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Here is my subjective view on NZ V UK

Here is my subjective view on NZ V UK

Old Apr 30th 2009, 12:25 am
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Default Here is my subjective view on NZ V UK

Hi,

Me and my partner have been living in OZ and NZ for the past year so I thought I give some feedback on NZ V UK. I know a lot of people like NZ because of the similar climate and to have a life style escaping the rat race of the UK. Me and my partner preferred OZ (despite the high heat) than NZ. We lived in Adelaide for 6-months but traveled around and seen most of OZ. Now we took a subjective decision and chose to move to Christchurch as our jobs were coming to an end (you can only work for 6-months with one employer in OZ).

So we moved to Christchurch (NZ). My partner hated it, although I quite liked it but didn't fall in love with it. The reason we chose Christchurch was because I did a lot of research on the net and read threads on forums etc, and it seemed CC would be the better place. But reading data off the net is not always the way to go.

Well here is what I have experienced. This is supposed to help. We all have different opinions and this is mines so what I think is good might differ from you.

Please don't jump the band wagon and say I don't have a clue etc. This is my opinion. I have tried to be as objective as possible, but some is of course subjective. Just to let you know between me and my partner we have lived in 8 different cities in the UK, 1 in Scotland, and 3 outside the UK. So we have a lot of experience living in different countries.

New Zealand V UK (including Scotland)

Here is a list of pro’s and con’s for each country (well for the UK I’ll be using England and Scotland for the examples only, not Wales or N.Ireland). I’ve tried to keep this as an objective outlook as possible and not subjective. We have seen most of the North Island so we have a fair view of what NZ is like.


New Zealand:

The Good

• Lovely scenic drives and plenty of beauty outside the towns and cities.

• You’re never too far away from a lovely scenic drive

• Nice beaches: better than the UK.

• NZ has a good sense of family ethos and you don’t see many broken families here (although amongst the Mauri there is a lot). There is an issue with domestic violence amongst Mauri (no pun intended here). if there is a broken family they still keep the ethos of seeing one another, and family is very important to a lot of Mauri.

• You don’t see many groups of kids hanging about the streets in the city here of Auckland, you have to go to all the rough areas to see that. In the UK you see lots of kids hanging about in groups all over the place in the city centers, but not so much gangs as they are in NZ – that’s the key difference. Yes you get gangs in the UK but not as much as NZ. Most of the gangs in NZ comprise of the Mauri community (plenty of evidence in the media explaining this).

• The weather is better here. Hotter and milder. Summers last much longer. But very unpredictable, more so than UK (I personally thought Scotland was bad but NZ is perhaps worse in some areas). The weather forecast has never once been correct in the past 6-months I have been here. It changes so much and quickly. One minute its sunny the next its raining. Subjective view yes but if you ask any NZ a lot will agree that the weather is unpredictable here.

• Because it is so isolated from the rest of the world you never have to worry about getting attacked from another country.

• The education system: I don’t know anything about it but when I read a book by a couple who moved over here from the UK (I would highly recommend reading that book before deciding to move) and they mentioned that they let kids be kids. I.e. they don’t plunk them in a seat and expect them to start learning mathematics by the age of 4.

• More laid back here. It feels like you’re on holiday compared to the UK.

• New Zealander's like the outdoors (not as much as its neighbors though) so your children should enjoy a better playful life in NZ (this is subjective but I’m sure there is plenty of evidence backing this up). Brits are couch potatoes (certainly perceived that way in the press) but not everyone is a couch potato. Although a book I just read claimed NZ spend 90% of their time indoors.

• The recessions always hits NZ last. Lucky sods!


The Bad

• There are only a handful of nice cities to choose to live in: Hamilton (nice student city that’s trendy but small), Christchurch (ok but not that good and its very flat and small; has some lovely cafes and restaurants though), Dunedin (lovely architecture but again its small) and Wellington (very windy but meant to be very trendy). Auckland is not nice at all (it is a city for workers not for families). Dunedin and Wellington are the only two out of that list I have never visited but from receiving feedback from those who live their, they say Wellington is very arty and trendy but also very windy. They say Dunedin is very nice but mostly made up of student population (advice from someone who used to live their for many years).

