The highs and lows
Aug 22nd 2007, 9:41 pm
#1
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 395
The highs and lows
I know there was another thread along similar lines but can't find it.
what have been the highs and lows for migrants?
For me, the best has been the outdoors and kiwi's - Love em. The worst, small job market.
what have been the highs and lows for migrants?
For me, the best has been the outdoors and kiwi's - Love em. The worst, small job market.
Aug 22nd 2007, 10:15 pm
#2
TeamEmbo
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Rangiora
Posts: 1,557
Re: The highs and lows
The highs: Owning own home here the size and kind of which we would never have had in the UK, the easy access to outdoor life, the laid back lifestyle and openess and friendliness of the people. The kids school and that they were accepted so easily and are loving it. The freedom - personal and of speech, the space, the feeling of not being bound by EC directives, tax on everything, and working hard but never getting anywhere in life. Getting PR and officially being able to call ourselves NZers. My OH and son having the time and space to build all sorts of furniture out of wood - they'd never have done that in UK! Oh and bombing around getting muddy and stuck in our 4x4.
The lows: running out of what little uk money we did have and seeing money pour out of the account knowing we have no back-up here! We've adjusted the cloth accordingly. Now down to a smallish sized hanky
I don't miss the UK though. I don't miss the 'familiar surroundings' or the life we had. We're going through a rough patch right now but it's only to be expected really, having upped sticks and moved 12,000 miles and having to fund starting all over again. But it was the right thing to do and it still feels right. I don't see the point in looking back; I might miss seeing the fantastic day I could be having here if I spent my time with my head in the past.
It's certainly a challenge, but each day there's something to smile about, and one day soon we'll be back on track money wise and not have to worry so much. We have all we need really so I don't regret our choices at all.
The lows: running out of what little uk money we did have and seeing money pour out of the account knowing we have no back-up here! We've adjusted the cloth accordingly. Now down to a smallish sized hanky
I don't miss the UK though. I don't miss the 'familiar surroundings' or the life we had. We're going through a rough patch right now but it's only to be expected really, having upped sticks and moved 12,000 miles and having to fund starting all over again. But it was the right thing to do and it still feels right. I don't see the point in looking back; I might miss seeing the fantastic day I could be having here if I spent my time with my head in the past.
It's certainly a challenge, but each day there's something to smile about, and one day soon we'll be back on track money wise and not have to worry so much. We have all we need really so I don't regret our choices at all.
Aug 22nd 2007, 10:31 pm
#3
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 395
Re: The highs and lows
The highs: Owning own home here the size and kind of which we would never have had in the UK, the easy access to outdoor life, the laid back lifestyle and openess and friendliness of the people. The kids school and that they were accepted so easily and are loving it. The freedom - personal and of speech, the space, the feeling of not being bound by EC directives, tax on everything, and working hard but never getting anywhere in life. Getting PR and officially being able to call ourselves NZers. My OH and son having the time and space to build all sorts of furniture out of wood - they'd never have done that in UK! Oh and bombing around getting muddy and stuck in our 4x4.
The lows: running out of what little uk money we did have and seeing money pour out of the account knowing we have no back-up here! We've adjusted the cloth accordingly. Now down to a smallish sized hanky
I don't miss the UK though. I don't miss the 'familiar surroundings' or the life we had. We're going through a rough patch right now but it's only to be expected really, having upped sticks and moved 12,000 miles and having to fund starting all over again. But it was the right thing to do and it still feels right. I don't see the point in looking back; I might miss seeing the fantastic day I could be having here if I spent my time with my head in the past.
It's certainly a challenge, but each day there's something to smile about, and one day soon we'll be back on track money wise and not have to worry so much. We have all we need really so I don't regret our choices at all.
The lows: running out of what little uk money we did have and seeing money pour out of the account knowing we have no back-up here! We've adjusted the cloth accordingly. Now down to a smallish sized hanky
I don't miss the UK though. I don't miss the 'familiar surroundings' or the life we had. We're going through a rough patch right now but it's only to be expected really, having upped sticks and moved 12,000 miles and having to fund starting all over again. But it was the right thing to do and it still feels right. I don't see the point in looking back; I might miss seeing the fantastic day I could be having here if I spent my time with my head in the past.
It's certainly a challenge, but each day there's something to smile about, and one day soon we'll be back on track money wise and not have to worry so much. We have all we need really so I don't regret our choices at all.
For me that means no more football. I started watching more rugby.Love it! NPC/Super 14/Ab's.
Pubs. Ok, no pub culture. I got used to it. I don't drink anymore. Not a bar person.
Humor. Different. Again, other pluses out weigh the bad. Like the Kiwi get up and go.
Outdoors. Endless opportunities. Fishing, hunting, surfing, mountain climbing, mountain biking, tramping, skiing...
BBQ. Odd one. Had more bbq's in cold, wet England. Don't miss em that much.
Newspapers. less hard news here so to be expected.
TV. Sucks. But I have got Sky for sport, dvd's for tv.
Houses. Cold, wet and damp. Get hard!!!! Or buy central heating.
Crime. Almost non existant for most things.
Hospitals. Same problems as UK, overcrowding, lack of beds etc. On the whole better.
Weather. Much better.
Cops. Get hammered by the media but I think they do a great job. In fact im thinking about applying.
