IainW

No one makes you buy a cold house or live in a crime stricken area.

The job you do is down to the time, research and effort you put in to gaining the necessary qualifications/ experience.

There are plenty of opportunities here in NZ (as there are in the UK). It is up to you to make the most of them. It's up to you to deal with the enevitable difficulties that will emerge if you emigrate.

That's not to say you won't get unlucky or have a someone mess with your karma but, ultimately, it's what you make it. Take on board the negatives which people have expressed and avoid their mistakes, take responsibilty for your own success or failure and don't blame other people - do those things and you'll be fine.

I know that sounds patronising and smug, but it isn't meant to. I guess I subscribe to the 'NZ is what you make it' camp. If it doesn't work out for you, fine, but that isn't NZ's fault!

Winnie

Wow, am I in the wrong country? Yes, some of the houses are cold and damp, but don't buy/rent them ones! I'm having a time of my life here and after just 6 months it feels like home. I wouldn't consider going back to the UK now. My daughter has just visited and commented on how stress free and happy I look, she wasn't able to call me stress head any more! Like someone mentioned, do your research and make it what you want it to be.

SarahB

I wonder where they live then? We are in Auckland and its mid winter now and its been 17 degrees. We have spent a lovely morning at the zoo and on friday my 2 year old son was playing on our local beach in the sand. The seasons arnt defined here like in the UK but I kinda like that.... I hardly ever need a coat and its just much milder than UK. We dont get the extremes of UK weather here in Auckland.... obviously I cant speak for the rest of NZ.

skeeter

Thank you for all your comments, we are starting to see both sides of the coin, some of you are having a whale of a time and some of you aren't. That would be the same if we went back to Cornwall or to NZ, you get out what you put in, we wouldn't have a mortgage in NZ though, which is nice. I guess we are getting to the nub of it, if we can get a teaching post for Michelle before we set out, have we got the bottle to follow through ???????????

skeeter

It's not that I think that NZ is like that, these are opinions picked up on this and other forums. Hoons aren't everywhere, if you build your own, put in central heating and insulation.
As for OZ, it would have been my first choice but OH thinks everyone is going to die from shark/spider/scorpion/snake bites and now she is over the 45 barrier !!!!!!!!!!

kwprwn

I came out at the end of march and so far am enjoying life here in NZ, we have moved to Auckland, and am finding things on the whole generally cheaper than living in the UK, things do work differently to the UK, but it is what you make of it like others say

I struggled getting a job here becaue of problems with references, just crappy UK companies not giving anything other than a general reference confirming dates I worked for a company rather than a personal reference which is what they wanted out here,I guess I was partly at fault for not arranging this before I left but had lots of other stuff to think about so forgot

Husband got a job on the 3rd day we were here and we managed on one salary for at least 8 weeks with the money he was earning and he isnt earning mega bucks and we certainly didnt come out with large amounts of cash.

June was cold here but unusually so, but the weekend just gone was lovely 18 degrees...were in the uk would you get a winters day of 18 degrees

Overall lifestyle is eAsier here and far better than the UK

Pompey_Paul

Rolling Stones