going home at last!!!!!!!
Apr 30th 2007, 9:27 pm
#31
Here in Dunedin
Joined: May 2003
Location: Dunedin
Posts: 1,975
Re: going home at last!!!!!!!
Now maybe not every brit is cashed up with equity, but plenty are, and they along with others from Europe. Asia and North America are all the main drivers of house prices getting so out of step with incomes.
I don't defend that resentment, but I can understand why it occurs.
Apr 30th 2007, 9:30 pm
#32
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: Porirua, Wellington, NZ
Posts: 645
Apr 30th 2007, 10:08 pm
#33
Here in Dunedin
Joined: May 2003
Location: Dunedin
Posts: 1,975
Re: going home at last!!!!!!!
Thankyou Lexy, may I ask where you lived in Chch?? Did you go home for some of the reasons I stated??
We came on these boards before we made the big move and had built up a fantastic picture in our head of what life would be like, grrrrrr! The grass is definelty NOT greener eh??
Thankyou
We came on these boards before we made the big move and had built up a fantastic picture in our head of what life would be like, grrrrrr! The grass is definelty NOT greener eh??
Thankyou
I'm not trying to have a go, it just seems a really important point that somebody looks to have kept their "rose tinted glasses" on despite having access to an excellent resource like BE.
If you ask me its the obvious conundrum about immigrating (to any country for that matter). You have to be in a positive frame of mind to even try it, but the biggest failed moves are for those who's expectations were far to high. Getting the right information, and setting the right expectations is a very fine balance.
Apr 30th 2007, 10:23 pm
#34
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: napier, NZ back to Freo in 2008!
Posts: 244
Re: going home at last!!!!!!!
We came to NZ over a year ago and now we are returning home.
My name is Shelly and my OH is darryl, 2 sprogs ages 5 and 10!
NZ is a nice place for a holiday but thats it.
Dont come over here thinking people dont care about how you dress,what you drive HAHA! WRONG!!! Just like everywhere people will always try to keep up with the jonses.
CRIME is here and tagging is everywhere (In christchurch anyway) Teenagers are just the same and dress the same (hoodies)and the teenager pregnancy is high too. Kids driving powerful cars ends up in disaster, in the first month we saw about 5 accidents, the driving is bad!!!
Come over here with your eyes wide open and your glasses OFF!!!
We honestly came over thinking it would be nice and safe, nice people, not too busy, cheap enough houses, affordable cars....wrong!!!!!
Yeah sure some kiwis are nice but so are some british, same everwhere!!!!!!
kiwis think "us british" are rich as soon as we get here and maybe for that reason dont like us too much. We have lived in our house for 9 months, we dont even know who our neighbours are, who cares?????
we are going home to be back with our family and friends, missing family is VERY HARD!!! I didnt think I would be that bad but WOW it is hard!!!!!
I wish you all well, do your research NZ has its bad points too, the UK isnt that bad ya know!!!!!!!
My name is Shelly and my OH is darryl, 2 sprogs ages 5 and 10!
NZ is a nice place for a holiday but thats it.
Dont come over here thinking people dont care about how you dress,what you drive HAHA! WRONG!!! Just like everywhere people will always try to keep up with the jonses.
CRIME is here and tagging is everywhere (In christchurch anyway) Teenagers are just the same and dress the same (hoodies)and the teenager pregnancy is high too. Kids driving powerful cars ends up in disaster, in the first month we saw about 5 accidents, the driving is bad!!!
Come over here with your eyes wide open and your glasses OFF!!!
We honestly came over thinking it would be nice and safe, nice people, not too busy, cheap enough houses, affordable cars....wrong!!!!!
Yeah sure some kiwis are nice but so are some british, same everwhere!!!!!!
kiwis think "us british" are rich as soon as we get here and maybe for that reason dont like us too much. We have lived in our house for 9 months, we dont even know who our neighbours are, who cares?????
we are going home to be back with our family and friends, missing family is VERY HARD!!! I didnt think I would be that bad but WOW it is hard!!!!!
I wish you all well, do your research NZ has its bad points too, the UK isnt that bad ya know!!!!!!!
Just be warned this may be your first Ping Pong.. Lots of people do it.. Me included. (gets a bit expensive though, so hold onto your residencyif you have it and rent went you get back to the UK for 6 months) Also, that the 1st year IS always the hardest.
