bourbon-biscuit

Might or might not be for a long time.

Nothing particularly wrong with NZ- there's stuff that frustrates and disappoints me but that's the same as anywhere- just we decided a while back that on balance we'd rather the kids were a more present part of their wider family (that is growing by the year) than that they/we had a big house and garden and long summers. Once we realised that we just felt calmly sure that it was time to take them back. Our decision has been strengthened by weddings they are absent from and the births of little cousins they've never met. We have everything we wanted when we came here and we enjoy NZ hugely, but it's not enough long term to be so far from family for.

I know some people will say "what a huge surprise, we never thought you were unhappy", but that's because we haven't been unhappy with NZ. If our family all moved out here, then on balance I'd say here is where I'd rather be. However, after six years I think I can safely say none of our family are planning to move here and the only ones visiting with any regularity are the wealthier inlaws, and the kids are slowly losing their relationships with all the others. Having made the decision there's plenty to be excited about (as well as anxious).

Our older daughter is just a few years from uni, so we'll head back in time for UK unis to be an option for her if she chooses. 3/4 of us have citizenship, I have to make do with IRRV, but such is life!

Once we made the decision we looked at what we'd need to do to achieve it, where we'd need to make compromises and where we weren't prepared to compromise. We're going to have a bit of a battle getting the older one into the most local and preferred school, but there are other decent options nearby.

We're moving to near Lyme Regis

I know some folk will read this with envy, some will read it with incredulity- that's ok; we're all different and enjoy different things. I didn't leave the UK because I hated it and I'm not moving somewhere dire. I'm not leaving NZ cos I hate it either- I just know that's going to fry some of the black-and-white thinkers on here's brains

Keeping options open for the middle to far future though, because I suspect when the kids are much older NZ may well be somewhere they'd like to raise their own families- they've loved their lives here, though both cried with happiness when we told them. They are lucky to be part of a large family that love them.

If you're reading this and thinking "wish we could", I can tell you that my husband and I are making huge career, lifestyle and equity sacrifices to make this happen, so this isn't us in a lucky or lush situation.

Assanah

Nice, balanced post. Best of luck to you

MrsFychan

good luck to you and yours.
You have to live your own life and provide to your loved ones what you think is right for them. You've given them a different outlook on life and something, as you say, they might want to revisit themselves when they are older.

NZ4Now

Great post and good luck

We are moving back next year too and like you we don't hate NZ just have realised that the UK is more for us long term

bourbon-biscuit

I have a serious coffee addiction to break

NZ4Now

Haha SAME! love my daily flat white!!

MrsFychan

not much of a coffee drinker myself buy hubby says coffee here is great and would be something he would most certainly miss.

waikatoguy

Hi BB,
If my hunch is correct, I think you were/are in the education business. If that's the case, on behalf of myself, I'd like to thank you for making a positive contribution to NZ. Going by what I've read of your posts, I'm pretty sure have. Perhaps you may be back at some stage. Who knows?

ohdearydear

We (Mr ODD and me!) actually agreed the same thing last night! We don't hate it here and didn't come from bad lives in the UK. The pull of family has been too much for us and we don't want our children missing out on close relationships with family - something we wish we had more of as children.

We just need to decide when...certainly in the next year though!

I wish you luck with your move and will be following your future posts with interest. Will you be shipping belongings and/or pets home too?

Lyme Regis is lovely too - I'm a tad jealous of where you're going!

Expat Kiwi

You're making the decision for all the right reasons, your kids are obviously happy with it. They have the option of returning in later years if they feel the pull and they've had some wonderful times to remember NZ by.

The Lyme Regis area is lovely with plenty of places to get out and enjoy the countryside and not too far from the moorlands. I know the area reasonably well, mostly from going to the Sidmouth Folk Festival. Is it still going?

bourbon-biscuit

I don't know- we've been away for six years! But coming from the south west it's all our old stomping ground; I like the area very much.

There's a little detail I failed to mention about why we're moving to the area we are .... we're moving in with the inlaws

bourbon-biscuit

I'm certain we'll come back- we've got family and ties here and there's so much we'll miss. Less sure if we'll come back to live, but it's certainly not off the cards. NZ is very special and if my family lived here it would tip the balance heavily in favour of here.

That's not to say there isn't plenty to be very excited about being able to enjoy in the UK again! Can't wait

bourbon-biscuit

Shipping very little. TM and garage sales should see to most of it.

Pit Bull.

All the very best of luck, the UK is a great country to live in.

kingacat

Sounds like the right decision for your family and a new exciting chapter. If we moved back to uk would love to move Lyme Regis as we love charmouth!