Kari and Martin

I have been entranced by so many stories of difficulties, struggles, nightmares and people returning home.

I feel deflated and depressed, and I am now wondering whether we are making the right decision to live in New Zealand.

I would be so grateful if a few people could post some of their success stories and some really great things about NZ that I can look forward to.

Thanks very much.

Kari

sirplug

Well, personally, I'm loving every minute and won't be heading back to the UK.....not even for a holiday!

bunnyphobia

We're here on a year's work contract, going home in July. And (aside from family) I'm dreading returning to the horror story that is the UK.

NZ isn't perfect, but it's pluses are certainly very fine

Enjoy the adventure, see how it goes. And if you ever feel homesick look out the window or go for a tramp and realise how magical this country is.

Jan n Neil

Being very frank for a moment, we moved here for a good increase in salary. We are well aware that this has helped us settle in very quickly, along with very supportive work colleagues. My quick impression of unhappy people here is that the predominant reasons are worse life style (less disposable income and expensive goods relative to spend available) and loneliness. The latter was not too bad for us as we are not isolated with small kids in any sense as our grown up kids are in the UK - not to say we don't miss them, but we are not lonely here. I alos think that loneliness can be exacerbated by where you live - we live in a very friendly semi-rural street, ie. not miles from anywhere but countrified and very beautiful. I always wanted to live in the country so a no-brainer for me, though Neil finds it a bit quiet. But we can always jump in the car and go to ChCh, and we have made a deliberate effort to meet people through BE and work and neighbours etc.

If you have done your sums very very carefully, and can be utterly honest about your ability to get out and about and meet people, and what you need to do to achieve that, those seem to me to be the people who've made the best success of it.

Jan

RickAlbany

see some of my previous posts - at the end of the day I would rather be homeless living under a bridge than rich in the UK, the lifestyle, environment, people etc in NZ are well worth any struggle you have to go through to get here. Keep positive and if you need any help or advice with anything I'd be glad to help.

Good Luck!!!!

mr_goodbye

Personally, I have hated living here with a passion. But, I'm not you!

It's human nature to more-or-less hear what you want to hear, so I won't go on griping about the place. However, I would offer some advice:

Don't come in summer!

Migrating anywhere in summer is generally a bad idea, as it can often paint an overly-rosy picture of the place in your head while you may be ignoring little issues piling up around you. As well, it's also hinders your ability to find some decent employment--and in NZ, a good job is the haystack needle at the best of times! Employers often don't take people seriously that have arrived in Jan. as it has this air of "oh, the holiday is lovely, let's stay a while longer!" Then comes winter...

Instead, if you're determined to try the place out, plan on arriving in May or so, when things are quiet. Plan on staying for year, or if you make it "for good", set aside enough capital to escape should you change your mind.

Who knows, you might end up being one of the lucky few that love it here, but if you're not, at least you will have taken some proactive steps to leave yourself a safety net if it doesn't work out for you.

Good luck!

Shazmoo

Hi Kari,
My partner and I moved out to welly about 2 weeks ago and for the first few days I found it hard adjusting. Looking back it was probably jet lag and abit of a culture shock, everything here is different! Everything! But it's a foreign country so it's bound to be, things here are expensive too! HOWEVER, we have an amazing house that detached on the beach, we live in a great area were everybody is so friendly, the first day here our landlord offered to lend us his wives car and the neighbours insisted on us goin round for drinks and food (you ain't getting that in the uk)
Families are out everyday cycling or playing on the beach, there is always stuff to do and it's just a generally nice atmosphere, of course it has it's bad points with not seeing family etc but I have found as soon as I'm set up online, talking on here and the joys of skype. Everything is much easier!
Make the move, if everything goes wrong and you don't like it, the worst possible thing that can happen is that you go back to the uk to all your friends and family with the notion that you were brave and gave it your best shot.
Xx

LukeandJo

I think you weigh up everything and then make the decision, which from your typing you have already done.

You have looked at the process for moving overseas, the cost, the strain, the pressure, the emotion, the excitement, the opportunities and taken all into account. Compared that with your life you have and decided its a good move.

Stories here are a snapshot of peoples experiences, no two are the same. Whatever people type here makes little difference to your life in NZ, you make that yourself.

You tackle each hurdle as it comes and enjoy every happy moment!

MattandJax

we have been here 6 months and are still loving it...even more with this glorious weather. cant ever imagine living back in the UK...or even wasting our precious holidays/money on a trip back there when theres so much more unseen world at this end to explore.

things that are hard.... missing family ( a bit), but its great when they visit!

and not having any outside friends/interests... except each other- at first.( you can get on each others nerves at times lol!)
but we're widening our social circle all the time, and building new friendships gradually

..nope. we love it here
M&J

MnB

HI Kari

You've had some excellent, spot on replies

Remember that we're all different....one man's meat another man's poison!
Those of us that have tried it and come back to UK have done so for various reasons again different strokes and all that, but for us (me & OH) NZ will always be our 2nd home, don't let the negatives put you off giving it a go!
If you don't the 'itch' will always be there believe me

skybluestu

Well we have been here six / seven weeks and love it, The wife is working and i start a job next week. We have found the people to be so friendly and welcoming. The main thing is that the kids have settled and found a new circle of friends and are off to the beach and staying with other families etc. As a previous post stated you just have to role with the blows and take what comes in a positive manner or you will get depressed. For instance 3 days after we arrived We found that the new tenants had pulled out from renting our house and over christmas the heating failed and we now have a 6X3 foot hole in the lounge ceiling!! but hey thats what you pay insurance for. I am not going to let it get the of better me for now as things can only get better.

We have found a good mix of both expat and Kiwi acquaintances and through the local Expat network i was put onto a job (always lots of expats at the local soccer club) So far we have found things tough with the unexpected problems at home and found christmas day hard talking to family back home but we hope to be here for the long haul and are loving every day.

JohnThePom

We've been here nearly four months and it's been fine

faye_h

We have been in Auckland for 18 months now and love it!

We don't have masses of friends and are widening our social circle all the time but we have made a small group of close knit friends (all expats too!).

The country is beautiful and there is so much to see and explore. The people are much nicer and the way of life is much more relaxed than the UK.

I have the odd day of feeling homesick and find myself missing random things occassionally but I certainly wouldn't give up my life here right now to go back to the UK.

If you don't do it now you will always wonder what could have been so give it a go

Justcol

If you come expecting it to a bed of roses you'll have a shock in store.
You need to know its not perfect.

hazeandsteve

That's cos you live in the graveyard that is pony town Col

Evgery thing's tip top in the top town that is Taupo !!!!!