UK teacher looking to relocate to NZ with wife and 2 kids
#31
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2002
Location: Christchurch, NZ
Posts: 186
Re: UK teacher looking to relocate to NZ with wife and 2 kids
Originally Posted by Cassa
Didnt say a thing about the weather and you dont have to believe me about the boy racers, here is the article about what happened to us.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3179421a11,00.html
Of course you dont see these things. You live on a farm. We are not that lucky. If I lived on a farm I am sure I would have no one driving into my house or stray painting my fence.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3179421a11,00.html
Of course you dont see these things. You live on a farm. We are not that lucky. If I lived on a farm I am sure I would have no one driving into my house or stray painting my fence.
You have to admit though it is the only time something like that has ever happened, especially in Cashmere.
A similar thing happened to my brother in the UK, Egham. A stolen van went through his back wall into the living room. I think, like him, you have to consider yourself very unlucky.
#32
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 167
Re: UK teacher looking to relocate to NZ with wife and 2 kids
Originally Posted by JWW
I remember that, it was on the front page of the press a few weeks ago. Hope you're recovering. I can see why you might not be happy with Ch'ch at the moment.
You have to admit though it is the only time something like that has ever happened, especially in Cashmere.
A similar thing happened to my brother in the UK, Egham. A stolen van went through his back wall into the living room. I think, like him, you have to consider yourself very unlucky.
You have to admit though it is the only time something like that has ever happened, especially in Cashmere.
A similar thing happened to my brother in the UK, Egham. A stolen van went through his back wall into the living room. I think, like him, you have to consider yourself very unlucky.
So for all you out there that thought I was 'making up' the problems we see in Christchurch you will now see I was not. Again, my whole point is, can we stop trying to sell New Zealand as being some sort of heaven. It has problems like the UK does. That is the only point I was trying to make. I think that saying things are perfect in New Zealand, which is what some people are trying to do is very miss leading and unfair.
#33
Re: UK teacher looking to relocate to NZ with wife and 2 kids
[QUOTE=Cassa]So what you are saying is that there are no
Boy racer problems
No drug problems
Things are not expensive
Houses are cheap
Are you serious??????
Would you like to point out the part in my post where I said any of the above things, because I strangely can't find them!
NZ has its problems as does anywhere else, we have had money worries here as we have everywhere else we have lived. NZ is not perfect the UK is not perfect. Want to swap crime stories, my friend opened his front door to find a man with a sawn off shotgun pointing it at his face, after the incident he phoned the police and it took them 30mins to get there (this was in the UK). Crime is there wherever you go.
When we moved to NZ I never thought it was going to be vastly different than the UK for crime/education/cost of living etc, I didn't let myself get sucked into any dreamlike notions about our new life, if you did then more fool you. I looked forward to a different lifestyle not worse not better just different. That is what I am embracing and enjoying.
Boy racer problems
No drug problems
Things are not expensive
Houses are cheap
Are you serious??????
Would you like to point out the part in my post where I said any of the above things, because I strangely can't find them!
NZ has its problems as does anywhere else, we have had money worries here as we have everywhere else we have lived. NZ is not perfect the UK is not perfect. Want to swap crime stories, my friend opened his front door to find a man with a sawn off shotgun pointing it at his face, after the incident he phoned the police and it took them 30mins to get there (this was in the UK). Crime is there wherever you go.
When we moved to NZ I never thought it was going to be vastly different than the UK for crime/education/cost of living etc, I didn't let myself get sucked into any dreamlike notions about our new life, if you did then more fool you. I looked forward to a different lifestyle not worse not better just different. That is what I am embracing and enjoying.
Last edited by Watt Dabney; Mar 22nd 2005 at 3:05 am.
#34
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 167
Re: UK teacher looking to relocate to NZ with wife and 2 kids
[QUOTE=Watt Dabney]
AGAIN, I will say, my whole point was that New Zealand has problems just like everywhere else. I am not interested in your horror stories. Its not the point here. The point is that New Zealand is not some place floating around in an untouchable bubble and that it does have its share of problems. I am sure that you would be more than happy then to have a car land in your house then? . When something like that happens to you, your opinion of things change. So until then don't call I am saying is rubbish as I have proved that it is not.
