sr71

You have no idea how much that winds me up, it just smacks of that very modern British trait of 'there must be someone to blame' and that nobody is personally responsible for any of their actions anymore.

If NZ said the streets were paved with gold and that it never rains and is 30 degrees in winter - so what? Everyone taking on the massive life changing move to NZ should research it themselves thoroughly and they are an idiot if they don't, and quite frankly I'm sick of people making excuses for idiots.

At the very least they should know the following :

-It's isolated and travel costs more
-Their expected wage and expected outgoings - it's really not that hard to work out.
-The weather and general climate
-Living costs - Foodtown have had an online site for years
etc etc

Additionally, the whole landscape has changed immensely over the last decade IMO. When I went to the UK from Australia in 2001 the UK was far more expensive - 8 years later that has changed completely and Australia and NZ are more expensive.

luvwelly

No need, I've just been to look and it is on the website as well although on the first set of website pages it is all about the positive spin being put on the same items e.g. on the front page on housing it suggests you'll find it much cheaper in NZ than your home country but in the 'warning paragraph' it mentions the light construction and lack of double glazing and central heating......... and it has to be said this paragraph is relatively short but it does highlight the major downsides, no one can deny it...did they read it though? The booklet I got it in, is sent out once your EOI has been accepted.

QUOTE NZIS WEBSITE :'First, a few considerations
New Zealand is a small and distant country. For those accustomed to larger, more metropolitan societies this can come as a shock. Of all New Zealand’s cities only Auckland with a population of over a million, about 25% of the national total, would qualify as a major city. For many migrants, our other centres have more the feel of a country town and provincial towns often seem more like villages. If you love big city life, these features will not appeal. Our smallness is also reflected in other ways. The range of consumer goods is more limited and prices are sometimes higher. When compared with larger developed economies, New Zealand wage scales are also lower. This has to be kept in mind when comparing living costs which must be measured in terms of your New Zealand not your current salary. The opportunity to develop highly specialised skills is more limited. Standards tend to be more uniform, with few schools and no universities comprising an elite.

Although new technologies are constantly making it easier for us to keep in touch, quick overseas trips are not an option. Our closest neighbour, Australia, is still three hours flying-time away and overseas travel remains costly and time consuming. Divorce rates amongst migrants are high and distance from family and friends is often a contributing factor. If family and friends are important to you, this is something you’ll need to weigh carefully before choosing to settle here.

New Zealand is a new society. Although Maori settlement of Aotearoa goes back almost a thousand years, the cultural roots of other New Zealanders go back little more than 150. A rich sense of history and tradition is something you will not find here. Freedom from the past can liberate but for some, this lack of history can engender feelings of isolation and loss. As a new country we also have our own way of doing things. Our housing is lightly constructed and employs different materials and styles. Two-storey houses, double glazing and central heating are uncommon and construction is generally of wood or manufactured materials. Our roads are usually limited to two lanes and in the country often have a gravel or metalled surface. We are also a do- it-yourself culture. If you want things done about the house, you must generally do them yourself. Home decorating and renovation is a national obsession and you’ll need to take a hands-on approach to most things. Domestic servants are not available and status counts for little. As a New Zealander you will be expected not to stand on your dignity and ‘muck in’ like a good Kiwi, whatever the occasion.END OF QUOTE

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/settlementpack/

crap coffee

How F***ing terrible is that, seriously?

feel like I live in the 3rd world country ......

luvwelly

well you can get cleaners and people to cut the grass and weed the garden! I even know people with au pairs but not me!

crap coffee

sorted! I do it now for my tiny place once a week ...... .............

I pay her $14 an hour though! It's cool! but you know I really haven't got enough time for cleaning or anything extravagance ...... I even dumped my two boy mates who love me TOO MUCH! was troublesome for quite a while. (I know it would hurt them too much) ... Still quite a few left though, but I would keep them. Cos, I've got no more free time to play with them.

CarolineSwan

[QUOTE=sr71;7683463]Unless you live Auckland, up north, Tauranga etc then you are going to get temperatures similar to the UK.

That statements kinda wrong, I dont live in any of these places you mention but in NP , we dont get weather like the uk either, infact its nothing like it. oh yea wait a minute the lovely winter days we are getting the now remind me of a brithish summer day lol. In the uk i tended to wear a jacket daily , i still dont really wear one here apart from a few wet days but thats more to keep dry as its still hot outside.. as im sitting here typing this the sun is pouring in the window its so beautiful burning my kneck,

crap coffee

But hey, how many of us expats can /could manage to live in a small town with nice warm weather - if not major cities (jobwise) ? unless you are retired.

southerner

I don't have the answer to that one - but i have always suspected it is overstated that all the good jobs are in the bigger cities. Every time I look there seems to be a range of jobs available in the regional cities and towns too.

deb_steve

[QUOTE=carolineshewan;7686725] Thank god for you !! We are due to be in NP wed 15 july to begin 'new life' having read comments so far I was thinking we should cancel flights.

What is wrong with people? are we making a mistake ?

Comments so far not very encouraging!!

CarolineSwan

Well im 31 and certainly not retired, i work part time and hubby works full time,

CarolineSwan

[QUOTE=deb_steve;7688722]
I dont think you are making a mistake...

When hubby first accepted his job his friend (kiwi) who was moving to papamoa at the time told us oh no dont go to NP , you will hate it bla bla bla. we almost turned it down but thought hey we will take the job get our PR and use it as a foot in the door and move to Papamoa or somewhere later. Omg im so glad he got this job as we love NP as im sure everyone on here knows lol, turns out his pal had never even been to NP and you will notice through time the people that slate it in here probably havnt been here either.. the ones that have always love it as im sure you will too. and hey im here too which is a bonus lol and if you need any help just yell. also summer will be back round soon enough, and atleast it warm through the day if not a bit cold in the night. Also not all rentals so bad, i mentioned to ours house was cold in the eve 2 weeks later a new heat pump was put in for us and it is toasty.. just look around and dont jump at first thing cos you worried you not going to get anything, we seriously lucked out with ours

caz

deb_steve

[QUOTE=carolineshewan;7688931] Thank for you reassurance, its such a big life change, I know you will doubt your decisions when making such choices to change your lifestyle, but some of these comments really can put the willies up you!!!
xx

southerner

[QUOTE=deb_steve;7688722] Please remember this is a discussion board so you will have a variety of views, some encouraging and some not so. And some people (and the media too!) make sweeping statements which you either need to ignore or validate in your own way.

Yes, I know that in your situation (where you have already decided and are about to start the adventure) you have probably had enough of the warnings and now want lots of warm fuzziness. But apart from the tourism websites and the Daily Mail you're generally not going to get that.

Anyway, sit back and enjoy the experience. Its something that not many people get to do, and whether it turns out being the right place for you or not, you should always have fun as you go. So good luck...

Rustie

Starting a 'new life' is all well and good, but a 'perfect life' doesn't happen for many, and those that it does then i don't think it matters much where they are personally!

It's different, it isn't the UK, it does take some getting used to and some things you may feel shocked by (heating, salaries, cost of living, etc.) BUT, having read the comments here, hopefully you'll do it with your eyes wide open and are prepared for some of the problems that come from emigrating

pixi-dust

We've managed and we're not nearly retired.
Where I live is full of people from all over the world and they've pretty much all got jobs.