• NZ is backwards. You will notice this once you have lived in the UK. The same with OZ. Both countries are backwards compared to the whole of Europe. For example, in the UK you can get visa card on the same account, but in NZ for non-residents you can get a visa card but you need a separate account. So this means you need to transfer money out of your original account and into your visa account. There are hundreds of examples I could give.

• NZ is around 6-years behind the UK. For example they have only now decided to bring out visa debit cards and a kiwi saver. This has been out for many years in the UK. I could give you a whole list but you’d need only experience it yourself. Some people may think its only a few years behind but not in my eyes.

• You don’t get as much help from the government here for health benefits.

• Accommodation is double the price (compare prices and you will see for yourself). You get more for your money in the UK. My rent is $1,240 per month. That's double the price I was paying in London for the same sized flat. And double the price I was paying for a 2-bed in the city of Edinburgh.

• No central heating in any new accommodation (none that I could see when I went house shopping). You will also find it hard to find any property with heating facilities. Plenty of sources on the net providing evidence of this comment.

• Damping in accommodations is a major issue in NZ (plenty of sources for this evidence).

• TV is awful. Adverts are annoying.

• Bad drivers here in NZ. What else can I say. They are very aggressive here. Just as bad as the UK for boy racers though.

• Food is more expensive. $4.90 for a pepper - outrageous.

• Graffiti is a major issue in NZ. Very old-skool in the UK (but it does exist in major cities their, it just isn’t as common as it is over here).

• Transport system is AWFUL. Ask anyone they will tell you.

• A lot of pollution in many of the cities, most cars do not have a catalyst converter fitted. Auckland is very polluted according to statistics.

• Domestic violence is a major issue in NZ. Hence a news report about how bad it is just a few weeks ago.

• A lot of discrimination. If you are not Mauri or NZ you will struggle to find work here (clearly explicit in text books about this - so this is not subjective but fact). Not so much discrimination out and about its more within the workforce. Although there is tension between Mauri and White’s (but to be honest I get on well with Mauri's and are very nice people). Plenty of Graffiti around explaining this.

• NZ is very isolated which means to get to Europe it takes a long time. So not good for going away on holidays outside Asia.

• Not much choice for food and some supermarkets are half the size of those in the UK.

• Some products say organic on them but in fact they are not. This is illegal in the UK I believe.

• Poor clothing quality. Me and my partner are sick of our clothes falling to pieces.


UK (England & Scotland only):

The Good

• Lovely scenic drives and plenty of beauty outside the towns and cities depending on which part of the country you live in.

• You’re never too far away from a lovely scenic drive.

• You’re never too far from another major city. Its great.

• Clothing is far better quality in the UK (it lasts unlike the rubbish you get in NZ).

• The UK is miles in front of NZ for most things.

• Less pollution in many of the cities but the major ones have their problems. All cars by law must be fitted with a catalyst converter.

• Plenty of nice cities to choose to live in (and towns), here are some to check-out: Edinburgh (Scotland), Bath, Cambridge, Devon, Midhurst, Outside London (Kent for example – most districts/towns outside London within 40-100 miles are posh and expensive but always voted in the top 20, however there are some shit-holes so be careful and do your research first; stay clear of some areas in Essex for example),
Check-out: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2379743.stm and http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Socie...ion189016.html and http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7944657.stm and http://property.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle3327954.ece and http://money.uk.msn.com/insurance/ar...7850&gt1=63251 and http://www.channel4.com/4homes/on-tv/best-and-worst/ and http://www.channel4.com/4homes/on-tv...06-18_p_1.html and http://money.uk.msn.com/mortgages/ar...mentid=6428726

• Accommodation is good here (UK); you get what you pay for. Stick to the old Victorian or Georgian houses as they are very well built. New builds are not that good (I have lived in many). Most cities have a legislation in place where new builds must not exceed a certain height limit. Which is good if you hate sky-scrapers.

