5 years on
Aug 2nd 2012, 9:54 pm
#1
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Joined: Sep 2006
Location: Mission Bay, Auckland
Posts: 649
5 years on
Five years today we arrived in NZ, it is hard to believe that we have been here so long. We initially stayed at one of the Quests in Auckland and then moved into a rental in St Heliers for a year. It tooks us ages to find a rental and even longer to find a home that we would in the end buy. But the home we found in Mission Bay is perfect for us and we love living there.
On the work front my OH has had the same job during this time, where as I have had three jobs and nine months of unemployment. I have gone back to nursing my first love. This was not an easy path to follow as I had to get my NZ registration and as I had been away from nursing for a while I had to complete a return to nursing course. But it was definately worth it and now I have a job that I love.
I have fully tested the NZ public health service as I was diagnosed with cancer recently and I have to say it is pretty good. Not as quick as private healthcare, but still very good. Luckily I have been given the all clear and hopefully it will stay that way. But it can be difficult when something like this happens and you are such a distance from your family.
We live a very different life to the one we did in the UK, for starters we earn a lot less. Hence we spend our money very differently and are probably more frugle these days. We have alot more free time away from work doing the things we want to do. We have visited lots of places in NZ, camped, skiied, visited OZ on a number of occasions and it has been fun.
The UK and NZ are very different and there are positives and negatives. The UK is a very long way away and it is very expensive to visit family and friends and if you do not have vast sums of excess money it can be quite hard to save the cash to go back to the UK on a regular basis. Especially if you would like to explore here as well! We have made some great new friends and we both work with some brilliant kiwis and expats.
Have we any regrets, no.
On the work front my OH has had the same job during this time, where as I have had three jobs and nine months of unemployment. I have gone back to nursing my first love. This was not an easy path to follow as I had to get my NZ registration and as I had been away from nursing for a while I had to complete a return to nursing course. But it was definately worth it and now I have a job that I love.
I have fully tested the NZ public health service as I was diagnosed with cancer recently and I have to say it is pretty good. Not as quick as private healthcare, but still very good. Luckily I have been given the all clear and hopefully it will stay that way. But it can be difficult when something like this happens and you are such a distance from your family.
We live a very different life to the one we did in the UK, for starters we earn a lot less. Hence we spend our money very differently and are probably more frugle these days. We have alot more free time away from work doing the things we want to do. We have visited lots of places in NZ, camped, skiied, visited OZ on a number of occasions and it has been fun.
The UK and NZ are very different and there are positives and negatives. The UK is a very long way away and it is very expensive to visit family and friends and if you do not have vast sums of excess money it can be quite hard to save the cash to go back to the UK on a regular basis. Especially if you would like to explore here as well! We have made some great new friends and we both work with some brilliant kiwis and expats.
Have we any regrets, no.
Aug 3rd 2012, 8:13 am
#2
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Joined: Oct 2011
Location: Wellington - I miss Castles, the NHS & English school system
Posts: 9,077
Re: 5 years on
glad everything is going well for you, hopefully no more nasty medical scares.
Looks like it was the right decision for you and yours and long may it continue for you.
Looks like it was the right decision for you and yours and long may it continue for you.
Aug 5th 2012, 6:59 am
#3
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Joined: Sep 2006
Location: Mission Bay, Auckland
Posts: 649
Re: 5 years on
Cheers Mrs Fychan
Aug 7th 2012, 9:42 pm
#4
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Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Hawkes Bay
Posts: 185
Re: 5 years on
Nero I agree. We moved to NZ 11 years ago & bought in Mission Bay. I love living there & so convenient for shopping.