Work. Still getting used to the kiwi work ethic. It's more of a live to work culture here.
Aug 22nd 2007, 11:53 pm
#4
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,813
Re: The highs and lows
Where I'm from:
US news media -- well -groomed paranoia peddlers on the TV. Hugely popular right-wing nut talk show hosts suck. The newspapers are there for adverts.
NZ news media -- a tad amateurish but alright with me. The newspapers are a bit over the top here. NZ Herald is one of the worst offenders.
US sport -- effing hate American football, especially gridiron announcers. Baseball's okay, ice hockey's too Canadian (
) and basketball does nothing for me. I hate NASCAR.
NZ sport -- I dig rugby, both union and league. Cricket is a grand way to while away the time on a summer's day. Netball can be entertaining. I hate motor sports.
US food -- Anything and everything available, no worries.
NZ food -- mostly anything and everything available, no worries.
US consumer goods -- anything you want and generally decent quality. Electronics are really good value.
NZ consumer goods -- too much second grade Chinese import crapola. Quality is hard to come by on a Kiwi wage.
One more...
US beer --
NZ beer --
US news media -- well -groomed paranoia peddlers on the TV. Hugely popular right-wing nut talk show hosts suck. The newspapers are there for adverts.
NZ news media -- a tad amateurish but alright with me. The newspapers are a bit over the top here. NZ Herald is one of the worst offenders.
US sport -- effing hate American football, especially gridiron announcers. Baseball's okay, ice hockey's too Canadian (
) and basketball does nothing for me. I hate NASCAR.NZ sport -- I dig rugby, both union and league. Cricket is a grand way to while away the time on a summer's day. Netball can be entertaining. I hate motor sports.
US food -- Anything and everything available, no worries.
NZ food -- mostly anything and everything available, no worries.
US consumer goods -- anything you want and generally decent quality. Electronics are really good value.
NZ consumer goods -- too much second grade Chinese import crapola. Quality is hard to come by on a Kiwi wage.
One more...
US beer --
NZ beer --
Aug 22nd 2007, 11:56 pm
#5
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Waitakere City
Posts: 539
Re: The highs and lows
I dislike the sensationalism that goes on in that paper....
Aug 23rd 2007, 12:12 pm
#7
patience...is a virtue!!!
Joined: May 2007
Location: Lincolnshire...England
Posts: 210
Re: The highs and lows
Absolutely, the best thing any migrant can do imho is throw themselves into NZ culture. Forget the old country: It's finished! It's like a bloated has been singer.
For me that means no more football. I started watching more rugby.Love it! NPC/Super 14/Ab's.
Pubs. Ok, no pub culture. I got used to it. I don't drink anymore. Not a bar person.
Humor. Different. Again, other pluses out weigh the bad. Like the Kiwi get up and go.
Outdoors. Endless opportunities. Fishing, hunting, surfing, mountain climbing, mountain biking, tramping, skiing...
BBQ. Odd one. Had more bbq's in cold, wet England. Don't miss em that much.
Newspapers. less hard news here so to be expected.
TV. Sucks. But I have got Sky for sport, dvd's for tv.
Houses. Cold, wet and damp. Get hard!!!! Or buy central heating.
Crime. Almost non existant for most things.
Hospitals. Same problems as UK, overcrowding, lack of beds etc. On the whole better.
Weather. Much better.
Cops. Get hammered by the media but I think they do a great job. In fact im thinking about applying.
Work. Still getting used to the kiwi work ethic. It's more of a live to work culture here.
For me that means no more football. I started watching more rugby.Love it! NPC/Super 14/Ab's.
Pubs. Ok, no pub culture. I got used to it. I don't drink anymore. Not a bar person.
Humor. Different. Again, other pluses out weigh the bad. Like the Kiwi get up and go.
Outdoors. Endless opportunities. Fishing, hunting, surfing, mountain climbing, mountain biking, tramping, skiing...
BBQ. Odd one. Had more bbq's in cold, wet England. Don't miss em that much.
Newspapers. less hard news here so to be expected.
TV. Sucks. But I have got Sky for sport, dvd's for tv.
Houses. Cold, wet and damp. Get hard!!!! Or buy central heating.
Crime. Almost non existant for most things.
Hospitals. Same problems as UK, overcrowding, lack of beds etc. On the whole better.
Weather. Much better.
Cops. Get hammered by the media but I think they do a great job. In fact im thinking about applying.
Work. Still getting used to the kiwi work ethic. It's more of a live to work culture here.
That is one reason why we have been looking at moving over to NZ, to get a better workl/life balance...will i not get this in NZ???
Aug 23rd 2007, 5:49 pm
#8
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,813
Re: The highs and lows
I haven't really noticed that. But that's just me. Perhaps workaholism is rife here and I hadn't been paying attention, what with getting on with my own life. The 'work to live' ethic here is nowhere near the manic work obsession of say, the Silicon Valley in California.
Aug 23rd 2007, 7:32 pm
#9
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Woburn, Wellington
Posts: 753
Re: The highs and lows
My OH is very very happy with her new job her having left a high pressure job in the UK as a Partner of one of the large IT consultancy firms. She has taken up a similar role here but says its so much more relaxed here and the long long days that are now just 'expected' if you work in the city (london) just don't seem to happen here. Not saying theres the odd day that a job has to be finished but genenerally its a much more relaxed mind set than the UK.