• Central heating is a god-send over here. I love it.

• The Food is tastier here. Now this is a subjective point of view. But really it is better here.

• Lots of good choice in food and massive supermarkets. Plenty of 24-hr supermarkets and shops in any major city.

• What says organic is organic.

• TV is good, however you have to pay around £135 per year for it. You get 5 channels, but there are a lot of good programs. I know people complain and say its rubbish but until you have been to OZ and NZ you will see why I'm sayings its good.

• Graffiti is not a major issue here thankfully. Certainly not in smaller cities. You need to go to London or other major cities for that. Im sure it also exists in small towns but I've never seen a problem with it.

• Transport systems are good (but could still be improved) in the UK depending on where you live. The bus service in Edinburgh for example has been voted the best bus service in the UK for many years.

• The UK is right next to many major European countries making it great for holidays. Also plenty of cheap airfairs to get to European destinations (Ryanair and easyjet for example do really cheap flights).

• The government can be very generous with helping out families. The UK has an NHS (National Health System). This means the government will pay for simple things like going to the doctors and small operations. You also have a private health system under many companies (just like in any country); Bupar is one of them who are very good.

• Good night-life and pub scene. Far exceeds NZ. But there is a bad side to this (see below)


The Bad

• Gas is very expensive here (UK) and electricity is also getting pricey. Not good for house bills.

• Because of the EU. A lot of places loose their culture because it is now so mixed. London is prime example. This again has been explicit in the press. Although you get a multicultural cosmopolitan feel.

• A lot of issues with Scottish and English still. Plenty of minority idiots who still hate one another.

• Football hooliganism is a major issue.

• You see lots of kids hanging about in groups all over the place, but not so much gangs as they are in NZ, although Glasgow and London has its fair share – that’s the key difference. But some are idiots and will just cause trouble. It’s a major concern and issue in the UK.

• The youth culture is somewhat different in the UK; booze, drugs, sex and fighting are at the top of their list. The press is always writing about social issues in the UK and rightly so.

• Big booze culture. Always on the TV and media. Really bad in the UK.

• Gun crime has gone up – mostly in London and associated with the black and US culture.

• We have what we call Chavs in England and Neds in Scotland, these are dysfunctional youth and adults who have nothing better to do than scrounge off the government and steal. Plenty of sources to explain more about this.

• Teenage and underage pregnancy is a major issue in the UK. Young girls find it more fun to get pregnant and scrounge off the government for funds. One of the highest pregnancy rates in Europe exists in the UK.

• The weather is not as good. Cooler and rains more in Scotland. However, it is very similar though in some parts of England, its only 3 or 4 degrees difference but summers don’t last anywhere near as long in the UK. Scotland is very cold in the winter and not so good for summer but I’ve never had too much of any issue with it.

• The education system: This is an interesting one. So much has been written about it in the press. They keep changing the system, coming up with new ideas etc. But the reality is because of the social youth culture it doesn’t make much difference, all kids want to do is have sex early, drink, and then take some drugs. Not all but a lot do. I was a youth worker for years so I have a fair view on this. The UK has had a poor record for education in recent times. Statistics show we are falling behind. But there are some very good schools, and university teaching is excellent in some places. Its like anywhere, you have some schools which are good and some not so good. The main difference between the UK and NZ from what I’ve read is that in the UK they teach kids at a very early age and don’t let them be kids. There is also an issue with how it is run because you have to be within a certain catchment area to get your kids into a certain school. What this means is that house prices bump right up because those who want their kids to be at a certain school will move solely for that purpose. They also have a system called a lottery, which means if a school has limited places they will pull out names from a hat to see who gets in. My personal opinion is that the whole system is flawed and really bad at the moment. I taught music, not in schools but within council programs so again I suppose I can have a fair subjective view on this.

• More of a rat race in the UK. Not laid back and people are far more aggressive in the UK. Once youve been to NZ or OZ you will immediately notice this.

