[Han]

Hi All,

I'm not sure if we're 'allowed' to do this or not but there's only one way to find out!

Well it seems NZ is not for us at this point in time and we're heading back to London. This is for several reasons, mainly due to partner's work (or lack of it) and generally, life in NZ being very different to what we'd imagined.

Anyway, we'll be heading off by mid March (a matter of weeks!) and I was wondering if anybody will be, or is already in Wellington and needs to set-up home?

When we arrived, we bought all brand new stuff as we thought we'd be here for the long run. Now this has changed and we'll be selling everything again.

We have everything from 2 cars, to a bed, washing machine, fridge freezer etc and we also have a mighty cool cow print sofa!
If anybody would be interested in taking our stuff off us, PM me and I'll send some lists and photos etc.

Sorry if I'm not supposed to be doing this but I remember how much it cost us to set-up and thought it might be easier for someone to buy 2nd hand from us.

We'd need to hang on to most stuff until mid March but one of the cars can go as early as the weekend if need be.
We're in Eastern Wellington.

Thanks all

[pleccy2000]

PLUG for Hannah...

I can vouch for the cow print sofa, I've seen it it's great! The cars a very good too! :P

[veronica]

can't see any reason why you can't, after all you are only doing it the once, but really sorry for you that its not working out. Did you try anywhere else but welly.

[Moorf]

So Adam - are you the proud owner of the cow sofa yet?!!

Sounds cool but I suspect a little too expensive to ship it up here!!

:laugh

[miep]

Han,

Very sad to hear you're going back! :wah
We love it here so it's hard to imagine why anyone would want to leave. Lack of work is a good reason ofcourse, are there any other reasons you can put your finger on?

Will pm you my email for the cow sofa :cool

Miep

[chrissie]

Han, sorry to hear NZ is not for you.

How long have you been here? We are in Auckland and will probably go back too. We love the country and the people here and work is not a problem BUT...
The first few months of desperately trying to find a decent house to live in was just so depressing and demoralising that I became very depressed and had to take anti-depressants (it was that bad...). The nurse at the surgery said they get 'a lot of new immigrants' with depression.....I can understand why!!! We must have looked at 80 houses and practically every one smelt damp and fausty and were dark and overlooked by other houses (and I'm talking around the $700000 to $750000 price range) I'm feeling much better now and I've stopped taking the pills but unfortunately the damage is done and we are all very uneasy now about staying.

The house we finally bought is very nice (by NZ standards) but still has no heating and I am dreading the winter....and I would really hate to start feeling again the way I felt a few weeks ago, so we will probably sell up and head back too. I REALY don't want to go back to UK but I just can't imagine staying here.....very sad!!

[Han]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all your replies and supportive posts.
Without boring you all to tears, the story goes like this...

My partner and I have been here 6 months. We were only on the years working visa but thought we'd assess the situation after that year and try to get residency or work permits if all was going to plan.

My partner is having a hard time finding work here. He's a 3D animator at the start of his career. There are very few places here (2 in total) who would actually be in a position to employ him, but even they are don't want to commit and would subcontract work. This is all fine but if they don't have big jobs on for a while, he has no work.
He also desperately needs to be working full time somewhere as part of a team at a studio. This, it seems, is only possible for him back in London right now where the industry is booming.
I am a photographer and although I have been working, it's not a steady wage and Wellington is saturated with photographers. It's hard to break into their market. It's also hard to try and keep our heads above water with just one unstable wage!

We are young. Ben is 24, I am 22. We can still go back and put up with doing the London thing everyday whilst we're young, stupid and have no commitments or responsibilities.
I don't want to live in the UK forever, or at least I don't think I want to at this time. I also don't think I want to stay in New Zealand and watch my much talented man lose his passion for his work as there are no opportunities here.
New Zealand isn't going anywhere so maybe in the future, we could return one day when the industry has grown and there's a few million more people in the country. Maybe we'll never return, I just don't know...but I also don't care! I see no point in worrying about what may or may not happen.
We're going to check out Melbourne and Sydney on the way back but that's it. Just check them out and see what we think. Might be useful for future reference.
I am aware I haven't been here very long. I am also aware that if you want to settle, things take time. That's fine, but so far, we don't want to settle.

Chrissie, I feel for you. The house we're renting is beautiful. We overlook Karaka bay to the left and Seatoun to the right...but Jesus, if that southerly is blowing...we're freezing! The house is OLD. When we first arrived, our lives were saved by the gas heater, several blankets and beanie hats! I remember coming out of the bathroom and seeing my own breath is front of me!! It was THAT cold.
The fact is, we did it. We gave it a shot. How many people get the airport and then don't get on that plane?
For those of you who love it here...fantastic! Good on you!! I wish you a very happy and peaceful life.
For those of us who tried but it didn't work out....we're damn cool for getting this far I say!

