Pulled in two directions!
#17
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 7
Re: Pulled in two directions!
Thank you for all your comments and answers to some of my questions.
Thanks 'Moso' for your info on the area around Greytown. We had noticed that the East coast looks pretty bleak and are now considering the West coast which seems more promising and has more opportunities for leisure and work with more possibilities of commuting. I have to say it would be good to be closer to the beach especially with children. I have also investigated the schools over that side and have had some good results!
Thank you so much to 'Northumberland' for your very helpful advice regarding ASD teaching over in NZ. I am so glad I now chose to mention my son's condition, I had no idea that I would get such hands on information!
It is very difficult to make all the necessary preparations via telephone and emails but I would be making a visit prior to moving so I can see for myself how the schools operate. Education has to be my top priority, especially in light of my eldest.
'luvwelly'.....my OH would not be relying on our relative to find find him work, merely that he may be able to assist, being that he has a well established business over there, he may have some contacts to put forward. It seems agencies are a good starting point as they have many opportunities for my OH skills, at least until a more permanant job is found. We do have our eyes wide open and appreciate all the comments made.
I took on board your comments 'Genesis' but it would of perhaps been nice to hear a few good points about NZ please. As i have mentioned, we have our eyes wide open, feet firmly on the ground and are well aware that it will be a big transition.
We already grow our own veggies here so it will be nothing new for us over there, we shop carefully....having children with special needs means that we are careful with our shopping basket, we only tend to eat fresh produce and cook/bake ourselves.
Is there any chance you could comment again on some good things worth moving over for please
Hope the weather is good for you all over there.
Thanks 'Moso' for your info on the area around Greytown. We had noticed that the East coast looks pretty bleak and are now considering the West coast which seems more promising and has more opportunities for leisure and work with more possibilities of commuting. I have to say it would be good to be closer to the beach especially with children. I have also investigated the schools over that side and have had some good results!
Thank you so much to 'Northumberland' for your very helpful advice regarding ASD teaching over in NZ. I am so glad I now chose to mention my son's condition, I had no idea that I would get such hands on information!
It is very difficult to make all the necessary preparations via telephone and emails but I would be making a visit prior to moving so I can see for myself how the schools operate. Education has to be my top priority, especially in light of my eldest.
'luvwelly'.....my OH would not be relying on our relative to find find him work, merely that he may be able to assist, being that he has a well established business over there, he may have some contacts to put forward. It seems agencies are a good starting point as they have many opportunities for my OH skills, at least until a more permanant job is found. We do have our eyes wide open and appreciate all the comments made.
I took on board your comments 'Genesis' but it would of perhaps been nice to hear a few good points about NZ please. As i have mentioned, we have our eyes wide open, feet firmly on the ground and are well aware that it will be a big transition.
We already grow our own veggies here so it will be nothing new for us over there, we shop carefully....having children with special needs means that we are careful with our shopping basket, we only tend to eat fresh produce and cook/bake ourselves.
Is there any chance you could comment again on some good things worth moving over for please
Hope the weather is good for you all over there.
#18
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Kapiti Coast, Wellington
Posts: 704
Re: Pulled in two directions!
That is absolutely the best thing to do, come and visit and see for yourself. Given that emigrating costs a fortune anyway, a couple of thousand before forking out loads more will give you the best idea of what NZ will offer to you. You may love the Wairarapa area, and why not? Who knows till you get here?
The schools over here should be really helpful. Ask to speak to the SENCO teacher as well as the Principal and quiz them rigorously
We came for a 2 week reccie visiting schools, areas, houses, job agencies etc. and I remember my husband asking the Principals of each school 'so why should my child come to your school' which provoked some very interesting responses. Turning the tables on them rather than just asking bland questions was definitely worthwhile and needless to say the Principal who gave the wooliest most useless answer was crossed off the list!
Good luck.
The schools over here should be really helpful. Ask to speak to the SENCO teacher as well as the Principal and quiz them rigorously
We came for a 2 week reccie visiting schools, areas, houses, job agencies etc. and I remember my husband asking the Principals of each school 'so why should my child come to your school' which provoked some very interesting responses. Turning the tables on them rather than just asking bland questions was definitely worthwhile and needless to say the Principal who gave the wooliest most useless answer was crossed off the list!
