nippa&pippa
26th April 2007, 01:50 PM
Can't believe it is 6 months ago that we left UK for NZ. There was mixed feeling during last 6months.
When we first arrived, it was lovely and sunny (bit too hot while we looking for somewhere to rent) then a week later, we had coldest summer. We had lots of local keeping tell us, it is not normal, it is not normal...ok ok I got ideas, I am not running back to UK, don't worry!!.
What we have learnt...alot about NZ's lifestyles that doesn't mention much in the books or forum as it is hard to explain unless you have to experiences it.
First few months was bit of down, part of the problem was house in UK wasn't sold, struck in rental house and unable to settle, I am longer for my own house, so I can do what I would like to do with the house and to make my children and settle in their own bedroom with their own stuffs on the wall etc. To bright the house up! (rental house is grey everywhere, carpet, cupboards, curtains etc, believe it or not!!) Only children's toys and our stuff bring life into the house!
Also took a while to break into Kiwis' communties especially children's clubs. They are very tight community that I had to sit and wait till one of mums come over and start to talk to me....now, no problems :nice1
Money, money, we knew it will be very tight with house in UK still on market, and with me not working as stay at home mum. We have very low income, under $42,000 a year before tax. We already know how to budget but coming into new countries, I have to learnt all over again how to save money, foods wise and learnt best place to shops or look out for deals :nice1 like recent, I have save $70 on buying four electric blankets for $120 :yes
With other mums who are also in low income (Hint, hint, hint), ask them how they did it, they are happy to help me, that how i found out about 'warm babies and happy children' project where they give you a grant to get your house warm for winter. This lady came around few days ago, and confirm our rental house is very poor insulated, so they are having meeting with landlord about this. Also found out from them about free sessions, like library stories, my both children love it. Free craft sessions for children at chch's art gallery.
Now the house have sold and exchanged recent, and now in progress of looking for house, we are looking for property outside the christchurch and managed to found ideal house but sold to other UK couples (not sold their house in UK yet!!) even we placed offers, because they already got contract with house (I hate this system now!). Helen (moorf) have been great help to us on house and areas informations (thanks moorf!). Also my OH hate the way they don't put the price on it:mad: , that we had to contact agents for ballpark price to prevent us wasting our times viewing houses.
The good things we learnt is the children's clubs are so surprising good, putting UK's children's clubs into shame but missed tumble tots (I know there is gymroo in chch, but with money is tight, it is on hold for now) Even his kindergarten was better than his UK preschool that Ashley love his kindy so much. Also they are cheap! We go to coffee morning, creative caepers, swimming class (ashley, while romilly and I swim separate in main pool), mainly music, library stories, playgroup and Kindy (ashley). Ashley did had homesick moments (see "I want to go back to England" post) but now he is fine and happy kids, turning into kiwi kid that he like walking around in bare feet (get ideas how many times we have to look for his shoes at kindy!!)
My pregnancy came little bit earlier than we expected but we are happy with it. I am so surprise with the service for maternity care even I wasn't too sure about 'finding your own midwife'! It was much better system that I have chosen my own midwife, one to one for whole 9months, birth and 6 weeks after birth, love it...watch this space as got another 5months to go.
The lifestyles is so relaxing, that I am pleased to have my old OH back after his job in UK have changed him because of rat race. Children have seen their dad more than ever and got more involve with them, well sometimes, i have to tell him to take them for swim, play in the playareas etc. For me, no more daily arguements over little stupid things because he was so stress out in UK and picking over tiny bits, groan!.
We often talked about UK, that we agreed that we don't want to go back to UK, back into rat race lifestyles again, so NZ is now becoming our new country to live, hopefully for long times......
When we first arrived, it was lovely and sunny (bit too hot while we looking for somewhere to rent) then a week later, we had coldest summer. We had lots of local keeping tell us, it is not normal, it is not normal...ok ok I got ideas, I am not running back to UK, don't worry!!.
What we have learnt...alot about NZ's lifestyles that doesn't mention much in the books or forum as it is hard to explain unless you have to experiences it.
First few months was bit of down, part of the problem was house in UK wasn't sold, struck in rental house and unable to settle, I am longer for my own house, so I can do what I would like to do with the house and to make my children and settle in their own bedroom with their own stuffs on the wall etc. To bright the house up! (rental house is grey everywhere, carpet, cupboards, curtains etc, believe it or not!!) Only children's toys and our stuff bring life into the house!
Also took a while to break into Kiwis' communties especially children's clubs. They are very tight community that I had to sit and wait till one of mums come over and start to talk to me....now, no problems :nice1
Money, money, we knew it will be very tight with house in UK still on market, and with me not working as stay at home mum. We have very low income, under $42,000 a year before tax. We already know how to budget but coming into new countries, I have to learnt all over again how to save money, foods wise and learnt best place to shops or look out for deals :nice1 like recent, I have save $70 on buying four electric blankets for $120 :yes
With other mums who are also in low income (Hint, hint, hint), ask them how they did it, they are happy to help me, that how i found out about 'warm babies and happy children' project where they give you a grant to get your house warm for winter. This lady came around few days ago, and confirm our rental house is very poor insulated, so they are having meeting with landlord about this. Also found out from them about free sessions, like library stories, my both children love it. Free craft sessions for children at chch's art gallery.
Now the house have sold and exchanged recent, and now in progress of looking for house, we are looking for property outside the christchurch and managed to found ideal house but sold to other UK couples (not sold their house in UK yet!!) even we placed offers, because they already got contract with house (I hate this system now!). Helen (moorf) have been great help to us on house and areas informations (thanks moorf!). Also my OH hate the way they don't put the price on it:mad: , that we had to contact agents for ballpark price to prevent us wasting our times viewing houses.
The good things we learnt is the children's clubs are so surprising good, putting UK's children's clubs into shame but missed tumble tots (I know there is gymroo in chch, but with money is tight, it is on hold for now) Even his kindergarten was better than his UK preschool that Ashley love his kindy so much. Also they are cheap! We go to coffee morning, creative caepers, swimming class (ashley, while romilly and I swim separate in main pool), mainly music, library stories, playgroup and Kindy (ashley). Ashley did had homesick moments (see "I want to go back to England" post) but now he is fine and happy kids, turning into kiwi kid that he like walking around in bare feet (get ideas how many times we have to look for his shoes at kindy!!)
My pregnancy came little bit earlier than we expected but we are happy with it. I am so surprise with the service for maternity care even I wasn't too sure about 'finding your own midwife'! It was much better system that I have chosen my own midwife, one to one for whole 9months, birth and 6 weeks after birth, love it...watch this space as got another 5months to go.
The lifestyles is so relaxing, that I am pleased to have my old OH back after his job in UK have changed him because of rat race. Children have seen their dad more than ever and got more involve with them, well sometimes, i have to tell him to take them for swim, play in the playareas etc. For me, no more daily arguements over little stupid things because he was so stress out in UK and picking over tiny bits, groan!.
We often talked about UK, that we agreed that we don't want to go back to UK, back into rat race lifestyles again, so NZ is now becoming our new country to live, hopefully for long times......