You dont have to take this so personally. I have shared my experience. A very real experience. I can post the pictures of the debris if you like. I don't appreciate you coming on telling people to take what I say with a pinch of salt. I thought the whole point of this forum was to share experiences with one another? Am I wrong?
I am pleased you like living outside Christchurch. I am sure that you do not have the same problems we have and countless others in Christchurch, but to say I am talking cr*p etc is very wrong of you. Do you actually read the newspapers ? Are you aware that a 17 year old was killed drag racing at the weekend on Ferry Road?
Originally Posted by Cassa
So what you are saying is that there are no
Boy racer problems
No drug problems
Things are not expensive
Houses are cheap
Are you serious??????
Would you like to point out the part in my post where I said any of the above things, because I strangely can't find them!
NZ has its problems as does anywhere else, we have had money worries here as we have everywhere else we have lived. NZ is not perfect the UK is not perfect. Want to swap crime stories, my friend opened his front door to find a man with a sawn off shotgun pointing it at his face, after the incident he phoned the police and it took them 30mins to get there. Crime is there wherever you go.
When we moved to NZ I never thought it was going to be vastly different than the UK for crime/education/cost of living etc, I didn't let myself get sucked into any dreamlike notions about our new life, if you did then more fool you. I looked forward to a different lifestyle not worse not better just different. That is what I am embracing and enjoying.
Boy racer problems
No drug problems
Things are not expensive
Houses are cheap
Are you serious??????
Would you like to point out the part in my post where I said any of the above things, because I strangely can't find them!
NZ has its problems as does anywhere else, we have had money worries here as we have everywhere else we have lived. NZ is not perfect the UK is not perfect. Want to swap crime stories, my friend opened his front door to find a man with a sawn off shotgun pointing it at his face, after the incident he phoned the police and it took them 30mins to get there. Crime is there wherever you go.
When we moved to NZ I never thought it was going to be vastly different than the UK for crime/education/cost of living etc, I didn't let myself get sucked into any dreamlike notions about our new life, if you did then more fool you. I looked forward to a different lifestyle not worse not better just different. That is what I am embracing and enjoying.
You dont have to take this so personally. I have shared my experience. A very real experience. I can post the pictures of the debris if you like. I don't appreciate you coming on telling people to take what I say with a pinch of salt. I thought the whole point of this forum was to share experiences with one another? Am I wrong?
I am pleased you like living outside Christchurch. I am sure that you do not have the same problems we have and countless others in Christchurch, but to say I am talking cr*p etc is very wrong of you. Do you actually read the newspapers ? Are you aware that a 17 year old was killed drag racing at the weekend on Ferry Road?
#35
Re: UK teacher looking to relocate to NZ with wife and 2 kids
Originally Posted by Cassa
AGAIN, I will say, my whole point was that New Zealand has problems just like everywhere else. I am not interested in your horror stories. Its not the point here.
No, but you seem to think everyone is interested in yours!
The point is that New Zealand is not some place floating around in an untouchable bubble and that it does have its share of problems. I am sure that you would be more than happy then to have a car land in your house then? . When something like that happens to you, your opinion of things change.
Yes NZ does have problems same as everywhere else, tell me something I don't know. No, I wouldn't like a car to land in my house and have never given the impression that I would.
So until then don't call I am saying is rubbish as I have proved that it is not.
I never said it was rubbish, I said it had threads of truth running through it but with an exaggereated negative slant.
You dont have to take this so personally. I have shared my experience. A very real experience. I can post the pictures of the debris if you like. I don't appreciate you coming on telling people to take what I say with a pinch of salt. I thought the whole point of this forum was to share experiences with one another? Am I wrong?
No, we can share. I have lots of good experiences but if i share those I am accused of misleading people into thinking NZ is paradise.
I am pleased you like living outside Christchurch. I am sure that you do not have the same problems we have and countless others in Christchurch, but to say I am talking cr*p etc is very wrong of you.
I have never said you were talking crap, show me where I said this!
Do you actually read the newspapers ? Are you aware that a 17 year old was killed drag racing at the weekend on Ferry Road?
No, but you seem to think everyone is interested in yours!
The point is that New Zealand is not some place floating around in an untouchable bubble and that it does have its share of problems. I am sure that you would be more than happy then to have a car land in your house then? . When something like that happens to you, your opinion of things change.
