billingham

I live in a remote area - Alice Springs - a very strange place. If you ever find yourself in Alice Springs, chances are you are probably very lost. Lots of problems with the indigenous people - but that is why we came. For too long there was a sense of not doing something that mattered. Now, the job gives me an opportunity to really make a difference and the results are starting to happen - very, very exciting.

The weather is sublime. 4 months in, 1 day of drizzle, the rest clear blue. Temperatures are in the high 20's at the moment, which rises to high 30's in the summer - but, and here is the saving grace, no humidity. Very dusty though.

I would not advise anyone to come to Alice Springs - it is just too remote - 1500km to the nearest city, in any direction. If that does not bother you, or the snakes, or the heat, or the indigenous problems - you may love it - we do.

billingham

Taking my 2 jack russels out bush walking, saying good morning to a couple of roo's, being followed for 2km by a Dingo, turning round and just watching each other, each with an air of wtf.

I don't know, everywhere else just seems so mainstream now.

MDD

I also want to move back to the UK and my husband doesn't. I have been here for 8 years and initially thought it was amazing and really enjoyed it, however I have been really unsettled for the past couple of years and the thought of staying here permanently makes me feels terrible. NZ is a beautiful, but quite expensive country. The job opportunities are quite limited, my experience has also been that they can lag behind a little in the way they run things. I feel at times like I committed career suicide coming here, my previous colleagues have had some amazing opportunities and although I told myself that it didn't matter when I came, I spend a minimum of 40 hours and often much more at work, despite the so called laid back lifestyle. I also don't get a pension, much less holidays, and 10 days paid sick leave a year. As I said I thought those things didn't matter, but as time has progressed and I have met many more people working in their 70's and 80's, it makes me worried.
My brother was amazed that they thought 2030 was very late for a dinner reservation in the city when he visited.
Because there are 5 of us we have only managed to visit once as it so expensive.
For myself I think that one of the biggest things is that when you move, once you are more settled and working, you just end up with a lot of the same concerns and complaints that you had before you moved. It seems a very long way from friends and family to be in that position. I have to save lots of annual leave and money to visit the UK. Whereas my family seem to have 3-4 holidays a year. As my children have got older, I have realised more and more how much they are missing out on extended family and the main reason I came here was for them.
On the other hand my husband does not agree with most of my concerns, he thinks we have a great house in a great area, good schools, great weather, good beaches nearby and I am a big whinging pom.
If I really want to go back however he would do, but then I will always have the guilt of dragging him back when he doesn't want to.

Debbie2NZ

+1 from me (albeit with no children)

love30stm

Sorry but its much easier for you to move back with no children and cheaper and no responsibintys don't you think? I'm sure I wouldn't have even emigrated if i didn't have children well not to New Zealand anyway

And turns out it was not the best move for them anyway! But might come down to living in dead end Wanganui though

Debbie2NZ

We went unconditional on our house purchase today ! Do you prefer red or white wine Bev ?

love30stm

Nice and I like both but not mixed

MDD

I completely agree, it is much easier to move without children, there is the obvious worry about which country is the best for them to grow up in and it is a huge expense, especially if it didn't work out and we came back again. When we came we only had our eldest who was a baby, we now have 3 and its very logistically difficult. I keep pointing this out to my mum who has now decided to return to the UK, she also lives here, its not as easy for us.
However in terms of where is the best country to bring up children, although most people seem to say here, in comparing the two, they can have problems wherever they are. My son who is now 9, is in a decile 10 school, which are often considered to be the best when it is only a reflection of the affluence of the area the school is in, has been getting badly bullied. Thankfully now they are aware of it the school have dealt with it really well, but it has been awful, pushing him over all the time, so he has had cut knees, calling him names, punching him, emptying his bag out, chasing him into the bathroom and pulling his pants down. He didn't tell us initially because he knew that we would go in and he would have to confront it and he thought it might get worse. Instead we have had him telling us he was sick, wetting his pj's with water to try to prove it, waking in the early hours of the morning, having nightmares and just refusing to go. This has had no reflection on whether I want to stay or not (I have been unsettled for some time), but also made me realise that they can have problems anywhere.
However if were going to move back, I think it would be easier to do it in the next few years, as its much harder when they are older.

Congratulations Debbie on your new house, enjoy the wine.