If not, have fun back in the UK and rememebr this as a great adventure at least you will have some different stories to tell in the pub back home.
Cheers
May 1st 2007, 3:01 am
#35
you dewty owld maan!
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: is practically perfect in every way
Posts: 5,565
Re: going home at last!!!!!!!
But perhaps you have hit on a serious point there - it is those on lower wages in NZ who are really struggling at the moment, particularly with the perception that they will not be able to afford their own home. So perhaps it us understandable that they feel resentment towards the cause of that.
Now maybe not every brit is cashed up with equity, but plenty are, and they along with others from Europe. Asia and North America are all the main drivers of house prices getting so out of step with incomes.
I don't defend that resentment, but I can understand why it occurs.
Now maybe not every brit is cashed up with equity, but plenty are, and they along with others from Europe. Asia and North America are all the main drivers of house prices getting so out of step with incomes.
I don't defend that resentment, but I can understand why it occurs.
May 1st 2007, 3:01 am
#36
you dewty owld maan!
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: is practically perfect in every way
Posts: 5,565
May 1st 2007, 7:34 am
#37
Banned
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,467
Re: going home at last!!!!!!!
I'd be tempted to say give it more time and also move away from Christchurch city if you can. I hated living in the city so as soon as we could we got away from it and out to the surrounding areas.
Nine months isn't a long time really to get used to a country at all, it took me over a year at least!
It's very expensive to ping pong as mentioned and I know loads of folk who have done it, including some of my rellies who have done it twice now! so don't do anything rash unless you really, really, really are positive that it's the whole of NZ you dislike and not just Christchurch.
Nine months isn't a long time really to get used to a country at all, it took me over a year at least!
It's very expensive to ping pong as mentioned and I know loads of folk who have done it, including some of my rellies who have done it twice now! so don't do anything rash unless you really, really, really are positive that it's the whole of NZ you dislike and not just Christchurch.
May 1st 2007, 7:38 am
#38
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: Planet Earth, for now.
Posts: 719
Re: going home at last!!!!!!!
Just found some of my old posts. How you forget some things, how you forget some things never change.
Well after 10 months we are leaving NZ ( ChCh ). Its not been easy and we have too many bad knocks. From family tragedies, to schools, to house not selling and now running out of money. We are forced to go back and sort out our house before it taken off us. It has all gone pear shaped. But the main thing is down to money. When we first worked out our plan it seemed good. But we got held up by the red tape that resulted in us being held back for almost a year. In that time things have gone up, mostly houses. So we came here and it was good for the first few months. Then its all started to go wrong. First my boss got cancer, then the kids acted up at school, then my wife's Father took ill and sadly died. We put this all behind us and tried to move forward. Then trouble at work with people who disliked each other, then they tried to use me as a football. So after a few weeks i got fed up and spoke my mind to stop it. Boy was i the bad bugger, i then got it. So then it was a case of that's it i have had enough, i did not start this crap but i will finish it. And i did. But i got no real back up from people i stood up for. Now forward to now, the cost of living has gone up quite a lot. I am the only one working with a family of 4 to feed. There is no good part time work to be had, unless it for under $10 an hour. But it costs $50 a day to have the kids looked after while you work. So you gain nothing really. Most modern things here are quite often more expensive than back in the UK. But you get Kiwi Dollars. House are expensive to run if you have an old one due to them not being efficient. Chopping logs for an open fire might sound romantic, but when you come home from work and its cold and raining and have to light a fire and cook for your kids at the same time, forget it. I will have my little dial on the wall any time. It not being soft, just realistic. I had to look after my two kids for 5 weeks while my wife had to look after her sick dad back in the uk. All our wages went on air flights, food for the kids and child care. Each week we have lost money, now after 10 months it's time to give it up. We have to. We came here determined to give it a go and not winge, this we did for months. And even when one of my son's got into a fight because another boy called his mam ( in England at that time with her dad dying), i did not moan. I just got on with it. But enough is enough, i cannot live in the past, i won't see my kids grow up with less and less. Bugger that i'm afraid. You need money plain and simple. NZ is beautiful but you can't eat it. I do actually like NZ and most of its people, and we feel privileged to be here. Kiwi's are very friendly ( mostly) and open and we will always think of them this way. Who knows we may stay at the last minute, but we would have to win the lottery for this to happen and that's most unlikely. So good luck to any one who tries it, and don't let any one beat you down if it does not work out. Not until you tried it do you know or how you feel. If no one tried these things then we would still be in caves. So we will be gone in 3-4 weeks, shame as we had been accepted to apply for our PR ( cannot afford the medicals now). But that's life. So best of luck to you all who try it. Regards from an almost Kiwi.
