Its enough to put you off!
#76
Banned
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Posts: 191
Re: Its enough to put you off!
The internet is a double edged sword isn't it? I'll explain in a bit.
We left the UK because I for one believed (and I'm going to drop all the long words I've used before) it was turning very rapidly to shit.
We read the 'anti' posts and still came...and we are still glad we did. We know that nothing in the world is perfect, but who in their right mind would expect to live in a perfect world? NZ isn't perfect, but it is currently a nicer place to be than UK. Put aside the (relatively) lower wages and the (minimally) longer working week, and think how much a holiday in Australia would cost you from UK, and how often you could do it. How many citrus trees, tomato plants, etc can you grow in the open in a UK garden?
I don't want this to sound like I'm making NZ out to be a paradise, of course it isn't, but I won't be leaving anytime soon.
Back to the internet (on the negative side). How many people have been put off coming here because they read something on sites like this from a disenchanted few. The first Europeans to come here did it because it was an adventure, a new land and new opportunities. Obviously they had no internet. That is how I believe everyone should look at it...it's how we did, an adventure, probably the last and biggest we would ever take.
(On the positive side of the internet) For the people who preach on isolation..it's of their own making. Those people obviously have access to the web, therefore all world news is at their fingertips, so what's this talk of isolation. I know as much as I wish to know about what is going on in the world, and I know I can always find out more by switching on my PC.
For god's sake, if you have thought about coming then it must be for a reason...so have an adventure, be a pioneer, give it a go!
We left the UK because I for one believed (and I'm going to drop all the long words I've used before) it was turning very rapidly to shit.
We read the 'anti' posts and still came...and we are still glad we did. We know that nothing in the world is perfect, but who in their right mind would expect to live in a perfect world? NZ isn't perfect, but it is currently a nicer place to be than UK. Put aside the (relatively) lower wages and the (minimally) longer working week, and think how much a holiday in Australia would cost you from UK, and how often you could do it. How many citrus trees, tomato plants, etc can you grow in the open in a UK garden?
I don't want this to sound like I'm making NZ out to be a paradise, of course it isn't, but I won't be leaving anytime soon.
Back to the internet (on the negative side). How many people have been put off coming here because they read something on sites like this from a disenchanted few. The first Europeans to come here did it because it was an adventure, a new land and new opportunities. Obviously they had no internet. That is how I believe everyone should look at it...it's how we did, an adventure, probably the last and biggest we would ever take.
(On the positive side of the internet) For the people who preach on isolation..it's of their own making. Those people obviously have access to the web, therefore all world news is at their fingertips, so what's this talk of isolation. I know as much as I wish to know about what is going on in the world, and I know I can always find out more by switching on my PC.
For god's sake, if you have thought about coming then it must be for a reason...so have an adventure, be a pioneer, give it a go!
If people are put of by negative post they are wimps and should just stay at home. They wouldn't cut it anyway so in a way we are doing them a big favour!
#77
By name and by nature
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,852
Re: Its enough to put you off!
What people could be put off by are personal experiences disguised as fact. Just as I wouldn't tell anyone to come here specifically because I think it's a great place then IMO I don't think anyone should do the opposite. Facts are indisputable. Personal experiences are not. There have been a lot of personal experiences put forward recently and that's good, so long as it's made quite clear that this is not the case for everyone - whether that be good or bad.
#78
Re: Its enough to put you off!
What people could be put off by are personal experiences disguised as fact. Just as I wouldn't tell anyone to come here specifically because I think it's a great place then IMO I don't think anyone should do the opposite. Facts are indisputable. Personal experiences are not. There have been a lot of personal experiences put forward recently and that's good, so long as it's made quite clear that this is not the case for everyone - whether that be good or bad.
#79
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,225
Re: Its enough to put you off!
I disagree, personal experiences are fact: people are posting factual accounts of their lives.
If personal experiences aren't fact then the following statement must be true
"personal experiences are fantasy"
Definition of fact?
Something that has really occurred or is actually the case; something certainly known to be of this character; hence, a particular truth known by actual observation or authentic testimony, as opposed to what is merely inferred, or to a conjecture or fiction; a datum of experience, as distinguished from the conclusions that may be based upon it.
If personal experiences aren't fact then the following statement must be true
"personal experiences are fantasy"
Definition of fact?
Something that has really occurred or is actually the case; something certainly known to be of this character; hence, a particular truth known by actual observation or authentic testimony, as opposed to what is merely inferred, or to a conjecture or fiction; a datum of experience, as distinguished from the conclusions that may be based upon it.
#80
Re: Its enough to put you off!
I disagree, personal experiences are fact: people are posting factual accounts of their lives.
