[Tia Maria]

Often when people do their 3 month/6 month/1year/2year posts I'm nearly always surprised as I usually think they have been in NZ a lot longer. So I thought we could maybe do a snapshot of the forum to see where everyone is at.

I'll make it an public poll so people's usernames will appear next to their choice. (Its also multiple choice)

I thought also a quick snapshot of how people are feeling about the country they are from and NZ, so for me

Arriving in NZ:

UK: 7/10
NZ: 6/10

18 months after arriving in NZ:

UK: 7/10
NZ: 7/10

Cheers

Tia

[Moorf]

Great thread Tia!


Arriving in NZ:

UK: 5/10
NZ: 8/10

3 years after arriving in NZ:

UK: 3/10
NZ: 9/10 it will be 10/10 once my parents and brother are here :D

No surprise there then!

[Sam B]

Been here 8 months.

Arriving in NZ - UK - 7/10, NZ 7/10
Now - UK - 7/10, NZ 8/10

[Tia Maria]

Anyone quick enough to read that ...... ignore me! :D

Cheers

Tia

[gil]

It does show as public if you click on the underlined number of votes Tia.

On arrival here:
UK 8/10
NZ actually no idea as I'd never been here before! Probably an optimistic 8/10

Now:
UK 7/10
NZ 9/10

Gil

PS I'm obviously too quick!

[ellenmelon]

i put 3-12 months on behalf of my partner...and returning kiwi on behalf of me! lol

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

On arrival
NZ - 7/10
UK - 4/10

4.5 months in (but spent a month here a year previously)
NZ - 8/10
UK - 2/10

[Kim39]

On arrival

UK 7/10
NZ 7/10

nearly 2 years down the track

UK 5/10
NZ 7/10

NZ hasn't really hit the mark for me just yet, but i'm getting there.


Kim

[wiki]

Arriving in two week, but at the moment

UK: 8/10
NZ: 8/10

I think the balance will shift when I remember what it's like to live in NZ :)

[kiwidebs]

I'm another who voted twice - returned Kiwi for me and 1-2 years for hubby and kids.

Before arrival UK 5/10 NZ 9/10
18 months back UK 6/10 NZ 7/10

I was returning and thought I knew what I was coming to - def had my rose tinteds on!! 18 months in have really realised this is not the land of milk and honey, but it's good. UK had faded for me in the prep for returning home, but looking better from this end now. Alot of this is to do with money and the struggles we've had at times. (We had more disposable income in the UK).

Debs

[veronica]

arriving NZ 7/10 UK 7/10

3 1/2 here (still) NZ 7/10 UK 7/10

like all places theres good and bad things in both and We have one daughter here and one there..

[speckythecky]

Have been here less than a month and struggling to get employment at the moment which will affect my scores

on arrival

UK 7/10
NZ 8/10

Now

UK 6/10
NZ 7/10

[wiki]

I just read the poll again and only voted for the arrive by Sept 2008 and not the returning kiwi - trust me to squew the figures!

[peebles16]

I really wanted to post and say we're there already but... Nearly, hoping to get out to Christchurch in November 2007. Think if I say it often enough it will really happen :D
Karen

[Nienke]

Been here 1,5 years now.
Before Holland 5/10, NZ no idea...
Now Holland 2/10, NZ 7/10

[willsken]

Been here 9 months.

Before

UK 4/10
NZ 7/10

Now

UK 3/10
NZ 8/10

[KerryS]

I had to work out how long I've been here just then. I know it's more than 3 years, but I wasn't sure exactly how long... Anyway, I think it's 5 years this November, or it could be 6 - my memory is shocking!
I do love NZ, but I still keep having the nagging "What if..." voice in the back of my head.

[bartons]

Been here for one day :)

UK 7/10
NZ 7/10 (based on experiences 16 years ago...)

too jet-lagged to think straight, but pleased to be able to write "in NZ"!

[peebles16]

Well done Bartons posting after one Day!

[Tia Maria]

bartons wrote:

Been here for one day :)

Yep definitely are newest member in NZ to post! Well done mate! :clap

I'm not sure whose been in NZ the longest - Kerry S maybe?

I like the fact that I can see all those that have been here as long as me, although I just missed out on the 3 year citizenship, so it will be 5 years for us if we're still here and have the cash!

Its good to see also who is on their way in the next year.

But my biggest question is why is it only Jub Jub in the 2-3 year category?! What happened that year, where have all the others gone? Was Jub Jub responsible? :uhoh

Cheers

Tia

[jubjub]

But my biggest question is why is it only Jub Jub in the 2-3 year category?! What happened that year, where have all the others gone? Was Jub Jub responsible? :uhoh



Not my fault.....:o if hubby was still posting he would be in that time frame as well, so that really makes two of us! :yes

I think its good that we have people on here that have been here over 3 yrs! some people arrive, settle in and are never heard from again, which is great (for them), but I am soooo nosey, I like to know what folks are up to these days!

Not answered your ratings question as its too hard for me to judge. I have a totally different life here, I moved from the UK where I was working, almost straight into a role as stay at home first time mum.

