NZ do you live in to base that comment on

I do find it amusing/interesting that some of the posts above are from people who don't live and have never lived in NZ 🤷‍♀️

Clappy Oct 7th 2020 5:53 am

Re: Emigrating to NZ
 
Stories of people moving to New Zealand believing that it is their chance for a 'nice life' then feeling let-down by the reality go back a long way - posts on this forum, posts on the forum that no longer exists that was for people that were very bitter about their experiences, the stories from the museum in Nelson relating to the dubious advertising to get people to move there I also saw a display in the museum in Hamilton explaining that in the 19th century some working people in the industrial parts of the UK were promised land if they joined in the New Zealand wars and spend two years fighting the Maori. Those people had no prospects of owning land if they carried on living in the UK so some took up the offer - only to find that the land they were given at the end was almost worthless and impossible to make a living from.

I had two family members in the UK that had 'heard the good things about Nelson' and were intent on moving there because 'it would be a better life for their kids'. They had never been to New Zealand (in fact they have still never set foot outside the UK) but were convinced it would be a better life for the kids. They didn't move there, if they had it probably would not have saved their marriage anyway and I can't imagine their teenage boys would have been happy about being there.

This article highlights that the proportion of the locals that have left to live overseas is almost as high as Ireland's.https://www.interest.co.nz/news/9888...doing-make-use . If I was a young man I would have left too but I am old and do see this place as an easy spot to loaf out the remainder of my working years.

hallie_day Oct 7th 2020 6:32 am

Re: Emigrating to NZ
 
I'm pretty sure that a lot of the problems stem from the difference between perception and reality.
A country that the majority of the world believe is some sort of nirvana (see also Canada), is bound to come unstuck when the reality is a very normal, albeit pretty. And if you're not into the quite niche (maybe not quite the right word - 'samey'?) things NZ has to offer, or are working too hard to enjoy them, it just becomes a very remote, expensive and potentially quite lonely, place to live.

We lived in London but the kids played loads of sports, and played in the streets with their friends. We visited many beaches both home and abroad, we camped home and abroad, we rode our bikes and climbed hills. But we also had an amazing public transport system, Europe on our doorstep, theatres, music venues and entertainment. We earned good salaries, lived cheaply and had 50% more annual leave than we do here. Childcare was cheaper and easier. And we went out. Pubs. Dancing. In our 40s!

Bo-Jangles Oct 7th 2020 7:05 am

Re: Emigrating to NZ
 

Originally Posted by hallie_day (Post 12919544)
And we went out. Pubs. Dancing. In our 40s!

Ooh those were the days when we went 'out out'! :sneaky:

Now at best you get to go stand in someone's kitchen, eat food that you made yourself and drink wine with the girls, whilst the boys cook sausages and talk rugby around the BBQ. :p



Moses2013 Oct 7th 2020 12:47 pm

Re: Emigrating to NZ
 

Originally Posted by Pom_Chch (Post 12919522)
I do find it amusing/interesting that some of the posts above are from people who don't live and have never lived in NZ 🤷‍♀️

He didn't actually talk about NZ and it was just in general. If people want to go down that route then nobody should give advice unless it's the exact same life. Even those in NZ today live in a different town, different street, different house, have a different job, kids are in a different school, have a different teacher for education and so on. The whole point is experience and it's not only related to NZ, so why can't he give advice? We can question everything then and the scientist who has never been to the moon should not have an opinion? The marriage counselor can't give advice if they aren't in that relationship? I think we all agree that NZ has some nice scenery and many live a happy life but the challenges remain. Not only related to OP but those focused on scenery, camping trips and morals often struggle and if NZ wasn't an English speaking country sold as paradise, would they look at other things?

Pulaski Oct 7th 2020 3:10 pm

Re: Emigrating to NZ
 

Originally Posted by Moses2013 (Post 12919646)
He didn't actually talk about NZ and it was just in general. ....

Thank you! :)

Originally Posted by Justcol (Post 12919518)
.....
what part of NZ do you live in to base that comment on

Did I say it was about NZ? :confused: ...... I made an observation about people, who have left the UK to live overseas, based on posts I have read from many people in a number of subforms on BE, and also patterns of behaviour I have observed directly in the US.

People who move for family or work reasons, appear to often be willing to over look, at least in the short term, the shortcomings of their new home as they have other reasons to be there, as are those who are looking for a change/ adventure. For those looking for something "better" IMO the odds are not so good. Again, this is an observation about people, not about NZ. :)

jarv5116 Oct 7th 2020 5:56 pm

Re: Emigrating to NZ
 

Originally Posted by Pulaski (Post 12919692)
Thank you! :)

Did I say it was about NZ? :confused: ...... I made an observation about people, who have left the UK to live overseas, based on posts I have read from many people in a number of subforms on BE, and also patterns of behaviour I have observed directly in the US.

People who move for family or work reasons, appear to often be willing to over look, at least in the short term, the shortcomings of their new home as they have other reasons to be there, as are those who are looking for a change/ adventure. For those looking for something "better" IMO the odds are not so good. Again, this is an observation about people, not about NZ. :)

Mate you dont have to go anywhere to see it.
Look at Britian it's no different.
people from places like NZ OZ USA Canada generally come through spouse or for a adventure and experience our culture pubs, big smoke city lifes and visit island of Skye.
Then people that come for pure financial reason to make money as there salaries are 10x in London.
Then people who's come from poor countries looking for a better life.
Its no different in NZ.

Pulaski Oct 7th 2020 6:35 pm

Re: Emigrating to NZ
 

Originally Posted by jarv5116 (Post 12919746)
Mate you dont have to go anywhere to see it.
Look at Britain, it's no different......

Yeah, I know! :nod: But tell that to Justcol and Peter & Steph. :lol:

hallie_day Oct 7th 2020 8:05 pm

Re: Emigrating to NZ
 

Originally Posted by Bo-Jangles (Post 12919548)
Ooh those were the days when we went 'out out'! :sneaky:

Now at best you get to go stand in someone's kitchen, eat food that you made yourself and drink wine with the girls, whilst the boys cook sausages and talk rugby around the BBQ. :p

And this is one of the big things that shocked me - like some early social menopause. In 2019 I went out, in 2020 I don't.

And one reason why it's so hard to make friends and feel like you belong. Those house 'parties' are very difficult for newcomers, both as guest and host. Hours of small awkward small talk. At least at home you get to know people gradually - inviting a new mum to coffee, or the pub etc.

And I'm an introvert.
I spent a good deal of 2019 trying to convince myself that I don't need friends, a nice house and some sunshine and I would be happy.
In fact, many of my friends started to annoy me as I (subconsciously I know realise) tried to wean myself off them.
Now I'm sat here with a lump in throat thinking about them. Never underestimate the value of having people in your hemisphere who know and love you.


Sparki1987 Jan 4th 2021 7:19 am

Re: Emigrating to NZ
 
Hi folks,

Me and my partner have been talking about moving to NZ for a while now and we’re still kind of unsure where to start.

I’ve looked on the skill migrant visa and pretty sure we’d come over with that as I’m a class 1 truck driver (class 5 NZ).

Where is the best place to look for for work, cities, agencies etc......


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