Would New Zealand be boring for *you* if you were in your twenties?
Nov 24th 2011, 11:30 pm
#46
grumpy bugger
Joined: Sep 2011
Location: out there...... somewhere
Posts: 368
Re: Would New Zealand be boring for *you* if you were in your twenties?
That's definitley true to an extent. However some places just are culturally dull and placid. Add that to the migration of the young from NZ to OZ....
Whilst sure there's watersports/mountains, can't really expect to go bungee jumping every week.
Love to see the scenery though. Sounds awesome.
Whilst sure there's watersports/mountains, can't really expect to go bungee jumping every week.
Love to see the scenery though. Sounds awesome.
Nov 24th 2011, 11:45 pm
#47
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: In Sydney at the mo.
Posts: 133
Re: Would New Zealand be boring for *you* if you were in your twenties?
Read the title, "brah".
Nov 24th 2011, 11:51 pm
#48
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2011
Location: Glenview, Hamilton. New Zealand
Posts: 42
Re: Would New Zealand be boring for *you* if you were in your twenties?
Again it depends on what type of person you are. But if you are a "neo hippie" then NZ has lots to offer, great laid back lifestyle ie surfing, lots of herbs, outdoors festivals.
If you are a townie, then head for Auckland, lots of Sharon and Tracy types down the Viaduct. The cool people hang out in er....maybe someone could fill that bit in. For chav type entertainment, head to west Auckland.
Wellington, is my favourite city and in my mind has the best night life in terms of live music and bars.
But to be honest, in your 20's, with Europe on your doorstep, I know where I would rather be. By the time I hit my 30's I was all clubbed out and ready to move on. NZ proved to be the perfect place.
If you are a townie, then head for Auckland, lots of Sharon and Tracy types down the Viaduct. The cool people hang out in er....maybe someone could fill that bit in. For chav type entertainment, head to west Auckland.
Wellington, is my favourite city and in my mind has the best night life in terms of live music and bars.
But to be honest, in your 20's, with Europe on your doorstep, I know where I would rather be. By the time I hit my 30's I was all clubbed out and ready to move on. NZ proved to be the perfect place.
I'm mid 30's now and I'm glad to be making the move to New Zealand. Going to live in Hamilton, but we've got a place up on the beach too at Coromandel.
If I was in my 20's I'd have never thought of coming. Living in Europe, first place on my list would be Amsterdam! The Octoberfest might be worth checking out too.
Think it over, get good honest advice. Sure the grass is green in New Zealand, but it's the 'move of all move's' so approach with an open mind.
Good luck whatever you decide. I'm sure everyone in the New Zealand forum will be only too willing to help you settle.
Cheers
AL
Nov 24th 2011, 11:56 pm
#49
HAPPY AS...
Joined: May 2006
Location: Taupo
Posts: 1,068
Re: Would New Zealand be boring for *you* if you were in your twenties?
Nov 25th 2011, 12:01 am
#51
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2010
Location: Taupo
Posts: 54
Re: Would New Zealand be boring for *you* if you were in your twenties?
We're with you on that one Steve ............ are you jumping on your bike this weekend. We thinking about cycling ALL the way into town and watching all the action from The Jolly Good Fellows !!!! 
Nov 25th 2011, 12:07 am
#52
HAPPY AS...
Joined: May 2006
Location: Taupo
Posts: 1,068
Re: Would New Zealand be boring for *you* if you were in your twenties?
We are indeed. Actually a support rider on a motorbike, rescuing the poor souls who break down/ fall off/ give up.
It's a great way to be involved, and well appreciated when you help someone finish who otherwise wouldn't. A spare inner tube can be worth it's weight in gold!
It's a great way to be involved, and well appreciated when you help someone finish who otherwise wouldn't. A spare inner tube can be worth it's weight in gold!
Nov 25th 2011, 12:13 am
#53
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2010
Location: Taupo
Posts: 54
Re: Would New Zealand be boring for *you* if you were in your twenties?
Thats awesome, any spare motorbikes knocking around ??? Dave would love to do that 
Nov 25th 2011, 12:52 am
#54
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,787
Re: Would New Zealand be boring for *you* if you were in your twenties?
We are indeed. Actually a support rider on a motorbike, rescuing the poor souls who break down/ fall off/ give up.
