[Junnifer USA]

Finally! Finished at 5:00 today!
Too bad for NZ - one more Yankee family headed over there! Feb 07, I hope!

We are excited, happy, and humbled by the opportunities offered to us by NZ and NZIS!

ALmost packed, waiting on the container... and passports with stamps.

If your house hasn't sold. Be patient. Took us a very very long time too!

Jen and Bill

[Bubbles]

Hi Jen and Bill

Congratulations :nice1 :clap

See you on the other side

:cheers

John

[jesselyn]

hi jen and bill,

great news! :nice1

cheers,
jes

[sarahw]

Yay for you! :cheers :cheers

Congratulations! We had 2 people look round our house in the UK yesterday :hopeso - here's to hoping that everyone who has a house on the market has good news very soon!

[shagen]

Hi Jen & Bill!

You must be all excited about the move! Where are you heading?

[Junnifer USA]

Well, I have been to NZ, only the North Island. But we are headed to CHch, for a number of reasons. We hope they are the right ones! WOuld love to hear your assessments!

1. We want a smaller size city than Auckland, big enough to have job opportunities, but without the higher cost of living structure.

2. We hate the cold, and it seems that Chch is as cold as we are willing to go (We live close to Florida. DOnt want this extreem heat again, but definately don't think we can handle real cold either)

3. Have a son, aage 10, and need good schools and kid filled neighborhoods


4. This is a week reason, but here goes: Lots of Brits like it, and they are more demanding of schools and standards of living.

5. We figure if we dont like it, after 1-2 years, we can find jobs in another area.

6. We are a little older than lots of you... 42 and 50, and not looking to build a new career, or accumulate all our wealth, we are downsizing and simplifying, the lower housing costs are attractive.

So, what do you all think? Tell me quick, before we send our container to the wrong place!!
Yours,
Jen

[veronica]

We're here in Chch and I like it, the winters aren't cold like they are in the UK. A bit of snow but it doesn't seem to settle and the odd ground frost but no frosty trees or freezing fog like we get at home in the UK. It might take you a while to find a house with the right comfort factor though as central heating is a rariety and the older houses don't have insulation. I think you are sending the container to the right place but if its not for you its not set in stone and you can move.

[dan w]

Hi Jen and Bill,

Great news on your move! We are from Canada and have been in ChCh for 4 months now. We approached things the same way as you regarding our choice, ie, if it's not quite for us we can move on a couple of years down the track (as they say in these parts :-)).

So far so good though. We are loving NZ and have absolutely no regrets about the move. First impressions of Christchurch are also good...the gardens really are pretty, the beaches really are good (love Taylors Mistake) and the mountains really are just a short hop away (including the Port Hills right on your doorstep). It is a sleepy place in many respects and that has, admittedly, taken some getting used to. This is not really a negative though...just the way it is. We will access in 2 years and if we feel ready to move on we'll head elsewhere in NZ.

In the meantime my 5 year old is going to a great school, we have bought a modest but lovely house (as with most, it needs good heating...the heat pump goes in next month) and I'm enjoying my new job and workplace (Christchurch Hospital). Alls good. Or as they say in NZ...Good as gold :-).

We are meeting up with Rob K from this list tomorrow...he and his family have just arrived from Canada. Any other North Americans heading over? Perhaps we should have a get-together :cheers

dan w

[dan w]

Hi Jen and Bill,

Great news on your move! We are from Canada and have been in ChCh for 4 months now. We approached things the same way as you regarding our choice, ie, if it's not quite for us we can move on a couple of years down the track (as they say in these parts :-)).

So far so good though. We are loving NZ and have absolutely no regrets about the move. First impressions of Christchurch are also good...the gardens really are pretty, the beaches really are good (love Taylors Mistake) and the mountains really are just a short hop away (including the Port Hills right on your doorstep). It is a sleepy place in many respects and that has, admittedly, taken some getting used to. This is not really a negative though...just the way it is. We will access in 2 years and if we feel ready to move on we'll head elsewhere in NZ.

In the meantime my 5 year old is going to a great school, we have bought a modest but lovely house (as with most, it needs good heating...the heat pump goes in next month) and I'm enjoying my new job and workplace (Christchurch Hospital). Alls good. Or as they say in NZ...Good as gold :-).

We are meeting up with Rob K from this list tomorrow...he and his family have just arrived from Canada. Any other North Americans heading over? Perhaps we should have a get-together :cheers

dan w

[Junnifer USA]

After reading about all those friendly Brits, some getting together even before they move to NZ, I must say I envied them. We are in South Carolina and I think most people would be hard pressed to even find NZ on the map. So, this has been an experience that we have not shared, except with family.