This is from the Christchurch mail a local free paper, bloody hell.
More single men and African refugees are seeking Christchurch city mission emergency supplies, signaling a worrying new trend. Many terminally ill people crippled by the cost off medical treatment, house rentals and out of the roof electricity costs are also asking for food. The poor are just getting poorer said mission social services manager, Grey Crawford, who sees the bottom 5% of society who are the most economically oppressed. The people presenting are in more dire straits this year. we seem to be the last resort. Solo fathers were among the single men seeking support along with jobless African refugees and migrants, he said. Another support service says, it is not uncommon for a family of 6 to be living weekly on a food and clothing budget of only $60 . Benefits and lower incomes, left for dead by rapidly soaring living costs, are further pushing the needy into a financial and health miasma as more present with serious health issues. they can't heat homes, don't eat proper food and get sick. The health community card only goes so far, Crawford said . General expensive we take for granted, but people in reduced circumstances are finding it difficult to survive. A client receives no more than 2 food parcels every 6 months. But still 20 food packs go out every day of the year except December when 30 parcels a day are packed for the seriously marginalised. It has to be an essential food parcel, Crawford said. We are not just a stop gap. Assessor's and budget advisors ensure clients are receiving their correct Benefits, but, as other crisis agencies agree, it is difficult to budget or look ahead with zero to juggle with. The city mission has the only food bank to keep its doors open through Christmas and new year. The missions communities Christmas dinner is catering for over 700 this year and has 400 volunteers to serve the dinner. those who would other wise be alone, are escaping home violence, cash strapped or simply want to enjoy the festivities with the wider community will join the party. Crawford, former manager of the police victim support said the marketing hype that fantasises Christmas makes it devastating imprint in depression and at the extreme end, suicide. It can make people fell lonely and feel that there are the only ones who are not happy or enjoying parties. If they are not, it compounds misery and hardship which is further reinforced by the pressure of children wanting the kind of presents exaggerated by advertising. Meanwhile, city mission food stocks are the best for some time. Its just been crazy. We've been getting huge amounts from organisations or other donors, Crawford said. Other major food banks are poised for Christmas. The Salvation army hope centre has prepared 300 food hampers for its inner city clients, but its other city out lets will be giving a further 300 between them. Manager Karen Whittaker. said the food supplies and funds were slow coming in making it difficult to forward a plan. More low wage earners and people in temporary work were suffering. Last week, 4 woman who's relationships which had just ended, sought emergency Christmas supplies after putting any money into setting up a new home with rental bonds and other expenses to escape domestic violence. Delta communities support trust manager Tony Mc Cahon says hikes in electricity and rents while benefits remain static had shrunk food budgets. Other expenditures can only come out of the very small food budgets that our struggling, disadvantaged families try to survive on, he said. It is not uncommon for a family of 6 to living weekly on food and clothing budget of only $60. This means that any unexpected bills causes a crisis. There is no extra money. Christmas could be a very traumatic experience for the 1800 families and individuals on the food bank database. It often rekindles unhappy childhood memories along with the lack of money to buy presents for children, and the fact that they cannot choose to take a holiday. Delta hope to distribute 70 food packs to disadvantaged families this Christmas, 20 more than before. Its quite heart breaking for us having to choose which family will receive one, we're still hoping funds will come in. As little as $35 buys a special Christmas food parcel ( at discounted prices). Donations can be dropped at 105 North Avon Road or sent to Delta, PO Box 26019. The trust has served the disadvantaged since 1995. The methodist mission could not be reached but it is under stood that only advocacy clients would receive Christmas supplies this year.
Don't get me wrong. We miss NZ a lot and want to go back. But i did this to show you got to work hard at it in NZ. Same every where i guess.
