tonyo262

Hi,
I thought it might be a good time to join the forum and see what other folks are doing.
Maybe its just us but after 3 years, an age of form filling, waiting, providing answers to questions and then a final and incredibly laid back interview with Simon from NZIS we have a residency visa. Shock!
So now its deciding a date buying plane tickets and prizing our eldest daughter away from her boyfriend...anyone been there?
Jobs...advice please, is it easier to get work once you are on the ground, both myself and my wife are well qualified, but after lots of applications from the UK, we think that Kiwi employers prefer to see you in the flesh, again does anyone find that this is the case?
cheers TnM

Kimi-Deacon

Congratulations on the Visa and welcome to B Expats.

tonyo262

Hi Kimi, thanks for the warm welcome!
Iv'e just applied for a job with Wellington Museums Trust, thinking that we'd like to live around the wellington area, any info on good spots and bad spots is most welcome...cheers

Kimi-Deacon

Youre probably asking the wrong person about areas, when we first arrived in Wellington we lived in Newlands, everyone told us we would hate it but we loved it, 10 minute commute by car in to Welly, 20 mins on the bus. It was a predominantly Asian community but they are no trouble to live amongst and there were no loud cars, we were in the Bellevue area at the top of Newlands, the only downside was it was windy but the views of the Harbour and Welly city were amazing,well worth it.

For family reasons we are now living in Whitby, it is a nice enough community but OMG the commute is bloody awful, OH has 20 min bus journey to train, then 20 mins on the train then 20 min walk once he gets off the train.

The other morning i took him in to work by car, we left at 7.45 and arrived in Welly 55 mins later. A lot will depend on your income and if you have family and if you like to socialise in the city.

Whitby has one pub and a small shopping centre, the other problem here is the high schools are not so good, if you want a high standard of education then your children would need to commute to Welly from here.

Personally i would choose to live back in Newlands, Karori, Ngaio, Kandallah area.

tonyo262

Hi, thanks for the info, good bad or indifferent doesn't matter it all adds up.
Deciding where to end up is a bit of a lottery, Auckland is probably very last on a list of places, we are not 'city trained' and are already accustomed to a slower/boring lifestyle that comes from living in Carlisle (something that a lot on here seem to struggle with).
Napier/Marlborough is my choice but the boss liked wellington so maybe a camper trip for a couple of weeks when we get there just to re-acquaint us with the lie of the land might be a good idea.
Plus it would be a holiday before the nitty gritty of a new life.
We are of the opinion that there is no such thing as a bad decision, just a decision, and thats what you have to live with...until you can change. Hindsight is wonderful, but useless.

Life in the NZ cannot really be any worse than the UK and to be honest we did take some wrong turns in our camper when we visited, so we do know that there is a darker side to the place. But isn't everywhere like this? Graffiti in Raglan, what a shock to being told that the place is pristine surfer paradise! I'd still live there though, being an artist and the whole place felt nice, Im sure you know what I mean by this, gut instinct is a good way to go when faced with little info, we think.
My friend moved to Portugal, has no mains gas, the electric goes on and off and there is no mains sewerage, but he's as happy as a pig in the proverbial...he says its the people, their disposition and how he is judged and treated without the need for appearances...nice.

Commuting isn't something we do now and we live about 15 mins from work so this might be a culture shock to us! or a nice change and a chance to sit in a car and have some thinking time...depends how you look at it doesn't it.
And where else am I going to get to listen to my music! On the other hand, I dont use my car now and the increase in fuel bills might be a shock.

Anyway despite some of the very negative posts on this forum, especially from a welsh guy who seems so depressed and unhappy, we still think that the relative unknown is a fair swap for our home city that has more than its fair share of societal ills and dog toilet mentality of its canine loving citizens.
Thanks again for the heads up on Wellingto suburbs, take care...
oh did I say we are mad keen to live with Kiwis, warts and all and not be ex-pats?
Tony and Marie.

Kimi-Deacon

Compared to Cities in the UK Welly really isnt a big City, thats what i like about it. The Ex Pat community here is good and the Kiwis are really friendly so i think you will fit in fine.

If you dont mind the commute then Whitby would be worth looking at. You will get lots of different opinions on here about suburbs around Welly but its horses for courses at the end of the day.

Marlborough region is stunning but for us the work wasnt there, Auckland was a no go as it was just too much sprawl and there was no real City Centre, too many houses just crammed in and for me had no soul.

We have been here 18 months and really love it cant see us going back to the UK, wherever you decide Good Luck and look forward to hearing how your forthcoming adventure progresses.
Steph.

Dewb09

Hi & welcome to BE still in the UK at the moment so not able to help.
Sounds like you have a really good attitude to making the move so am sure you will settle in very well wherever you end up.

Good luck with all your plans & congrats on the visa

Dewb

tonyo262

Hi, thanks for the kind words and to Steph for the advice,
We reckon that if you give it a 'good go' what more can you do. My kids are up for it (even the teenager who's love life will come to a crashing end, has accepted its an option with more than she has now) and apart from my wifes sister, everyone else cant wait to get rid of us...

Good luck with your plans and your eventual move.
Tony