• Brits are couch potatoes. Lazy buggers. Haha only kidding! not all of you are. Because the weather and beaches aren't that good we spend all hours in doors. Plus kids prefer to play video games rather than go out and play footy for example. A lot is to do with peer pressure (again another subjective view here but there is plenty of media evidence to back this up).

• Sense of family is disappearing. Britain has a bad history of broken up families. Clearly talked about in the press, lots of evidence to back this up.

• The recession always hits the UK first.

• Crap beaches. You can find some lovely ones but they are few and far between.


This is of course my opinion, but not all of it because some is referred to Media and statistical evidence.

I hope this helps those wanting to move to NZ. But its always best to see it for yourself and make up your own mind. We all have different preferences.

Last edited by Jay-Producer; Apr 30th 2009 at 12:27 am.
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Old Apr 30th 2009, 1:13 am
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Default Re: Here is my subjective view on NZ V UK

never believe ANYBODY that says they have seen most of oz in 6 months,gulity as charged.
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Old Apr 30th 2009, 1:17 am
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Default Re: Here is my subjective view on NZ V UK

Originally Posted by this charming man
never believe ANYBODY that says they have seen most of oz in 6 months,gulity as charged.
Would you like to see my fuel bill? Do not make an assumption or accuse me of lying ok. I have seen most of the north island which is what I pointed out. Its not hard to travel in a car you know! what do you travel by foot!

You hire a car and travel for two weeks around North Island. Its easy because its a small country. Now if your saying that's a lie you have a problem with jealousy!
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Old Apr 30th 2009, 1:22 am
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Default Re: Here is my subjective view on NZ V UK

Originally Posted by this charming man
never believe ANYBODY that says they have seen most of oz in 6 months,gulity as charged.
Where did that come from? OP has taken the time to write about his experiences, and regardless of whether you agree or not I don't quite understand why you would have a go like that.
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Old Apr 30th 2009, 1:25 am
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Default Re: Here is my subjective view on NZ V UK

my mistake im sure.
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Old Apr 30th 2009, 1:27 am
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Default Re: Here is my subjective view on NZ V UK

try re-reading,it says OZ not NZ.
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Old Apr 30th 2009, 1:28 am
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Default Re: Here is my subjective view on NZ V UK

Originally Posted by this charming man
my mistake im sure.
Yes it is because you come across as arrogant mate. If you disagree with something or want evidence you first go on google maps and see how long it would take you to drive around 3/4 of the North Island. If you still unconvinced you can do that in 6-months you then ask the OP to see if they can justify that. I would be more than happy justify that for you if you asked nicely.

Treat others how you would like to be treated.
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Old Apr 30th 2009, 1:30 am
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Default Re: Here is my subjective view on NZ V UK

p.s. id rather you didnt call me mate until we have shared partners.
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Old Apr 30th 2009, 1:30 am
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Default Re: Here is my subjective view on NZ V UK

Originally Posted by this charming man
try re-reading,it says OZ not NZ.
There is an invention called plains. I took a plain from Adelaide to Sydney, I then drove from Sydney to Brisbane (took me 4-days). Got a flight from Brisbane to Carins then Cairns to NZ.

All that was done in 2-weeks. I did not say I drove around the whole of OZ.
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Old Apr 30th 2009, 1:31 am
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Default Re: Here is my subjective view on NZ V UK

Some interesting stuff there but some hearsay as well, and I don't think 6 months is a long enough time to really start to understand where you are living to be honest, took me a good 6 months to even find me feet, 12-18 months down the line is where I think you can start to draw a comparison after the newness and culture shock has worn off a little and a lot of the differences or oddities make you smile instead of annoying you.

For some of your comments I honestly think you are just being a bit picky and negative to be honest.

Did you not notice the poll this week that said, amongst Expats, that Auckland was No 4 on the best cities in the world to live and Welly at No 12, based on quality of life?

Some wee comments:
You don’t get as much help from the government here for health benefits - have you heard of ACC??

