manda69

Hi

My husband, two kids and I have just moved to NZ, to Mount Maunganui. I was searching the web looking for UK expats sites and came across this one. Not sure I know how to use these forums but I have given it a go. I am interested in chatting with expats who are living in the Mount or Tauranga. It's not easy meeting new people in a strange country when you don't have a social life (kids are still young and we both work full-time). The only people we know so far are our neighbours, who are cool

AMBER

Hi,
We are still in the UK, so you are a few months ahead of us, but we plan to move to Welly when our visas come through, hopefully this year. We are a married couple also with 2 young children, one 6 months Katrina and one Joshua 4 in June. What ages are your children, names etc. We will also both be working full time (when we have found childcare). I am a nurse and Paul is a plasterer. How are you settling in? Are you renting, have you bought?
if you want to keep in contact send me a PM.
Take care
Amber

manda69

Hi nice to meet you.
My children are Alfie who is three and Maddie who is 20 months. I am also a nurse, an adult nurse and I work in orthopaedics here in NZ. I worked in Trauma in the UK. My husband is a carpenter. We are settling in, slowly. We think it is expensive here in Mount Maunganui. It is quite a touristy (if that's a word!) area and being by the beach it has a large population of retired people with money. We are renting at the mo, a little three bedroomed box!! Don't think we can afford a house around here but it will do for the moment. Would like to keep in contact....errrrr..what's a PM?

AMBER

Hi,
I am also new to these forums and am learning slowly, PM is personal message. If you click on my icon you can send me a private email.
How expensive is childcare? As Paul will be looking after the children until we have a place in a kindy etc. That is of course that we can afford Kindy!
Have you found it more expensive than you expected?
Amber

poppets

depending what kindy care you need, i think one of the local privayte kindys in our town charges around $4.50 an hr, the one my daughter goes to (3 afternoons a week) is $1.50 a session ($45 term) its one of the wellington free kindergartens. http://www.wn-kindergarten.org.nz/


the goverment is introducing '20 hours free' for kindy kids
http://www.minedu.govt.nz/index.cfm?...parentid=10946

i'm sure you may know this ... for the 'free' kindy they start at age 3 , & schools are started at age 5

rawdon

Hi all..Steve here in Upper Hutt, just north of Wellington..If I can be of any help with info of any kind I will do my best to provide it. I have lived here since I was 10 years old (1961) I am married with a 17 year old daughter and have only been back to the UK for holidays and family reasons. The last trip was last uk spring. (such as it was!!) My wife and I are considering the opposite...that is returning to the UK for good once our daughter has left high school. My heart is still there I must admit. My wife is a kiwi and we find the uk has a big attraction to us both..Each to his/her own I guess..
best wishes
Steve in windy Wellington..

Boopy

Hi Amber & Manda,

I am also a nurse and live in the Wellington area, we love living here. Amber do you have a job to start when you come over.

Boopy

Hi Steve,

"Cherry" lives in Upper Hutt. He's very partial to supping red wine and will be up for a get together.

poppets

hello to you, best wishes with all your plans

Jack The Lad

Welcome to the site and please feel free (only if your female that is ) to join in

Anything we can help you with just ask

AMBER

Not yet, but I'm working on it, apparently interest has been shown in me!?

rawdon

well its going to get pretty cold in Wellington tonight...after today's southerly temps will be the coldest this Autumn....hi to all...from Upper Hutt...
BEST WISHES STEVE...

The Thompsons

Hi There

We have been in Auckland since Jan 06 and arrived without jobs or anywhere to live.

It was extremely daunting knowing you had sold your home and took the plunge but if it's meant to work out it will.

We sayed in Auckland cos our cats arrived 4 days after we did and I was lucky enough to find and start work withn 6 weeks of steping of the plane.

rawdon

I can only imagine how you must have all felt...I have lived in the Wellington most of my life..originally from County Durham many years ago. Its a big step to make but I think worth it in the end..

best Wishes
Steve
Upper Hutt

Geelong Gent

You living in my old town used to live on Ocean View with views of the Ocean and the Bay. The place has completely changed in the past 10 years. What used to be farmland is now full of housing estates.