JoanMC

Hi, I am new on this forum. A UK Nurse living on the Isle of Wight with Hubby & 2 Boys of School Age;I am torn between either accepting offers of work in Australia or New Zealand, area? or of course staying put and just going for holidays. I think it would be an easier decision to make if the Isle of Wight was a dump, but it is quite the opposite. Any thoughts/input would be appreciated - Thanks.

thebears

Horsham, West Sussex was also far from a dump but Melbourne Australia has been a "better" lifestyle work balance move for us.

Kiwi

Amanda

Have you been to either Australia or New Zealand? I know it's really expensive to fly here for a holiday, but it would probably be a good idea to visit first. We came here in 2002, without having been here first. We are now looking to go back to England. Is it a lifestyle change you are after?
The isle of Wight is lovely (I went on my first school trip there at the age of 11). New Zealand is a lovely place but does have its problems just like the UK. If you could just merge the good points of both the countries then that would be Utopia.

JoanMC

Hi, thanks for the input. I have not been to either country and we would not consider the big family move without seeing first hand and checking things out by way of a holiday. My husband has spent time in New Zealand and Australia and was really taken with Perth, (he complained about plagues of flies in Melbourne). We get many Kiwis and Aussie's visitors on the IoW (mainly due to the big yacht racing calender here) and of the two nationalities, in general the Kiwis come across with far better manners and attitude, so different. Funny thing we noticed was how much Kiwi's dislike being mistaken for Aussies, almost to the point of being insulted. One of my concerns amongst others, is how my Brit nursing skills would adapt. The Isle of Wight is lovely and with the big supermarket chains now having a presence here there are great food bargains, I wonder if it is cheaper where you live, we do like wine and won't pay more than £3.00 or £4.00 for a decent bottle of Merlot or Cabernet - but I guess the grass always looks greener etc. Lifestyle change could be what we are after,,still confused..

Apple12

No different than a Glaswegian disliking being called English, or a Canadian being called American... just one of those foibles of living with a bigger, louder (?) neighbour.

P18PPS

I think the dislike for each other is greater still, more like the english and "frenchies" - they hate each other, I was quite surprised when hearing the story of the rugby world cup final england v oz, and all the kiwis were routing (?!?) for the english rather than their neighbours across the ditch. I think the aussies are all just jelous of our beautiful landscape, more pleasent climate, lack of flies, lack of snakes, lack of spiders (white tail excl), lack of crocks, lack of shark attacks (lower no's), better at rugby, and of course we were'nt all spawned from convicts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ONLY JOKING AUSTRALIA.

JAJ

A few points:

1. You need some positive reasons to move to either Australia or NZ. If you are really comfortable where you are, then you need to do some serious thinking.

2. Lots of people emigrate to NZ, then take a holiday in Australia and want to move to Australia instead. Australia offers a better climate and better opportunities than NZ, citizenship is also quicker to get.

3. If you do want to migrate, make sure you get a permanent visa rather than a temporary one.

newkiwi

There seems to be quite a need for nurses in both countries, and a couple of ex-uk nurses post on both forums. So maybe they can help you with some specific questions about the work systems and registrations and all that.

If you do accept the offers, it pays to keep your options open in the uk to return. It you keep your options open and things dont work out, worst case scenario is you return to the uk after two or three years with a life experience you would not have gotten otherwise.

As for the choice between NZ and Aus, it is difficult and depends on the details of the offers, where you will be working, what you personally value etc.

To generalise, imo, aus is more commercial and money orientated, people are probably more career orientated and therefore come across as louder and more arrogant. NZ is more laid back and "lifestyle" orientated, no issues with trying to keep up with the Joneses, nobody cares what car you drive or what you do for a living etc. People are probably more laid back and relaxed in general. Maybe Aus is more americanised and NZ is more UK-like (albeit people on here feel this is UK several years ago)

Aus do have more work opportunities, larger economiy and warmer weather.

Guess it comes down to what you are risking losing against what you may be gaining....

have fun deciding....

westies

Hi there.
Huge decision to make, either way!
We have been in NZ since March so are still very new and going through the settling in period!
I work as a nurse in NZ and surprisingly enough did my training through St Mary's/Portsmouth Uni, (I lived in Wootton) finished back in 1997. I love the nursing so far over here, the model is pretty much the same as uk, I find it to be very much team orientated and the nurses over here seem to be trained to a very high level, I would definately choose NZ over Isle of Wight, although beautiful it is there! Scenery here can be compared to that over on IOW, just much more of it here and better, weather here also better. The cross on the ferries to the mainland is something I don't miss!! We came here a few years back for a holiday, definately wouldn't have made the move without coming here first, but lots of people do!!
Good luck in making the decision, would love to know where you are working, I am bound to know someone!!! Maybe even you!!

Pompey_Paul

Dont forget to check out the financial implications / Family implications ......you cant eat a view

shaozzy

hi i am from the isle of wight well freshwater and used to work at the prison camphill and moved to new zealand in jan of this year with my wife,i think new zealand is much like the island as in the laid back way of going about life and i don't miss the island only my family and friends,you do need to visit and do your home work as it is not all that cheap in places and certain products are more than the uk but a good standard of life is possible as the wages are not that good either but look who came for the money

banjo

hi there, I grew up maily on the Island (godshill primary, ventnor middle and then Sandown High). We're living in Swindon now after a 2.5yr sojourn in Australia. I have spent a month travelling the north island of NZ and can only say it is icredibly beautiful - but I have no experience of living there and having to make ends meet.

Australia is very different in every way. The countryside, the people everything.

I would echo what JAJ is saying....ask yourself why you want to move. You should have a good reason otherwise homesickness could be a very real problem for you. The age of your boys will alter some of the questions in relation to them, but what about their relationship with grandparents, cousins etc. How much do you like driving - with the Island everything is very close together in comparison to such a sprawling landmass like Australia.

I'm not meaning to sound patronising here by the way - just think it's sometimes helpful if people raise things you may not have considered. We moved there and moved back and now want to go back again and it all gets rather expensive.

The IOW is a GREAT place and if you are happy and content there then why spoil it? On the other hand if you feel like you are missing something then I think either country would offer you a wonderful life experience even if you did end up returning in the future.

How old are you by the way?

JoanMC

Many thanks to all of you who took time out to provide input for my posting..Very informative and certainly a lot of food for thought from different perspectives. I love reading the postings relating to life in Australia & New
Zealand. We do have a great deal of thinking to do and certainly a visit to get a hands-on feel for what the advantages if any would be in the move is on the cards...Incidentally, for those not acquainted with the IOW, this is the original home of the America's Cup. This time of the year the Island bursts into life, we are also having a heatwave and it is Cowes Week in the sailing season, this attracts a large number of many different nationalities, a number of whom we have met before-"You don't know how lucky you are to be living here etc,etc," I guess this is because we are also not up to the speed of the mainland which is a 15-20 minute Hi-speed ferry trip away..Anyway, we are spoiled for choice and currently scouring the net for the hundreds of long haul travel offers & discounted flights etc from London, currently we can fly to Spain's Costa Blanca R/T for under £80.00,pp but it's the wrong direction!
Banjo - Mid-30's

Jude J

Oh I loved the IoW. Used to live in Portsmouth and had many trips there. You are lucky to live there, I always felt lucky to live in Portsmouth but for me there is no contest now I have been living in NZ 4 years.

I was on google earth the other night looking at our house here then looked at the various places I lived in back in UK. It's funny how quickly I have forgotten how crowded pompy was!