It's a great way to be involved, and well appreciated when you help someone finish who otherwise wouldn't. A spare inner tube can be worth it's weight in gold!
It's a great way to be involved, and well appreciated when you help someone finish who otherwise wouldn't. A spare inner tube can be worth it's weight in gold!
Nov 25th 2011, 3:51 am
#55
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Re: Would New Zealand be boring for *you* if you were in your twenties?
There was always something missing for me. I always felt like I was born in the wrong place - I should have been born in Europe. I just needed more -excitement, challenge, difficulty, speed of life, SOMETHING.
I remember as a young teenager feeling like I was marooned at the bottom of the world and that I couldn't WAIT to leave. I left at 23 and except for visits I've never been back for any serious length of time since. I'm now in my late 30s. While nowhere is perfect, I've found a good mix of what I like about NZ in Vancouver but with a more vibrant, interesting culture. Only because it's a city in a much larger and more diverse part of the world. NZ's isolation is the real issue. There are many good things about it and I would never say there aren't, but it's a backwater due to geography. Just the way it is. I got tired of running into people I knew all the time. Everyone is separated by about 3 degrees in NZ and half of us, if we try hard enough, can find a common ancestor in teh family tree. It's a very conformist place I found - a lot of pressure to fit into a few particular narrow molds. If you fit into the mold it's great, but if you don't, it can be hell. Far less opportunities because it's jsut a much smaller economy, and because it's a much smaller economy, a lot more who you know over what you know. I'm in an industry that basically doesn't really exist in NZ, and my partner could not have the career he has here, there. His industry exists - barely - in NZ but it's tiny and very few opportunities. Again, due to geography, small population, distance from major business centres.
A lot of the gripes you read on here about cost of living, difficulty of getting out of NZ, etc. can really be traced back to those 2 facts: geographical isolation and small population.
I take Catchafire's point but you could say the same about anywhere. Plenty of expats having a great time in London, UK, on working holidays in Canada or Australia.
T-minus 5 minutes until I get flamed by some one-eyed poster.
I remember as a young teenager feeling like I was marooned at the bottom of the world and that I couldn't WAIT to leave. I left at 23 and except for visits I've never been back for any serious length of time since. I'm now in my late 30s. While nowhere is perfect, I've found a good mix of what I like about NZ in Vancouver but with a more vibrant, interesting culture. Only because it's a city in a much larger and more diverse part of the world. NZ's isolation is the real issue. There are many good things about it and I would never say there aren't, but it's a backwater due to geography. Just the way it is. I got tired of running into people I knew all the time. Everyone is separated by about 3 degrees in NZ and half of us, if we try hard enough, can find a common ancestor in teh family tree. It's a very conformist place I found - a lot of pressure to fit into a few particular narrow molds. If you fit into the mold it's great, but if you don't, it can be hell. Far less opportunities because it's jsut a much smaller economy, and because it's a much smaller economy, a lot more who you know over what you know. I'm in an industry that basically doesn't really exist in NZ, and my partner could not have the career he has here, there. His industry exists - barely - in NZ but it's tiny and very few opportunities. Again, due to geography, small population, distance from major business centres.
A lot of the gripes you read on here about cost of living, difficulty of getting out of NZ, etc. can really be traced back to those 2 facts: geographical isolation and small population.
I take Catchafire's point but you could say the same about anywhere. Plenty of expats having a great time in London, UK, on working holidays in Canada or Australia.
T-minus 5 minutes until I get flamed by some one-eyed poster.
Last edited by ExKiwilass; Nov 25th 2011 at 4:01 am.
Nov 25th 2011, 6:29 am
#56
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,285
Re: Would New Zealand be boring for *you* if you were in your twenties?
There was always something missing for me. I always felt like I was born in the wrong place - I should have been born in Europe. I just needed more -excitement, challenge, difficulty, speed of life, SOMETHING.