Now my attempt to keep this brief has failed miserably, but still...I have vented and feel better! If you've made it to the bottom of this...well done..I would have given up after the first paragraph!

I would love to attach a pic of the funky cow sofa but I am well...how can I put it....useless?!!

I'll PM everyone back who is interested in our stuff.

Thanks again for all your kind words. We'll keep you posted!

Han and Ben

[Soon2baKiwi]

Hi Chrissie - I feel for you. It's an awful thing, depresssion. I hope you don't mind my saying this, but if you have an expensive house and can obviously afford to have such a house, would it not be worthwhile putting in heating? Especially if it's the thing that is looming like a black cloud over you? There's lots of information on here about different ways of heating a house effectively. We are not going to put down as big a deposit as we were going to in order that we can afford to install heating and dehumidifers etc in whatever house we choose. If it hadn't been for sites like this we'd never have known that we had to. :nice1 Good luck pet, I hope it works out for you whichever way it happens.

[Babette & Andy]

Han & Ben - I would like to wish you all the best. I admire your honesty and openess, and totally agree - You've tried it, and so what if it isn't for you guys at the moment, good on you for at least giving it a go rather than forever wondering. :nice1

Hope things work out for you back in the UK, but then again maybe Melbourne / Sydney is more for you guys? You never know.

In any case, would be interested to read how things go for you.

All the best :nice1 Babette

[chrissie]

Han - Well said! I agree 100% with what you say. It's a real shame that NZ isn't able to accommodate your skills and is not right for you at present, but at least you've had the guts to try it out and that's a darn sight more than most people would even think of doing. Good luck with all your future plans.


Soon2bebakiwi - thanks for the message of support. You are right that we could probably put some heating in if we wanted to but the problem now goes far deeper than that. Because of the whole 'depression' episode, the excitement and sense of adventure has just disappeared and, although I am not depressed now it just feels as if the magic has gone and that there is this cloud hovering in the distance which could come back and descend at any time. Its hard to explain and I know it probably sounds pretty pathetic but thats just they way it is. It's awful feeling this way really because I don't want to go back to UK but I just can't imagine staying here forever either. Argh!!! Beam me up Scottie....

[Dave & Sandra]

Chrissie

We put the heat pumps in and it has made a huge difference. We can be warm whenever we want to be. I can understand what you are saying about the sense of adventure having gone, but you're also saying about not wanting to go back to the UK. Maybe it's worth having a go with the heat pump - it can only add value to your house anyway, if you can afford to pay out for them, and may change your view about life in NZ :hopeso. It cost us $12,500 but was worth every cent.

Please don't feel as though you sound pathetic - at least you tried and that's more than most people can say. You should say - been there, done that - what's next??? I applaud you for having done something to better your circumstances even if it wasn't right for you.

Han & Ben

That goes for you too. You are still young and have plenty of time ahead of you to work out what is best for you. Hope it all works out and that you are happy in whatever you do.

[Miffy]

Big hug to both Han & Chrissie.

Its sad it hear that someones dream didn't work out. But you need to do what is best for you (and your partners) and live where you will be happy.

I really hope things sort out for you when you return to the UK.

:)

[eric_amanda]

Hi Han and Ben

At least you tried it. That was alwasy our philosophy. You can never be criticised for giving it a go and not becoming one of the the 'nearly did's'!!

Let us know how you find Melbourne and Sydney. We fell inlove with Melbourne when we visited over 5 yrs ago, it is a fabulous city and public transport i.e. trams are ace!!!

Chrissie

So sorry about your situation, Ihope we never get to that situation, but again, at least you tried it! Have you seen the thread on the Auckland Get Together??? Maybe making a few likeminded friends will remind you of why you did it and help a little? I think there is going to be a few of us now.

Best wishes to you all

Amanda

[sarahw]

Han,

Such a shame but at least you gave it a fair go - and if its something like work that's stopping you staying - it sounds like a pretty good reason to move elsewhere where there is work!

Shame the timing was off - we went out & bought a few new things that we didn't bring with us in the sea-container last week :wah

Have a safe trip & good luck in wherever you choose to settle in the future - at least you tried NZ! :nice1 How many people have it as a pipe-dream all their lives?

[Caven]

Han,

Sorry to read of your situation, it must be a real gutter. Reading your post though, you seem very level headed. You're both young, and the types to get off your backsides and make things happen. Less brave people just don't do what you tried. I'm sure you'll end up on your feet, wherever you settle for now. Best wishes.