I would love to meet others who have been on here. So, I am selfishly proposing a MARCH get together. WOuld anyone be interested?

Soon to be, Kiwi!
Jennifer and Bill

[Diny]

Jen & Bill

Wonderful news regarding the house sale. Now the fun really begins !!!!

All the best.

Diny

[shagen]

Hi Jen & Bill,

We are heading for Christchuch mid March and hope to spend a week to hook up with prospective employers and to have a general overview of the city and neighbourhoods.

Would love to catch up for a cup of tea if you have settled in by then.

Cheers,
Shagen

[Junnifer USA]

SOunds great,! Stay posted, as soon as we know what our contact number will be!
Where are you coming from?
Jen

[shagen]

Hi Jen,

We are Malaysians but I live and work in Indonesia. We will be arriving from Malaysia.

Cheers,
Shagen

[Wiggles]

Hi Jen

Congrats on the house sale. That is truly outstanding news! I would love to have been at the meet up in March but unfortunately :wah our house sale has delayed us. Fingers crossed it will go through and we'll eventually head to Chch - perhaps all of the users on this site could have a mid-year winter 'Christmas' party :mrgreen:

Anyhow, best wishes with your move and hope it all goes smoothly

Wiggles

[Moorf]

Hi Jen - count us in for a meet up in Chch in March :nice1

Would be great to meet you all... hope you don't mind a couple of Brits gatecrashing! :laugh

Moorf

[Junnifer USA]

So Exciting!

Well,
We should do this, definately! Why don't w choose a day and place, and see what happens.

Perhaps we can get close to April Fools Day (April 01) And have a "Happy Fools In NZ Party!" Jokes and good natured foolishness required!

And for Get together No 2:
Wiggles, We will not miss you arrival! I have always wanted to have a Christmas Party on July 04 (I hope our Brit friends will excuse our need to celebrate that day!) My friends used to do that and everyone brought a small kid gift, wrapped, all of which was donated to charity, a local hospital or children's home...or someplace similiar.

Would others be interested.... ?
Jen

[RoadRunner]

Congrats on the house sale and best of luck in ChCh! :cheers

[dan w]

Hi Jen and all

A get-together sounds like a great plan. The house we just bought is near Westburn Reserve, a nice little park in Ilam. Lots of room for the kids including paved tracks for bike riding, swings etc. Could do something there (barby, picnic, pot-luck type thing?) and use our house as a base. How does that sound? Could be over Easter weekend or whenever weather permits. Shagen when do you arrive in town?

All would be welcome (even Brit gatecrashers Moorf :-))

Let me know your thoughts. We're easy.

dan w

[Junnifer USA]

What a great plan!

I would enjoy meeting some of these Brits. I have learned so much from the information they have generously shared on here!

Your idea sounds great -- lots of room for kids too!

[shagen]

Hi Dan,

This is really exciting!

We will be in Chch March 13 to March 18. If your meet is anytime during that period, you can count on 2 Malaysians to gate crash as well!

Where are you from Dan?

Shagen

[Wiggles]

Hi all

We would love to meet up with all of you for a 'mid winter' Christmas party/4th July bash! Sounds like a good one - just checked the calendar and the 4th is on a Monday, so would probably have to do on the weekend prior. As long as we are somewhere that has blazing log fires and we're warm :laugh :laugh

Wiggles

[Wiggles]

Hi Jen and all

A get-together sounds like a great plan. The house we just bought is near Westburn Reserve, a nice little park in Ilam. Lots of room for the kids including paved tracks for bike riding, swings etc. Could do something there (barby, picnic, pot-luck type thing?) and use our house as a base. How does that sound? Could be over Easter weekend or whenever weather permits. Shagen when do you arrive in town?

All would be welcome (even Brit gatecrashers Moorf :-))

Let me know your thoughts. We're easy.

dan w

I am gutted to be missing this one!! Have just realised too, that I have my second plane!

Wiggles

[Tanya]

Hi Jen and all

A get-together sounds like a great plan. The house we just bought is near Westburn Reserve, a nice little park in Ilam.

dan w
Hey Dan

You must just around the road from us! A few of us have appeared in Ilam recently!!

Tanya

[shagen]

Have just realised too, that I have my second plane!

This forum is addictive and before you know it, you'll have another one :laugh

[Soon2baKiwi]

Congratulations Jen. You lucky, lucky thing. I hope NZ is everything you've dreamed of, and more. :cheers