[auskiwi]

Well after seven months here and struggling with our role reversals (me working full time as a teacher and hubby being a stay at home dad) we have decided to sell up and head back to Oregon. We plan to be back by the time school starts there in September...

We came with the dream of a better life for our family but have found that the working schedule we need to maintain just to afford to live here has made us even less able to spend quality time enjoying our daughters and being in this beautiful country! After much soul searching it feels like the time wasn't quite right for us to leave my hubby's great paying job and my oportunity to be a stay at home mama.

Amy.

[stu70]

Sorry auskiwi, hope your hubby gets his job back upon return.. I was on a trip to Seattle from Vancouver a few months ago and I loved the Pacific NW. With the rain you get there, it probably might feel a lot like NZ I suppose. Good luck with your move back.

[zardell]

Good luck Amy.

NZ is a beautiful country, but fantastic scenery doesn't pay the bills does it.

Julie

xx

[Ana&Steve]

Sorry things didn't work out, hope life settles back to normal when you get back!
Ana

[Kim39]

Sorry to read the move hasn't worked for you guys. Can understand on the finances front as i have often wondered about returning home due to the finances but i am carrying on regardless for the sake of the other 3 in the family.

Good luck with it.


Kim

[Juniper]

What a bummer!

Well, at least you tried, it would have bugged the hell out of you if you hadn't :-) Maybe later on, hm?

[auskiwi]

Thanks for all the good wishes everyone. My OH worked for a family business in Oregon so at least he is guaranteed his old job back!

[Malay-Coopers]

Good Luck! But you had an adventure to talk about for the rest of your life!

[Carey]

Sorry to hear you're going but at least you tried where many would'nt even consider it.
Can you elaborate on the full time teaching, was it not as you expected, how was it different, how much was it the actual teaching that made you decide to leave, being in Auckland? I ask as a primary teacher hoping to find a job but very unsure at the mo. Any more info would be useful.
Thanks!

[swissmissdesigner]

Now that's scarred me.
Anyhow, I wish you all the best!!

[Chiba]

Thanks for posting this - it's really helpful for potential immigrants (like me) to know what people are thinking when they decide to leave NZ. This area is a useful part of the forum - realism.

[auskiwi]

The full time teaching has been a pretty big factor in us deciding to go back. I am the main bread winner here (as a registered teacher - hubby used to work for a family business in the U.S). I must confess that I have found teaching to be pretty horrific.

I have thirty kids in my class (23 boys, 7 girls!). 14 of them speak english poorly enough to be eligible for additional ministry of ed funding. While I love the 'multiculturalism' of my class the language issues have been enormous and seriously limit what and how you can teach. Add extreme paperwork, assessment requirements on top, plus at least three meetings a week and three of my own daughters missing their mama at home and you have a recipe for disaster.

I'm sure not all schools are like the one I am at - but mine certainly represents many areas of Auckland. Im just too exhausted to give another one a go as this job has pretty much turned me off teaching forever...

Amy.

[ElizabethD]

You had to try--and you are better for it. Best wishes to you. We'll also be heading back to the Pacific Northwest in September when it will be nine months since we arrived in NZ. I don't have any regrets--but a lot of sadness that the dream did not work out. Like you, we saw precious little of each other and are struggling way too much for way too little. I'm now formulating a new dream and I hope you will too.

All the best

[dharder]

I'm sure not all schools are like the one I am at - but mine certainly represents many areas of Auckland. Im just too exhausted to give another one a go as this job has pretty much turned me off teaching forever...

I'm sorry it hasn't worked out for you, Amy.

I have fears around the financial struggle as well and worry that it will not be automatically off-set by an additional beauty in countryside, if that makes any sense. Everyone says 'oh, how wonderful, it'll be so much better for the kids', and I can't help thinking that it won't be if both of us have to work full time to make ends just about meet. We'll see.

Apart from that, your school sounds like ours here in East London. Where in Auckland did you teach/live?

Hope everything works out for the best back in the US,

Daniela

[wanderingoregonian]

thanks for sharing... there is plenty of space for making dreams a reality in the states... plus there are tons of wonderful things to look forward to. Saturday Market, Mt Hood, Powell's, Bend, the coast... ah the favorites are too many to mention, but short sands is very lovely. teaching is such a great field, but so tough too. best of luck to you and your family

[auskiwi]

Interesting to hear from those who understand the need to find that precious balance between being in a beautiful place and having the time to enjoy it!