Chrissie,

I've had depression in the past, so I can fully understand the dread of it returning. Maybe, through the depression, you lost out on what should have been a honeymoon period for you. Maybe a holiday to shake the last of it out? A good fortnight kicking back in Oz on its golden beaches might help you find somewhere from where you can reappraise things.
Hope things work out, best wishes.

[chrissie]

Big Thanks to everyone for the messages of support. It really does help to know there's people out there rooting for us!!

We will have to make a decision pretty quickly as hubby as the chance of a job back home which would really make life a lot easier going back...there's no way we could go back without having something to go back to workwise. Its my 17 year old son I feel sorriest for as he just LOVES it here and doesn't want to go back, although I'm sure once he meets up with his old friends again and gets back into his football etc. he will cheer up....sigh...fingers crossed!!

We really don't want to go back to UK and certainly won't stay for ever...we will probably look at moving somewhere a bit closer like Spain or Italy (somewhere the weather is a bit more predictable!!) eventually.

cheers everyone :cheers

[evelynne_r]

Hiya,

I can sympathise with those adopted Wellingtonians who are thinking of moving back - I'm in a similar position myself.

I've been in NZ for almost two years now, the bulk of which was in Wellington. I have PR here now. However, when I first arrived here, I didn't have a permanent job, and PR seemed as attainable as the moon. At that point I took the first steps towards going to Canada - Quebec in particular as I speak fluent French - (I really didn't feel like going back to the UK! Eventually I landed a permanent job here in Wellington, and put my EOI in. Ironically, I got to the same stage with both within days of each other - my ITA landed on the mat two days before the Quebec equivalent, the Certificat de Selection de Quebec!! At that point I chose to move forward with NZ and leave Quebec on the back burner.

However, now, I am moving ahead with Quebec, mainly for career reasons. There are lots of things I love about NZ, and Wellington in particular, but for a young single person, with career aspirations, I have a feeling Canada might be a more exciting and rewarding place for me right now. i think if I had a young family, I might feel differently - NZ would be a fantastic place to raise kids I think.

Remember though, that with the Returning Residents' visa, you can still change your mind up to two years after receiving your PR. You may have difficulties leaving NZ for a while after that, but that's a different issue ;)

Good luck everyone, whatever you decide.

Cheers,

Evelynne

[Iain & Liz]

hello im sorry things didn't work out but your right nz isn't for everyone and once you have settled down it's not all that.
we are going through the motions at the monent of shall we stay or go back we havent found what we are looking for here and wonder if we have made a mistake.
jobs are hard to find and the wages crap we will proberly try and give it a few more months if not then we will spend some of our savings on a really good holiday on route back to the uk.
and like you have to sell furniture and a car which we will loose money on but there you go.
the thing is if you hadn't given it a go you would have always wondered what if!!!
i dred telling people if and when we are going back because of their thoughts (we knew it wouldn't work ,another whim,couldn't hack it etc etc)
but hey least we tried.

[eric_amanda]

Iain and Liz - how ling have you been in NZ?

After reading some other stuff here on the forum, i am begining to see a trend of those living in Wellington, moving back to their country of origin. Have others noticed this?? Is their a particular job shortage in Wellington, or is it the wind!!??

Out of curiosity and just for the record, how much does it cost for a container to be shipped back to the UK?

Have any of you found that flights are more expensive going back?

For those of you that are returning, I am sure it would be interesting to read how you settle back into life in the UK or USA for that matter.

Please keep us posted.

Amanda

[evelynne_r]

Hiya,

I don't think there's a particular job shortage in Wellington - there's usually work, but certainly there aren't the great career opportunities there are in, say, London.

Another theme that crops up frequently is the quality of housing (particularly heating...) here in NZ. It has to be said, the houses are fairly poorly heated. A lot of Britons used to relatively cheap and good central heating, double glazing etc seem to find the lack of heating in Kiwi houses hard to get used to.

Cheers,

Evelynne

[Timbo]

Amanda. Yes, I had noticed the coincidence, in the Welli conection. Even the writer of Diny "negative" post from another forum is based there.

Just coincidence surely.

[DrPhred]

So themn it will feel warmer than normal for me!

-30c here in an OLD house (1872) with old windows and little insullation.

I do notice that I don't see any USA returnes. Maybe because there aren't that many USA to NZ to begin with?

[SoCal Gal]

Well, with those kind of temps, you should be toasty on the coldest Welly day! I think there are several of us from CA trying to get to Welly, and we've all been talking about getting used to the temps...but I think in the long run, that will be the least of our worries. My house there was built in the 40's and amazingly is very snug...once you warm it up! Brrr! :cool

[mechidna]

I'm a little curious myself. Like you said, not many Americans are writing about returning. Having never been blessed enough to visit the UK (although Scotland is my dream), I don't have any reference point. Is it NZ itself, the difference in currency, the pace of life itself?