Genesis

Its almost 4 years now we have been here and some comments on the radio today made me think how lucky we are to be here. I still find NZ exciting. I still love life here inspite of NZ's many many problems. Fortunately the latter rarely if ever impinge on our lives. We live allegedly in one of the dullest parts of this country YET we are 35 mins to the beach, 2.5 hours to superb skiing, ditto Lake Taupo and we have white water rafting 10 ks away, tramping (for hours!!) 10 mins away and endless attractions that vist the Manawatu.

My children have so much to do here you can't shake a stick at it. There is always something to do here in Palmerston North. None of us are into sport in any way whatsoever..kids or adults yet we have a happy healthy social life. I mention this as sport is pretty full on here and some maybe concerned if sport is not their thing they may find it hard here. Not every one loves the place and that's fine aye? NZ is not for everyone. But NZ does have seemingly endless space and the feeling that its a bit of a pioneer country..I guess in some ways it is.

Its still very young and there is little tangible evidence of the past. Whilst its steeped in history there's not much to actually touch unlike europe with buildings many, many centuries old. Some miss the latter, I certainly do but its a small price to pay for living in such a wonderful place. I am very excited for my kids to have the opportunity to grow up here. I am far happier they evolve here rather than in Northampton. For those on the way or those thinking of coming you hopefully have much to look forward to.

I have been a 'kitchen bitch' pretty much since our arrival whilst Kate nurtured her career in Palliative Care The plain of domesticity has some times been a tad flat but even on my hampster wheel of child rearing X 3 I can honestly say I have never ever been bored here once in NZ. Its way too wonderful to ever get boring IMO. Good fortune to you all.

kiwinow

Good for you Genesis.
And what's more you're unlikely to have many visitors from Wainuiomata to contend with.

Genesis

What a strange state of affairs that was. He'll give Palmy an even WORSE reputation than it already has that Oz Hotel landlord!!!!!

luvwelly

Genesis
This is getting a bit predictable..this constant starting of isn't NZ wonderful threads - couldn't you just revive an old one?
People are being laid off on other threads..it's almost a bit insensitive..like maybe I'm being to you now.

Genesis

Err, you're having a laugh aren't you??? I lost $140k last year there was no mourning for that..off with you you rascal.

There's always the ignore button or just don't open the thread....you are not obliged to read ought you know. Maybe I should add a warning to all my missives?? How would you like it to go??? And use of the word constant is a bit strong..when was the last one that was JUST about how much I like it here. The 3 crap 3 good was for contrast. This is a 'feel good' one. We await and see how many others complain aye??

here to stay

Just like to say i too have been here just over 4 years and what you have said is exactly how i feel about NZ.
I just couldn't imagine living any where else now
Good on you for posting such a positive thread,i am sick to death of a lot of kiwi's i know moaning about just about every thing, the weather being one of them !!!! i wouldn't mind,but half of them have never even been out of the North Island.

Genesis

AND if you want to have a go at anyone aim it at 'This Charming Man' who made a really crap, unsophisticated joke about Rob's layoff. However poor taste it was Rob came back with a smiley face..so my thread is hardly going to offend him aye??

Batty

A big from me too Genesis I could feel what you meant as I was reading.

75% of Americans have either been directly affected or have had a friend/family member affected by redundancy. My own son had to reapply for his job and I still don't know the outcome of that. There's nobody who's unaffected but that doesn't mean we have to lie down and die. Or act as if someone has when the dreaded R word is mentioned.

Anyway, when did everyone get so boring that 'young people' are looking for job security?

Pinkkat75

Thank you, Genesis . We have just sold our house, so things are starting to move a bit faster for us in the direction of NZ, and I am having the occasional panic wobble about it all.

It was lovely to read your post today

xx

pixi-dust

We're at the almost 4 year mark too, got our citizenship ceremony on Friday with all our lovely friends ( I can't believe I didn't even know these people 4 years ago !) DH and I got married when we were 'not young' and each had our own friends, here we're got 'our' friends and I just really like that for some reason.
Due to a change of job and cr@ppy employers we are now facing 6 weeks of no money coming in - but I know we're lucky as after this period of time we'll be ok. So I really feel for anyone that has uncertainty on the job front. ( even though I'm a bit worried! DH's idea was let's go to Melbourne for a holiday since I've got all this time off )
I'm sitting listening to the rain hammer the roof as I type this~ it would be nice if Northland has slightly less wet winters ~ but I wouldn't change living here for anything! I've just has possibly the best summer of my life
The new stuff we've done since arriving is huge, we've just taken up surfing!

this was only a couple of weeks ago - how gorgeous is that!
I've become a rather fanatical gardener and with the exception of chocolate which I don't like anyway, could be pretty much self sufficient, but it's still lovely to have an excellent supermarket near by!
We've got bags more time together as a couple


I've said this before, but when we moved here we changed our lives radically, inner city living to very rural living and it's totally worked for us.
I heard someone on the radio yesterday who when asked if he loved where he was he said yes, and if you do go anywhere else you take your head with you, it's up to you what your head does!
Good luck everyone

Perry Groves

Everyone I know, in UK, in other parts of Europe, has been or is close to someone affected.

Batty

We've been living on one income for months now - a self-employed decision that went badly wrong and OH is out in the 'market' again. There have been times when it's been horrendous but I always made myself think "this too will pass" and it did!

I'm like Genesis in that 's h i t happens' and getting all down in the dumps about it doesn't actually do anything to help get out of it again. And I'd much rather be here than anywhere in Europe now. I had an hour long conversation last week with a friend who never talked about anything other than how the country (Ireland) is going bankrupt and how bad it all is and how depressed everyone is and, and - you get the drift. And the weather should be getting better but it had been raining for a week and a half I hung up and wished she'd gone to bed instead of picking up the phone

MrCFD

I was in Palmerston North this week. Met some very nice people, although I must say that the recession has hit Palmy very badly - young people cannot even afford to fix their exhausts anymore! My ears are still ringing. And all their cars are dragging on the ground because they cannot afford proper suspension

Genesis

I saw/heard one poor lad who had a broken volume control on his stereo..you are right the recession has even hit the boy racers..shocking!!

Persephone

I [just about] saw one who couldn't even afford to turn his car headlights on when it got dark, poor lad, must be really hard up

Apart from the driving I am extremely happy living here in NZ. My life has changed but for the better