Elizabeth: It was somehow reassurning to hear of someone in a similar position. We are currently facing a barrage of opinions like "You haven't given it a good enough try!" and "You've only just got here!!" etc, etc. Which you will likley be hearing a little too. I love that on this forum, people seem to know what we want to hear when we make big life changing decisions!!

dharder: I am living in Titirangi (which is stunning) and drive in to Sandringham every day to work (close to the city). It takes me about 20 minutes to get to work.

[ElizabethD]

Auskiwi: yes, a lot of people (my mother included) have told me that we have not given it enough time. It's funny, but the longer I give it, the more I will just be learning to adapt as the human animal tends to do. I don't hate it here...it is very beautiful. But Bainbridge Island is beautiful too. I came here for a better life for my kids and I don't see how i can do that when they hardly see their father who has to work six days a week and who is missing them so much it makes him depressed. I am working at home from a home office but run myself ragged trying to take care of the house, the kids, and my job . Most of the people we know think I'm a single parent. I often resent the people who infer that in living in Nz you'll have to give up your taste for "designer clothes" For God's sake, I have to count my pennies before I buy my son socks from the Warehouse. We are talking basic necessities here without a penny to spare. i have not lived like this since college!

It's not all about the money....it is about the balance I was seeking. I can sacrifice, but there has to be a reward for the sacrifice. For us, there are just not enough rewards here to warrant the tremendous drop in our standard of living.

Again...we had to do it because I never wanted to believe a single negative post i came across before coming over. I still don't regret this--not one bit because somewhere in all of it emerged a new person inside me and i like her--she makes decisions and then makes more decisions without looking back. life is too short to dwell on what if's. The gut holds the key

[zardell]

For God's sake, I have to count my pennies before I buy my son socks from the Warehouse. We are talking basic necessities here without a penny to spare. i have not lived like this since college!

It's not all about the money....it is about the balance I was seeking. I can sacrifice, but there has to be a reward for the sacrifice.

Again...we had to do it because I never wanted to believe a single negative post i came across before coming over.






No, when we were in the UK, I never wanted to believe the negative posts I read either - I couldn't understand where those people were coming from.

Now we're here in NZ, I realise that a distinction has to be made between informative and negative posts.......... and I don't want to start that old chestnut all over again, thank you very much...........:uhoh

However, I have a lot of admiration for the people on this forum who have admitted their mistakes and given their valid reasons for why NZ is not for them. That's informative.

That said, it's just wonderful to hear from the other people on this forum about how positive they are that they have done the right thing. That's informative too.

From a personal perspective, my OH and I are here in NZ and will be for the foreseeable future (however long that is) but I totally respect other peoples concerns for their own families and understand their need to return to their home country.


Julie

xx

[stu70]

From a personal perspective, my OH and I are here in NZ and will be for the foreseeable future (however long that is) but I totally respect other peoples concerns for their own families and understand their need to return to their home country.


Julie

xx

Absolutely on the money. Thanks Julie. Regards

[auskiwi]

ElizabethD: I can't begin to tell you the relief I feel reading your posts. It is so amazing to read thoughts that are so similar to mine! In our case I am the one working so hard I never see the children and I battled depression for the first time in my life as a result. It is only now I have handed in my notice that I am starting to feel "normal" again. I feel for your hubby as it is a horrible thing to be going through.

I agree 100% about not having any regrets. Coming here has strengthened us as a family and cemented my desire to be a committed and hands on mama. At the end of the day, nothing will ever be more important than having a loving, involved relationship with each other and our children.

Amy.

[Tia Maria]

auskiwi wrote:

I agree 100% about not having any regrets. Coming here has strengthened us as a family and cemented my desire to be a committed and hands on mama. At the end of the day, nothing will ever be more important than having a loving, involved relationship with each other and our children.

ElizabethD wrote:

Again...we had to do it because I never wanted to believe a single negative post i came across before coming over. I still don't regret this--not one bit because somewhere in all of it emerged a new person inside me and i like her--she makes decisions and then makes more decisions without looking back. life is too short to dwell on what if's. The gut holds the key

I think these are both good points. To me they point to people who are not willing to settle for being unhappy. For some NZ will be just the thing they need, others don't need to leave their home town at all.