Good luck.
#19
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 906
Re: Pulled in two directions!
[QUOTE=Genesis;9895366]Food in the Uk is waaaaaaaaaay better, virtually no addatives, way more choice and is excellent value for money.
Really! When we went back to the UK 11 years ago I remember being totally shocked at the rubbish food, full of addatives that parents put in their kids lunch box. The school meals were disgusting full of additives chicken nuggerts ect (big improvement after Jamie Oliver embarrased schools about the crap they served the kids)
Soon after we had moved I asked a visiting neighbours child if her mother had a lasagne dish I could borrow, she said no that theirs came in a packet and went in the microwave.
I was also surprised how many UK families do not have a dining table and rarely sit down together to eat.
I guess the point is if you life on KFC and microwave meals in the UK then chances are you will do the same here.
If you eat fresh in the UK then you will have no problem eating fresh here. Just don't expect to get cheap imported fruit and veg out of season cause you won't (not really sure that baby corn flown from Kenya to the UK can count as fresh anyway)
Do I like being back in NZ then yes. What do I miss about the UK - family, friends, France and Italy.
Kaz
Really! When we went back to the UK 11 years ago I remember being totally shocked at the rubbish food, full of addatives that parents put in their kids lunch box. The school meals were disgusting full of additives chicken nuggerts ect (big improvement after Jamie Oliver embarrased schools about the crap they served the kids)
Soon after we had moved I asked a visiting neighbours child if her mother had a lasagne dish I could borrow, she said no that theirs came in a packet and went in the microwave.
I was also surprised how many UK families do not have a dining table and rarely sit down together to eat.
I guess the point is if you life on KFC and microwave meals in the UK then chances are you will do the same here.
If you eat fresh in the UK then you will have no problem eating fresh here. Just don't expect to get cheap imported fruit and veg out of season cause you won't (not really sure that baby corn flown from Kenya to the UK can count as fresh anyway)
Do I like being back in NZ then yes. What do I miss about the UK - family, friends, France and Italy.
Kaz
#20
Re: Pulled in two directions!
Originally Posted by Goldy02
I would be making a visit prior to moving so I can see for myself
Take your current UK budget list with you as you will be able to do a comparison.
Way to go.
#21
Re: Pulled in two directions!
[QUOTE=babybella;9900812]
That was 11 years ago. If you went like we did last year you would be amazed at how it all has changed. The food in the Uk is much better than here IMO.
Food in the Uk is waaaaaaaaaay better, virtually no addatives, way more choice and is excellent value for money.
Really! When we went back to the UK 11 years ago I remember being totally shocked at the rubbish food, full of addatives that parents put in their kids lunch box. The school meals were disgusting full of additives chicken nuggerts ect (big improvement after Jamie Oliver embarrased schools about the crap they served the kids)
Soon after we had moved I asked a visiting neighbours child if her mother had a lasagne dish I could borrow, she said no that theirs came in a packet and went in the microwave.
I was also surprised how many UK families do not have a dining table and rarely sit down together to eat.
I guess the point is if you life on KFC and microwave meals in the UK then chances are you will do the same here.
If you eat fresh in the UK then you will have no problem eating fresh here. Just don't expect to get cheap imported fruit and veg out of season cause you won't (not really sure that baby corn flown from Kenya to the UK can count as fresh anyway)
Do I like being back in NZ then yes. What do I miss about the UK - family, friends, France and Italy.
Kaz
Really! When we went back to the UK 11 years ago I remember being totally shocked at the rubbish food, full of addatives that parents put in their kids lunch box. The school meals were disgusting full of additives chicken nuggerts ect (big improvement after Jamie Oliver embarrased schools about the crap they served the kids)
Soon after we had moved I asked a visiting neighbours child if her mother had a lasagne dish I could borrow, she said no that theirs came in a packet and went in the microwave.
I was also surprised how many UK families do not have a dining table and rarely sit down together to eat.
I guess the point is if you life on KFC and microwave meals in the UK then chances are you will do the same here.
If you eat fresh in the UK then you will have no problem eating fresh here. Just don't expect to get cheap imported fruit and veg out of season cause you won't (not really sure that baby corn flown from Kenya to the UK can count as fresh anyway)
Do I like being back in NZ then yes. What do I miss about the UK - family, friends, France and Italy.