Yes NZ does have problems same as everywhere else, tell me something I don't know. No, I wouldn't like a car to land in my house and have never given the impression that I would.
So until then don't call I am saying is rubbish as I have proved that it is not.
I never said it was rubbish, I said it had threads of truth running through it but with an exaggereated negative slant.
You dont have to take this so personally. I have shared my experience. A very real experience. I can post the pictures of the debris if you like. I don't appreciate you coming on telling people to take what I say with a pinch of salt. I thought the whole point of this forum was to share experiences with one another? Am I wrong?
No, we can share. I have lots of good experiences but if i share those I am accused of misleading people into thinking NZ is paradise.
I am pleased you like living outside Christchurch. I am sure that you do not have the same problems we have and countless others in Christchurch, but to say I am talking cr*p etc is very wrong of you.
I have never said you were talking crap, show me where I said this!
Do you actually read the newspapers ? Are you aware that a 17 year old was killed drag racing at the weekend on Ferry Road?
Yes I read the newspapers. A 17yr old was killed drag racing, why are you so shocked. 17yr olds get killed all over the world hooning in cars, did you really think NZ would be any different?
#36
Re: UK teacher looking to relocate to NZ with wife and 2 kids
Moving to NZ almost 2 years ago was probably the best thing we had done in years.
If you come with an open mind, an understanding that there is crime the world over and that as an "average Joe" worker you may feel the pinch financially {as you do in the UK}, you'll be OK.
Just because NZ is English speaking, doesn't make it English. It's NZ, a unique place.
We had times in the UK when we were hard up, but I know I would rather be hard up in NZ than in the UK.
Gill
If you come with an open mind, an understanding that there is crime the world over and that as an "average Joe" worker you may feel the pinch financially {as you do in the UK}, you'll be OK.
Just because NZ is English speaking, doesn't make it English. It's NZ, a unique place.
We had times in the UK when we were hard up, but I know I would rather be hard up in NZ than in the UK.
Gill
#37
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 167
Re: UK teacher looking to relocate to NZ with wife and 2 kids
Originally Posted by Gill and Rob
Moving to NZ almost 2 years ago was probably the best thing we had done in years.
If you come with an open mind, an understanding that there is crime the world over and that as an "average Joe" worker you may feel the pinch financially {as you do in the UK}, you'll be OK.
Just because NZ is English speaking, doesn't make it English. It's NZ, a unique place.
We had times in the UK when we were hard up, but I know I would rather be hard up in NZ than in the UK.
Gill
If you come with an open mind, an understanding that there is crime the world over and that as an "average Joe" worker you may feel the pinch financially {as you do in the UK}, you'll be OK.
Just because NZ is English speaking, doesn't make it English. It's NZ, a unique place.
We had times in the UK when we were hard up, but I know I would rather be hard up in NZ than in the UK.
Gill
Glad it has worked out for you both. All we all ever want is for things to work out. Some on this board try and shoot you down for just trying. Different strokes for different folks!
We will keep trying in finding somewhere for us. Back to the UK for a bit and then we might try something else! We are disapointed as we did really want to make it work here.
#38
Re: UK teacher looking to relocate to NZ with wife and 2 kids
....................Then good luck to anyone retuning
Gill
Gill
#39
Banned
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 113
Re: UK teacher looking to relocate to NZ with wife and 2 kids
Bloody hell, anyone being negative about NZ on this thread & positive about the UK must be mad.....the Uk is finished, i live here & am moving to NZ in JUne permanently. You need an awful lot more money in the UK to live the lifestyle you can in NZ. The uk is packed out, dirty, expensive, stressful & unsafe i could go on.
