Go Back  British Expats > Living & Moving Abroad > New Zealand
Reload this Page >

Why people have Negative Concepts about NZ ?

Why people have Negative Concepts about NZ ?

Old Oct 30th 2005, 2:09 am
  #106  
turkeytickler
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Negative Vibes.

Originally Posted by kelvynd
insecurity where?
I bash NZ as much as I bash UK
I praise NZ as much as I praise the good things about UK

My generisaltion was (and i stress it is very much a generalisation):
NZ = crap money - good lifestyle
UK = crap lifestyle - good money.

I bashed both places and praised both places.
My preference of a place to live in the world would be Australia.....oh dear, what's that - A kiwi prefering OZ over his on country of NZ....that's underheard of isn't it?

incidently - how in the world does bashing UK justify our 'little' existence in NZ?

Ive got it all the wrong way around! Im in ChCh working for a UK company earning £s, and as I cyclist, I have found my opportunities for cycling in NZ vastly less than back home;
- fewer clubs
- worse roads (even the ones that are sealed are covered in broken glass)
- worse drivers to share the roads with
- incessant winds in the afternoon
- over priced equipment
- homocidal magpies
- lonnnng and straiiiggghhtt borrring roads

My wife is a marathon runner - she cant find any running clubs, the paths are dangerous to run on because drivers seem to think they have right of way even on footpaths (eg when turning across them into the local mall <sigh>). The running scene is vastly smaller than in the UK where there are races locally every weekend....

Lifestyle you say??

So im am in NZ earning Good Money with a Crap lifestyle.
My wife and I are 75% sure we are not going to stay here - luckily i can switch my job back to the uk so we can adjust that back to - Good Money + Good Lifestyle.
 
Old Oct 30th 2005, 3:15 am
  #107  
farmer nr Queenstown NZ
 
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: doing stuff, lots of stuff
Posts: 367
deedee is on a distinguished road
Default Re: Why people have Negative Concepts about NZ ?

As a competition cyclist i find CHCH crap too,one good race a year there, although i find Otago and Southland brilliant.Huge numbers of memebers in all the clubs, great roads, great mountains, great competition and for us a great lifestyle.
The equiptment is overpriced here, but just buy on line and mail order from the states and the Uk and you get it cheaper than the retailers wholesale price.Luckily i'm now sponsered so i get everything for a song.
Not come across the magpie thing, although a few stray lambs on the road havn't helped but thats riding.I am informed too that the competative running is non exsistant in the South too...shame really for such a sporting nation.
I didn't come from the UK to live in a city but if thats where the work is i guess maybe the cycling and lifestyle back in the UK was better.Good luck on the pedals.
deedee is offline  
Old Oct 30th 2005, 3:23 am
  #108  
BE Forum Addict
 
Jeeper's Avatar
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Dubai
Posts: 2,082
Jeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Negative Vibes.

Originally Posted by turkeytickler
Ive got it all the wrong way around! Im in ChCh working for a UK company earning £s, and as I cyclist, I have found my opportunities for cycling in NZ vastly less than back home;
- fewer clubs
- worse roads (even the ones that are sealed are covered in broken glass)
- worse drivers to share the roads with
- incessant winds in the afternoon
- over priced equipment
- homocidal magpies
- lonnnng and straiiiggghhtt borrring roads

My wife is a marathon runner - she cant find any running clubs, the paths are dangerous to run on because drivers seem to think they have right of way even on footpaths (eg when turning across them into the local mall <sigh>). The running scene is vastly smaller than in the UK where there are races locally every weekend....

Lifestyle you say??

So im am in NZ earning Good Money with a Crap lifestyle.
My wife and I are 75% sure we are not going to stay here - luckily i can switch my job back to the uk so we can adjust that back to - Good Money + Good Lifestyle.
The idea of calling something a 'generalisation' is to imply that it doesn't apply to every individual.

Also, regarding NZ roads and infrastructure....you have to remember NZ is larger in land area than UK but has a fraction of the population to contribute taxes to pay for that stuff.

Last edited by kelvynd; Oct 30th 2005 at 3:25 am.
Jeeper is offline  
Old Oct 30th 2005, 4:27 am
  #109  
Forum Regular
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Bay of Plenty, NZ
Posts: 191
Herm has a brilliant futureHerm has a brilliant futureHerm has a brilliant futureHerm has a brilliant futureHerm has a brilliant futureHerm has a brilliant futureHerm has a brilliant futureHerm has a brilliant future
Default Re: Negative Vibes.

