Ange1

Hi everyone and ......Help! Warning - this is a long one! I moved out here 5 years ago with my husband and 2 children (now aged 11 and 12). Oh my goodness, What a place - should call it OLD ZEALAND! So old fashioned. I had childhood memories of my mother soaking up the condensation from the windows in our house and lighting fires - I never dreamt I would be doing it myself! So over the houses - cold, damp, draughty. They think heat pumps are the answer (well they would be if you had one in each room!). Thinking seriously of going back - I've never settled really - although I have tried for the children's sake! Lots of lovely friends here - kiwi's and south africans (and british!). Originally from Yorkshire (first East, then South) but not sure we'd go back there. North Yorkshire appeals, or Lincolnshire but concerned about jobs. Big move to up sticks and go back to no job/house! Education for the children concerns me too over there as here they seem to be more respectful of the teachers, and soon my son/daughter will be enjoying a boys/girls high school - something they wouldn't get the opportunity of in the UK. Currently though, I don't think they're being educated to anywhere near the standard of the UK! So, do we or don't we stay for the children? So safe here for them to play around the village with their friends on scooters/bikes - could they do that in the UK? Think I'd be following them always worried! SO confused! When is a good time to take them back???? Food here is rubbish as is the choice. Things are either budget and cheap or mediocre quality and VERY expensive. Appliances keep breaking down (gone through 3 hoovers). Cost of living ridiculously high - cheaper in the UK; unable to repair roads; footwear poor quality (that's if they're worn at all!); tv viewing poor (only worth watching when UK programmes are on!); at the end of the supply chain making everything more expensive. Having to pay everytime you visit a Dr - only take the children, I don't bother - just bury my head! Cost of dental work - my daughter will need braces - there's the cost of one flight back! My son needs new orthotics - there's the cost of another! Positives? As I said, safety for the children and the daylight hours in winter - can't think of ANYTHING ELSE. so, do we stay or do we go? Did say it was a long one!

old.sparkles

Hi Ange,

Don't know the answers for you - sorry. The only info I have is possible cost of braces here. NHS will not pay for braces except in really severe cases, and private cost is £2000 - £2500 plus check ups (son has underbite but not severe enough for nhs).

On the plus side, there is work around depending on occupation. Company I work for is major company but cannot recruit, data centres opening everwhere and hiring engineer types. Some areas still have grammar schools but you would need 11+., don't know about Yorkshire tho.

Good luck on the process tho - and welcome. Have a look at moving back to the UK section as there are lots of others who have had to make the same decisions for various reasons.

Ange1

Hi there "old,sparkles" and thank you for your reply! I will take a look at the UK section - I must admit I haven't yet - just joined and wrote the moan!

old.sparkles

No probs - it does good just to get some things off your chest so to speak. And again, good luck

Rosemary

Hello and a big welcome to BE.

Excellent information can be found in the BE Wiki, not forgetting the Living and Moving Abroad forum that will help you, another set of great help is the permanent threads at the TOP of each forum, they are very pertinent to that particular forum and makes sensible reading.

Moderators deal with any problems that arise such as inappropriate posts, spammers etc, you will find their names at the bottom right hand side of each forum's index in bold font.

Please contact me if I can give you any further help.

Rosemary