Well after 10 months we are leaving NZ ( ChCh ). Its not been easy and we have too many bad knocks. From family tragedies, to schools, to house not selling and now running out of money. We are forced to go back and sort out our house before it taken off us. It has all gone pear shaped. But the main thing is down to money. When we first worked out our plan it seemed good. But we got held up by the red tape that resulted in us being held back for almost a year. In that time things have gone up, mostly houses. So we came here and it was good for the first few months. Then its all started to go wrong. First my boss got cancer, then the kids acted up at school, then my wife's Father took ill and sadly died. We put this all behind us and tried to move forward. Then trouble at work with people who disliked each other, then they tried to use me as a football. So after a few weeks i got fed up and spoke my mind to stop it. Boy was i the bad bugger, i then got it. So then it was a case of that's it i have had enough, i did not start this crap but i will finish it. And i did. But i got no real back up from people i stood up for. Now forward to now, the cost of living has gone up quite a lot. I am the only one working with a family of 4 to feed. There is no good part time work to be had, unless it for under $10 an hour. But it costs $50 a day to have the kids looked after while you work. So you gain nothing really. Most modern things here are quite often more expensive than back in the UK. But you get Kiwi Dollars. House are expensive to run if you have an old one due to them not being efficient. Chopping logs for an open fire might sound romantic, but when you come home from work and its cold and raining and have to light a fire and cook for your kids at the same time, forget it. I will have my little dial on the wall any time. It not being soft, just realistic. I had to look after my two kids for 5 weeks while my wife had to look after her sick dad back in the uk. All our wages went on air flights, food for the kids and child care. Each week we have lost money, now after 10 months it's time to give it up. We have to. We came here determined to give it a go and not winge, this we did for months. And even when one of my son's got into a fight because another boy called his mam ( in England at that time with her dad dying), i did not moan. I just got on with it. But enough is enough, i cannot live in the past, i won't see my kids grow up with less and less. Bugger that i'm afraid. You need money plain and simple. NZ is beautiful but you can't eat it. I do actually like NZ and most of its people, and we feel privileged to be here. Kiwi's are very friendly ( mostly) and open and we will always think of them this way. Who knows we may stay at the last minute, but we would have to win the lottery for this to happen and that's most unlikely. So good luck to any one who tries it, and don't let any one beat you down if it does not work out. Not until you tried it do you know or how you feel. If no one tried these things then we would still be in caves. So we will be gone in 3-4 weeks, shame as we had been accepted to apply for our PR ( cannot afford the medicals now). But that's life. So best of luck to you all who try it. Regards from an almost Kiwi.
This is from the Christchurch mail a local free paper, bloody hell.
More single men and African refugees are seeking Christchurch city mission emergency supplies, signaling a worrying new trend. Many terminally ill people crippled by the cost off medical treatment, house rentals and out of the roof electricity costs are also asking for food. The poor are just getting poorer said mission social services manager, Grey Crawford, who sees the bottom 5% of society who are the most economically oppressed. The people presenting are in more dire straits this year. we seem to be the last resort. Solo fathers were among the single men seeking support along with jobless African refugees and migrants, he said. Another support service says, it is not uncommon for a family of 6 to be living weekly on a food and clothing budget of only $60 . Benefits and lower incomes, left for dead by rapidly soaring living costs, are further pushing the needy into a financial and health miasma as more present with serious health issues. they can't heat homes, don't eat proper food and get sick. The health community card only goes so far, Crawford said . General expensive we take for granted, but people in reduced circumstances are finding it difficult to survive. A client receives no more than 2 food parcels every 6 months. But still 20 food packs go out every day of the year except December when 30 parcels a day are packed for the seriously marginalised. It has to be an essential food parcel, Crawford said. We are not just a stop gap. Assessor's and budget advisors ensure clients are receiving their correct Benefits, but, as other crisis agencies agree, it is difficult to budget or look ahead with zero to juggle with. The city mission has the only food bank to keep its doors open through Christmas and new year. The missions communities Christmas dinner is catering for over 700 this year and has 400 volunteers to serve the dinner. those who would other wise be alone, are escaping home violence, cash strapped or simply want to enjoy the festivities with the wider community will join the party. Crawford, former manager of the police victim support said the marketing hype that fantasises Christmas makes it devastating imprint in depression and at the extreme end, suicide. It can make people fell lonely and feel that there are the only ones who are not happy or enjoying parties. If they are not, it compounds misery and hardship which is further reinforced by the pressure of children wanting the kind of presents exaggerated by advertising. Meanwhile, city mission food stocks are the best for some time. Its just been crazy. We've been getting huge amounts from organisations or other donors, Crawford