Originally Posted by turkeytickler
Ive got it all the wrong way around! Im in ChCh working for a UK company earning £s, and as I cyclist, I have found my opportunities for cycling in NZ vastly less than back home;
- fewer clubs
- worse roads (even the ones that are sealed are covered in broken glass)
- worse drivers to share the roads with
- incessant winds in the afternoon
- over priced equipment
- homocidal magpies
- lonnnng and straiiiggghhtt borrring roads

My wife is a marathon runner - she cant find any running clubs, the paths are dangerous to run on because drivers seem to think they have right of way even on footpaths (eg when turning across them into the local mall <sigh>). The running scene is vastly smaller than in the UK where there are races locally every weekend....

Lifestyle you say??

So im am in NZ earning Good Money with a Crap lifestyle.
My wife and I are 75% sure we are not going to stay here - luckily i can switch my job back to the uk so we can adjust that back to - Good Money + Good Lifestyle.
Without wishing to be blunt maybe the sooner you b**gg** off back to the UK the better we will all be.

Apologies but this country does not need whinging POMS.....

Have a good day.
Herm is offline  
Old Oct 30th 2005, 4:59 am
  #110  
BE Forum Addict
 
Jeeper's Avatar
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Dubai
Posts: 2,082
Jeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Why people have Negative Concepts about NZ ?

Originally Posted by deedee
As a competition cyclist i find CHCH crap too,one good race a year there, although i find Otago and Southland brilliant.Huge numbers of memebers in all the clubs, great roads, great mountains, great competition and for us a great lifestyle.
The equiptment is overpriced here, but just buy on line and mail order from the states and the Uk and you get it cheaper than the retailers wholesale price.Luckily i'm now sponsered so i get everything for a song.
Not come across the magpie thing, although a few stray lambs on the road havn't helped but thats riding.I am informed too that the competative running is non exsistant in the South too...shame really for such a sporting nation.
I didn't come from the UK to live in a city but if thats where the work is i guess maybe the cycling and lifestyle back in the UK was better.Good luck on the pedals.
Perhaps it might be time to take up something diffferent?
In NZ I loved surfing, flying, wakeboarding, snowboarding amongst other things.
Living in Dubai I don't get to do any of that...but I get to go dune bashing in my 4x4 in the desert, play golf on a fully floodlit 18 hole course at night after work...
You can't expect NZ to be like UK....we don't have to population to support the infrastructure (incl. public transport) you brits are accustomed to. Also, NZ is a very young country.
I'm sure most kiwi's aren't sitting there bored because there's nowhere to run....they'll be doing something else.
Get out there and enjoy what the place has to offer - even better if it does mean doing something new.
Jeeper is offline  
Old Oct 30th 2005, 7:00 am
  #111  
BE Enthusiast
 
muppetking's Avatar
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Location: Sussex, formerly Christchurch
Posts: 395
muppetking is on a distinguished road
Default Re: Negative Vibes.

Originally Posted by kelvynd
insecurity where?
I bash NZ as much as I bash UK
I praise NZ as much as I praise the good things about UK

My generisaltion was (and i stress it is very much a generalisation):
NZ = crap money - good lifestyle
UK = crap lifestyle - good money.

I bashed both places and praised both places.
My preference of a place to live in the world would be Australia.....oh dear, what's that - A kiwi prefering OZ over his on country of NZ....that's underheard of isn't it?

incidently - how in the world does bashing UK justify our 'little' existence in NZ?
Fair call but your assertion that the lifestyle is better simply doesn't add up to me. We go kayaking at a local club every other week; my daughter plays hockey at weekends, swims every week, goes to Brownies, does netball, football and aerobics at School; I play football every weekend and my wife goes to the gym. Last week we went off to the Yorkshire dales and spent 4 days exploring a beautiful part of England. This weekend we went to a local area of outstanding natural beauty, walked for 2 hours through ancient woodland and met one couple. Lifestyle is what YOU make it. Many people on this forum prefer to think that a move abroad will provide this for themselves and their children without bothering to look on their own doorsetp. Now where exactly does the NZ lifestyle score over this?
By the way. I see little praising of the UK in your posts. NZ bashing yes. But perhaps the former sticks in your craw too much.
PS The Anglo/French rivalry stems from the 'Holy Grail' where the Knights of Ni are insulted by the French from their castle....'I spit on your English apples.' Now how could we ever forgive that?
muppetking is offline  
Old Oct 30th 2005, 7:19 am
  #112  
BE Forum Addict
 
Jeeper's Avatar
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Dubai
Posts: 2,082
Jeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Negative Vibes.

