The Highs & Lows Of NZ!
 

:) Hi folks...I'm new to this forum so appologies if this should have been posted elsewhere. My wife and I have only our medicals to sort now before we can scoot off to NZ and, to be honest, it cannot come quick enough - we want out of the UK. We anticipate settling down in the Napier/Hastings region, however, this is still not 100% certain yet as investigations continue, as we speak. Nonetheless, this is becoming quite a task and I am a little concerned about some of the threads that show NZ in such a negative way; crime, boy racers, burglary, bad driving, racism (particularly towards expats), expenses and fees - the list seems to go on and on. Now, I am not moving to NZ to find another UK, quite the contrary, as I wish to live in a different society to the one I have now, however, such postings cannot be ignored. Am I missing something? Is it really as bad as some say and, if yes, where are we talking about? Obviously, people have different opinions so I am open to all sides of this topic. Many thanks folks for any replies and Happy Christmas.

Re: The Highs & Lows Of NZ!
 

Hi

Compared to the UK its not as bad.

Move to the south island for less crap and a more laid back life:D

North islan has better weather on the whole.

I wouldnt swap here for the UK full stop!

will reply more fully after christmas

george

Re: The Highs & Lows Of NZ!
 

I started one of the "we're poor in NZ" threads and even
with all the grumbling i do i've no intension of going back to the uk.
That must tell you something.

An example for you.
I went for a walk with a lady from work, while we were out
she told me the area we were in was the most notorius in hamilton
for drugs and crime. I thought it looked quite nice and through my work
i've met lots of ordinary peole who live there and have never had cause
to complain.
Bad down here is not the same as bad in the uk

Re: The Highs & Lows Of NZ!
 

Hi D,
Like you planning for NZ move and have been studying many sites to get a 'feel' for views regarding actually living down there. I was a lot concerned about some of the negative vibes coming from the views of NZ settlers but began to realise that the complaints I was reading were no more than peoples lot to have a moan as people all over the world like to do. Suppose we Brits are planet leaders in our famous weather discussions. However, as Colandros points out, and all of the others, they would not swap NZ lifestyle for the UK....maybe just the paypackets!;)

Re: The Highs & Lows Of NZ!
 

NZ is just like anywhere/anycountry in terms of 'having problems'. All places have problems. NZ is not somewhere shit does not happen. NZ has a raft of problems. It's how you deal with them and how they impact you on a day to day basis. I like life in NZ........ life in the UK did not suit me. What REALLY matters is will life in NZ suit you? Many find NZ a disaster for lots of reasons, money problems, crap housing, kiwi attitudes, incredible isolation, miss folk etc. Some go back..some return, some move to Oz. I have been here 5 years almost and it has not been easy. We have had a number of issues to deal with. But we are still here and I love NZ warts and all. Its so empty its amazing, except of course for Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland..they are where you go for the vibe and to mix with others. I like empty.

Re: The Highs & Lows Of NZ!
 

Hi there, as others will say, NZ has its share of problems but they seem less than in Uk, the beauty of the country, the weather and the lovely people (haven't met any other type yet) make up for the down side. Wouldn't leave here and hope we don't have too. Good luck, Bevissa :thumbsup:

Re: The Highs & Lows Of NZ!
 

Hi D
Just wanted to say we're in exactly the same boat as you if a wee bit behind in the visa stakes (only just starting out with EOI) We're also considering the Hawkes Bay region.
We've been reading all the negative threads and have decided that people will always find negative parts to everything, some more or less than others and we're not going to let them put us off. We're coming over expecting it to be harder (at least for a while) than our life over here but we're as ready for that as we can be and we're up for the challenge.
Good luck with everything and we may see you in Napier one of these days!

Re: The Highs & Lows Of NZ!
 

Napier is a lovely place to live, my besty friend lives in Taradale a nice area outiside napier she loves it and has a great social life! and we are planing on moving to that area in the future as Wanganui is shit! but after all my complaining I wont go back to the UK either.

Re: The Highs & Lows Of NZ!
 

Perhaps if you are not sure you should first visit for a holiday to see if you like it. I've heard stories of people who have immigrated from the UK to NZ without first visiting, and thinking they were saving a few hundred pounds on airfares. Only then to find that they hated it and end up bitter and twisted having lost many many times more times more money than they would've if they had visited first, not to mention having wasted 2 or 3 years of their lives in the process.

Nowhere is perfect and it's impossible to say whether one place is better than another. NZ does have it's problems like anywhere else but it all comes down to what your expectations are and what your reasons for moving are. If you're moving because you've visited before and liked it, that is the right reason to be moving. If you're moving because you're fed up with the UK, chances are you'll end up fed up with NZ as well.

Re: The Highs & Lows Of NZ!
 

aye!! bitter and twisted with an emphasis on the twisted, thats me :rofl:

Re: The Highs & Lows Of NZ!
 

I was fed up with the UK..had been for ages. IMO its a very good reason TO leave. NZ has been a great success for us all things considered. We have had our fair share of problems some huge some small. I was so pissed off with everything in the UK and all the things that affected me on a daily basis NZ didn't have to try too hard to be better! For us day to day NZ life is way better than what we left in our part of the UK.

Re: The Highs & Lows Of NZ!
 

Keep hearing this theory about "if you are wanting NZ because you are fed up with the UK you are moving for the wrong reasons" but surely you will be moving for both reasons "want NZ" and "don't want UK" as against if UK was utopia you wouldn't be considering the move in the first place?
Nice to see Genesis post the didn't like the UK angle and still be happy in NZ.:thumbup:

Re: The Highs & Lows Of NZ!
 

Like you stormer leaving somewhere cos its crap is a good enough reason for me. I had no idea NZ would pan out for us. Visited the place about 15 yrs previously for a whirl wind drive round the north isle. Thought it was cool and always fancied eeking out a life here...mainly because it was not the UK. I wanted a new start, a new life, a new everything. Thats why I called myself Genesis. The rebirth. If you are pissed of with anything you should either fix it or move on. I tried fixing my life in the Uk many times. I finally found the right time and opportunity to leave. I did. Had it not been NZ it would have been somewhere else. Unless you are content somewhere life is waaaaaay too short to spend it places where contentment eludes you, I have FINALLY found contentment in NZ. Nothing near perfect..but maybe as close as it will ever get in my daily hamster wheely life.

Re: The Highs & Lows Of NZ!
 

Excellent response Genesis:thumbup: Many thanks will follow your route hopefully.:thumbsup:

Re: The Highs & Lows Of NZ!
 

Oops! I'm one of those people who can't afford to take a look first so I'm moving to NZ in a month without ever having visited it. :unsure: I'm also nervous that it will have many of the aspects I didn't like about the UK (perhaps the stressful, individualistic lifestyle above all).

Some disclaimers to what sounds like a stupid move on my part:
- I'm moving with my New Zealander partner who has become homesick
- I've moved country a few times in my life, so at least I'm mentally prepared for the tough times
- I'm currently living in (and loving) Italy, but there isn't really a career future for myself or my partner here - so we have to move somewhere

Let's face it, uprooting yourself and settling in ANYWHERE is hard. It seems that more immigrants love NZ than several other places.

I really appreciate the discussions on this forum - I'm sure they'll be a lifeline in the months to come.