If the comments on here are by ex pats, try coming back from NZ for a year like me & my wife have just done, put up with public transport, council tax of £1000 per year, petrol at $3 per litre, gangs of kids harassing everyone everywhere except small country towns, no fresh air anywhere within a 20 mile radius of a city, horrendous traffic, immigrants begging on some streets, rubbish EVERYWHERE, its rapidly becoming a dump in the UK.
life in NZ isn't perfect, but its 100% better than the UK,
If the comments on here are by ex pats, try coming back from NZ for a year like me & my wife have just done, put up with public transport, council tax of £1000 per year, petrol at $3 per litre, gangs of kids harassing everyone everywhere except small country towns, no fresh air anywhere within a 20 mile radius of a city, horrendous traffic, immigrants begging on some streets, rubbish EVERYWHERE, its rapidly becoming a dump in the UK.
life in NZ isn't perfect, but its 100% better than the UK,
Originally Posted by Gill and Rob
....................Then good luck to anyone retuning
Gill
Gill
#40
Re: UK teacher looking to relocate to NZ with wife and 2 kids
Originally Posted by ps_wardle
Bloody hell, anyone being negative about NZ on this thread & positive about the UK must be mad.....the Uk is finished, i live here & am moving to NZ in JUne permanently. You need an awful lot more money in the UK to live the lifestyle you can in NZ. The uk is packed out, dirty, expensive, stressful & unsafe i could go on.
If the comments on here are by ex pats, try coming back from NZ for a year like me & my wife have just done, put up with public transport, council tax of £1000 per year, petrol at $3 per litre, gangs of kids harassing everyone everywhere except small country towns, no fresh air anywhere within a 20 mile radius of a city, horrendous traffic, immigrants begging on some streets, rubbish EVERYWHERE, its rapidly becoming a dump in the UK.
life in NZ isn't perfect, but its 100% better than the UK,
If the comments on here are by ex pats, try coming back from NZ for a year like me & my wife have just done, put up with public transport, council tax of £1000 per year, petrol at $3 per litre, gangs of kids harassing everyone everywhere except small country towns, no fresh air anywhere within a 20 mile radius of a city, horrendous traffic, immigrants begging on some streets, rubbish EVERYWHERE, its rapidly becoming a dump in the UK.
life in NZ isn't perfect, but its 100% better than the UK,
You sound like the classic YoYo immigrants. I haven't come across your story before - what made you leave NZ?
#41
Banned
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 113
Re: UK teacher looking to relocate to NZ with wife and 2 kids
Glad you have judged what me & my wife are like from 2 replies to an internet thread.
We went to NZ on a 1 year WHV, & loved it, worked, paid taxes, usual real life stuff (we've been accused of loving it because it was a holiday), anyway, we had a loan in the UK & a credit card etc, & with wages being what they are in NZ, it was difficult to pay them off & paying them off with NZ$ was restricting us somewhat in NZ, so we made the sad decision to come back to the UK to pay of these bills, which we virtually have done, & in the process, we've succesfully applied for PR. We didnt want to come back to the UK, but long term thought it the best thing to do, to allow us total freedom in NZ. Our story hasn't been on these forums before, i only really logged on for various bits of info & became interested in all the stories on here, couldn't believe the negative comments onthis particular thread, figured if people wanted to do something, despite being hoenst with them, people should be encouraging. Like i said, the UK stinks, & i'm an objective person, not blinkered. Yes you can earn dosh here, but you need it, to have anything of a decent life, you need a LOT of it. We're not yoyo immigrants, have lived in UK since i was born, went to NZ for a year, loved it, came back to UK to clear things up, cant wait to move back, never to return to the UK, simple. Thanks for pigeon holing me though.
We went to NZ on a 1 year WHV, & loved it, worked, paid taxes, usual real life stuff (we've been accused of loving it because it was a holiday), anyway, we had a loan in the UK & a credit card etc, & with wages being what they are in NZ, it was difficult to pay them off & paying them off with NZ$ was restricting us somewhat in NZ, so we made the sad decision to come back to the UK to pay of these bills, which we virtually have done, & in the process, we've succesfully applied for PR. We didnt want to come back to the UK, but long term thought it the best thing to do, to allow us total freedom in NZ. Our story hasn't been on these forums before, i only really logged on for various bits of info & became interested in all the stories on here, couldn't believe the negative comments onthis particular thread, figured if people wanted to do something, despite being hoenst with them, people should be encouraging. Like i said, the UK stinks, & i'm an objective person, not blinkered. Yes you can earn dosh here, but you need it, to have anything of a decent life, you need a LOT of it. We're not yoyo immigrants, have lived in UK since i was born, went to NZ for a year, loved it, came back to UK to clear things up, cant wait to move back, never to return to the UK, simple. Thanks for pigeon holing me though.
