Kotare

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-...peaking-expats

If you aren't happy - Malta looks good - but cucumbers are $6.75 kg!

Pulaski

In Malta you could grow your own cucumbers.

Kotare

and this is different from NZ - how?

Pulaski

Or the UK, as I grew cucumbers there too.

MrsFychan

bit misleading as its second within English speaking countries but actually:

Overall, New Zealand ranked as the fifth-best expat destination behind Taiwan, Malta, Ecuador and Mexico.

Kotare

You want to live in Ecuador or Mexico - go for it. Haven't been to Taiwan :-)

scrubbedexpat094

I'd love to go back to Malta. Such an interesting island and so much history despite it's size. The people are so friendly and welcome you into their homes. We went 3 times as a couple, my parents went a lot more than that and very nearly moved there. They didn't because of my grandmothers both being on their own. I think they regretted not just going. I'm sure that that is why they encouraged us to come to NZ.

As I get older, it's things like the lack of history, NZ's remoteness and something else which I can't quite put my finger on, that has me yearning for home.

Kotare

It is interesting that a lot of migrants refer to UK as home. Early migrants used to refer to the 'home country', but as long as NZ isn't perceived as their home I feel migrants will never settle.

scrubbedexpat094

I refer to NZ as home and England as home. Just like my parent's house is still home despite not having lived there for 30 years.

I've had times of feeling settled here and I've thought I could stay here but the last few years I have just felt "Is this it?". Somedays I feel like living here is like waiting to die. I feel like I'm existing, not living. Travelling to Europe (Switzerland, France, Spain & England) last year just showed me what I was missing out on. There's a lack of vibrancy here somehow.

I still miss my friends in the UK, many of them I made in my 30's, working in Derby. They are just really genuine people. I have a couple of friends like that here but not many. That is very important to me and for my mental health.
NZ suits some people down to the ground, others like me, will never feel that sense of belonging. It's just the way it is.

MrsFychan

I call UK home as to me it still is. its where I grew up, its where my dad,and other family members are buried and where my mum will be buried.
Actually just thinking about that, at times it is overwhelming that I cannot just pop to my dads grave. He died when I was 10 so still a father figure in all that terms entails and not an adult child - adult parent relationship. Plus I have never really gotten over the fact I was not allowed to go to the funeral, so going to his grave gave me some peace and solace.

I also feel I don't have the right to be seen as a New Zealander, even though we are going for Citizenship this year, the same as I wouldn't see myself as a Spanish/Greek/German/French/American person if I got Citizenship there. I was not born here, I have no blood line here nor do my children so I would not see them as New Zealanders either, but if they have children here then they would be New Zealanders. It may seem to odd/not make sense to some but its how I feel about it.

Moses2013

Malta is nice for a visit but they have their problems too. Maybe they asked pensioners in the survey. Most people I know hated the place after a few years, because they felt trapped and the island is too overpopulated.


While some people welcome foreigners, there are more and more issues and locals can no longer afford housing and have to live in very small apartments. They see from abroad as a threat.

scrubbedexpat094

I don't think I'd want to live there but it and Gozo are lovely islands to holiday on. I don't know if the parentals regret not upping sticks, I've not asked them. I can imagine it being very overcrowded now.

Stuck in Auckland

Depends if they are Lebanese or Telegraph

And if 12" 14" or 16"

Why settle for 2nd best?