TV is awful. Adverts are annoying - what does it matter if kiwis are spending 90% of their time outdoors??

the UK you can get visa card on the same account, but in NZ for non-residents you can get a visa card but you need a separate account. So this means you need to transfer money out of your original account and into your visa account they have a great thing here called Internet Banking, makes it all so simple

NZ is very isolated which means to get to Europe it takes a long time yeah its called Geography, can't blame NZ for this one

NZ is very different from the UK, compaing one against the other is not fair in some respects even though we all do it, you just need to be open to it and embrace the differences and enjoy living in this country instead of finding reasons not to like it IMHO
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Old Apr 30th 2009, 1:32 am
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Default Re: Here is my subjective view on NZ V UK

plain Jane or plane aero?
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Old Apr 30th 2009, 1:34 am
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Default Re: Here is my subjective view on NZ V UK

"We lived in Adelaide for 6-months but traveled around and seen most of OZ. "



that is what you wrote, 4th sentence I think....I'm with 'charming man' on this one....although I had a good laugh at the post while on lunch
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Old Apr 30th 2009, 1:40 am
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Default Re: Here is my subjective view on NZ V UK

Originally Posted by Jay-Producer
Hi,

Me and my partner have been living in OZ and NZ for the past year so I thought I give some feedback on NZ V UK. I know a lot of people like NZ because of the similar climate and to have a life style escaping the rat race of the UK. Me and my partner preferred OZ (despite the high heat) than NZ. We lived in Adelaide for 6-months but traveled around and seen most of OZ. Now we took a subjective decision and chose to move to Christchurch as our jobs were coming to an end (you can only work for 6-months with one employer in OZ).

So we moved to Christchurch (NZ). My partner hated it, although I quite liked it but didn't fall in love with it. The reason we chose Christchurch was because I did a lot of research on the net and read threads on forums etc, and it seemed CC would be the better place. But reading data off the net is not always the way to go.

Well here is what I have experienced. This is supposed to help. We all have different opinions and this is mines so what I think is good might differ from you.

Please don't jump the band wagon and say I don't have a clue etc. This is my opinion. I have tried to be as objective as possible, but some is of course subjective. Just to let you know between me and my partner we have lived in 8 different cities in the UK, 1 in Scotland, and 3 outside the UK. So we have a lot of experience living in different countries.

New Zealand V UK (including Scotland)

Here is a list of pro’s and con’s for each country (well for the UK I’ll be using England and Scotland for the examples only, not Wales or N.Ireland). I’ve tried to keep this as an objective outlook as possible and not subjective. We have seen most of the North Island so we have a fair view of what NZ is like.


New Zealand:

The Good

• Lovely scenic drives and plenty of beauty outside the towns and cities.

• You’re never too far away from a lovely scenic drive

• Nice beaches: better than the UK.

• NZ has a good sense of family ethos and you don’t see many broken families here (although amongst the Mauri there is a lot). There is an issue with domestic violence amongst Mauri (no pun intended here). if there is a broken family they still keep the ethos of seeing one another, and family is very important to a lot of Mauri.

• You don’t see many groups of kids hanging about the streets in the city here of Auckland, you have to go to all the rough areas to see that. In the UK you see lots of kids hanging about in groups all over the place in the city centers, but not so much gangs as they are in NZ – that’s the key difference. Yes you get gangs in the UK but not as much as NZ. Most of the gangs in NZ comprise of the Mauri community (plenty of evidence in the media explaining this).

• The weather is better here. Hotter and milder. Summers last much longer. But very unpredictable, more so than UK (I personally thought Scotland was bad but NZ is perhaps worse in some areas). The weather forecast has never once been correct in the past 6-months I have been here. It changes so much and quickly. One minute its sunny the next its raining. Subjective view yes but if you ask any NZ a lot will agree that the weather is unpredictable here.

• Because it is so isolated from the rest of the world you never have to worry about getting attacked from another country.

• The education system: I don’t know anything about it but when I read a book by a couple who moved over here from the UK (I would highly recommend reading that book before deciding to move) and they mentioned that they let kids be kids. I.e. they don’t plunk them in a seat and expect them to start learning mathematics by the age of 4.

• More laid back here. It feels like you’re on holiday compared to the UK.

