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In two minds...about the big decision

In two minds...about the big decision

Old Jun 19th 2006, 1:22 pm
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Cool In two minds...about the big decision

Hiya,

I am a new member and I am still living in London!!!

My partner (a kiwi) from Christchurch would like us to move to his homeland. I visited Christchurch last year and I went on a long trip around the South Island. It was fantastic. I am aware of the positives and negatives of NZ life style, but the idea of living there permanently is stressing me out!!!

If you are living in Christchurch or planning to move there, can you please give me some feed back of your own experiences!!!

Cheers.
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Old Jun 20th 2006, 6:29 am
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Default Re: In two minds...about the big decision

Originally Posted by Andrea
Hiya,

I am a new member and I am still living in London!!!

My partner (a kiwi) from Christchurch would like us to move to his homeland. I visited Christchurch last year and I went on a long trip around the South Island. It was fantastic. I am aware of the positives and negatives of NZ life style, but the idea of living there permanently is stressing me out!!!

If you are living in Christchurch or planning to move there, can you please give me some feed back of your own experiences!!!

Cheers.
Hi Andrea and welcome
we're in chch and have been for about 8mths. We love it - feel free to pm me for specifics or just ask away.
Vicki
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Old Jun 20th 2006, 11:06 am
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Default Re: In two minds...about the big decision

Hi Vicky,

Thanks for your reply.
Some Qs...
How do you find the chch town centre?
What aspects of chch life do you like? What about the shopping malls? What about schools?
Was it easy for you to find work?
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Old Jun 20th 2006, 9:35 pm
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Default Re: In two minds...about the big decision

Hiya,

We arrived at the beginning of January. Found it very easy to find a job. First one I went for I got. Dont go into the city much as we have two great Malls near to us with everything you could need in one place including the supermarkets. Chch isn't too big so you are not far from anything here. The schools are great. I am more than happy with the way the kids are educated here. I am glad we made the move and our family are very happy with chch.
Sue
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Old Jun 21st 2006, 8:39 am
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Default Re: In two minds...about the big decision

Originally Posted by Andrea
Hi Vicky,

Thanks for your reply.
Some Qs...
How do you find the chch town centre?
What aspects of chch life do you like? What about the shopping malls? What about schools?
Was it easy for you to find work?
like Sue we rarely go into town (although I work in the centre of town) - we chose to live in one of the outer suburbs - halswell - nicely self contained with supermarket, dairies, bank, summer pool, primary schools etc but close enough if we do want to go in ( about 20mins drive), we tend to use one of the malls for shopping and there are plenty of them. Hubby and I both arrived without jobs lined up, hubby found one within a fortnight of arriving, I wanted to settle the children first but got the 2nd job I applied for.
Chch is great - close to beaches, close to ski fields, close to good tramping and camping, large enough to have everything you need without being overwhelming, weather pretty good - mainly dry - even now in middle of winter the nights are cold with frosty mornings but you get bright blue skies and some lovely sunshine. wide range of housing from pretty old to very new at reasonable prices. everyone we've met have been really friendly, quite a large expat community, never far from a brit accent, but made to feel very welcome by the kiwis. would thoroughly recommend.
Vicki
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Old Jun 21st 2006, 2:16 pm
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Cool Re: In two minds...about the big decision

Hi Vicki and Sue,

Thanks for your replies. I stayed in chch myself for 1 week last
August...stayed in Spreydon for few days (with my partner's parents)
and few days in Sumner (one of his friend's place). Then spent 3 weeks
travelling around the South Island...also did the bunji jump and white water
rafting in Queens Town!!

I really liked Sumner, near the beach...but as far as I am aware off
the best schools (secondary) are near the centre of the town..which I find
it a bit too quiet...

I am also worried about not being able to travel abroad, mainly because
of the NZ currency, plus being so far away from Europe. So what are you guys doing in the weekends? Do you travel around NZ or Australia? Any cheap flights anywhere?

I am currently in a senior management post ...what's the chances in pursuing this career? Did you visited chch before you decided to move there?

I am also worried about the kids (age 8&10) that they might not get settled in chch. (Any teddy bear factory there??) Did you have any probs with your children? Why did you choose chch and not other town within NZ? I am sorry to ask you all these Qs but I have been trying to make my mind up for the last year and so...(maybe longer) and even after visiting NZ, I am still going backwards and forwards on this.
All the best.
A
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Old Jun 21st 2006, 11:24 pm
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Default Re: In two minds...about the big decision

Think there's a Teddy Bear Factory on Blenhiem Rd
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Old Jun 22nd 2006, 6:46 am
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Default Re: In two minds...about the big decision

I really liked Sumner, near the beach...but as far as I am aware off
the best schools (secondary) are near the centre of the town..which I find
it a bit too quiet...
Sumner is lovely and very popular also - traffic into town from there is quite busy at peak times and as you say you would have to come in for schools. lots of other really nice areas to choose from though

I am also worried about not being able to travel abroad, mainly because
of the NZ currency, plus being so far away from Europe. So what are you guys doing in the weekends? Do you travel around NZ or Australia? Any cheap flights anywhere?
without a doubt foreign travel is much more difficult but our take (at the moment) is there is so much of NZ still to explore and then we've got Oz and the pacific islands to explore with some reasonably cheap flights available to do so. Our weekends are generally spent socialising with new friends, working in our garden, going to different places with the kids (there really is a lot to do, but my kids are only 2 & 4), in the summer we were regularly camping in different places

I am currently in a senior management post ...what's the chances in pursuing this career? Did you visited chch before you decided to move there?
realistically you should expect to come back in at grass roots level to gain valuable nz experience and to get known - at lot of weight is placed on who you know rather than what you know. we'd never been to chch before - we'd spent time in Tauranga which is also lovely but felt that there wasn't enough there long term for the kids (access to uni etc)

I am also worried about the kids (age 8&10) that they might not get settled in chch. (Any teddy bear factory there??) Did you have any probs with your children?
as I say our kids are younger but they have settled really well and are thoroughly enjoying it all.

good luck with your decision making - our over-riding sense was having done the research we would rather give it a go, than not and then regret not trying
Vicki
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Old Jun 22nd 2006, 2:23 pm
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Default Re: In two minds...about the big decision

Hello there,

Thanks for your responses.
I came across another website today, similar topic, very witty written and also very open minded.
Check it out and see what you think of it...
http://www.expatfocus.com/index.php?...ewtopic&t=3252

The 'safer environment' label seems a bit dented now.
Cheers.
:scared:
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Old Jun 22nd 2006, 4:51 pm
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Default Re: In two minds...about the big decision

Originally Posted by Andrea
Hello there,

Thanks for your responses.
I came across another website today, similar topic, very witty written and also very open minded.
Check it out and see what you think of it...
http://www.expatfocus.com/index.php?...ewtopic&t=3252

The 'safer environment' label seems a bit dented now.
Cheers.
:scared:
Hi Andrea,
:scared: good heavens they didnt like Nz much did they,could put you off for life
better not use the words "change of lifestyle" lets hope they find happeness in OZ.
jane
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