If personal experiences aren't fact then the following statement must be true
"personal experiences are fantasy"
Definition of fact?
Something that has really occurred or is actually the case; something certainly known to be of this character; hence, a particular truth known by actual observation or authentic testimony, as opposed to what is merely inferred, or to a conjecture or fiction; a datum of experience, as distinguished from the conclusions that may be based upon it.
If personal experiences aren't fact then the following statement must be true
"personal experiences are fantasy"
Definition of fact?
Something that has really occurred or is actually the case; something certainly known to be of this character; hence, a particular truth known by actual observation or authentic testimony, as opposed to what is merely inferred, or to a conjecture or fiction; a datum of experience, as distinguished from the conclusions that may be based upon it.
#81
Victorian Evangelist
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Re: Its enough to put you off!
Would that be because all the people who can't get jobs leave for the North or Ozzie?
I guess I'm in a fifth category - those who have emigrated and then returned because it didn't work.
For me it didn't work because I couldn't find any work at all. You can't eat the scenery!!!
Everything I post is factual - I don't make any of it up. If it's my opinion I will put "IMO" or "IMHO".
Many many many people find they can't make NZ work for them for whatever reason. That shouldn't invalidate their experiences.
As said before, so long as posts aren't personal insults why shouldn't everyone have a say?
Buzzy
I guess I'm in a fifth category - those who have emigrated and then returned because it didn't work.
For me it didn't work because I couldn't find any work at all. You can't eat the scenery!!!
Everything I post is factual - I don't make any of it up. If it's my opinion I will put "IMO" or "IMHO".
Many many many people find they can't make NZ work for them for whatever reason. That shouldn't invalidate their experiences.
As said before, so long as posts aren't personal insults why shouldn't everyone have a say?
Buzzy
#82
Account Closed
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 527
Re: Its enough to put you off!
I come on this board to help people who might be interested, with stuff like bank accounts, living in Christchurch, mtb rides and to offer a balanced view of what it is like here, from someone who is settled and happy.
The bullshit side of the boards is just getting boring. All supermarkets are crap, the sausages are crap, the people are unfriendly and rip you off etc etc ad nauseum. As soon as I post up to say that in my experience my butcher makes excellent sausages, that I had no trouble getting temping work in ChCh, that same as anywhere some people are rude, but many are not... well lets just say that my experience is somehow invalid.
So I will continue posting where I can offer some help - and my experience on these boards will be a lot friendlier with certain people on ignore.
#83
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,225
Re: Its enough to put you off!
Personal experiences are subjective and I think it's pretty obvious that everyone's experience is going to be different.
#84
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2005
Location: Canberra, ACT
Posts: 1,222
Re: Its enough to put you off!
I often wonder when folk are planning the big move over, and it goes t*ts up for them, how many people rush to their aid?
Just deleted quite a few old PM's the other day, couldn't resist reading through some. Quite a few said that they were too afraid to post on BE anymore now they have gone back home for fear of being told they were 'losers', 'negative posters', 'wrong attitude' 'scaremongers' to name just a few.
Pity really as some advice they could have given could have been useful t others to prevent the same mistakes.
But, there you go.
BTW I was also told I was 'very brave' still posting??
I mean 'why'???? I dont think its brave. I have has much right on here as the next person, and I try not to insult anyone.
#85
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,225
Re: Its enough to put you off!
Yeah well, in some ways it helps me as I have a good list of people to put on ignore (six people so far).
I come on this board to help people who might be interested, with stuff like bank accounts, living in Christchurch, mtb rides and to offer a balanced view of what it is like here, from someone who is settled and happy.
The bullshit side of the boards is just getting boring. All supermarkets are crap, the sausages are crap, the people are unfriendly and rip you off etc etc ad nauseum. As soon as I post up to say that in my experience my butcher makes excellent sausages, that I had no trouble getting temping work in ChCh, that same as anywhere some people are rude, but many are not... well lets just say that my experience is somehow invalid.
So I will continue posting where I can offer some help - and my experience on these boards will be a lot friendlier with certain people on ignore.
I come on this board to help people who might be interested, with stuff like bank accounts, living in Christchurch, mtb rides and to offer a balanced view of what it is like here, from someone who is settled and happy.
The bullshit side of the boards is just getting boring. All supermarkets are crap, the sausages are crap, the people are unfriendly and rip you off etc etc ad nauseum. As soon as I post up to say that in my experience my butcher makes excellent sausages, that I had no trouble getting temping work in ChCh, that same as anywhere some people are rude, but many are not... well lets just say that my experience is somehow invalid.
So I will continue posting where I can offer some help - and my experience on these boards will be a lot friendlier with certain people on ignore.
#86
Re: Its enough to put you off!
Had too much coffee today?