lisamct

Well I've almost been here for 6 months now and thought it was time for an update, may not be a particularly positive one but an update it will be!

Still here in Rotorua working away as a midwife in the local hospital. Work is good, very quiet at times and I do miss catching babies (don't do much of it here due to the LMC system) but my colleagues are great, opportunities for professional development are always around and they've all been more than helpful with the transition process. I get paid pretty much the same as I did in the UK, possible even slightly more as I work slightly less hours/week so thats all good.

My house is all set up now. Live in a 4yr old brick built house, well insulated but the open plan design and the small heatpump does still leave it pretty chilly when the temperature drops. I do pay slightly higher rent than expected here ($320/week) but I wasn't willing to live in the lower rent properties I was shown so thats the choice I had to make. Bills are pretty high, have to be frugal when it comes to using power and food shopping. Also had to stop eating most of my usual free range/organic products as I either cant find them here or they're so over priced I cant afford them (also most people at work cant understand why I would even bother, seems animal welfare is pretty low on priorities here) Contrary to popular opinion I also find fruit, veg and meat here pretty bland and tasteless, possible due to the fact that I'm used to eating free range/ organic and have to eat farmed, bulk produced stuff over here..who knows.

Socially I'm still struggling a bit. Do have a few friends around that I meet up and have coffee/lunch with but I still miss the 'long term' friendships I had at home. I live in a small housing 'complex' here (unusual by NZ standards I know) and my neighbours are all short term renters so not interested in making 'friends' and people at work, although friendly, seem to only want to spend time at home with their families (fair enough I suppose) and aren't keen to socialise out with their own circle.

I guess things are going pretty well by some standards, although its certainly not what I thought it would be.

Financially I'm much worse off then expected. I live month to month and cant afford to save or even buy the odd 'special' item in my weekly shop. I have to have all my taps set to cold (other than the shower) as I cant afford the gas to heat the water regularly and I ration my washing machine use so I'm using it once a week at the most. I knew the cost of living would be higher but didnt expect it to be so bad Im miserable about it (my own fault for not investigating enough although I thought I had)

Also, Im bored. I'm thinking I'm really not cut out for the kiwi way of life. I'm not interested in 'the great outdoors', dont want to go mountain biking, tramping or kayaking and cant think of anything worse than going camping for my holidays. I don't want to spend my Sundays gardening and don't want to grow my own veg just so I can afford to eat it!

I know I made a mistake coming to a reasonably small town to start with but I'm not sure moving to a bigger city will help as I'd still have the affordability issues to deal with, possibly even more so living in the city.

I'm here on a work permit and seriously thinking about what to do about my PR. Don't want to go back to the UK but not sure NZ is the place for me.

Sorry this isn't so positive but right now thats the way it is. I'm not desperately unhappy here but think I could maybe be happier elsewhere so who knows what the future holds...

Stormer999

So sorry to hear that you are unhappy Don't suppose NZ is fun for anyone who doesn't want the great outdoor life, by the way growing your own veg is not just about the eating, it is the pleasure of creating real organic foodstuffs....gardening I suppose If you really do not want the UK lifestyle how about investigating Oz it might be the 1/2 way house that you are looking for I have posted before what a friend in NZ said to me.."If you can't make your own entertainment and expect it made for you then don't come to NZ it won't work". Hope things improve....

lisamct

Thanks Stormer. I am actually considering Oz as an option at the moment so you may be right.

MnB

Sorry you're not totally enjoying NZ but thanks for writing an informative / considered post for other prospective 'singles' thinking of making the move....karma on its way Good luck with your future, whether its NZ or not. I hope you find happiness !!
B x

Assanah

Yes, thanks for writing. I am convinced by now not to move to a smaller NZ city. I am living in Berlin right now and used to live in NYC and San Francisco. I guess Christchurch, Wellington or Auckland are the cities for me to move to...maybe later OZ

LukeandJo

When you say your not interested in the great outdoors, what attracted you to NZ then?
A big part of NZ is being outdoors???

Andy_Nikki

That's quite a sad tale of mis-matched expectations - At least you say your work colleagues and the work itself is enjoyable for you - which must be some comfort... It's really helpful, though of little comfort to you, the information you give about fuel prices and not being able to fund primary needs such as heating... I wonder whether a larger city with individuals with similar needs might be more helpful to you - Getting out and about is easier if there a lots of people doing just that, even if they don't all seem to be doing it for thesame reasons - some people like cafes, cinema and theatres - not surfing or camping and I'm sure NZ isn't all about the latter. Good luck with things - moving location might just mean moving the issues. Take care,
Andy

lisamct

I came for work. There are no jobs for midwives in Scotland, not just no jobs where I wanted to work but no jobs at all and the maternity system in the UK is getting worse by the day. I wanted to work somewhere where my role was valued and women having babies weren't treated like a factory production line and the dangerous working conditions weren't putting lives and my registration at risk every day. NZ fitted that bill as well as having a midwife shortage that meant getting a job was easy for me.

