Elsie03

..like so many before us, we are looking to escape this race they call rat here in the UK. Fed up with the pressure of having to work crazy hours (both of us) and no time to enjoy putting some quality back into life. We’re looking to find a lifestyle where we work to live and not live to work. We’ve heard so many negatives about NZ and whilst we’re not expecting it to be perfect….we needs some positives to convince us that our first choice for relocation isn’t that bad….

Properties…poor quality? Damp? Cold? Crime rates… Still less than UK? Do you feel safe?

Overloaded on website research at the moment.

Any help welcomed…..

happynz

I think you'd do better here if you want to come here rather than escape from somewhere.
Not trying to knock anyone, but that's my experience.

Nisey

Theres a quality of life survey somewhere on the web that covers the whole country and then area by area where they polled poeple on all sorts of things. Its done every two years and the latest one just got published, should answer some of the questions you ask.

Theres a few threads been started on here to counteract the general misery and grumpiness expressed by some that may put a more positive spin on the idea of going to NZ.

Your standard of living will depend on you earnings and you need to do alot of research on this, pm me if you want to discuss things a little more personal we've just been on a reccie and have made the decision to go, were off in July.

Have fun googling

Elsie03

Thanks Nisey...much appreciated.

Unfortunately Im still a novice at this thread lark and not sure how to pm...I think you might have to be a member for a certain time before you can?

afterthesungoesdown

how much do you want it, life is full of taking risks, none of us know whats around the corner, we just get on and do the best we can, better to live life with no regrets, and if you dont go, will it become one of those regrets. good luck with your decision.

Elsie03

You're absolutely right of course...my dear dad, bless his heart..always told me to live for today. It'll be easier for me to take the step but hubby has a strong family unit (mum, sisters, children, grandchildren!! - a young dad!) so despite him being up for it, I still think it'll be hard. But hey, the best things in life never come easy. Good luck to you, just read your thread re points calculation. Where are you guys hoping to settle?

mazi

Ok this is a bit negative but I found I lived to work in NZ which I had never done in London and I also felt a lot safer in London than in NZ - I would happily (though possibly stupidly) walk down the street in London at 2am but would never go out in NZ alone after dark - I am not saying it definitely WAS more unsafe there - I just didn't FEEL safe there.

But you'll never know unless you try! Loads of people love it so you may well be one of them...go for it (but maybe do a recce first)

Poppy2

We are moving on to Canada after being here for 4 years, and it has been good in many respects being here, but ultimately we want to have a new adventure now.

We never came on a recce - never could afford to and I think I might have been romanced by the holiday aspect too. It took me a good year of living here, spending our savings, to stop converting to pounds and seeing everything as cheap. Its not so cheap when you are earning dollars.

We were thrilled with the scenery, the adventure of it all, the welcome, the fun of exploring and feeling like this is the final frontier. The beaches, though there is nothing there but a beach usually, no ice creams and bucket stalls - the beaches are wonderful. Usually they are timber strewn and black sand near us, but the sea is like mint coloured turlish delight. It moves your soul to be there. We would go after school (only 15 min drive) and make driftwood forts on the good days in the winter - it was warmer to be there in the sun than at home!

Housing - we didnt do very well on. We bought a massive renovation job and we knew nothing of the damp winters ahead. But if we had known more we would have bought a smaller, easy to maintain, modern house with good insulation and good heating. There are houses being built now with double glazing too, so thinking about those things are important.


Crime isnt as bad in the UK, but there are quite a lot of gang issues here. I dont mean teens in hoodies walking the streets, I mean gangs like the biker gangs. They are mainly Maori based and having worked with a few, they can be very intimidating. Quite a lot of violence exists between them. I think there is more domestic violence here that contributes to the news worthy crimes such as murders etc. So you do have the dreadful newsworthy items like murders every so often, and they always struck me as being extreme cases - but they are usually perpetrated by family or someone known to the victim - if you see what I mean.

As for other crime, theft and so forth, I havent much experience of it. I would like to say that I have left my 1994 Surf unlocked wherever it is and as yet it still hasnt been stolen!!! It would save me selling it if it got stolen, burnt out or stripped for parts...............but no.

Schooling is great here (I only know about primary level though) and if you have kids they will love it here!

Less commercialism is great on the one hand, no need to keep up with the Jones's, but can wear thin after a while for some.

And a little issue for me was that Christmas has never felt festive here. Not much piped muzak in the shops, usually just a festive message written on shop windows and no-one makes that much of a fuss - its a day off and a good opportunity to go to the beach for many. But lots of people dont mind that.

I think it is difficult to understand how few people there are here and how the few dots on the map arent the major centres with villages inbetween like at home - they are it.

But it is a dream holiday destination for many, and you cant know unless you try! We said we would give it 2-4 years and then review it. It took me 2 years to feel like a local and around that time the thrill of the scenery and the beaches were starting to pale because my daily work was not as thrilling!! So real life is real life wherever you go.

And I think here, if you dont come with some substantial funds from a house sale so you can set yourself up with a house (mortgaged if needed, but large deposit to reduce payments) and some cars, I think it can be a struggle.

Also we brought over a 20 foot container if our stuff and it was worth it for us to do so. We would never have been able to afford to replace those things for the money it cost to ship them. Though we have bought more here and leave with a 40 foot container this time!!!

Keep asking and reading, and just keep remembering that everyone will like and dislike different things. Take what is worthwhile from people's comments and give the benefit of the doubt to stuff that doesnt work for you!

Good luck!!

Elsie03

Thanks a lot Poppy...much appreciated. We have some equity in our property here in the UK which will fund us to relocate. Sadly, timing (hubby is 52 this year and age limit for visa is 55) will prevent us budgeting for a reccie as well as making the move. So its go for it! I think its the adventure we are keen to undertake. We started together late in life and keen not to end up in an old peoples home having regrets of what might have been....

Good luck with Canada....

kiwi_child

Once you have NZ citizenship you can always move to OZ if you find your not happy in NZ. Personally, having spent most of my life in NZ, I think it's a pretty good place but like any country has some problems. NZ is a friendlier country I find than OZ and people more down to earth.

Nisey

Just click on a user name on left of the screen and a pull down list will appear one of the options is send a personal message and your off.

If you check the top right of the screen where it says Welcome 'username' you can pick up messages left there for you.

I'll send you one, so you can reply if necessary.

Happy PMing

KiwiKate

Well, I lived in London and remember many drunken evenings fearing I'd had one too many as I waited on the tube platform, imagining the worst about all the late night lurkers ... I've been here 11 months and would happily kip out all night in front of our local, with no fear at ALL. But that's just where I live.

It's like Britain 60 yrs ago - that's what every ex-pat I've come across says, and as much as I can only imagine (I'm only 31!!!) I know what they mean - community spirit, WI meetings rule, pony, tennis and rugby clubs top the social agenda, and people are more interested in tending their own wisteria's than watching the antics of those on Wisteria Lane - then there's the extreme side of things, kayaking, rafting, surfing, skiing/boarding etc - NZ has something for everyone (unless you're a young 20 something who needs quality clubs, social scene, music and yoof culture - then it's not for you!!)
If that's the case, I'd recommend anywhere else!!!

Avid

1947?? Rationing? Hmmm...you might be right.

I'd say more 1958 myself.

KiwiKate

Rationing - do you remember that then aphid?????? Jeez, I'm a poor judge, I had you as at most early 40's

mazi

October 1958 to be precise.