Sammy T

Hi to all

We have been considering emigration on and off for several years and have been dithering between NZ and OZ for some time (I have to admit to spending some time on the OZ section on here bit am defecting to the NZ section!)
We consist of me, hubby, and two children aged 8 and 10, and possibly a mad Cocker Spaniel too. We have attended a migration show and are hoping to get to another in London in a couple of weeks and busy tiring to get paperwork together for job assessment etc. We are slo hoping to get out for a few weeks, although this may be in NZ winter, possibly not the best time but then again might show us whatever the worst is (if you get my meaning)
Anyway, looking forward to joining in over the next few months.
Sammy

cathynclive

Hi Sammy,

We're in the process of attempting the great escape too

We've had a nightmare of a week though, 2 house sales fell through, we just had our chest x-rays and blood tests done but still have to wait 2 weeks for our medicals - and the results and to top it all we've started filling out our EOI - not for the faint-hearted. They reckon to allow 2 hours to complete it We've spent 4 hours on it so far and we're about a third of the way through. The fact that our old clapped out computer takes at least 5 minutes to get onto the next page hasn't helped

Oh well ... i'm sure it'll all be worth it in the end

I feel much better now that i've had a bit of a whinge too. lol

Cathy

BEVS

LOL... The EOI is a nightmare. I remember that . Took absolutely ages at the time. Next step though is ITA. Fingers crossed for you all

Sammy T

Yep, the EOI looks awful, I printed it off to take a closer look at it, went off to make a cup to tea and came back to the find the printer still churning out masses of paper! Need a few evenings to do that one, by the way do you have to do medicals and police checks for the EOI or for ITA, have not yet that far obviously.
We are still wading through the requirements for getting our jobs registered etc over there, OH need to do exams in London before he can get the OK (followed by more stuff once in NZ) but there does seem to be a problem because EOI wants proof of registration in NZ and Pharmacy Council NZ wants proof of visa, aarrgghh - slight problem there then. Also it appears that to register as a midwife requires various pieces of paperwork that I cannot get but also a medical and a police check which are different to those that are needed to get visa, so double the expense.
Need to do further reading on this, I think but my head is fit to explode at the moment!
Thanks for replies, look forward to chatting some more
Sammy

phil01

Welcome to Sammy T and clan and Cathy n Clive, we have been here about a year up in Northland and we love, no regrets...get a bit homesick for family and friends but overall best decision we made to move over. Good luck to you all.
Debbie

Sammy T

Thanks for that, Debbie, just what you want to hear at this stage when it all seems a bit like a rather large mountain to climb! Out of interest, how do decide where to settle, was it on job location basis or did you choose somewhere and then get jobs?
Sammy

phil01

We chose where to live and then looked for jobs. For us we were looking for a better climate than the UK and Northland (above Auckland) is a subtropical climate, we have had a good summer from November and it's still good now. Also considered cost of living, we really couldn't afford to buy a house in Auckland but here property prices are a lot more reasonable and location in terms of we love the beach so plenty of fabulous coastline to explore in the region and got a large enough town so you have choice shopping wise.

Were are you looking to go to...any ideas yet?

Sammy T

Thoughts so far are rather random, including Napier and Gisbourne area (OH is a wine buff, so likes the sound of Hawkes Bay area) also like the look of Nelson area on SI and maybe around Christchurch too.
Weather is a factor, we're not sun worshippers but do enjoy being to get out and about without the weather always being a downer, like it is here in UK from October to April! (Although saying that we have just had a pleasant Spring weekend)
Have got two children so would need to consider places that are good for them too, son is really into Tae Kwon Do, so I'll have to find local club for him and daughter mad on riding, so will also have to locate with facilities for that too. OH loves cycling but think there will be plenty of options for him everywhere and I would love to be near the coast - so lots to think about!
And obviously we need to get jobs, so that will probably have to be the deciding factor overall.
Hope you don't mind me being nosy, how long did your visa take and did you have a job offer already?
Sammy

cathynclive

Hi again,

Clive's already got a job offer which covers the Taupo/Rotorua area so that's where we are hopefully headed

This sounds really bizarre, but the last thing on my mind is actually emigrating at the mo. My mates keep saying Oh, I bet you're really excited/scared, whatever, but cos i'm so stressed about everything else right now, i've lost sight of the bigger picture - it's great when people actually reply to my posts and say keep going, it's all gonna be worth it in the end - cheers for that.

Sammy T

That must be great to already have job offer, as its certainly one of the top things on my "must worry" list. My OH is not a worrier, he has a great whatever will be attitude whereas I wake in the night worrying about it all and we haven't even completed any of the stages yet!
Sammy

cathynclive

The trouble is though, Sammy, once you have a job offer you get a whole new set of stuff to worry about, like, what if you don't like or can't do the job? Then there's the wage aspect as well - they're a lot lower in NZ, so then you worry whether it's a good wage or not, whether you can afford to live on it or not? It just goes on and on

It's great that your OH isn't a worrier, at least he can calm you down a bit. We're both tossing and turning most of the night and snapping a bit at each other at the mo but we both keep telling each other that we're not stressed at all

I'm sure that it'll all be worth it in the end

I just wish that the end would come quicker ....

Sammy T

I could just write myself a worry list and then perhaps hide it away in the back of wardrobe and pretend it doen't exist!
I am feeling a bit down today after reading some old threads on here about people hating NZ, does make you worry, we are going out for a visit but you don't know how you are going to feel until you have lived somewhere for a while.
Still not everyone feels that way otherwise there would no one left in NZ other than the many sheep

Sammy T

Not sure what I am doing with pictures of my dog everywhere

cathynclive

At least you're going out for a visit first, we are trying to sell 2 houses at the mo, and 1 was supposed to complete just before Christmas. It fell through 2 days before completion so we haven't had the money or the time to do a recce. When we go, it'll be the first time and it'll be for good (Not sure if we're mad, brave or stupid - probably all 3 )

Are you planning to take your dog with you? That's something else we're worrying about as well

phil01

Go for North Island Hawkes Bay is a beautiful area, South Island is fab but weather not so good.

We came on a temp visa 3years and we took apps in to London on the Monday and got the visas on Friday.
Deb