Originally Posted by southerner
You sound like the classic YoYo immigrants. I haven't come across your story before - what made you leave NZ?
#42
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: Cannes, France & Hampshire, UK
Posts: 42
Re: UK teacher looking to relocate to NZ with wife and 2 kids
Originally Posted by Cassa
We live in a really good area in Christchurch. Twice this month I have had to scrub graffiti of my fence.
Originally Posted by Cassa
The police are stretched as it is.
The eduction system is now really bad and it used to be good.
I have never seen so many sex shops, whore houses, whores on the street, massage parlors, strip bars in my life. again, I am from Edinburgh, known for its liberal approach at sex but this is way worse.
Made even worse by the fact my husband is Kiwi!!! He has been away for 6 years and thinks it has changed a lot.
The eduction system is now really bad and it used to be good.
I have never seen so many sex shops, whore houses, whores on the street, massage parlors, strip bars in my life. again, I am from Edinburgh, known for its liberal approach at sex but this is way worse.
Made even worse by the fact my husband is Kiwi!!! He has been away for 6 years and thinks it has changed a lot.
Originally Posted by Cassa
I can put money on it now the PC ness of the country will drive you mad and don't expect news, real news. You will start after 6 months to feel cut of to the rest of the world. While your friends in the UK watch the latest on Iraq, you will be watching how a cat was stuck down a drain or how many sheep were lost in a flood.
Plus the news is always coming up with "NZ is the best in the southern hemisphere at..." - I keep on wanting to yell there is a whole world out there - what about the Northern hemisphere. And what about putting things in proper context.
And why do NZers have a big problem if you say something positive about another country or dare to say anything negative about NZ?
#43
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 576
Re: UK teacher looking to relocate to NZ with wife and 2 kids
We lived in Tauranga for just under a year.
My friend there took 4 months to get a teaching post (English) and ended up taking a supply teachers post for 4 months. The word over there was that it was hard in that area to get a job and most schools will offer you a temp post then if it works out offer you full time employment. Try and get a job before you go.
House prices in the Bay for a decent house in a nice area start at about $400k upwards, sorry if you want a pool, and if you can find a house with a garden big enough to put it in will set you back around $500k. Rentals are about $350 upwards and there are plenty of them.
Weather wise wasnt too bad. Wettest and coldest Winter in quite a few years. Summer started about mid December, and god that sun can burn.
The whole area is booming and the roads can be very conjested at times. Again depends where you are based.
The beaches are great and we saw on quite a few occasions dolphins and Orca Whales - quite amazing. Eating out we found too expensive for our budget except for fish and chips
There is drug crime and everything else everyone said. Weed and P are the most common things that we heard about. Drink driving is more acceptable than what I can accept, but its very common practice.
Have to agree with some of the other writers (or the negative ones as we are called) the Uk is a huge place and where we are in Scotland we dont have any of the things that you talk about. However, where I work in Glasgow I am dealing with all sorts of anti social but you know what I love it!!!!
My friend there took 4 months to get a teaching post (English) and ended up taking a supply teachers post for 4 months. The word over there was that it was hard in that area to get a job and most schools will offer you a temp post then if it works out offer you full time employment. Try and get a job before you go.
House prices in the Bay for a decent house in a nice area start at about $400k upwards, sorry if you want a pool, and if you can find a house with a garden big enough to put it in will set you back around $500k. Rentals are about $350 upwards and there are plenty of them.
Weather wise wasnt too bad. Wettest and coldest Winter in quite a few years. Summer started about mid December, and god that sun can burn.
The whole area is booming and the roads can be very conjested at times. Again depends where you are based.
The beaches are great and we saw on quite a few occasions dolphins and Orca Whales - quite amazing. Eating out we found too expensive for our budget except for fish and chips
There is drug crime and everything else everyone said. Weed and P are the most common things that we heard about. Drink driving is more acceptable than what I can accept, but its very common practice.
Have to agree with some of the other writers (or the negative ones as we are called) the Uk is a huge place and where we are in Scotland we dont have any of the things that you talk about. However, where I work in Glasgow I am dealing with all sorts of anti social but you know what I love it!!!!
