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Just Starting Out, Beginners Questions

Just Starting Out, Beginners Questions

Old Jul 13th 2006, 8:53 pm
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Default Just Starting Out, Beginners Questions

Myself and she who must be obeyed are just starting the process, not sure if it's NZ or Cornwall for us (after a previous 20 yrs in Cornwall I prefer our chances in NZ) Reading stuff in forums it seems that the cost of living is broadly the same in NZ as here in the UK but wages are about half, so how do you afford food and stuff ?
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Old Jul 13th 2006, 9:55 pm
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Default Re: Just Starting Out, Beginners Questions

Originally Posted by skeeter
... so how do you afford food and stuff ?
I hope you like lamb stew and woolly jumpers!
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Old Jul 14th 2006, 3:48 am
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Default Re: Just Starting Out, Beginners Questions

Originally Posted by skeeter
Myself and she who must be obeyed are just starting the process, not sure if it's NZ or Cornwall for us (after a previous 20 yrs in Cornwall I prefer our chances in NZ) Reading stuff in forums it seems that the cost of living is broadly the same in NZ as here in the UK but wages are about half, so how do you afford food and stuff ?
Me and my cornish other half have made the jump and started our auckland adventure only 6 days ago. it is great so far and not as pricey as we expected, house prices are also not bad at all and as far as food and stuff goes, we are far from starving. I guess it must depend on your job but everyone here seems to be 'surviving' fine. it looks alot like cornwall here...
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Old Jul 14th 2006, 4:30 am
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Default Re: Just Starting Out, Beginners Questions

Originally Posted by asiatic
I hope you like lamb stew and woolly jumpers!

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Old Jul 14th 2006, 9:52 am
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Default Re: Just Starting Out, Beginners Questions

Originally Posted by asiatic
I hope you like lamb stew and woolly jumpers!
Been here 9 months this time around and experienced neither of those so far.
Not sure if I'd take the advice of a man who can't change an electrical plug anyway.
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Old Jul 14th 2006, 10:43 am
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Default Re: Just Starting Out, Beginners Questions

We're all freezing, and starving and nervous wrecks from the mad drivers

Anything better than that and you'll be sorted



Seriously, it's like anywhere. If you're paid enough to support your family, in whatever way you want to live, then you're going to be fine. If your mortgage is too big, your wages too low, ankle biters that need childcare etc.etc. you're going to struggle the same as you would in the same circumstances anywhere in the world. Have a look at www.foodtown.co.nz for a trial shop. It's not the most expensive supermarket but Countdown and Pak n Save are cheaper. And when it comes to totting up take that figure out of what you think you will be earning in dollars here each week. Good luck.
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Old Jul 14th 2006, 2:00 pm
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Default Re: Just Starting Out, Beginners Questions

Originally Posted by sal h
Me and my cornish other half have made the jump and started our auckland adventure only 6 days ago. it is great so far and not as pricey as we expected, house prices are also not bad at all and as far as food and stuff goes, we are far from starving. I guess it must depend on your job but everyone here seems to be 'surviving' fine. it looks alot like cornwall here...
Glad to hear your adventure is going well, if there is one thing I have learnt in life it's ' You can take the girl out of Cornwall............. It's a shame that we left Cornwall for better job prospects and are now just about priced out of the housing market there. Housing on North Island looks good value, are you planning to buy soon or rent for a while ?
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Old Jul 14th 2006, 2:02 pm
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Default Re: Just Starting Out, Beginners Questions

Are there any teachers out there who have crossed over, if so what is the job market like and how does the teaching and education system shape up against the UK ?
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Old Jul 15th 2006, 1:09 am
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Default Re: Just Starting Out, Beginners Questions

Originally Posted by lapsed kiwi
Been here 9 months this time around and experienced neither of those so far.
Not sure if I'd take the advice of a man who can't change an electrical plug anyway.
he he he
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Old Jul 15th 2006, 2:06 am
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Default Re: Just Starting Out, Beginners Questions

Originally Posted by lapsed kiwi
Not sure if I'd take the advice of a man who can't change an electrical plug anyway.
ha ha ha
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Old Jul 15th 2006, 8:16 am
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Default Re: Just Starting Out, Beginners Questions

Originally Posted by skeeter
Are there any teachers out there who have crossed over, if so what is the job market like and how does the teaching and education system shape up against the UK ?
I was a primary teacher when I first moved over. The jobmarket is similar to the UK - plenty of jobs in Auckland, less elsewhere. The education system is similar enough to make the transition straightforward. They are slightly less stressed out here, but generally doing all the same planning & assessment.

Dunno about secondary - again I think it's similar to the UK. Easy to get jobs if you're a maths teacher, less easy for artsy stuff.

Pay wise, top of scale primary is around $60k with 12 weeks holiday. So not too shoddy. 2 lots of that coming in and you can live very nicely anywhere in NZ.

The Auckland agencies should be able to hook you up with a job PDQ, but you'll need provisional Teacher's Council registration first. Once here, you need to serve a probationary period (shortened to 1 year if you have plenty of UK experience) to get full TC registration, but that doesn't affect your pay in any way.
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Old Jul 16th 2006, 5:09 am
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Default Re: Just Starting Out, Beginners Questions

Originally Posted by skeeter
Glad to hear your adventure is going well, if there is one thing I have learnt in life it's ' You can take the girl out of Cornwall............. It's a shame that we left Cornwall for better job prospects and are now just about priced out of the housing market there. Housing on North Island looks good value, are you planning to buy soon or rent for a while ?

Like you say the housing market looks ok here in the north but until we can make sure our income is stable we wont be buying here. the oldest houses (which they are very proud of) were mostly built in the 1890's out of wood and have corrogated iron roofs but it doesnt seem to bother anyone. we are trying to rent an 'old villa' as the grey concrete boxes called 'units' dont appeal to my arty sentimentality.... however like everyone says, it all works out in the end.

ps we found guiness on tap today. very nice.
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