Norman Conquest

As a general observation, those Brits who live in the northern English industrial towns should be pleasantly satisfied with standard of living in New Zealand, especially the housing and the general suburban environment. Also, they could well find it easy to assimilate with the locals because most, by far, immigrants to New Zealand originated in Northern England. Brits who live in the more affluent Midlands and the South may have less reason to settle in New Zealand and might find Kiwi attitudes difficult to understand. New Zealand society is somewhat bland to those used to culture and intellectual stimulation. The price of homes in Auckland is astronomical and residential property there is grossly overvalued. Education is about on a par with Britain. The schools are nice, few old-fashioned red brick buildings. Health services are more expensive. Visits to the GP can cost up to $60 per visit - but there are big variations because there is no standard charge set by the Government. There is assistance for the needy and there have been recent adjustments for children and the elderly. Hospital care is good, but NZ is not up with the play with recent scientific advancements in some fields due to shortage of specialists and equipment. Prospects for employment for medical specialists should be very good. New Zealand is short of professionals and skilled trades in most fields. New Zealanders are easy to get on with although, it can be hard to understand where they are coming from at times - and watch out for hidden agendas. Social behavior has deteriorated seriously over the past three decades and it pays to be alert.

Justcol

What a load of tosh !!