3 months in
Jan 8th 2011, 5:35 am
#17
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2005
Location: Bay Of Plenty
Posts: 797
Re: 3 months in
Thought it was time for an update.
We've now moved into a rented house. The views from the house are pretty special, yesterday we had another beautiful sunset as the sun descended behind the hills across the bay. We are basically at the top of a hill so it should be 'interesting' when the wind picks up. We've been told that the year has been unseasonably warm, sunny and still so far.
No sun facing deck on this house - shock! But we do have a veggie plot. The crops are coping so far thanks.
Our decision to stay in a backpackers to start with was a good one - we got to meet people from the outset which helped with the initial loneliness issue. Good weekly rates as well, because we were off-season when we arrrived. Not sure how it would work out peak season - and of course it depends on the backpackers and the mix of people around. After a while the constant turnover of people does get a bit wearing, you need to be lucky with the hostel manager and the other long-termers!
But I suppose, for me, the biggest news is that I have a job starting in mid-January. This means I can now turn my thoughts to more fun activities than job hunting!! Cool!
I tried the 'networking' approach for job hunting to start with, but it's just not me, I don't like the 'conversations and friendships with an agenda' thing. In the end I got a job via the more disengaged approach of CV and agencies. Call me unadaptable if you want
The job market for software developers seems similar to the UK. Basically, if you have a strong marketable skill with experience then you will find a place - there seems to be plenty of contract work, but the permanent vacancies are not as plentiful as trade-me and seek suggest. Many vacancies are multiply advertised by the agencies, some are repeatedly recycled, some are trawling for exceptional talent without a real position. The wages on offer will disappoint you if you are from the South East of the UK, but if like me you're from Up-North then they are comparable. I suspect Auckland and Christchurch have their own economic conditions and I'm not sure how well observations translate from one place to another.
My OH has settled in reasonably well. She has suffered more from homesickness than me, but I think we expected that. Her work (as a nurse) is currently less challenging than in the UK - people keep asking her to leave them some work to do for when they get on shift...
So what are the main pluses and minuses for us so far?
Pluses :
- we've escaped from the rut we were in and we've done something a bit unusual and a bit exciting.
- double summer this year!
- we only need one car now instead of two
- we're growing vegetables and no one thinks we're weird
- our next door neighbours are great and we really get on with them
- we've both now got jobs - people are still being layed off at the company I used to work for and I would possibly have had to go by now
- fantastic views that we could never have achieved in Manchester
- proximity to the sea and the coast. The kayaking mission is taking shape as I type!
Minuses :
- Distance from family - yep that's the biggie for both of us and many others
- Difficulty of relating easily to the kiwis that I've met so far. There is a barrier and I don't know how easy it will be to cross. I think it's simply down to the fact that people find the place they live commonplace - they just don't 'get' why you would want to move to live here and don't know how long you will stay - they are more reserved as a result of that.
- Price of beer
- Our neighbours are moving to Tauranga soon. Biggest disappointment so far.
WP
We've now moved into a rented house. The views from the house are pretty special, yesterday we had another beautiful sunset as the sun descended behind the hills across the bay. We are basically at the top of a hill so it should be 'interesting' when the wind picks up. We've been told that the year has been unseasonably warm, sunny and still so far.
No sun facing deck on this house - shock! But we do have a veggie plot. The crops are coping so far thanks.
Our decision to stay in a backpackers to start with was a good one - we got to meet people from the outset which helped with the initial loneliness issue. Good weekly rates as well, because we were off-season when we arrrived. Not sure how it would work out peak season - and of course it depends on the backpackers and the mix of people around. After a while the constant turnover of people does get a bit wearing, you need to be lucky with the hostel manager and the other long-termers!
But I suppose, for me, the biggest news is that I have a job starting in mid-January. This means I can now turn my thoughts to more fun activities than job hunting!! Cool!
I tried the 'networking' approach for job hunting to start with, but it's just not me, I don't like the 'conversations and friendships with an agenda' thing. In the end I got a job via the more disengaged approach of CV and agencies. Call me unadaptable if you want
The job market for software developers seems similar to the UK. Basically, if you have a strong marketable skill with experience then you will find a place - there seems to be plenty of contract work, but the permanent vacancies are not as plentiful as trade-me and seek suggest. Many vacancies are multiply advertised by the agencies, some are repeatedly recycled, some are trawling for exceptional talent without a real position. The wages on offer will disappoint you if you are from the South East of the UK, but if like me you're from Up-North then they are comparable. I suspect Auckland and Christchurch have their own economic conditions and I'm not sure how well observations translate from one place to another.My OH has settled in reasonably well. She has suffered more from homesickness than me, but I think we expected that. Her work (as a nurse) is currently less challenging than in the UK - people keep asking her to leave them some work to do for when they get on shift...
So what are the main pluses and minuses for us so far?
Pluses :
- we've escaped from the rut we were in and we've done something a bit unusual and a bit exciting.
- double summer this year!
- we only need one car now instead of two
- we're growing vegetables and no one thinks we're weird
- our next door neighbours are great and we really get on with them
- we've both now got jobs - people are still being layed off at the company I used to work for and I would possibly have had to go by now
- fantastic views that we could never have achieved in Manchester
- proximity to the sea and the coast. The kayaking mission is taking shape as I type!
Minuses :
- Distance from family - yep that's the biggie for both of us and many others
- Difficulty of relating easily to the kiwis that I've met so far. There is a barrier and I don't know how easy it will be to cross. I think it's simply down to the fact that people find the place they live commonplace - they just don't 'get' why you would want to move to live here and don't know how long you will stay - they are more reserved as a result of that.
- Price of beer
- Our neighbours are moving to Tauranga soon. Biggest disappointment so far.
WP
Jan 8th 2011, 7:34 am
#18
Near the outer fringe
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2010
Location: Porirua
Posts: 466
Re: 3 months in
Yo PG!
Hope you are settling in now your family is over. Have you found a place to stay yet?
WP
Hope you are settling in now your family is over. Have you found a place to stay yet?
WP