Originally Posted by muppetking
Fair call but your assertion that the lifestyle is better simply doesn't add up to me. We go kayaking at a local club every other week; my daughter plays hockey at weekends, swims every week, goes to Brownies, does netball, football and aerobics at School; I play football every weekend and my wife goes to the gym. Last week we went off to the Yorkshire dales and spent 4 days exploring a beautiful part of England. This weekend we went to a local area of outstanding natural beauty, walked for 2 hours through ancient woodland and met one couple. Lifestyle is what YOU make it. Many people on this forum prefer to think that a move abroad will provide this for themselves and their children without bothering to look on their own doorsetp. Now where exactly does the NZ lifestyle score over this?
By the way. I see little praising of the UK in your posts. NZ bashing yes. But perhaps the former sticks in your craw too much.
PS The Anglo/French rivalry stems from the 'Holy Grail' where the Knights of Ni are insulted by the French from their castle....'I spit on your English apples.' Now how could we ever forgive that?
Sounds like you have a great lifestyle in UK. That's great.
None of the stuff you do in Uk can't be done in NZ either though.
I prefer NZ because the weather is fairer - and i'm an outdoorsy type.
You are right in that lifestyle is what you make it...but it also helps that we can be comfortable when we go outside. This is why I prefer OZ over any other.

Also, lifestlye doesn't just mean activities.....it can also mean just general quality of life.....and I prefer NZ quality of life to UK...but that's just me.
Jeeper is offline  
Old Oct 30th 2005, 7:29 am
  #113  
Galaxy 1: Cadbury's 0
 
uk+kiwi's Avatar
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,606
uk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Negative Vibes.

Originally Posted by kelvynd
Also, lifestlye doesn't just mean activities.....it can also mean just general quality of life.....and I prefer NZ quality of life to UK...but that's just me.
I agree. It would also include stress - from work/traffic jams etc, work/life balance incorporating how much time is wasting commuting and doing overtime thus how energetic you feel at weekends to get out and do 'things', cleanliness and feeling of surroundings etc.

Also peoples' general attitudes and friendliness have an impact on lifestyle. I always feel stressed after shopping since it's just such a bloody hassle (too busy!) and supermarket staff in particular appear to have no grasp of who customers are, how to behave in their presence (ie not slag off their employer and discuss how hungover they are) and interact with them if ask something of a 'customer service' nature. Personal gripe. We have much to learn in this department as a nation.
uk+kiwi is offline  
Old Oct 30th 2005, 7:46 am
  #114  
Nice Tats
 
Pompey_Paul's Avatar
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Location: PARADISE DARN SARRF
Posts: 819
Pompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of light
Default Re: Why people have Negative Concepts about NZ ?

Originally Posted by deedee
As a competition cyclist i find CHCH crap too,one good race a year there, although i find Otago and Southland brilliant.Huge numbers of memebers in all the clubs, great roads, great mountains, great competition and for us a great lifestyle.
The equiptment is overpriced here, but just buy on line and mail order from the states and the Uk and you get it cheaper than the retailers wholesale price.Luckily i'm now sponsered so i get everything for a song.
Not come across the magpie thing, although a few stray lambs on the road havn't helped but thats riding.I am informed too that the competative running is non exsistant in the South too...shame really for such a sporting nation.
I didn't come from the UK to live in a city but if thats where the work is i guess maybe the cycling and lifestyle back in the UK was better.Good luck on the pedals.
Great to hear....you must be HOT to be sponsored.

Hope to get back into Cycling when i get there!
Pompey_Paul is offline  
Old Oct 30th 2005, 7:50 am
  #115  
Nice Tats
 
Pompey_Paul's Avatar
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Location: PARADISE DARN SARRF
Posts: 819
Pompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of lightPompey_Paul is a glorious beacon of light
Default Re: Negative Vibes.

Originally Posted by muppetking
Fair call but your assertion that the lifestyle is better simply doesn't add up to me. We go kayaking at a local club every other week; my daughter plays hockey at weekends, swims every week, goes to Brownies, does netball, football and aerobics at School; I play football every weekend and my wife goes to the gym. Last week we went off to the Yorkshire dales and spent 4 days exploring a beautiful part of England. This weekend we went to a local area of outstanding natural beauty, walked for 2 hours through ancient woodland and met one couple. Lifestyle is what YOU make it. Many people on this forum prefer to think that a move abroad will provide this for themselves and their children without bothering to look on their own doorsetp. Now where exactly does the NZ lifestyle score over this?
By the way. I see little praising of the UK in your posts. NZ bashing yes. But perhaps the former sticks in your craw too much.
PS The Anglo/French rivalry stems from the 'Holy Grail' where the Knights of Ni are insulted by the French from their castle....'I spit on your English apples.' Now how could we ever forgive that?
And fart in your general direction.............

Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Pompey_Paul is offline  
Old Oct 30th 2005, 7:45 pm
  #116  
turkeytickler
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Negative Vibes.

Originally Posted by Herm
Without wishing to be blunt maybe the sooner you b**gg** off back to the UK the better we will all be.

Apologies but this country does not need whinging POMS.....

Have a good day.
You certainly benefit from the tax income i bring in from the UK.
 
Old Oct 31st 2005, 1:32 am
  #117  
 
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 98
ElizabethC is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Negative Vibes.