said. Other major food banks are poised for Christmas. The Salvation army hope centre has prepared 300 food hampers for its inner city clients, but its other city out lets will be giving a further 300 between them. Manager Karen Whittaker. said the food supplies and funds were slow coming in making it difficult to forward a plan. More low wage earners and people in temporary work were suffering. Last week, 4 woman who's relationships which had just ended, sought emergency Christmas supplies after putting any money into setting up a new home with rental bonds and other expenses to escape domestic violence. Delta communities support trust manager Tony Mc Cahon says hikes in electricity and rents while benefits remain static had shrunk food budgets. Other expenditures can only come out of the very small food budgets that our struggling, disadvantaged families try to survive on, he said. It is not uncommon for a family of 6 to living weekly on food and clothing budget of only $60. This means that any unexpected bills causes a crisis. There is no extra money. Christmas could be a very traumatic experience for the 1800 families and individuals on the food bank database. It often rekindles unhappy childhood memories along with the lack of money to buy presents for children, and the fact that they cannot choose to take a holiday. Delta hope to distribute 70 food packs to disadvantaged families this Christmas, 20 more than before. Its quite heart breaking for us having to choose which family will receive one, we're still hoping funds will come in. As little as $35 buys a special Christmas food parcel ( at discounted prices). Donations can be dropped at 105 North Avon Road or sent to Delta, PO Box 26019. The trust has served the disadvantaged since 1995. The methodist mission could not be reached but it is under stood that only advocacy clients would receive Christmas supplies this year.
Don't get me wrong. We miss NZ a lot and want to go back. But i did this to show you got to work hard at it in NZ. Same every where i guess.
Last edited by Lenmil; May 1st 2007 at 8:03 am.
May 1st 2007, 7:52 am
#39
conquering the world!
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Puatahanui, Porirua
Posts: 4,905
Re: going home at last!!!!!!!
Bloody hell, you had a really crap time. But as you pointed out, it was mainly due to money. And here you are, trying to get to New Zealand. I sincerely hope it works out for you
. Karma to you, that's some life story.
May 1st 2007, 8:23 am
#40
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,109
Re: going home at last!!!!!!!
Just found some of my old posts. How you forget some things, how you forget some things never change.
Well after 10 months we are leaving NZ ( ChCh ). Its not been easy and we have too many bad knocks. From family tragedies, to schools, to house not selling and now running out of money. We are forced to go back and sort out our house before it taken off us. It has all gone pear shaped. But the main thing is down to money. When we first worked out our plan it seemed good. But we got held up by the red tape that resulted in us being held back for almost a year. In that time things have gone up, mostly houses. So we came here and it was good for the first few months. Then its all started to go wrong. First my boss got cancer, then the kids acted up at school, then my wife's Father took ill and sadly died. We put this all behind us and tried to move forward. Then trouble at work with people who disliked each other, then they tried to use me as a football. So after a few weeks i got fed up and spoke my mind to stop it. Boy was i the bad bugger, i then got it. So then it was a case of that's it i have had enough, i did not start this crap but i will finish it. And i did. But i got no real back up from people i stood up for. Now forward to now, the cost of living has gone up quite a lot. I am the only one working with a family of 4 to feed. There is no good part time work to be had, unless it for under $10 an hour. But it costs $50 a day to have the kids looked after while you work. So you gain nothing really. Most modern things here are quite often more expensive than back in the UK. But you get Kiwi Dollars. House are expensive to run if you have an old one due to them not being efficient. Chopping logs for an open fire might sound romantic, but when you come home from work and its cold and raining and have to light a fire and cook for your kids at the same time, forget it. I will have my little dial on the wall any time. It not being soft, just realistic. I had to look after my two kids for 5 weeks while my wife had to look after her sick dad back in the uk. All our wages went on air flights, food for the kids and child care. Each week we have lost money, now after 10 months it's time to give it up. We have to. We came here determined to give it a go and not winge, this we did for months. And even when one of my son's got into a fight because another boy called his mam ( in England at that time with her dad dying), i did not moan. I just got on with it. But enough is enough, i cannot live in the past, i won't see my kids grow up with less and less. Bugger that i'm afraid. You need money plain and simple. NZ is beautiful but you can't eat it. I do actually like NZ and most of its people, and we feel privileged to be here. Kiwi's are very friendly ( mostly) and open and we will always think of them this way. Who knows we may stay at the last minute, but we would have to win the lottery for this to happen and that's most unlikely. So good luck to any one who tries it, and don't let any one beat you down if it does not work out. Not until you tried it do you know or how you feel. If no one tried these things then we would still be in caves. So we will be gone in 3-4 weeks, shame as we had been accepted to apply for our PR ( cannot afford the medicals now). But that's life. So best of luck to you all who try it. Regards from an almost Kiwi.