#44
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 167
Re: UK teacher looking to relocate to NZ with wife and 2 kids
Originally Posted by scottish
We lived in Tauranga for just under a year.
My friend there took 4 months to get a teaching post (English) and ended up taking a supply teachers post for 4 months. The word over there was that it was hard in that area to get a job and most schools will offer you a temp post then if it works out offer you full time employment. Try and get a job before you go.
House prices in the Bay for a decent house in a nice area start at about $400k upwards, sorry if you want a pool, and if you can find a house with a garden big enough to put it in will set you back around $500k. Rentals are about $350 upwards and there are plenty of them.
Weather wise wasnt too bad. Wettest and coldest Winter in quite a few years. Summer started about mid December, and god that sun can burn.
The whole area is booming and the roads can be very conjested at times. Again depends where you are based.
The beaches are great and we saw on quite a few occasions dolphins and Orca Whales - quite amazing. Eating out we found too expensive for our budget except for fish and chips
There is drug crime and everything else everyone said. Weed and P are the most common things that we heard about. Drink driving is more acceptable than what I can accept, but its very common practice.
Have to agree with some of the other writers (or the negative ones as we are called) the Uk is a huge place and where we are in Scotland we dont have any of the things that you talk about. However, where I work in Glasgow I am dealing with all sorts of anti social but you know what I love it!!!!
My friend there took 4 months to get a teaching post (English) and ended up taking a supply teachers post for 4 months. The word over there was that it was hard in that area to get a job and most schools will offer you a temp post then if it works out offer you full time employment. Try and get a job before you go.
House prices in the Bay for a decent house in a nice area start at about $400k upwards, sorry if you want a pool, and if you can find a house with a garden big enough to put it in will set you back around $500k. Rentals are about $350 upwards and there are plenty of them.
Weather wise wasnt too bad. Wettest and coldest Winter in quite a few years. Summer started about mid December, and god that sun can burn.
The whole area is booming and the roads can be very conjested at times. Again depends where you are based.
The beaches are great and we saw on quite a few occasions dolphins and Orca Whales - quite amazing. Eating out we found too expensive for our budget except for fish and chips
There is drug crime and everything else everyone said. Weed and P are the most common things that we heard about. Drink driving is more acceptable than what I can accept, but its very common practice.
Have to agree with some of the other writers (or the negative ones as we are called) the Uk is a huge place and where we are in Scotland we dont have any of the things that you talk about. However, where I work in Glasgow I am dealing with all sorts of anti social but you know what I love it!!!!
Regarding someone elses comment about where I live in Christchurch, I live in Cashmere. One of the best areas. Or so it is supposed to be.
All I was trying to do on my post was be honest about the things I have experienced and some people who obviously live with big rose glasses on told others to ignore what I was saying. Funny how they never came back at me after I posted an article about the exact things I was saying.
Note to all Kiwis on this board who get upset with anything bad said about their country :-
Yes your country is pretty, yes the people are nice, yes there is lots of space (but everyone lives on top of each other just as they do in Europe) and yes there are so many things you can do for free, like visit the wonderful beaches. BUT you don't have to take it so to heart if people say things you don't like to hear. There are problems and pretending that there are not is just silly.
#45
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 576
Re: UK teacher looking to relocate to NZ with wife and 2 kids
I have been shot down many a time. I am one of the negative ones, the ones that couldnt make it work bla bla bla..... since we have been home we have met and heard of so many people who have came back.. all for the same reason cost of living versus wages!!!!!
The way I see it now is let them go for it and find out for themselves. At the end of the day at least you are boasting the NZ economy with all your British £s. The Kiwis love that ha ha.........
Home and happy in a very grey, depressing, high crime, needle ridden, junkie Scotland pmsl.... heh the last bit is what pays me alot of money for doing a job that I took for granted before I left the UK. Never again be glad of what you have.
Emigrating is like therapy just a bloody very expensive version
The way I see it now is let them go for it and find out for themselves. At the end of the day at least you are boasting the NZ economy with all your British £s. The Kiwis love that ha ha.........
Home and happy in a very grey, depressing, high crime, needle ridden, junkie Scotland pmsl.... heh the last bit is what pays me alot of money for doing a job that I took for granted before I left the UK. Never again be glad of what you have.
Emigrating is like therapy just a bloody very expensive version