Kaz
#22
Life is what YOU make it.
Joined: Oct 2009
Location: Christchurch
Posts: 3,312
Re: Pulled in two directions!
I came down and checked out the beer then I checked out the fishing then went out and checked how many people were there and made sure there were no more hiding or coming in hidden in the backs of lorries then sat on a beach and waited for the coaches to pull up with the crowds and deck chairs went back and re checked the beer and have been trying ever since to get in.....
#23
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 906
Re: Pulled in two directions!
[QUOTE=Genesis;9902281]
We stayed in the UK for 11 years and just came back last June. Still don't think the food was better there, just less choice here if you want pr-packaged. However I do admit that mozerralla (don't think I've spelt it right but oh well) here is CRAP. Cost me nearly $10 for a pack at Pak n Save and it was disgusting rubber. Used to pay 98p at asda. So have booked myself onto a cheese making course, already make my own yogurt so I'm sure cheese can't be that much harder!
Kaz
Kaz
#24
Just Joined
Joined: Aug 2011
Location: Wellington NZ
Posts: 1
Re: Pulled in two directions!
I think that emigrating is a tricky business and there will be dilemmas and difficulties along the way and even more if and when you arrive. But that's no reason not to do it. The key is research and particularly with respect to your eldest. I have a son with Aspergers, though he wasn't diagnosed until after we arrived here, 5 years ago.
By and large the education system has been supportive of him and really willing to help, though the funding has not always been in place to go as far as it could. He has had a teacher aide alongside him for the past couple of years and its been very beneficial to him and they get on like a house on fire. The downside is that the system is, for the no doubt good reasons of early intervention, weighted more in its support to younger children and is scaled back over time somewhat. I'm happy to give more detailed thoughts on this if you need it.
My general advice would be to come here and see it with the caveat that living here is absolutely definitely not like being on holiday. I'd been here several times before emigrating and what I realise now is that there are many aspects of emigration that only kick in over time (the distance is one of those). But I'm glad at least that I had been and had some understanding of what it had to offer.
On some of your specifics, I'd be really wary of thinking that housing is cheaper, it can be if you have pounds (particularly if you sell a UK house) but things can look very different when you're earning dollars and trying to find a good house.
Like everywhere New Zealand has many plus points and many negative ones. Your success depends on how you as a family find you match against those.
By and large the education system has been supportive of him and really willing to help, though the funding has not always been in place to go as far as it could. He has had a teacher aide alongside him for the past couple of years and its been very beneficial to him and they get on like a house on fire. The downside is that the system is, for the no doubt good reasons of early intervention, weighted more in its support to younger children and is scaled back over time somewhat. I'm happy to give more detailed thoughts on this if you need it.
My general advice would be to come here and see it with the caveat that living here is absolutely definitely not like being on holiday. I'd been here several times before emigrating and what I realise now is that there are many aspects of emigration that only kick in over time (the distance is one of those). But I'm glad at least that I had been and had some understanding of what it had to offer.
On some of your specifics, I'd be really wary of thinking that housing is cheaper, it can be if you have pounds (particularly if you sell a UK house) but things can look very different when you're earning dollars and trying to find a good house.
Like everywhere New Zealand has many plus points and many negative ones. Your success depends on how you as a family find you match against those.
#25
Re: Pulled in two directions!
When looking at how much things cost in the supermarket, housing, fuel for cars etc I don't think it particularly helps if you convert it back to British pounds - you will be earning and spending NZ Dollars. The only way I can see it would be important, is if you are bringing money over from the UK and living on that. That however, is only my opinion and I accept that it isn't how everyone thinks.
You need to find out how much your OH will be earning in NZD and then you could try doing an online 'shop' with Countdown to get some idea of what proportion of your earnings will be going on your weekly shop. Look on trademe for rental costs. Plenty of people on here can let you know petrol/electricity costs etc as well as school uniform and general school costs for your area.
You need to find out how much your OH will be earning in NZD and then you could try doing an online 'shop' with Countdown to get some idea of what proportion of your earnings will be going on your weekly shop. Look on trademe for rental costs. Plenty of people on here can let you know petrol/electricity costs etc as well as school uniform and general school costs for your area.