• New Zealander's like the outdoors (not as much as its neighbors though) so your children should enjoy a better playful life in NZ (this is subjective but I’m sure there is plenty of evidence backing this up). Brits are couch potatoes (certainly perceived that way in the press) but not everyone is a couch potato. Although a book I just read claimed NZ spend 90% of their time indoors.

• The recessions always hits NZ last. Lucky sods!


The Bad

• There are only a handful of nice cities to choose to live in: Hamilton (nice student city that’s trendy but small), Christchurch (ok but not that good and its very flat and small; has some lovely cafes and restaurants though), Dunedin (lovely architecture but again its small) and Wellington (very windy but meant to be very trendy). Auckland is not nice at all (it is a city for workers not for families). Dunedin and Wellington are the only two out of that list I have never visited but from receiving feedback from those who live their, they say Wellington is very arty and trendy but also very windy. They say Dunedin is very nice but mostly made up of student population (advice from someone who used to live their for many years).

• NZ is backwards. You will notice this once you have lived in the UK. The same with OZ. Both countries are backwards compared to the whole of Europe. For example, in the UK you can get visa card on the same account, but in NZ for non-residents you can get a visa card but you need a separate account. So this means you need to transfer money out of your original account and into your visa account. There are hundreds of examples I could give.

• NZ is around 6-years behind the UK. For example they have only now decided to bring out visa debit cards and a kiwi saver. This has been out for many years in the UK. I could give you a whole list but you’d need only experience it yourself. Some people may think its only a few years behind but not in my eyes.

• You don’t get as much help from the government here for health benefits.

• Accommodation is double the price (compare prices and you will see for yourself). You get more for your money in the UK. My rent is $1,240 per month. That's double the price I was paying in London for the same sized flat. And double the price I was paying for a 2-bed in the city of Edinburgh.

• No central heating in any new accommodation (none that I could see when I went house shopping). You will also find it hard to find any property with heating facilities. Plenty of sources on the net providing evidence of this comment.

• Damping in accommodations is a major issue in NZ (plenty of sources for this evidence).

• TV is awful. Adverts are annoying.

• Bad drivers here in NZ. What else can I say. They are very aggressive here. Just as bad as the UK for boy racers though.

• Food is more expensive. $4.90 for a pepper - outrageous.

• Graffiti is a major issue in NZ. Very old-skool in the UK (but it does exist in major cities their, it just isn’t as common as it is over here).

• Transport system is AWFUL. Ask anyone they will tell you.

• A lot of pollution in many of the cities, most cars do not have a catalyst converter fitted. Auckland is very polluted according to statistics.

• Domestic violence is a major issue in NZ. Hence a news report about how bad it is just a few weeks ago.

• A lot of discrimination. If you are not Mauri or NZ you will struggle to find work here (clearly explicit in text books about this - so this is not subjective but fact). Not so much discrimination out and about its more within the workforce. Although there is tension between Mauri and White’s (but to be honest I get on well with Mauri's and are very nice people). Plenty of Graffiti around explaining this.

• NZ is very isolated which means to get to Europe it takes a long time. So not good for going away on holidays outside Asia.

• Not much choice for food and some supermarkets are half the size of those in the UK.

• Some products say organic on them but in fact they are not. This is illegal in the UK I believe.

• Poor clothing quality. Me and my partner are sick of our clothes falling to pieces.


UK (England & Scotland only):

The Good

• Lovely scenic drives and plenty of beauty outside the towns and cities depending on which part of the country you live in.

• You’re never too far away from a lovely scenic drive.

• You’re never too far from another major city. Its great.

• Clothing is far better quality in the UK (it lasts unlike the rubbish you get in NZ).

• The UK is miles in front of NZ for most things.

• Less pollution in many of the cities but the major ones have their problems. All cars by law must be fitted with a catalyst converter.