This is from the Christchurch mail a local free paper, bloody hell.
More single men and African refugees are seeking Christchurch city mission emergency supplies, signaling a worrying new trend. Many terminally ill people crippled by the cost off medical treatment, house rentals and out of the roof electricity costs are also asking for food. The poor are just getting poorer said mission social services manager, Grey Crawford, who sees the bottom 5% of society who are the most economically oppressed. The people presenting are in more dire straits this year. we seem to be the last resort. Solo fathers were among the single men seeking support along with jobless African refugees and migrants, he said. Another support service says, it is not uncommon for a family of 6 to be living weekly on a food and clothing budget of only $60 . Benefits and lower incomes, left for dead by rapidly soaring living costs, are further pushing the needy into a financial and health miasma as more present with serious health issues. they can't heat homes, don't eat proper food and get sick. The health community card only goes so far, Crawford said . General expensive we take for granted, but people in reduced circumstances are finding it difficult to survive. A client receives no more than 2 food parcels every 6 months. But still 20 food packs go out every day of the year except December when 30 parcels a day are packed for the seriously marginalised. It has to be an essential food parcel, Crawford said. We are not just a stop gap. Assessor's and budget advisors ensure clients are receiving their correct Benefits, but, as other crisis agencies agree, it is difficult to budget or look ahead with zero to juggle with. The city mission has the only food bank to keep its doors open through Christmas and new year. The missions communities Christmas dinner is catering for over 700 this year and has 400 volunteers to serve the dinner. those who would other wise be alone, are escaping home violence, cash strapped or simply want to enjoy the festivities with the wider community will join the party. Crawford, former manager of the police victim support said the marketing hype that fantasises Christmas makes it devastating imprint in depression and at the extreme end, suicide. It can make people fell lonely and feel that there are the only ones who are not happy or enjoying parties. If they are not, it compounds misery and hardship which is further reinforced by the pressure of children wanting the kind of presents exaggerated by advertising. Meanwhile, city mission food stocks are the best for some time. Its just been crazy. We've been getting huge amounts from organisations or other donors, Crawford said. Other major food banks are poised for Christmas. The Salvation army hope centre has prepared 300 food hampers for its inner city clients, but its other city out lets will be giving a further 300 between them. Manager Karen Whittaker. said the food supplies and funds were slow coming in making it difficult to forward a plan. More low wage earners and people in temporary work were suffering. Last week, 4 woman who's relationships which had just ended, sought emergency Christmas supplies after putting any money into setting up a new home with rental bonds and other expenses to escape domestic violence. Delta communities support trust manager Tony Mc Cahon says hikes in electricity and rents while benefits remain static had shrunk food budgets. Other expenditures can only come out of the very small food budgets that our struggling, disadvantaged families try to survive on, he said. It is not uncommon for a family of 6 to living weekly on food and clothing budget of only $60. This means that any unexpected bills causes a crisis. There is no extra money. Christmas could be a very traumatic experience for the 1800 families and individuals on the food bank database. It often rekindles unhappy childhood memories along with the lack of money to buy presents for children, and the fact that they cannot choose to take a holiday. Delta hope to distribute 70 food packs to disadvantaged families this Christmas, 20 more than before. Its quite heart breaking for us having to choose which family will receive one, we're still hoping funds will come in. As little as $35 buys a special Christmas food parcel ( at discounted prices). Donations can be dropped at 105 North Avon Road or sent to Delta, PO Box 26019. The trust has served the disadvantaged since 1995. The methodist mission could not be reached but it is under stood that only advocacy clients would receive Christmas supplies this year.
Don't get me wrong. We miss NZ a lot and want to go back. But i did this to show you got to work hard at it in NZ. Same every where i guess.
