Stuck in a rut in Burnley!
 

Re: Stuck in a rut in Burnley!
 

Hi,
Sorry you are so fed up. When your job ends you could come to New Zealand on holiday......a long holiday. If you like it here you could make further plans. OK, that would entail getting your paperwork together before you leave the UK. If you go home you will have had a nice long break, albeit it's winter here now i.e. cold and wet. If you make coming to New Zealand your sole focus, and it turns out it's not for you then you might feel you've wasted your money, if not at least you got a holiday. (Three months in New Zealand might make you appreciate life in Britain) I'm gonna get shouted down for that remark. However, may I point out the cost of things: a loaf of bread that cost £1.35 in Tesco will cost £2.00 here. All other groceries are the same or more expensive. Petrol is about 10/20p per litre cheaper. You have to pay to see a doctor - about £7.50 and the same again to get a prescription filled. Yeah, there's insurance policies for that but you won't have that set up staightaway I assume. A second hand car will be about £4,000 minimum. I looked at a second hand Clio (make and model is no matter, just an example of a small car) on the internet at a motor dealers near where I used to live in Britain and it was £850, I nearly cried ! The folklore is that they hold their value on resale, just gotta get the money together in the first place to get one eh ? My husband and I have been in NZ since February of this year, we gave up our local authority jobs in Britain and came here with a budget of about half your savings to last us 3 months which has now all but gone. That does not include the flights and the cost of shipping our household furniture to NZ. May I please further point out that rental properties' rents are quoted per week not per month. The kiwi dollar is very strong now making an expensive (for no good reason) country even less affordable. I've heard it said of New Zealand that it's got beautiful scenery, to bad you can't eat scenery.

Re: Stuck in a rut in Burnley!
 

Come over on a Working Holiday Visa and see for yourselves before you make the final commitment to moving permanently.

Re: Stuck in a rut in Burnley!
 

Thanks for your reply, Debbie. In terms of 'trying before we buy', is it worth just a visiting permit for 3 months or a fully fledged working holiday visa? I was thinking of trying to do volunteering as a way of removing the need to pay for rent/accommodation and lowering food cost whilst we are there.

Also, what paperwork would be essential to take out there in case we do decide we like it and want to stay? I'm guessing passports and qualifications, work references and CVs, but would we be able to send back to the UK for police and health check data?

I hear what you're saying about living expenses - it was a similar situation with second hand cars in France once I looked into it, and food costs are just getting enormous these days, but I'm not expecting NZ to be the UK. Also, if it's winter, maybe it would be cheaper for us to get over there and we can see it in a less touristy state!

Re: Stuck in a rut in Burnley!
 

That's ok Cath. I have a family category visa, so can't coment on any other visa. Bring you no claims bonus proof should you buy a car & need insurance ! You're right regarding your paperwork. Police and health checks should be done by the person requesting i.e. give you the form to fill in then submit it to British authorities. You have your CRB check as you work with children, yes ? Good luck with your volunteering idea in exchange for lodgings. NZ houses don't have central heating or double glazing. Some have heat pump, that's a wall heater to you and me. Hope it works for you. How would you cope if you returned to Britain in under a year disappointed and flat busted broke ?

Re: Stuck in a rut in Burnley!
 

In reply to Debbie:

Well, I'm trying not to think of it like that because I already feel flat broke and out of luck! Any move I make can only really be a move forward. I will take heed of what you've said though and try not to get my hopes up too much. I'm still only in the preliminary stages of making a decision so I guess it will become a more solid decision when I have worked out a few of my options.

Cheers, Annie (Cathstar links to my surname really!) :)

Re: Stuck in a rut in Burnley!
 

HI Annie, and a very warm welcome to BE.:thumbup:

Anyone from the UK can come to NZ for 6 months as a visitor. Obviously you can't work under that premise, but it gets you in the country as a visitor.

If you are organised, and put the feelers out regarding job prospects etc before you get hear, and have your docs with you, it is doable to apply once you are here for work. Although, be warned, I have heard of people being pulled up upon entry for having those said docs as "visitors."

I would strongly suggest you use the search tab regarding teacher's prospects, it's apparently not that easy to secure employment, despite the apparent shortage.:(

It might be better if you and your OH could afford to come to NZ on a holiday, hire a campervan, have a reccie, explore and decide if you like what you see, before you take the plunge?

I married a Kiwi back in the UK, we had 4 kids and even we cam and did the above holiday thing for 3 weeks before going back to the UK and sorting everything out before we moved here. That took 12 months to do.

We've been here now 4+ years, and despite splitting with the husband, absolutely love NZ. I couldn't think of anywhere I'd rather be. Anywhere I'd rather choose to bring my kids up. For me, despite the obvious disappointments in my personal life, NZ is still my home of choice.:thumbsup:

Re: Stuck in a rut in Burnley!
 

You won't get a very good impression if you come in the depths of winter (June/July/August). Australia would be better at that time of year though

Re: Stuck in a rut in Burnley!
 

Sorry, luvwelly, messed up your post!:ohmy:

If they come in Winter and like it, then they might like it in summer more? Maybe that's the way to do it?:cool:

Re: Stuck in a rut in Burnley!
 

It sounds like you would come to New Zealand with an open mind and only stay if you love it. Hope you and your boyfriend agree to either stay in NZ or return. If you come, I hope you get that woo hoo moment ! Good luck with all your plans. You may come across people who have engaged with NZ and are happy. You may feel that it's just not for you afterall. :)

Re: Stuck in a rut in Burnley!
 

I can recommend 'wwoofing' (see http://www.wwoof.co.nz/) as a way to save money whilst travelling and experiencing nz.

Also this website - http://www.backpackerboard.co.nz/wor...b_listings.php - has lots of short-term jobs advertised.

We had trouble finding 'proper' jobs when we first got here so we did a combination of those two so that we didn't spend too much money.

Good luck, sounds like you're ready for an adventure :)

Jen xx

Re: Stuck in a rut in Burnley!
 

Ok, you guys are still young. So get a WHV for Australia and NZ and hit the backpacker trail, you can work your way across, see the world and have some amazing experiences.

If you are a qualified teacher, then immigration for your and partner should be fairly straightforward should you decide to stay.

I was in the same rut back in the UK, stuck in a job I hated......Took me years to get the courage to break away, but when I did, I travelled the world for three years before ending up in NZ.

Never regret the things you do, only the things you didn't.