I knew there was a big outdoor focus but didn't realise that opportunities to do much else, at least in small towns, would be so minimal.
I'd happily go sit in a coffee shop after work but they pretty much all close at 4.30, going to gigs/theatre in Auckland (we only have a small amateur dramatics theatre here) is exactly the things I'd like to be doing but I cant afford neither the travel or the tickets.

BEVS

I know exactly where you're coming from Lisamct. It's not at all hard to understand TBH but then I've been here 7 years now. We've camped, kayaked , tramped and all that stuff . We go to the local fayres and fetes. We grow our own veg and keep hens blah blah . Sorry to all the folks out there that find these types of reports hard to read but it can all get somewhat hum-drum for some . Variety is the spice of life for some of us and that can be very hard and sometimes too expensive to come by. No way can we afford to go to gigs and concerts much as we would love to.

I'm not sure a move to Auckland would help at all. Maybe a move to Wellington ? Although you will likely still be skint week in week out like so many of us. I think you might find a better social life.

I'm with Stormer. Cast your eyes to Australia and explore your options.

Woodpigeon

Karma for telling it as it really is for you (and others), though I'm sorry it's not what you hoped.

Have you considered moving to the south island? For example Dunedin is a small city with a lot of things to do - theatre, cafe culture (the Octagon usually moves seemlessly from after work coffee to evening/night time drinking and entertainment), dining out, art, etc - at prices less than the larger cities. Not sure what the rental prices are like though, there may be issues around that with it being a uni city?

dannigirl

Woodpigeon, you read my mind! Have you thought of looking at other cities and if big city is not you cup of tea then Dunedin might be spot on!

You definitely need to move! Rotorua is not exactly the hotspot of NZ's social scene. You need to move somewhere that you can make friends, to do this you need to find a common interest...whether that be sport, food/cooking, art, theatre, learning a language, taking a night class, knitting, cross stitch....or just having a wider range of (younger/single) colleagues.

I understand that you moved for work but it does seem that there is a mismatch in expectations. I remember someone complaining that NZ was boring, they are right, because there is not much "manufactured" fun. You need to be in another city to access small theatre companies, gigs, culture and art.

I hear what you are saying about the expense of living in NZ, but don't you live in a 3 bedroom house alone? Surely that must be eating up your hard earned $$$, but your choice obviously and maybe the only solution if the housing choices were not up to standard.

I think you also need to look at Aus.....there must be plenty of opportunities for midwives over there in the bigger cities where the social scene must be more happening, also probably better wages too.

Good luck, I know how difficult it is to struggle in a country that you don't feel right in (as lots of people on here do too). I think you know when you are just homesick compared to when it's just not right....don't fight it. Trust your gut, if it doesn't feel right then look at other opportunities. Life is way too short to live somewhere you don't enjoy.

PS...and for gods sake don't meet a kiwi and fall in bloody love and get stranded over there because he won't move...we don't want to see you on here in 20 years time lamenting about how bad NZ is!!!

Rolfie

Lisamct. . .Just for information, I was watching (in the UK), a program called 'Relocation: Phil Down Under' a couple of days ago. It's about Brits moving to Australia. The episode I watched was centered on Canberra, and the presenter was chatting to a midwife who had emigrated from Glasgow about 6 years ago. She said she was earning about the same as she did in the UK, but for only doing 3 days work. Pro-rata, they said it works out to about £42k pa for a midwife, and they suggested their were no shortage of such jobs.

Whatever you decide, good luck

paulry

Here it is

Theyes

I would actually think about going over to Australia............ it has it up's and downs but if you dont want to go back to the UK it might be the way to go.

Tina

Luckybird

Hi Lisa,

You may remember me and my family, we met at Zoe's BBQ in Napier, ate great food, had a real giggle, drank lots of Tui and got eaten alive by Mozzies!!!

So sorry to hear that things have not worked out for you as expected - but appreciate your honesty about how things really are for you, it's good that people don't just get a rosy view and get views and opinions from 'real' people.

We have only been here since November, really loving the 'out-door' life, haven't got sick of the beach yet, however, it's still early days, but loving it so far

I have to agree food is expensive as is eating out - gone are the days of roaming around Sainsbury's filling the trolley 'willy-nilly' and treating ourselves to meals out - however, I don't think that it is much better in the UK so maybe we would have been tightening our belts anyway!! (probably not a bad thing when I think about the waistband of my poor shorts!!)

Your rent is high, we only pay a $40 more for a three bed place in a lovely area with a huge garden for four of us (Taradale, Napier) so maybe that is a big restriction on your lifestyle - but as you say you knew that when you took it on - maybe a house-share? - but then its hard not just having your own space

I have to agree with Stormer999 about the value and point of homegrowing and we are looking forward to homegrown veg - daughter is looking at it as a pet project (ummm....lucky us!) so although it may not have been something we would have done in the UK we are looking forward to trying something new and becoming 'homegrowers'

As lots of replies suggest perhaps Australia may be a great option for you - it is a shame that someone with such a wonderful vocation as yourself isn't 'catching babies' in NZ more regularly!

Whatever you choose to do we all wish you the very best of love, luck and happiness,

Sharon x