Guys, I'm really confused.... ROTORUA
#16
Re: Guys, I'm really confused.... ROTORUA
http://www.rotorualibrary.govt.nz/Ab...ry/default.htm
The back of it is sort of opposite Fat Dog/Chambers -the Belgian Bar.
Take some i.d. to join
Gill
The back of it is sort of opposite Fat Dog/Chambers -the Belgian Bar.
Take some i.d. to join
Gill
Took my i.d etc and still wouldnt let me join, apparently i need a name and address of someone else that lives here as a sort of referee???
I dont know anybody in nz!!!
#17
Re: Guys, I'm really confused.... ROTORUA
The libraries and gyms ask those daft questions - I told them I am here on my own and they can either have a UK contact or nothing at all!
#18
Re: Guys, I'm really confused.... ROTORUA
Just caught up with this & read the thread with interest.
We all have different perspectives on emigration in general, and Rotorua in particular, and there's no single right & wrong, just different opinions and experiences. NZ is not Britain, and the fact that they speak the same language here and drive on the same side of the road does not make the 2 countries particularly alike. Maybe part of the culture shock here is the fact that there is a commonly held mis-conception that NZ is similar to the UK
I was also suprised at the references to Rotorua as a "small town". By NZ standards I'd disagree. In fact I went as far to googling population density stuff in NZ, and, according to Wikipaedia Rotorua is the 10th largest town (or city....there's some confusion!), with a current population of 55.900 . And of course with the huge tourism market here the town becomes much busier in the summer months. So if you're comparing with the UK Rotorua is absolutely a small town, I moved from Dartford in Kent, apparently the current population there is 85,911.....and it is a small town (with a large shopping centre, a bridge, a tunnel & very little else). But as a NZ town Rotorua is a reasonable size, and has a decent range of amenities and activities. For more sophisticated night life, theatre, concerts etc you really would want to look at the major centres, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and so on.
I'm actually not here to defend Rotorua, or indeed my choice to live here, (I love it btw, happy as the proverbial pig in poo), but horses for courses and all that. And I don't want everyone to suddenly start flocking here....I'm too selfish for that, I really don't want it to get much bigger or busier than it already is. I could start mentioning some of the multitude of things to do, but I think most of that has already been mentioned. Certainly I manage to keep myself very busily entertained. Too busy sometimes...those cobwebs sure grow fast when you're not around to keep up with the housework.
Emigrating out of boredom? You know I'm not sure that that's such a bad idea...it certainly gets you out of a rut, gives you an adventure and some new experiences. We did it anyways and it surely worked for us!!! I think people who move over here with huge expectations, or to escape from problems in the UK are often the ones who are disappointed or who find that the same problems catch up with them here. We were presented with an opportunity, thought "why not....will only regret it if we don't try" and haven't ever seriously looked back. Yes, I get bouts of homesickness and really miss friends and family, but I can't blame NZ for that, and most of the time the positives of being here outweigh the negatives.
That said I wouldn't recommend sinking all your finances into a "do it or die" move...keep a wee bit back to fund an escape route if it turns out that NZ or Rotorua aren't your thing.
Football? My son (19) has played with Rotorua Academy & Rotorua FC, also I know there's a fairly active soccer club in Ngongataha, but I don't know how many adult teams any of them have. I can definitely find out though. My husband is/was a qualified ref (at a very grassroots level) and occasional refs at work soccer matches. Apparently the local Police v the local Firefighters was a very dirty match!! I doubt you'd have much trouble finding a soccer team to sign up to.
Library? No worries there. If you promise not to skip the country leaving unpaid fines and stolen books I'll give you my contact details. I'm a regular library user and it's a real catch 22 having to have a local vouch for you when you don't know anyone in town. It's not as if the person who you name is even approached or asked for their consent....we named some friends in Cambridge, without their knowledge because we were put on the spot and had to name someone.....they were never even notified by the library. So how they could be held responsible if I suddenly started accruing fines or whatever I have no idea.
Wow, sorry, what an essay. Got a bit carried away there, so apologies for that.
