MOSO

When I was on my reccie, I went to visit a school in central Wellington. I stood by the door looking for the buzzer and waiting to be let in - my Kiwi relative who was with me couldn't work out what I was doing. You just push the door open She couldn't believe it either - but the opposite!

Sparkleydiva

Hi again

I think others have responded to some of your questions, but I do think NZ's reality is that it is not necessarily better, just different and if you are happy to experience this, then it can be very worthwhile.

In response to where we live, yes we do live in Auckland, but we live north of the city in Orewa - so well out from the CBDand north of the north shore. We have never bought a property - not sure why, just didn't feel right ever.

Our reasons for returning to the UK are quite broad ranging to be honest. About 3 years ago I became very unsettled here, not homesick so much as unsettled, after 5 good years of enjoying it here. I have tried everything to sort it but deep down it is simply that I feel I don't belong here, it's not my homeland (I'm from Scotland originally) and I have a huge need to return. My father died 4 years ago, and I think somewhere along the line this was one of the triggers and that my mum is on her own back in the UK doesn't help.We are a small family and my sister is in Switzerland - so is easier for her to nip over and keep an eye on her.

On top of that my daughters, now 28 & 26 have been unable to get onto the career ladder in their chosen fields as the work pool is very small indeed in NZ, even though they studied here. So opportunities overseas is the way forward, and the same for me now that I am finishing my final degree, there is little on offer to utilise it here and I have already had two job offers in the UK, with another interview scheduled for next week - for jobs that just don't come up often enough here. So it's not all about hating NZ, just that our adventure has run its course and it is time to embrace how we feel and move on with it. I have no regrets in living here, it has given us a depth of experiences that we would never have got back in Manchester

Moogle87

:O YOU JUST PUSH THE DOOR OPEN.

Wow, lol. That does seem a bit different to here.

Mind you, at least we feel safe. Although in all fairness, having OTT security can make you feel unsafe.

Sparkleydiva

Just another point about healthcare. I certainly know the issues with the NHS as i worked in it for a long time, but the same issues you describe about late diagnosis isnt exclusive to the NHS, i think it is medicine in many places.

I work in specialist palliative care and see this every day here in Auckland, for patients across all age ranges from18 upwards. Public healthcare is quite limited with pharmac not funding a lot of drugs you can get in the UK and Aussie for example. Also the public system can refuse a GP referral for specialist consultation. I was shocked when it happened to my daughter and only found out as they sent the GP letter to our home address advising sleeping tablets and pain killers. I complained and she was seen and has been diagnosed with both lupus and inflammatory arthritis at 25, so both significant conditions

Many people here have to pay for private health insurance and GPs always ask this first before referral. Currently costs us $85/fortnight.

Moogle87

Hi Sparkleydiva,

Thanks for the advice.

To be honest, I knew that if we moved abroad we would need private healthcare.
I looked into getting it here but I have quite a few, not really serious (things like IBS, mild asthma) conditions, but these mean that really it would be pointless because you have to be symptom free for so many years & it can't be in any way connected to claim as a new condition.

I looked into it & it really wasn't worth it at all for the UK & it was really expensive as well.

I've done a quote for NZ & it came out as about $150 a month for the 2 of us including cover for specialist appts. Not GP, prescriptions or dental, but I'd read that it really is a rip off getting that cover & it was ridiculous how much extra it was.

jmh

People don't always appreciate what they have until they lose it. The UK is quite socialist in its outlook, which surprises many who live there until they move to a country without the safety net provided by the government. That's fine when you are fit and healthy, but not so good when you need assistance. In return for that security you pay higher taxes - I personally prefer that model, but many don't. Here you tax burden is lower, but you pay for GP appointments.

If, however, you have a critical incident like a heart attack or a stroke (I have family who experienced this recently), then the medical care is free for this even years later. My mum had her heart attack 10+ years ago and still has free follow up appointments with her cardiac consultant.

With ongoing conditions like IBS, allergies etc, there is little the GP can do for you anyway, so you would probably benefit from finding your own solutions which might well be cheaper. Also, if you are not happy with your GP, you can easily change.

I don't have health insurance, but if you can afford it, it's a good idea. It helps to pay for those treatments that are not considered serious, but are costly to remedy.

Kotare

An interesting comment that is worth a separate thread. Because of its history, 19thC migrants backgrounds etc NZ is usually viewed externally as fairly left wing (aka socialist), liberal etc. That has been tempered by a dash of poverty and a 'frontier' mentality to dislike 'bludgers'/free loaders on the State. Therefore a tendency to provide a safety net, but the user pays where feasible incl taxing the first $ of income.

UK is much more polarised between right and left and is swinging right (especially in England) as the populace appreciate just how many freeloaders there have been and the inability of the State to provide everything eg a high quality free NHS, child benefit or winter fuel allowances to the rich...

Given 'right wing' governments in both, no NZ government could attack disability benefits etc

jmh

I tend to think left to right its:

UK NZ US

I think all three have more right from where they were post war.

LoCarb

I'd say: right, more right & extreme right.
Although, UK is becoming more right than NZ now thanks to Osborne..

I can see a move to the (no-longer seen in NZ) Sheep Dip.

Moogle87

LoCarb do you mind telling me what the Sheep Dip is?

& ahhhhhhhhhhh Mr Osborne. Interesting fellow

LoCarb

Threads in this Forum: "The Sheep Dip"
It's where naughty members get dropped for being controversial...

Kotare

On the forum, the Sheep Dip is the subject heading for contentious, only loosely migrant topics for the not easily offended :-)

BEVS

Ha!

Sheep Dip is for all woolly stuff.

Next stop is ------> TIO

LittleGreyCat

Just a quick note on electricity - being down under the electrons tend to be upside down, but as it is Alternating Current nobody seems to mind.

The electricity is remarkably similar but the plugs are not.

The simplest thing is to take a load of extension leads (4 or 6 socket) and then buy a UK <-> NZ adapter for each extension lead. You can then plug all your UK appliances in without having to rewire every plug. This is what we do for PCs and phone chargers and stuff when visiting NZ.

scrubbedexpat094

However doing the latter may invalidate your insurance or that of the homeowner in the event of a fire!