Justcol

I started the "not supposed to be poor" thread not long ago and it
appears to have put the wind up some prospective migrants (sorry)
anywho, i would just like to say that financially (at the moment) we are
worse off.
But. . . . . . .NO WAY WOULD I CONSIDER GOING BACK TO THE UK

luvwelly

errr.....is that because you couldn't easily afford to though? I think it is easy to become 'trapped in Paradise'. Sorry to ask ....I remember from your earlier posts that you were quite unhappy in UK.
These 'reality check' threads are needed for balance..it takes a special kind of madness (or spirit of adventure if you prefer) to uproot yourself and family as far away geographically as you possibly can, just because it's an English-speaking country -especially when you can work and live in several countries en route without having to jump through Visa hoops and expenses.

No one should embark on this lightly especially if they are 'burning boats' to come here. Any return will be costly...an enforced return even more so.

It had got far too 'happy clappy' around here for a while - average Kiwi wages are not easy to live on so don't come here for the average...I read in the Dom Post this morning in an article about potential ACC contribution rates going up 6 dollars a week in 2010, that the current average salary was 48k pa which after tax would not be very much to live on at all. Most migrants would be earning more than that though because of the visa regulations. Many are living on less...their kids presumably being the ones going to school barefoot and without raincoats that http://www.kidscan.org.nz/ keeps telling us about . It truly shocks me that such a charity exists in NZ.

No one should make this decision based on what they read on an internet forum anyway .

lardyl

. . . . .I'm happy - 'appen......

You sound like one of those "four yorkshiremen".....

do the "kids these days" believe ya?

luvwelly

I was thinking more 'Monty Python'...'We used to live in a shoebox...' Maybe that is who you mean..it probably is. No doubt 'we used to go barefoot ter school' was one of the lines'. I'm older than you Lardyl but was still too young for Monty Python at the time.

luvwelly

I agree 'isn't NZ just wonderful?' Queue Genesis....... See balance required. However the truth is I will go back one day and be happy to do so.

Steve1977

Just thought i'd share my feelings with you guys.

After spending a year here on a working holiday visa, i really cant wait to get out the country TBH.

My wife and I have got the option to renew our visa for another 11 months but, as many of you have said, we're POOR, trying to find a decent job is hard enough, but trying to find ANYTHING half decent is nigh on impossible when you're only on a temporary visa.

We've lived in Australia for a year on a WHV and had no problems finding good jobs, well paid and living comfortably. Here is just a different story altogether, we've been used to living in relative ease back in england where we could buy most things we wanted etc, but here, we've had to adjust to only buying bargains and budget food and driving round in a shoddy car and not being able to go out when we want.

Had things of worked out here, we would of stayed on, done some studies and applied for PR after, but for us, the negatives far outweigh the positives and we'll be going across the ditch to Aus to study instead.

I certainly dont blame the 15% of kiwis for wanting to be in Aus, what i can't understand is why the remaining 85% don't follow suit?? Ok, New Zealand is a beautiful country but WHY do you stay here?

adamlt1972

Each to their own I guess, but having lived in both in the past 12 months I can say that I feel the Kiwis seem a little more relaxed, a little more enlightened, more friendly (and less anti-english) than the aussies and the whole society a little less "rat race" and commercialised than over the ditch. While Australia has its benefits, with the better weather and maybe a bit more of the wow factor, I've no interest in going back, and this is coming from a guy with an Aussie missus.

Just a thought, but if you came here a year ago, you moved from one of the few recession free countries to a country in the grips of a recession - that would've impacted pretty severely on your employment prospects.

pricklykina

The point of a WHV is thatyou don't get decent jobs.
It's meant to be a holiday supplemented by work


Anyway
I want to go back to the UK for an extended period in the future but NZ is defo home now

Genesis

[QUOTE=St Ok, New Zealand is a beautiful country but WHY do you stay here?[/QUOTE]

Because some of us CAN carve out a good life in NZ. I have no desire to live in Oz. For me the size of the place, the heat (pretty much all over) and the fact that I doubt I would feel as content there as I do here. I also feel that water is going to be a BIG issue in Oz. I know you have de-sal. plants but I would rather drink the real stuff. I heard last week NZ is the most water rich country percapita on earth, sounds like a good reason to hang on here to me.

I spent 3 months on my OE doing the eastern side of Oz..bloody lovely..but to live there..no thanks..just like you have no desire to live here. Its simple really.

Not every one in NZ is eating budget food, driving shoddy cars, unable to go out and unable to buy what we want. Our lives in NZ are so incredibly better than the were in the UK its amazing. Simply better everything..except the driving..thats crap...so is the service..just like it was in the UK. So its a bit like home from home in that area, good luck in Oz.

Browner_

Good question really.

jennifer45

Each to their own I guess, but having lived in both in the past 12 months I can say that I feel the Kiwis seem a little more relaxed, a little more enlightened, more friendly (and less anti-english) than the aussies and the whole society a little less "rat race" and commercialised than over the ditch. While Australia has its benefits, with the better weather and maybe a bit more of the wow factor, I've no interest in going back, and this is coming from a guy with an Aussie missus.

So perceptive and said so much better than I could.

Jennie

j19fmm

Glad to hear it Col, coz then my beer wouldn't be there anymore either
Seriously though hope things pick up soon.

Madmaxdeux

Exactly!!!

Having had a WHV in the past the one thing I wanted to do is stay longer but could not and the other thing is like everyone I know we all went back to the UK skint with great memories and good times. Which was quite damaging because it was the catylst to be in NZ now

Now another observation is since the recession the amount of work available for WHVs has dried up and so have the numbers looking for jobs on WHVs. Finally employers have become reluctant to hire a WHV over a perm who has supposedly had more choice of employment duriing the boom years. Best thing that has happened to us since coming to NZ has been the global recession...this year we have had work thrown at us. We are no longer battling applications with employers who would prefer to take on cheap overseas temp workers who will put up with the crap because its only an extra bit of cash to get by. Yes we both work in tourism and the cards are falling our way at last.

Good feeling being able to turn down work after living so fruggly the last few years and the best part is we can get by without slaving away now either. Its even better once you establish yourself and reputation in the community.

HOME SWEET HOME warts an all and I can not see any reason to move on from New Zealand at all.

danjones1

Normally the opposite is true when people feel they have to shout aloud that they hate the uk / don't ever want to go back etc

Wiz'n'Ton

Nice to have you around still Browner

I miss Campbells tho.