• Plenty of nice cities to choose to live in (and towns), here are some to check-out: Edinburgh (Scotland), Bath, Cambridge, Devon, Midhurst, Outside London (Kent for example – most districts/towns outside London within 40-100 miles are posh and expensive but always voted in the top 20, however there are some shit-holes so be careful and do your research first; stay clear of some areas in Essex for example),
Check-out: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2379743.stm and http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Socie...ion189016.html and http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7944657.stm and http://property.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle3327954.ece and http://money.uk.msn.com/insurance/ar...7850&gt1=63251 and http://www.channel4.com/4homes/on-tv/best-and-worst/ and http://www.channel4.com/4homes/on-tv...06-18_p_1.html and http://money.uk.msn.com/mortgages/ar...mentid=6428726

• Accommodation is good here (UK); you get what you pay for. Stick to the old Victorian or Georgian houses as they are very well built. New builds are not that good (I have lived in many). Most cities have a legislation in place where new builds must not exceed a certain height limit. Which is good if you hate sky-scrapers.

• Central heating is a god-send over here. I love it.

• The Food is tastier here. Now this is a subjective point of view. But really it is better here.

• Lots of good choice in food and massive supermarkets. Plenty of 24-hr supermarkets and shops in any major city.

• What says organic is organic.

• TV is good, however you have to pay around £135 per year for it. You get 5 channels, but there are a lot of good programs. I know people complain and say its rubbish but until you have been to OZ and NZ you will see why I'm sayings its good.

• Graffiti is not a major issue here thankfully. Certainly not in smaller cities. You need to go to London or other major cities for that. Im sure it also exists in small towns but I've never seen a problem with it.

• Transport systems are good (but could still be improved) in the UK depending on where you live. The bus service in Edinburgh for example has been voted the best bus service in the UK for many years.

• The UK is right next to many major European countries making it great for holidays. Also plenty of cheap airfairs to get to European destinations (Ryanair and easyjet for example do really cheap flights).

• The government can be very generous with helping out families. The UK has an NHS (National Health System). This means the government will pay for simple things like going to the doctors and small operations. You also have a private health system under many companies (just like in any country); Bupar is one of them who are very good.

• Good night-life and pub scene. Far exceeds NZ. But there is a bad side to this (see below)


The Bad

• Gas is very expensive here (UK) and electricity is also getting pricey. Not good for house bills.

• Because of the EU. A lot of places loose their culture because it is now so mixed. London is prime example. This again has been explicit in the press. Although you get a multicultural cosmopolitan feel.

• A lot of issues with Scottish and English still. Plenty of minority idiots who still hate one another.

• Football hooliganism is a major issue.

• You see lots of kids hanging about in groups all over the place, but not so much gangs as they are in NZ, although Glasgow and London has its fair share – that’s the key difference. But some are idiots and will just cause trouble. It’s a major concern and issue in the UK.

• The youth culture is somewhat different in the UK; booze, drugs, sex and fighting are at the top of their list. The press is always writing about social issues in the UK and rightly so.

• Big booze culture. Always on the TV and media. Really bad in the UK.

• Gun crime has gone up – mostly in London and associated with the black and US culture.

• We have what we call Chavs in England and Neds in Scotland, these are dysfunctional youth and adults who have nothing better to do than scrounge off the government and steal. Plenty of sources to explain more about this.

• Teenage and underage pregnancy is a major issue in the UK. Young girls find it more fun to get pregnant and scrounge off the government for funds. One of the highest pregnancy rates in Europe exists in the UK.

• The weather is not as good. Cooler and rains more in Scotland. However, it is very similar though in some parts of England, its only 3 or 4 degrees difference but summers don’t last anywhere near as long in the UK. Scotland is very cold in the winter and not so good for summer but I’ve never had too much of any issue with it.

