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-   -   Why have you remained in NZ (https://britishexpats.com/forum/new-zealand-83/why-have-you-remained-nz-723143/)

Scousebird Jun 30th 2011 8:42 pm

Why have you remained in NZ
 
After reading the 'why did you leave' and wanting to slash my wrists would really like to know what has made people stay given the weather, wages, locals, opportunities, houses, tv, drivers, utility bills and tax system are crap not forgetting the crime rate, domestic and child abuse problems, gangs and substance misuse issues which are apparently on the increase. (have I forgetten much?! Sorry the education system?!)

Jan n Neil Jun 30th 2011 9:42 pm

Re: Why have you remained in NZ
 
The wife made me stay :o

I did come very close to leaving but i,m slowley but surely settling in, NZ is not for everybody and i think my main problem is just how quiet and insular Christchurch is but there are far worse places to live so like they say in my AA meetings "one day at a time" at least i think thats what they say i,m normally pissed ;)

alanmacc Jun 30th 2011 9:45 pm

Re: Why have you remained in NZ
 

Originally Posted by Scousebird (Post 9467743)
After reading the 'why did you leave' and wanting to slash my wrists would really like to know what has made people stay given the weather, wages, locals, opportunities, houses, tv, drivers, utility bills and tax system are crap not forgetting the crime rate, domestic and child abuse problems, gangs and substance misuse issues which are apparently on the increase. (have I forgetten much?! Sorry the education system?!)

WTF !!!!
"given the weather, wages, locals, opportunities, houses, tv, drivers, utility bills and tax system are crap not forgetting the crime rate, domestic and child abuse problems, gangs and substance misuse issues which are apparently on the increase"

Ok im confused with this, from reading your post is seems you are inferring people have left due to these things listed??

Weather - warmer winters, much warmer summers, longer summers, more stable summer time (you actualy get sunshine)

Wages - I am actually on a higher salary than I was in the uk so i have o complaints there

Locals - I find the locals a pretty close knit bunch but on the flip side also really friendly

Opportunities - Define opportunities, here you have much more opportunities to do things you would never dream of doing in the UK (IMO)

Houses - depends on whether you buy new or old, yes they are not as sturdy as UK houses but if the size of quakes hit the uk a swe had here in CHCH the whole counrty would be decimated, the houses here are constructed to the elements.

TV- ok i give you that, but why would tv make you want to leave

Drivers - yep there are some shocking drivers here, but there are shocking drivers all over the world, but per capita id say NZ has the worst

Utility Bills - I have no real issue with them here to be honest, they are part of life and you need to pay them so i cant say that they would make me want to leave.

Tax - you are actually taxed less here than the UK (IMO)

Abuse - I think you will find that the UK has a much higher rate of abuse than NZ, most of UK abuse is like NZ unreported.

Gangs - really gangs - unless you live in a rural part of the UK you are overrun by gangs, we wlived in a pretty decent area in Scotland and we had plenty of gangs and street battles

Substance abuse - I think you will find the whole thinking on abuse here is highly exaggerated, the uk is a haven for E, Coke, Smack, Heroin, Glue, Speed, Acid ........

We have been there 4 years this year so we are well past the holiday period and not looking through rose tinted specs, so what keeps me here ..........

We live just outside CHCH and have suffered earthquakes from Spetember last year, yes it is scarey, yes they are a pain in the ass, but will we leave ..... hell no, this is home now.

We look what life we had in the UK and we are much better off here on all levels, yes we miss our friends but that aside what is there in the UK .... nothing.

Would we consider trying OZ ....... probably not, yes you can make more money there but I know peole who moved to OZ had have had guns pulled on them at traffic lights because a guy cut them up and the tooted the horn, the dont live in the boonies, this was central Sydney !!

Is the grass greener, for some i dare asy it is indeed greener overseas, but for us it is pretty green here, we are happy, relaxed (earthquakes aside) content, our daughter loved this place and the outdoor lifestyle that it offers and she is only 6 and at the ripe old age of 6 she has done ballet, netball gymnasitcs, football and basketball .......

The education system is all dependant on what you look for, the UK is focused on exams and passing them but does passing an exam mean you have learend anything or does it just mean you have a good memory ??
The school my daughter is at used child led education as well as national standards meaning if the kids show an interest in ... the sea, they will do a full class project on this, if it is in the stars they will do a project on that. This keeps the childs attention and the actually enjoy what they learn.