Some have needs and desires which change depending on where you are in life and you may have to try a few things in order to find what's right. If you are anything like me, then you can find enjoyment in the process of change itself.

I've always had a simple formula and that is to be more happy than unhappy. Things don't have to be 100% perfect but I want 4 good days in a week, so the 3 naff days don't seem so bad. If I'm having more bad days than good then I change things.

Its sounds simplistic but many simply don't have the courage to change things. Of course we'd all love to have that crystal ball so we'd know if those changes were going to work, but ultimately it doesn't matter because we know that if we make the wrong choice we have the strength to change again.

It doesn't matter which way you are flying, as long as you are moving forward! :nice1

Good luck to you!

Cheers

Tia

[zardell]

It doesn't matter which way you are flying, as long as you are moving forward! :nice1
Tia




:clap :clap :clap


Well said - and so true.

Julie

xx

[WA to SI]

Auskiwi: yes, a lot of people (my mother included) have told me that we have not given it enough time. It's funny, but the longer I give it, the more I will just be learning to adapt as the human animal tends to do. I don't hate it here...it is very beautiful. But Bainbridge Island is beautiful too. I came here for a better life for my kids and I don't see how i can do that when they hardly see their father who has to work six days a week and who is missing them so much it makes him depressed. I am working at home from a home office but run myself ragged trying to take care of the house, the kids, and my job . Most of the people we know think I'm a single parent. I often resent the people who infer that in living in Nz you'll have to give up your taste for "designer clothes" For God's sake, I have to count my pennies before I buy my son socks from the Warehouse. We are talking basic necessities here without a penny to spare. i have not lived like this since college!

It's not all about the money....it is about the balance I was seeking. I can sacrifice, but there has to be a reward for the sacrifice. For us, there are just not enough rewards here to warrant the tremendous drop in our standard of living.

Again...we had to do it because I never wanted to believe a single negative post i came across before coming over. I still don't regret this--not one bit because somewhere in all of it emerged a new person inside me and i like her--she makes decisions and then makes more decisions without looking back. life is too short to dwell on what if's. The gut holds the key

I am a newby here, getting ready to make the move to Christchurch and this part caught my eye, because I live on Bainbridge Island. I am curious, if you are moving back here is it assumed you will make a LOT more money, because Bainbridge Island has stupendously high real estate prices (current median home price approaching $600,000)?

I guess I should trot over to the introduction area now and properly announce myself. ;)

[Carey]

The full time teaching has been a pretty big factor in us deciding to go back. I am the main bread winner here (as a registered teacher - hubby used to work for a family business in the U.S). I must confess that I have found teaching to be pretty horrific.

I have thirty kids in my class (23 boys, 7 girls!). 14 of them speak english poorly enough to be eligible for additional ministry of ed funding. While I love the 'multiculturalism' of my class the language issues have been enormous and seriously limit what and how you can teach. Add extreme paperwork, assessment requirements on top, plus at least three meetings a week and three of my own daughters missing their mama at home and you have a recipe for disaster.

I'm sure not all schools are like the one I am at - but mine certainly represents many areas of Auckland. Im just too exhausted to give another one a go as this job has pretty much turned me off teaching forever...

Amy.

Just looking back over some past posts and I find this and Carol's saying that primary teaching is very 'demanding'. Are there any primary teachers doing the job now and enjoying it? Please?! In fact any teachers with any comments about teaching, good or bad. It seems there are very few on this forum?

Are we being naive that it will be different to the above? An agent told me last pm that the only chance of getting a job is in Auckland (where we said we would never go!).

[Nick88]

I fully understand your reasons for going Auskiwi, and I have those feelings myself sometimes.

Good luck.

[Park City Partner]

If it weren't for my Kiwi partner, I would be back in the States. While I am not unhappy here and I do think some things are way better here...like socialized medicine....I miss my family and friends and I think it is ridiculously expensive here.

It takes a strong person to admit their mistakes. So, good for you and best wishes for the move back....

[granger]

This thread is pretty old folks and the OP hasn't been around for a while by the look of it.

You might have been better asking your questions in a new thread carey because it doesn't look as if they're going to be answered here. people are treating the thread like a new one and replying to the long departed OP. :exit

[Carey]

Yep you're right, put it in wrong place, will re-post