Good luck to all of you though, contemplating moving here, there or anywhere in between. I hope it works for you. And if it doesn't....well, you've made the move once, so you know you can do it again if push comes to shove. As far as Rotorua goes I'm very happy to help out newcomers to the town in anyway I can...just give me a nudge though 'cos I'm a fairly infrequent visitor to this site these days
We all have different perspectives on emigration in general, and Rotorua in particular, and there's no single right & wrong, just different opinions and experiences. NZ is not Britain, and the fact that they speak the same language here and drive on the same side of the road does not make the 2 countries particularly alike. Maybe part of the culture shock here is the fact that there is a commonly held mis-conception that NZ is similar to the UK
I was also suprised at the references to Rotorua as a "small town". By NZ standards I'd disagree. In fact I went as far to googling population density stuff in NZ, and, according to Wikipaedia Rotorua is the 10th largest town (or city....there's some confusion!), with a current population of 55.900 . And of course with the huge tourism market here the town becomes much busier in the summer months. So if you're comparing with the UK Rotorua is absolutely a small town, I moved from Dartford in Kent, apparently the current population there is 85,911.....and it is a small town (with a large shopping centre, a bridge, a tunnel & very little else). But as a NZ town Rotorua is a reasonable size, and has a decent range of amenities and activities. For more sophisticated night life, theatre, concerts etc you really would want to look at the major centres, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and so on.
I'm actually not here to defend Rotorua, or indeed my choice to live here, (I love it btw, happy as the proverbial pig in poo), but horses for courses and all that. And I don't want everyone to suddenly start flocking here....I'm too selfish for that, I really don't want it to get much bigger or busier than it already is. I could start mentioning some of the multitude of things to do, but I think most of that has already been mentioned. Certainly I manage to keep myself very busily entertained. Too busy sometimes...those cobwebs sure grow fast when you're not around to keep up with the housework.
Emigrating out of boredom? You know I'm not sure that that's such a bad idea...it certainly gets you out of a rut, gives you an adventure and some new experiences. We did it anyways and it surely worked for us!!! I think people who move over here with huge expectations, or to escape from problems in the UK are often the ones who are disappointed or who find that the same problems catch up with them here. We were presented with an opportunity, thought "why not....will only regret it if we don't try" and haven't ever seriously looked back. Yes, I get bouts of homesickness and really miss friends and family, but I can't blame NZ for that, and most of the time the positives of being here outweigh the negatives.
That said I wouldn't recommend sinking all your finances into a "do it or die" move...keep a wee bit back to fund an escape route if it turns out that NZ or Rotorua aren't your thing.
Football? My son (19) has played with Rotorua Academy & Rotorua FC, also I know there's a fairly active soccer club in Ngongataha, but I don't know how many adult teams any of them have. I can definitely find out though. My husband is/was a qualified ref (at a very grassroots level) and occasional refs at work soccer matches. Apparently the local Police v the local Firefighters was a very dirty match!! I doubt you'd have much trouble finding a soccer team to sign up to.
Library? No worries there. If you promise not to skip the country leaving unpaid fines and stolen books I'll give you my contact details. I'm a regular library user and it's a real catch 22 having to have a local vouch for you when you don't know anyone in town. It's not as if the person who you name is even approached or asked for their consent....we named some friends in Cambridge, without their knowledge because we were put on the spot and had to name someone.....they were never even notified by the library. So how they could be held responsible if I suddenly started accruing fines or whatever I have no idea.
Wow, sorry, what an essay. Got a bit carried away there, so apologies for that.
Good luck to all of you though, contemplating moving here, there or anywhere in between. I hope it works for you. And if it doesn't....well, you've made the move once, so you know you can do it again if push comes to shove. As far as Rotorua goes I'm very happy to help out newcomers to the town in anyway I can...just give me a nudge though 'cos I'm a fairly infrequent visitor to this site these days
#20
Re: Guys, I'm really confused.... ROTORUA
I gave them my work HR 'contact' name and address at the library but your more than welcome to use mine if you want to, just PM me and I'll send you my details.
#29
Re: Guys, I'm really confused.... ROTORUA
Goodness me . What a lot of close co-incidences. So close you could be related.
I thought the OP reminded me of someone.
I thought the OP reminded me of someone.
#30
Re: Guys, I'm really confused.... ROTORUA
Sorry for the deleted posts Bevs but just found out this is "Jack" the son we left in the UK. (Remember the thread!)
He is researching moving over here but didnt want us to know he was thinking about it in case he built our hopes up prematurely.
He was after impartial advice!! Like we would give anything else!!
He is researching moving over here but didnt want us to know he was thinking about it in case he built our hopes up prematurely.
He was after impartial advice!! Like we would give anything else!!