OK my rant and war and peace is over, a tad long yes probalby, boring probably and likely a waste of 3 min of your life if you read it but thought id post my thoughts anyway

Scousebird Jun 30th 2011 10:06 pm

Re: Why have you remained in NZ
 
alanmacc - my post is a summary of all the negative aspects Ive read about NZ. Having previously lived in NZ and wanting to return I have a good understanding of the pros and cons. I just think there should be balance as there is always two sides to a story. I think youve just offered the balance - thank god!

Jan n neil - sarcasm and wit is always welcome!

UKNZAUS Jun 30th 2011 10:13 pm

Re: Why have you remained in NZ
 
I think it's pretty much self-explanatory why people stay in NZ. They have settled and love their lives here. Simple.

Jan n Neil Jun 30th 2011 10:20 pm

Re: Why have you remained in NZ
 
I'm firmly with alanmacc here

We earn more
We have more space (by far) for our dogs
The sky is bluer than nearly anywhere I have seen part from Africa
I love the summer weather for 8 months a year
We both have tried new things here - horse riding, flying, and it's available and there are no queues!
I now love my house as it protected us during major earthquakes
Top rate of tax is only 33%
I went back to the UK and hated it, too crowded cold and damp
I like Kiwis, they smile

I have dislikes of course, but my "likes" far outweight them :thumbup:


Jan

MOSO Jun 30th 2011 10:21 pm

Re: Why have you remained in NZ
 
I completely agree with above.

The weather is better than the UK - I spent yesterday afternoon in the garden in a light jumper and it's mid winter. We do not own winter coats anymore!

The kids have more freedom, cycling to friends houses, playing on the beach, river etc. etc. etc. for free. The school curriculum is more interesting (although by no means perfect!). My daughter's friends in the UK have just done their year 6 SATS, as one UK friend commented "what a waste of a school year". Clubs (gym, rugby etc.) are cheaper than the UK.

We have a larger house with a much smaller mortgage, my OH earns slightly less than the UK, but commuting costs are about 1/4 of those getting into London, utility bills are less (we have no gas heating to pay for) so overall we have slightly more disposible income.

I can drive to the shops, park for free, not queue at the checkout, and later I'm going into Wellington and know I can just park without problem and there won't be any traffic jams (unless there's an accident).

I would also agree Kiwis are friendly on the outside but hard to get to know.

We've been back to the UK and to Oz on holiday so don't feel isolated, found Oz expensive and got stuck in traffic jams on the 4-lane motorways outside Brisbane. My daughter said "this is worse than the M25"!

Job security is the only issue, but then my OH's govt department in the UK doesn't exist any more so he would have been out of work over there anyway with a huge mortgage.

I would say to anyone - research research research to see if it's what you want and do your sums, then do them again.....but yes for us, it is better than the UK.

faye_h Jun 30th 2011 10:24 pm

Re: Why have you remained in NZ
 
I have to agree with alanmacc, we love it here and are not looking to leave anytime soon, if ever!

Yes we miss friends and family and the some odd things you can't find in NZ (like Galaxy chocolate without having to pay an arm and leg for it in a British shop ;) ) but on the whole we love the place.

Myself and OH are both on better wages, me in the charity sector and him in retail and I believe this is because there are more opportunities here for progressing within your career. If you are good at what you do there is far less competition and we have both found that employers are impressed with our experience coming from the UK.

We are considering buying a house within Auckland in the next couple of years and can get far more for our buck than we could in the UK (from the South East btw).

As for crime, gangs, utility bills, weather etc I think NZ is far better. I saw much worse in the UK.

I suppose everyone's experience is going to be different depending where they have come from in the UK and where they are moving to in NZ.

For us it is home and we can't wait to convert our WTR visas to permanent residency in the next month or 2 :D

Expat Kiwi Jun 30th 2011 11:03 pm

Re: Why have you remained in NZ
 

Originally Posted by MOSO (Post 946788)
1found Oz expensive and got stuck in traffic jams on the 4-lane motorways outside Brisbane. My daughter said "this is worse than the M25"!