I remember as a young teenager feeling like I was marooned at the bottom of the world and that I couldn't WAIT to leave. I left at 23 and except for visits I've never been back for any serious length of time since. I'm now in my late 30s. While nowhere is perfect, I've found a good mix of what I like about NZ in Vancouver but with a more vibrant, interesting culture. Only because it's a city in a much larger and more diverse part of the world. NZ's isolation is the real issue. There are many good things about it and I would never say there aren't, but it's a backwater due to geography. Just the way it is. I got tired of running into people I knew all the time. Everyone is separated by about 3 degrees in NZ and half of us, if we try hard enough, can find a common ancestor in teh family tree. It's a very conformist place I found - a lot of pressure to fit into a few particular narrow molds. If you fit into the mold it's great, but if you don't, it can be hell. Far less opportunities because it's jsut a much smaller economy, and because it's a much smaller economy, a lot more who you know over what you know. I'm in an industry that basically doesn't really exist in NZ, and my partner could not have the career he has here, there. His industry exists - barely - in NZ but it's tiny and very few opportunities. Again, due to geography, small population, distance from major business centres.
A lot of the gripes you read on here about cost of living, difficulty of getting out of NZ, etc. can really be traced back to those 2 facts: geographical isolation and small population.
I take Catchafire's point but you could say the same about anywhere. Plenty of expats having a great time in London, UK, on working holidays in Canada or Australia.
T-minus 5 minutes until I get flamed by some one-eyed poster.
I remember as a young teenager feeling like I was marooned at the bottom of the world and that I couldn't WAIT to leave. I left at 23 and except for visits I've never been back for any serious length of time since. I'm now in my late 30s. While nowhere is perfect, I've found a good mix of what I like about NZ in Vancouver but with a more vibrant, interesting culture. Only because it's a city in a much larger and more diverse part of the world. NZ's isolation is the real issue. There are many good things about it and I would never say there aren't, but it's a backwater due to geography. Just the way it is. I got tired of running into people I knew all the time. Everyone is separated by about 3 degrees in NZ and half of us, if we try hard enough, can find a common ancestor in teh family tree. It's a very conformist place I found - a lot of pressure to fit into a few particular narrow molds. If you fit into the mold it's great, but if you don't, it can be hell. Far less opportunities because it's jsut a much smaller economy, and because it's a much smaller economy, a lot more who you know over what you know. I'm in an industry that basically doesn't really exist in NZ, and my partner could not have the career he has here, there. His industry exists - barely - in NZ but it's tiny and very few opportunities. Again, due to geography, small population, distance from major business centres.
A lot of the gripes you read on here about cost of living, difficulty of getting out of NZ, etc. can really be traced back to those 2 facts: geographical isolation and small population.
I take Catchafire's point but you could say the same about anywhere. Plenty of expats having a great time in London, UK, on working holidays in Canada or Australia.
T-minus 5 minutes until I get flamed by some one-eyed poster.
Nov 25th 2011, 6:32 am
#57
`
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 38,613
Re: Would New Zealand be boring for *you* if you were in your twenties?
It's the geographical isolation, for me, I think.
Nov 25th 2011, 8:15 pm
#59
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Christchurch at last!
Posts: 1,149
Re: Would New Zealand be boring for *you* if you were in your twenties?
My youngest moved to ChCh in April, just before his 18th birthday. In the UK, he had no job and was on a very slippery slope. If he hadn't moved to be with his Dad and older brother I believe I could be waiting for visiting orders by now!
Anyway, I asked him recently to compare his new life with his old one - he gives his new one 10 out of 10! He is a young, vibrant boy who loves socialising (drinking and clubbing!!), money and his golf. In ChCh he has all of that. He found a job within days of arriving, he has a good circle of friends and is loving it.
Life, to a certain extent, is what you make it!
Anyway, I asked him recently to compare his new life with his old one - he gives his new one 10 out of 10! He is a young, vibrant boy who loves socialising (drinking and clubbing!!), money and his golf. In ChCh he has all of that. He found a job within days of arriving, he has a good circle of friends and is loving it.
Life, to a certain extent, is what you make it!
Nov 26th 2011, 10:11 am
#60
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,285
Re: Would New Zealand be boring for *you* if you were in your twenties?
Yeah....we nearly 50 year olds have zero life experience to draw upon I suppose 
.
I've lived in 4 countries so I think I have the right to say NZ is not for me long-term without snidey remarks about life is what you make it.
. I've lived in 4 countries so I think I have the right to say NZ is not for me long-term without snidey remarks about life is what you make it.