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into the 4th year part 2

into the 4th year part 2

Old May 12th 2008, 7:33 pm
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Default into the 4th year part 2

LIFESTYLE.

We have never been ones for living in bling zones and dont realy want to many material possessions, so we bought an ex state house bordering a not so desirable area and could'nt be happier, cruisey people and all nationalities, all day sun and views that would cost KKK's in UK.

Why DUNEDIN ?

Well i got a choice of Auckland, Christchurch, Invercargill,Dunedin or Queenstown for the job i was doingg, Roofing,MMM so after some research about cost of housing, population, tarffic issues we Picked Dunedin, first impressions were "what the ****" and shock of how some people live, and what they live in, Dunedin is a alyed back University town of about 115k pop and another 25k when the students are around, lots to do and see, the mountains and lakes only 3 hrs away, rain forest down the road, all the shopping you would need, and beaches that seem empty, wildlife on your doorstep, and the weather is sometimes 4 seasons in one day, but TBH isn't as bad as what people make out, when you see a sunny or dry day coming up you have to go for it and make the most of it, Dunners is a no traffic jam village and you can get from one side to the other of the city in under 15mins, if you do get traffic jam it will only be 3 cars in front of you.

I still see many people who live in shite holes of houses and TBH, after a few years it just goes over your head, the Kiwis we have met have been so freindly and give you food without asking you, and in general are a happy bunch.
There are alot of people who seem IMO lost souls and there are quite afew mental health issues that need sorting out, i think you see more of it because of the population scale.

FAMILY.

I would be a liar if i said i didn't miss folks back home and i sometimes wonder if it was the last time i will see my parents alive or not ? we have looked at the flight back but at $8 k return, its to much to early for us at the mo, we said around 4-5 years time from when we arrived we would go back, my inlaws have been 3 times now and as we have the only Grandchild on their side, then its good for all, we have taken them to see sights in SI and combine it with a hol for all, the initial "we will e-mail, talk on MSN, phone and write letters" soon stops after a year and i still talk to my folks about once a month , but TBH they are still doing the same things as when we left, the only people who are doing different things is us, my folks were sort of pleased that i was doing something with my life, and they wanted to do the 10 pound Pom thing, but did not, i think the day that we said goodbye was one of the saddest things i have ever done and the hardest, but i promised them that nothing is forever and i will see them again one day, in this life or in the next, lots of folk said they would come out, but never did or have not yet.
I have the odd wobble every now and then, and some thing can trigger your memory or a familiar smell can set you off, reminising of your old life in UK,my BIL lives in Invercargill and came to NZ a few months after us, so at least we are not alone.

FREINDS IN NZ AND PEOPLE WE HAVE MEET.

We have few poeple we see every now and then but TBH, none that realy come around, the only time we hear from most of them is when they want me to do something for them or need a tool or something.We have hooked up with a Kiwi family who landed here a day after us in 05 and i used to work with him, so we all hooked up and have been " aquaintences " ever since.
The family who we admire very much and who is on this forum is George and Toni and their family,and for those of you who get a honest reply from George, believe me he tells it like it is, George goes hard out at work and is willing to do what it take to make a go off it here,they have 4 girls to support and all the other bills that come with life in NZ, we have had the pleasure of meals at georges and the odd outing and TBH you could not wish to meet a harder working family, who go our of their way to support and help others.George and i have done some work together and worked greta as a team, and if i was going to set up bigger operation or an idea came up where i needed a guy to work with me, George would be the one, he is straight talking and tells you balck is black, and i like that.I salute George and Toni.

There is another couple, Brits who we see every now and ten and came here to NZ with bugger all and now have a tental house as well as their own, they push the bounderies and take some risks but through it all come out well on the other side.

THE FUTURE?

Well nobody can predict that, but we can all make a difference to our own, i believe in " what we do in life echoes in eternity" we also hope that the decision to move to NZ will be a good one for our daughter 11, at present i have worked out of my comfort zone and what has been drummed into me over the years that i cant do things, and dont do this and that by my folks, i think they thought that they were doing the strict and right thing for me, but in later years i have tried to prove them wrong, left school with no quals, but ended up at UNI, and have quals in Plumbing and Domestic heating, wood machining, carpentry and joinery, so not bad for me.I have always worked for other people but here in NZ have managed to start and run my own business, its tough some weeks because of the uncertanty of income, but i get the chance to knock off early and hit the rivers and lakes for fly fishing, or trips to the beach with the family when the weather is good, motivation is your own doing, and so is each and every job i under take, some jobs i do test my skills and judgement and some i wish i had never started, i replaced all the cords in sash windows in a house that was aged 1890, that night before i went i lost sleep thinking about it, and how would i do it ?, but i went here with the thought of " yeh i can do it " and i did, felt very chuffed, hope the landlord is with the bill?.

Once my wife finishes her course at UNI then we can sort of do a plan for the future, i would like to take my Dive masters ticket here is Dunedin and then move to somewhere sunny and warm like Cairns in OZ and take tourist's out on the barrier reefe, whos knows i might just do it one day, i beleive that every one should try and do somehting different every year to keep things fresh, whats wrong in taking your children to dofferent countries, i think they will have a wonderful life experencing different cultures and countries and people.

Well thats abit more about us and me in Dunners as we enter our 4th year in NZ, will do another on our hopes and dreams of life, and life in NZ or else where.

I hope my jumbled rabblings are of some interest to you all ?


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Dunedin since May 2005
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Old May 12th 2008, 7:42 pm
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Default Re: into the 4th year part 2

Thanks for Part 2, it's good to read your thoughts and ideas. Wish you the best for the next 4 years
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Old May 12th 2008, 9:41 pm
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Old May 12th 2008, 10:32 pm
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Old May 13th 2008, 6:19 am
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Default Re: into the 4th year part 2

Welcome back Foof. Hope you stick around and post some more.
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