Well after 10 months we are leaving NZ ( ChCh ). Its not been easy and we have too many bad knocks. From family tragedies, to schools, to house not selling and now running out of money. We are forced to go back and sort out our house before it taken off us. It has all gone pear shaped. But the main thing is down to money. When we first worked out our plan it seemed good. But we got held up by the red tape that resulted in us being held back for almost a year. In that time things have gone up, mostly houses. So we came here and it was good for the first few months. Then its all started to go wrong. First my boss got cancer, then the kids acted up at school, then my wife's Father took ill and sadly died. We put this all behind us and tried to move forward. Then trouble at work with people who disliked each other, then they tried to use me as a football. So after a few weeks i got fed up and spoke my mind to stop it. Boy was i the bad bugger, i then got it. So then it was a case of that's it i have had enough, i did not start this crap but i will finish it. And i did. But i got no real back up from people i stood up for. Now forward to now, the cost of living has gone up quite a lot. I am the only one working with a family of 4 to feed. There is no good part time work to be had, unless it for under $10 an hour. But it costs $50 a day to have the kids looked after while you work. So you gain nothing really. Most modern things here are quite often more expensive than back in the UK. But you get Kiwi Dollars. House are expensive to run if you have an old one due to them not being efficient. Chopping logs for an open fire might sound romantic, but when you come home from work and its cold and raining and have to light a fire and cook for your kids at the same time, forget it. I will have my little dial on the wall any time. It not being soft, just realistic. I had to look after my two kids for 5 weeks while my wife had to look after her sick dad back in the uk. All our wages went on air flights, food for the kids and child care. Each week we have lost money, now after 10 months it's time to give it up. We have to. We came here determined to give it a go and not winge, this we did for months. And even when one of my son's got into a fight because another boy called his mam ( in England at that time with her dad dying), i did not moan. I just got on with it. But enough is enough, i cannot live in the past, i won't see my kids grow up with less and less. Bugger that i'm afraid. You need money plain and simple. NZ is beautiful but you can't eat it. I do actually like NZ and most of its people, and we feel privileged to be here. Kiwi's are very friendly ( mostly) and open and we will always think of them this way. Who knows we may stay at the last minute, but we would have to win the lottery for this to happen and that's most unlikely. So good luck to any one who tries it, and don't let any one beat you down if it does not work out. Not until you tried it do you know or how you feel. If no one tried these things then we would still be in caves. So we will be gone in 3-4 weeks, shame as we had been accepted to apply for our PR ( cannot afford the medicals now). But that's life. So best of luck to you all who try it. Regards from an almost Kiwi.
This is from the Christchurch mail a local free paper, bloody hell.
More single men and African refugees are seeking Christchurch city mission emergency supplies, signaling a worrying new trend. Many terminally ill people crippled by the cost off medical treatment, house rentals and out of the roof electricity costs are also asking for food. The poor are just getting poorer said mission social services manager, Grey Crawford, who sees the bottom 5% of society who are the most economically oppressed. The people presenting are in more dire straits this year. we seem to be the last resort. Solo fathers were among the single men seeking support along with jobless African refugees and migrants, he said. Another support service says, it is not uncommon for a family of 6 to be living weekly on a food and clothing budget of only $60 . Benefits and lower incomes, left for dead by rapidly soaring living costs, are further pushing the needy into a financial and health miasma as more present with serious health issues. they can't heat homes, don't eat proper food and get sick. The health community card only goes so far, Crawford said . General expensive we take for granted, but people in reduced circumstances are finding it difficult to survive. A client receives no more than 2 food parcels every 6 months. But still 20 food packs go out every day of the year except December when 30 parcels a day are packed for the seriously marginalised. It has to be an essential food parcel, Crawford said. We are not just a stop gap. Assessor's and budget advisors ensure clients are receiving their correct Benefits, but, as other crisis agencies agree, it is difficult to budget or look ahead with zero to juggle with. The city mission has the only food bank to keep its doors open through Christmas and new year. The missions communities Christmas dinner is catering for over 700 this year and has 400 volunteers to serve the dinner. those who would other wise be alone, are escaping home violence, cash strapped or simply want to enjoy the festivities with the wider community will join the party. Crawford, former manager of the police victim support said the marketing