donutt

Also it will be 9 months ish when we go back sometimes things are right and it takes moving re-evaluateing to make you realise that life is what you make it where ever you are 😊

Lisa Maree

I'm a kiwi and still expect the first year or so back in NZ after 14 yrs in the UK to be bloody hard... we fly out in a few weeks and I've been a mess this week... hard knowing the next year or two will be more of the same... it was when we came over here all those years ago, but it gets better and easier and then you really make a proper life rather than always looking backwards, but in saying that it would have been emotionally easier if we had stayed 3/5yrs had a great time and came back home before getting married / having kids / really becoming part of the community, now the children are 5 and 8yrs they miss their grandparents so much we are giving up a great life here for hopefully a great life there but thankfully we can come back here if we need to.

Moses2013

Depending where you are in the UK it's hardly ever winter if we're honest and by February it's nearly spring again for the OP. It's more like constant spring and autumn. I'm sure it will all be grand for the OP and good luck.

Woodlea

Yeah, cos up in Scotland it was hardly ever summer, we could get snow in Sept and right through to May. Mind you, I just saw a FB post from a friend in Cambridge - they had just had their first snow of the year and it's not even winter!! Constant spring and autumn - LOL!

Lisa Maree

Are you serious? We are in Reading so pretty south of the country all in all and Nov thru past March are varying degrees of miserable, Feb the worst month of all because you just want the cold and grey to END, don't get me wrong I'm fully aware NZ has its miserable months as well but you cannot seriously believe the UK winter is milder / shorter / more pleasant than the NZ winter???

Lisa Maree

... and then she remembers the glory that is central heating and takes some of that rant back

simonsi

There is no single "NZ winter" as there is no single UK winter. Both countries span similar latitude change North-to-South with a consequent variation of temps and weather...

spideyo

I completely agree New Zealand is quite boring and I have been here a number of years, New Zealand is nice enough if your into the outdoor stuff and your not bothered much about choice. We found it pretty good for the first few years until we found there isn't that much to do compared to the UK, plus to top it off the cost of living here is crazy now. We can't wait to get back to the UK were people are more friendly and not superficial as we have found kiwis are socialable on a superficial level however it is difficult to get more than a superficial friendship with a lot of kiwis, we are under no illusions that the UK has issues however New Zealand has a lot of issues but the difference is its so boring and expensive with just better weather. I wish you the best of luck and yes giving it 6 months is a short time but tbh if your finding it like that now its not gonna get much better really.

Munchkjn

The UK is about to get a whole lot more expensive. You can't devalue your currency by 20-25% and not expect the cost of living not to go up substantially.
Housing in the South of England and nice bits of the North is still very expensive. The quality of housing is much better though in the UK.
Undecided on the boring thing. I didn't much enjoy the "exciting" culture of the UK, it's gotten quite fake, celebrity obsessed and simply too much information/overstimulation. Sometimes boring is good, the simple life. Fishing, reading, cycling, talking. Cleaner air, less people more pragmatism. Everyone's got an opinion I guess.

donutt

well my family are happy about going back and we are under no illusion that the uk has problems but doesnt every where ? and it will be 9 months when we go home .we know its not right for us for others it is maybe ill be back who knows everyone is entitled to an opinion. and the uks money matters will get better . its been an awfully big adventure enjoyed by all an experience most dont have

Moses2013

Didn't mean the UK winter is shorter than NZ. Just saying that many parts of the UK don't really get proper winters at all if you compare to rest of Northern Europe (similar latitude). December is actually worse than February regarding grey to END, even in Reading:-)

maquis

We've been back less than a fortnight now and the weather's been pretty good! 23C in Welly last week, not bad I thought for a Spring day.

Pulaski

NC "doesn't get proper winters", because there are days, even in January and February, when I can go outside in shorts and a T-shirt. The UK might not get 3ft of snow, nor freezing temperatures sufficient to put 6" of ice on a lake so you can skate on it, but I don't think it is correct to say that the UK "doesn't get proper winters", because between October and March it is too cold, at least cold enough to need a jacket or heavy sweater, and/or windy and/or raining pretty much every day.

I lived in Gloucester for more than a decade, which is one of the mildest parts of the UK, I don't feel the cold, and rarely wear a coat, but I certainly would not agree that the UK doesn't get proper winters.

Moses2013

You can also wear t-shirts and shorts in the UK all year if you are tough enough and people actually swim all year round too. Let's say for a Northern European it's not a proper winter and even Charlotte gets lower temps than many parts of Britain in winter.

Pulaski

I know, I did myself until I was nine years old because that was what small boys did back then. I lived in Sheffield until I was eight years old, and trust me, whether or not I was wearing long pants had no bearing on whether Britain had "proper winters".