• The education system: This is an interesting one. So much has been written about it in the press. They keep changing the system, coming up with new ideas etc. But the reality is because of the social youth culture it doesn’t make much difference, all kids want to do is have sex early, drink, and then take some drugs. Not all but a lot do. I was a youth worker for years so I have a fair view on this. The UK has had a poor record for education in recent times. Statistics show we are falling behind. But there are some very good schools, and university teaching is excellent in some places. Its like anywhere, you have some schools which are good and some not so good. The main difference between the UK and NZ from what I’ve read is that in the UK they teach kids at a very early age and don’t let them be kids. There is also an issue with how it is run because you have to be within a certain catchment area to get your kids into a certain school. What this means is that house prices bump right up because those who want their kids to be at a certain school will move solely for that purpose. They also have a system called a lottery, which means if a school has limited places they will pull out names from a hat to see who gets in. My personal opinion is that the whole system is flawed and really bad at the moment. I taught music, not in schools but within council programs so again I suppose I can have a fair subjective view on this.

• More of a rat race in the UK. Not laid back and people are far more aggressive in the UK. Once youve been to NZ or OZ you will immediately notice this.

• Brits are couch potatoes. Lazy buggers. Haha only kidding! not all of you are. Because the weather and beaches aren't that good we spend all hours in doors. Plus kids prefer to play video games rather than go out and play footy for example. A lot is to do with peer pressure (again another subjective view here but there is plenty of media evidence to back this up).

• Sense of family is disappearing. Britain has a bad history of broken up families. Clearly talked about in the press, lots of evidence to back this up.

• The recession always hits the UK first.

• Crap beaches. You can find some lovely ones but they are few and far between.


This is of course my opinion, but not all of it because some is referred to Media and statistical evidence.

I hope this helps those wanting to move to NZ. But its always best to see it for yourself and make up your own mind. We all have different preferences.
thanks for reminding me of why i left England
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Old Apr 30th 2009, 1:40 am
  #14  
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Default Re: Here is my subjective view on NZ V UK

Originally Posted by irnbru14
Some interesting stuff there but some hearsay as well, and I don't think 6 months is a long enough time to really start to understand where you are living to be honest, took me a good 6 months to even find me feet, 12-18 months down the line is where I think you can start to draw a comparison after the newness and culture shock has worn off a little and a lot of the differences or oddities make you smile instead of annoying you.

For some of your comments I honestly think you are just being a bit picky and negative to be honest.

Did you not notice the poll this week that said, amongst Expats, that Auckland was No 4 on the best cities in the world to live and Welly at No 12, based on quality of life?

Some wee comments:
You don’t get as much help from the government here for health benefits - have you heard of ACC??

TV is awful. Adverts are annoying - what does it matter if kiwis are spending 90% of their time outdoors??

the UK you can get visa card on the same account, but in NZ for non-residents you can get a visa card but you need a separate account. So this means you need to transfer money out of your original account and into your visa account they have a great thing here called Internet Banking, makes it all so simple

NZ is very isolated which means to get to Europe it takes a long time yeah its called Geography, can't blame NZ for this one

NZ is very different from the UK, compaing one against the other is not fair in some respects even though we all do it, you just need to be open to it and embrace the differences and enjoy living in this country instead of finding reasons not to like it IMHO
Your right saying 6-months isn't long enough that's why I pointed it out so people wouldn't rely on my input alone. I still feel its enough for me (me personally) to see the differences. Everyone is different. Yes of course I'm being picky, I'm trying to be as picky as possible so people can seriously see the differences. Like I pointed out these are my views so some people may see things entirely different. Just because Ive only been here 6-months doesn't mean I cant compare, there's no rule saying how long you need to be living to have a constructive view on things.

I know the government benefits well, I have to because of my job. In comparison you don't get as much help. There is no NHS. If you work and earn a lot you have to pay for it but in the UK under the NHS you get it for free (depending on what it is). Sorry I meant 90% are spending their time indoors my mistake. There is a book mentioning that called "wasted".

This is only my opinion. Some people can take it on the chin and disagree some can agree. Its up to them. I'm in a fortunate situation where at work all the clients come from all over NZ so I get feedback form them.
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Old Apr 30th 2009, 1:42 am
  #15  
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Default Re: Here is my subjective view on NZ V UK

Originally Posted by love30stm
thanks for reminding me of why i left England
haha no probs. I'm actually going back to the UK. Me and my partner hate here in NZ. But form my comparison I was fair and honest.
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