Although I think the UK has gone down in my estimation, particularly after our visit back last year to put a few things in perspective. Even mum and dad are talking about leaving.....

[akp713]

I have another unique situation. Lived in NZ for 6 months previously, returned to the states in January, heading back to NZ in Feb. 2008 for a graduate degree and hopefully PR once I graduate and get a job.

On arrival:

US 5/10
NZ 7/10

After 6 months:

US 5/10
NZ 8/10

And after several months back in the US:

US 6/10
NZ 8/10

To me NZ is like having a combo of California and Hawaii without the traffic, smog, overcrowding and extremely expensive real estate. Oh and my intitial US rating is based on living in Washington DC for 4 years, my higher rating upon going back is for Boston where I live now.

[Kiwi-In-Texas]

I also voted twice:

1. I am a Kiwi returning home to NZ.

2. Arriving by September 2008.


Cheers,
Suzanne.

[KerryS]

I'm not sure whose been in NZ the longest - Kerry S maybe?



No, Carol has been here over 10 years I think. She's definitely been here longer than me.

[Marie P]

We have been here nearly 2 years [in Dec] ,I am hoping that we just get in on the citizenship ,must check it out .

I was shocked at the price though :exit

Marie x

[IanW99]

We have been here nearly 2 years [in Dec] ,I am hoping that we just get in on the citizenship ,must check it out .

I was shocked at the price though :exit

Marie x

Just to let you know that the criteria for 3 years for citizenship is as follows:-

If you received permanent residence before 21 April 2005, or made an application for permanent residence before 21 April 2005 that was approved after 21 April 2005.

If not, then it will be 5 years.

Ian

[Caroline and Dave]

Been here almost 6months Caroline, Dave on & Off but will be in NZ for a 3 month stint on 1st Oct.

On Arrival UK 2/10
NZ 6/10

After 6 months UK 0/10
NZ 9/10


There is no way we are going back to the UK

[Silverwing86]

We've been here eight months;

Before/upon arrival:

Holland 2/10
NZ 8/10 (we wanted it to be 10/10, but wisely reserved judgement till we got some true NZ experience under our belts)

Now, after eight months:

Holland 0/10
NZ 10/10

No question where we prefer to be eh ;) ?

NZ has definitely lived up to, and exceeded, all our hopes and dreams.

Those things that we were worried about before coming here have all turned out more than fine (f.i.: do we have rose tinted glasses on because we want out of Holland so badly; will we be able to manage financially; will we be troubled by the cold in winter; will we miss family and friends too much, etc.).

Not even the teensiest tiniest little bit of us would want to go back there, NZ is definitely 'home' for us (in fact, more so than Holland ever was !).

Silver

[John Z]

We've been here eight months;

Before/upon arrival:

Holland 2/10
NZ 8/10 (we wanted it to be 10/10, but wisely reserved judgement till we got some true NZ experience under our belts)

Now, after eight months:

Holland 0/10
NZ 10/10

No question where we prefer to be eh ;) ?

NZ has definitely lived up to, and exceeded, all our hopes and dreams.

Those things that we were worried about before coming here have all turned out more than fine (f.i.: do we have rose tinted glasses on because we want out of Holland so badly; will we be able to manage financially; will we be troubled by the cold in winter; will we miss family and friends too much, etc.).

Not even the teensiest tiniest little bit of us would want to go back there, NZ is definitely 'home' for us (in fact, more so than Holland ever was !).

Silver

"0/10" :eek:

I'm afraid I have to admit I might very possibly understand...

"Beam me up, I mean down, Scotty..."

johNZ

[Tia Maria]

Ianw99 wrote:

Just to let you know that the criteria for 3 years for citizenship is as follows:-

If you received permanent residence before 21 April 2005, or made an application for permanent residence before 21 April 2005 that was approved after 21 April 2005.

If not, then it will be 5 years.

Well that confirms it, we submitted our ITA in August 2005 and we were here by January 2006. It still seems weird that people who arrived after us can be on the 3 year track whereas we are on the 5 year track.

I guess that's just the way it works out, we also missed out on the 4 year tax exemption! :(

Cheers

Tia

[nippa&pippa]

Been here for nearly 1 year next month, can't believe a year went by so fast...blame on my newborn ;)

Before arrived

UK 5/10
NZ 5/10

Now in NZ

UK 2/10
NZ 8/10

Love it here very much, don't want to return back to UK :yes

[Tia Maria]

nippa&pippa wrote:

Been here for nearly 1 year next month, can't believe a year went by so fast...blame on my newborn ;)

That's exactly how I felt, I always say the my first year here didn't count as I was pregnant for it and it just went by so quickly! :yes

Hope you're getting some sleep at night.

Cheers

Tia

[Shoel]

Before moving
India 6/10 NZ 9/10
After moving
India 6/10 NZ 8/10

I simply adore the work culture here - 5 pm and the office becomes a ghost town..unthinkable in India.
Only down side is not much of a social life, plus streets are deserted post 7.30pm (in Bombay, the streets are NEVER this empty - even at 3AM!)