That's very interesting, I find Oz a lot cheaper than New Zealand. Admittedly I came over here when the NZ v. Australian exchange rate was at its best for years but I still find my dollar goes further here than it did in New Zealand. Petrol being a good example, I filled up yesterday for $1.30 a litre. Another is electricity - my quarterly summer bill (peak use at that time of year because of pool pump and air conditioning) was $576, much cheaper than the >$250 a month I was paying in NZ a few years ago.

BTW, My winter bills are circa $300 a quarter. Those prices also include levies for ambulance cover too.

Funny you should mention the 4 lane motorways around Brisbane. I was driving through those yesterday and loving that they actually HAVE four lane motorways over here!:D and I didn't get held up once. It makes it so much easier to get where you want as quickly as possible.

Genesis Jul 1st 2011 12:04 am

Re: Why have you remained in NZ
 

Originally Posted by Scousebird (Post 9467743)
After reading the 'why did you leave' and wanting to slash my wrists would really like to know what has made people stay given the weather, wages, locals, opportunities, houses, tv, drivers, utility bills and tax system are crap not forgetting the crime rate, domestic and child abuse problems, gangs and substance misuse issues which are apparently on the increase. (have I forgetten much?! Sorry the education system?!)

Because we are so well off here in many aspects of our lives. We live in a neighbourhood we could not afford in the Uk. Ditto the house, ditto some 'toys'. Because we live near the sea. Because I think Nz is one of the best places on earth to raise children. Because Kate has the career of her dreams that she could not get in the UK. Because we work less and have more money than we did in the UK. Because NZ is so unpopulous. Because we like it here. Because there is so much to do on our doorsteps. Because we can go to so many interesting places. You can cash in your UK pensions and have lump sums tax free now. Can't do that in the UK. So all in all bar the odd rant life is very good in NZ. Fortunately I did not come here for either the TV or the weather. The former being mainly shite and the latter I think even here in Palmers is way better than it was in the UK. Because there is less stress living an everyday life in NZ than there was in the UK, IMO. No crowds, no traffic jams, no parking issues. Life is a piece of piss here in comparison the life within inner city Northampton. Because there is wall to wall beauty surrounding our home, the views of the ranges, the incredible drive up our amazing hill to our quiet neighbourhood. Less, way less fear of crime.

Kevin Jul 1st 2011 12:25 am

Re: Why have you remained in NZ
 

Originally Posted by Expat Kiwi (Post 9467936)
That's very interesting, I find Oz a lot cheaper than New Zealand. Admittedly I came over here when the NZ v. Australian exchange rate was at its best for years but I still find my dollar goes further here than it did in New Zealand. Petrol being a good example, I filled up yesterday for $1.30 a litre. Another is electricity - my quarterly summer bill (peak use at that time of year because of pool pump and air conditioning) was $576, much cheaper than the >$250 a month I was paying in NZ a few years ago.

BTW, My winter bills are circa $300 a quarter. Those prices also include levies for ambulance cover too.

Funny you should mention the 4 lane motorways around Brisbane. I was driving through those yesterday and loving that they actually HAVE four lane motorways over here!:D and I didn't get held up once. It makes it so much easier to get where you want as quickly as possible.

... Can we move in with you?:)

Expat Kiwi Jul 1st 2011 12:31 am

Re: Why have you remained in NZ
 
:rofl: sure, I think a break in the ash cloud has presented a window of opportunity.

Woodlea Jul 1st 2011 4:56 am

Re: Why have you remained in NZ
 
Because it's the best place in the world IMHO! :thumbsup:

Woodpigeon Jul 1st 2011 5:20 am

Re: Why have you remained in NZ
 
Because I didn't feel confident that my kids would be able to fit back into the UK education system after spending 2-3 years in the NZ one, and

Because now we/they can't afford a UK uni education for them.

Because everyone except me and daughter want to stay here.

Because everytime I started making noises about going home OH came up with another 'unique' experience which either we wouldn't be able to do in the UK, or which made sense, at the time, to do whilst in NZ.

All of which can be summed up by:

Because I care more about my marriage and a stable family life, and my kids' futures, than my own individual happiness.

Tomsk Jul 1st 2011 5:42 am

Re: Why have you remained in NZ
 
I'm still here (with my family) because we're happy here. Simple as.
Life's not perfect here...but nor was it perfect in the UK.
For now the positives outweigh the negatives. If that balance changes we'll review our decision to stay I'm sure, but for now it looks a lot like we're here for the long haul :thumbup:


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