hype that fantasises Christmas makes it devastating imprint in depression and at the extreme end, suicide. It can make people fell lonely and feel that there are the only ones who are not happy or enjoying parties. If they are not, it compounds misery and hardship which is further reinforced by the pressure of children wanting the kind of presents exaggerated by advertising. Meanwhile, city mission food stocks are the best for some time. Its just been crazy. We've been getting huge amounts from organisations or other donors, Crawford said. Other major food banks are poised for Christmas. The Salvation army hope centre has prepared 300 food hampers for its inner city clients, but its other city out lets will be giving a further 300 between them. Manager Karen Whittaker. said the food supplies and funds were slow coming in making it difficult to forward a plan. More low wage earners and people in temporary work were suffering. Last week, 4 woman who's relationships which had just ended, sought emergency Christmas supplies after putting any money into setting up a new home with rental bonds and other expenses to escape domestic violence. Delta communities support trust manager Tony Mc Cahon says hikes in electricity and rents while benefits remain static had shrunk food budgets. Other expenditures can only come out of the very small food budgets that our struggling, disadvantaged families try to survive on, he said. It is not uncommon for a family of 6 to living weekly on food and clothing budget of only $60. This means that any unexpected bills causes a crisis. There is no extra money. Christmas could be a very traumatic experience for the 1800 families and individuals on the food bank database. It often rekindles unhappy childhood memories along with the lack of money to buy presents for children, and the fact that they cannot choose to take a holiday. Delta hope to distribute 70 food packs to disadvantaged families this Christmas, 20 more than before. Its quite heart breaking for us having to choose which family will receive one, we're still hoping funds will come in. As little as $35 buys a special Christmas food parcel ( at discounted prices). Donations can be dropped at 105 North Avon Road or sent to Delta, PO Box 26019. The trust has served the disadvantaged since 1995. The methodist mission could not be reached but it is under stood that only advocacy clients would receive Christmas supplies this year.
Don't get me wrong. We miss NZ a lot and want to go back. But i did this to show you got to work hard at it in NZ. Same every where i guess.
And are you looking to go back lenmill? and if so, why? Surely the same problems will be waiting for you? you are not suddenly going to be a lot better off are you? I remember you posting that first time around. I hope that you are happy and if you do come back to NZ then good luck. You deserve it
May 1st 2007, 8:40 am
#41
Banned
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 155
Re: going home at last!!!!!!!
And are you looking to go back lenmill? and if so, why? Surely the same problems will be waiting for you? you are not suddenly going to be a lot better off are you? I remember you posting that first time around. I hope that you are happy and if you do come back to NZ then good luck. You deserve it
If the poor fool wants to get kicked around somemore...c'mon home brother!
May 1st 2007, 8:44 am
#42
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: Planet Earth, for now.
Posts: 719
Re: going home at last!!!!!!!
And are you looking to go back lenmill? and if so, why? Surely the same problems will be waiting for you? you are not suddenly going to be a lot better off are you? I remember you posting that first time around. I hope that you are happy and if you do come back to NZ then good luck. You deserve it
May 1st 2007, 8:47 am
#44
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,109
Re: going home at last!!!!!!!
Well this time we may have sold our house etc and are better prepared etc. But it's the kids, they really want to go back. We all miss it, but the money side is still a worry. The wife has gained more office experience and seems to be able to get a job as well. We now have gotten our PR, but now there may not be a job to go to as things seemed to have gone quiet. I have to work for my employer for 3 months to have the restrictions lifted. Time will tell i guess. Oh well that's life eh. Thanks for the kind words.
Honestly you don't have to move as far as NZ to find a good life. I have found a wonderful life and wow.... shock horror it is in the UK!!! Try living somewhere else in the UK before making that HUGE move again. Where do you live now?
May 1st 2007, 8:59 am
#45
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: Planet Earth, for now.
Posts: 719
Re: going home at last!!!!!!!
Still in sunny Newcastle, our house did not sell so we still have it. Spent 2 years doing it up with ideas of selling and going back. Know what you mean about trying a new place in the UK, we are thinking on it. We did like NZ by the way and coming back here made us feel that way. Still, i once said you can't eat the scenery. Just doing it for the kids really. Once we got our feet into NZ the kids can move on to Aussie later on if they want, o r the UK. 3 countries they may be able to choose, maybe. Just still in limbo i think. Still not working since we got back, apart from the house. My trade here is disappearing fast.