Originally Posted by turkeytickler
You certainly benefit from the tax income i bring in from the UK.
Goodness turkeytickler, if you're throwing it around then I would certainly benefit from a new anemometer for the boat.
ElizabethC is offline  
Old Oct 31st 2005, 7:33 am
  #118  
isv
Forum Regular
 
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: West Midlands, UK
Posts: 60
isv has a brilliant futureisv has a brilliant futureisv has a brilliant futureisv has a brilliant futureisv has a brilliant futureisv has a brilliant futureisv has a brilliant future
Default Re: Why people have Negative Concepts about NZ ?

In all the time that I have been working towards moving to NZ the only consistent theme on all the fora is the cost of living comparison.

Everyone's circumstances will be different. Above all else this comes down to one thing - expectations. If you set them too high you will be disappointed. The facts are out there - everything that YOU need to make the best decision for YOU is out there.

I've spent the last few months working on some software models that very accurately compare cost of living between countries based on lifestyle expectations. The results for NZ are...interesting. It is not all doom and gloom by any means. The outcome is based on hundreds of factors but just a few can swing the result enormously:

Size of family (child benefits etc.)
Amount of free capital
Debt (mortgage, car loans etc.)
Investments (property, business, pensions etc.)
Salary (not all jobs pay less in NZ - but most do)
Age
Consumptive behaviour
Education preferences (private schools, state etc.)

The results vary tremendously and if you try to make broad statements based on the your own inputs it can be misleading. Having said that... the general indicators we are seeing can summarised as:

The amount of capital you take with you has the most major impact on any of the financial outcomes. The combination of low capital + low/average NZ salary + children = many families significantly worse off compared to UK.

The ability to run your own business/self-employment has a major beneficial impact - if you run a small business/self-employed in the UK then most of the time you should be significantly better off in NZ.

If you earn a low wage in the UK and expect to do the same in NZ then in most cases you will be (considerably) better off financially in the UK (unless you have significant capital to kick-start life in NZ).

If you are fortunate to own a house in the UK and can pocket a considerable sum if/when sold then you should be able to relocate with ease (but you might be surprised at how large the sum needs to be).

The above should be pretty obvious to anyone who has investigated a potential move in any depth. BUT I would add that if your desire to move to NZ is based purely on financial comparisons then perhaps you are going for the wrong reasons.

Alan.
isv is offline  
Old Oct 31st 2005, 7:59 am
  #119  
BE Forum Addict
 
Jeeper's Avatar
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Dubai
Posts: 2,082
Jeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond reputeJeeper has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Why people have Negative Concepts about NZ ?

Originally Posted by isv
In all the time that I have been working towards moving to NZ the only consistent theme on all the fora is the cost of living comparison.

Everyone's circumstances will be different. Above all else this comes down to one thing - expectations. If you set them too high you will be disappointed. The facts are out there - everything that YOU need to make the best decision for YOU is out there.

I've spent the last few months working on some software models that very accurately compare cost of living between countries based on lifestyle expectations. The results for NZ are...interesting. It is not all doom and gloom by any means. The outcome is based on hundreds of factors but just a few can swing the result enormously:

Size of family (child benefits etc.)
Amount of free capital
Debt (mortgage, car loans etc.)
Investments (property, business, pensions etc.)
Salary (not all jobs pay less in NZ - but most do)
Age
Consumptive behaviour
Education preferences (private schools, state etc.)

The results vary tremendously and if you try to make broad statements based on the your own inputs it can be misleading. Having said that... the general indicators we are seeing can summarised as:

The amount of capital you take with you has the most major impact on any of the financial outcomes. The combination of low capital + low/average NZ salary + children = many families significantly worse off compared to UK.

The ability to run your own business/self-employment has a major beneficial impact - if you run a small business/self-employed in the UK then most of the time you should be significantly better off in NZ.

If you earn a low wage in the UK and expect to do the same in NZ then in most cases you will be (considerably) better off financially in the UK (unless you have significant capital to kick-start life in NZ).

If you are fortunate to own a house in the UK and can pocket a considerable sum if/when sold then you should be able to relocate with ease (but you might be surprised at how large the sum needs to be).

The above should be pretty obvious to anyone who has investigated a potential move in any depth. BUT I would add that if your desire to move to NZ is based purely on financial comparisons then perhaps you are going for the wrong reasons.

Alan.
Spot on.
Jeeper is offline  
Old Oct 31st 2005, 8:54 pm
  #120  
Galaxy 1: Cadbury's 0
 
uk+kiwi's Avatar
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,606
uk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeuk+kiwi has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Why people have Negative Concepts about NZ ?

Originally Posted by isv
In all the time that I have been working towards moving to NZ the only consistent theme on all the fora is the cost of living comparison.
Brilliant. Karma to you if I can. Carmen.

sorry, need to spread.
uk+kiwi is offline  

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.