Originally Posted by Divine Comedy

I encourage you both and any others that will be on the same induction to form a bond it really does help.

Originally Posted by mumofthree

Hello,
A bit new to all this but am wondering if anyone could answer a bit of a personal question? Hubby has a job offer with RNZAF, but has had a bit of a depressing conversation with someone who went out to NZ with the NZ navy, couldn't manage financially and so came back. This guy apparently had no mortgage and had bought quite a big house and had savings too. We have no savings and would need a mortgage so was just wondering how do you find wages against cost of living? Don't want to be sitting in a shed admiring a lovely view but living on baked beans!

Originally Posted by mumofthree

I understand about the 'wobbly' thing - we have been having second thoughts, thirds thoughts etc. We have done some mad foreign tours with the RAF but this is a bit permanent isn't it? Hubby is more gutted about not going than I am about going so I think that settles it!! I don't know what to think about schooling having read some of the posts on here, although we have had good as well as less than positive experiences of UK schools and SCE ones. It sounds like you are pretty much stuck with the one you are zoned for if I am reading it correctly, unless you go private of course!

Originally Posted by mumofthree

My eldest will be 13, middle one 9 and littlest 8 so schools are a bit of a worry! We are due down in October 09, and will be in Wellington. We would have liked a quarter as a safe start but apparently they don't have many so we would probably have to rent for a while until we get settled. We had thought of buying something beforehand but have read all the horror stories about damp houses that are falling to pieces and grotty areas full of boy racers and gangs It is actually being in Naples that has made me a bit wary about emigrating - the weather is fantastic - today it must be 27 degrees and really sunny, not bad for October! There are problems though - lots of crime and really mad and totally terrifying driving! Culturally Naples is like another planet though, which is something that I wasn't expecting, and that you just can't prepare for. I just don't know what to expect in NZ, and I still don't know if we are doing the right thing...

Originally Posted by rickg37

Hi All well we have been here a month now and our house at Hobsonville is feeling like home .This week Rick went on the second part of his course and the kids went to school i thought this might be when homesickness hit but to tell the truth i haven't had time .We came over on our induction with a really good group so i have been out and about with the other wifes.

I dont know if anyone is coming to Whenuapai but if they are and want any advice please dont hesitate to email me .I have two children of 14 and 17 so they are at Massey high school.

Things are different and certain things are more expensive ie Shampoo shower gel and we haven't as yet come across aquafresh toothpaste but by enlarge we have found most things.

I will post again with some more pics . I think we made the best move when you get up in the morning and the sky is blue and the beach is up the road who could ask for more.

Tracy

Originally Posted by pegman

Mair,

I have just received confirmation of release from my RN reserve service requirements. If Rich requires contact details drop Debz a line. Police checks came back within a week! Just medicals to go.

Cheers

Originally Posted by Mair

Hi DC, have been looking through the threads and think you may be able to help us. We are due over next October (2009) hoping to get MQ, presumably in Hobsonville. We have two daughters, one will be 13 in the Novemeber a month after we arrive and one will be 12 on January 1st after we arrive. We are still unsure if our oldest will still be in Primary or not, over here she would be in year 8. Our main interest, however is what choices of Secondary do we have if we are living in Hobsonville, the only clear info I can get is that we are zoned for Massey High, and that is about it. I also wanted to ask you whether you have any info on the Hobsonville Development and whether they have provisional dates for a new Secondary school in the area. Sorry about all the questions, but another point was, in your experience, we are coming over after 10 years in the RN, so not a huge pension, would we be better off coming over and taking the tax free option, or should we allow ourselves to benefit from any assistance that the NZ G'ment may offer which may mean declaring pension and paying tax on it. If you can't answer any of these, don't worry, would love to hear how life is over there, and if you feel it was the right move for yourselves and your children. Thanks for all your help. Beth and Rich

Originally Posted by Divine Comedy

Sorry been away and havnt been on here for ages!
Wow so many questions! I was exactly the same.
1st ..... You will get married quater in either Hobsonville or Whenuapai , both houses are very basic, but with big gardens and not as crammed in as most suburbs are.
Schools, yes it is zoned for Massey but you can go elsewhere if you apply, Westlake girls, St Dominics, Rangitoto, Albany junior high to name a few.
My eldest is 121/2 and she is still at Hobsonville intermediate till she is 13 1/2. The end of year is Christmas. The last year in primary/intermediate is year 8. So by the looks of your dates your eldest wont be in the last school term long .
The Hobsonville development is still very speculative and has been for years from what i can gather. There is alot going to happen but not till 2012 i think



Thanks for all the information, it is greatly appreciated. We are still getting all our paperwork together at the moment. I have stopped checking things out for a while as I was getting a bit stressed!! I'm pleased that you are enjoying your new lives, and of course it is different with lots of ups and downs, but as they say 'A change is as good as a rest'. I will get back to you when I hear if we have passed all the immigration tests. Bye for now, and thanks again, Beth x

Pension issue, we didnt have one so havnt got a clue , people i know who have, have taken the tax break. We dont get very much in the way of goverment assitance and we have 4 kids.

Was it right for us?.........
You will find the cost of living very different here, [ this is the main bug bare of most people understandably] it is not fair to do a huge list of comparisons to the UK as living in NZ is well........ living in NZ and not the UK.My experience is we are cash poorer, yes, we have to budget better,yes, we dont spend the same as we did in the UK on clothes, furniture, electrical etc etc, because we havnt got it. But.... we arnt any worse off for it, its only 'stuff' its not really needed is it? as long as you have the basics , i have found that in the Uk we were very materilistic, very, and here we are not. It dosnt matter that we dont have our kids kitted out in the lastest brochure from Next, or that my sofa was from Debenhams, or my curtains are Laura Ashley,my neighbours dont care or my real friends dont either. Life here is all about living 'life' , getting to the beach with a groaning picnic. Softball [ any sport really] on a saturday morning and watching your kids be happy.
Schools were a big shock to my system, a huge hurdle for me to overcome, but my kids are getting on fine and are happy. Everyone has their own views on this, most say the kids arnt pushed hard enough here, it is not as regimental here as it is in the UK, no locked gates,no padlocked number access to the reception. My first reaction when i found out the kids eat off the floor in the playground was utter horror! ''what no dinner hall! no dinner ladies! '' but now i dont mind, its just how it is done here, the kids arnt any worse off for it.
Life is life wherever you reside, I have learned I need give and take a little or I feel like a salmon swimming against the flow battling the relentless river in my quest to find home.
You will have many questions alot will remain unanswered , you will only find some of the answers when you are living here, alot of ups and downs , it is like being on a huge roller coaster ride, huge emotions will grip you vice like and small things will seem like the most important thing.
Right i have waffled on long enough! please dont think im being rude if i dont reply on come on, i just dont seem to be able to find much time todo this anymore, forums are very time consuming places!
I think my main thing to say to any of you newbies coming is that we are all unique , we all have different expectations, hopes, fears. All of which i have and still have. I dont think it is living in NZ that brings these things up, just everyday life .