[Rolenda]

:raebanana

Hi, everyone! I have just joined this forum, but from all the positive comments I have read, it looks as if this is the place to be.

My Husband and I, with our 4 young children have started the process of immigrating to NZ. I am a secondary school English teacher. I have nearly acquired all the necessary documents to have my qualifications verified by the NZQA so that I can start applying for teaching positions in NZ.

Everything I have read about NZ on the Internet and in books sounds like what we've been longing for. Hope we are correct! :uhoh

We still have so many questions to ask, but do not have many South African contacts in NZ. Hopefully, there are some of the NZ "Africans" who can give us some feedback on their experiences of moving, adapting and living in NZ.

Thanks
Rolenda

[dilanium]

Welcome to the forum and good luck with your plans!

:)

[vijith]

Welcome to the forum.......

[Steadybears]

Hi Rolenda
We still in SA - have just received our PR and now making our plans for furniture to be moved as well as our air flights. We plan to be in NZ at end of March - so we have gone through most of what you going through at the moment - so if I can help in anyway - please PM or ask and I am sure I will be able to help.

Good luck with the process

Jayne

[Bergita]

Welcome to the forum!

Let me know if I can help with any info.

[Rolenda]

Hi Guys
I'm not sure if I'm replying the correct way, but here goes.
Thanks for offering to help. It sure makes a person feel less isolated if you know there are others who are also taking the plunge.
Have you actually been to NZ or are you also just diving in the deep end? Everything I've read and heard about NZ is good, but I don't have any first-hand experience. What is it really like?
Rolenda

[Alan+Mignon]

Hi Rolenda,
I am also from S.A.-Kwa Zulu Natal. I have only recently joined this forum (isn't it great?!) on advice from Ian And Jayne who are family. My OH flies out in afew weeks to job hunt- we are using an immigration agent.
Good luck!
Mignon

[Steadybears]

Hi Rolenda

OH has been to NZ and says its beautifully green - and yes they do have power that isnt being cut off everyday!!!! We leave on the 15 March for Hamilton area. Have you got children and if so what heir ages?

Good luck and let me know if we can offer any help

[Rolenda]

Hi Rolenda

OH has been to NZ and says its beautifully green - and yes they do have power that isnt being cut off everyday!!!! We leave on the 15 March for Hamilton area. Have you got children and if so what heir ages?

Good luck and let me know if we can offer any help

Yes, we have 4 kids aged 12, 9, & twins of 6 years old. I must first get my teaching qualifications authorised, before I can start applying for jobs. Do you perhaps know what medical ailments they do not accept if you are immigrating. Do things like depression and cholesterol count against your being accepted? :confused:

Rolenda

[nonneiy]

Welcome onboard, OH is over there and is loving every minute - we depart in a week and cant wait.

Feel free to ask any questions, both Bergita and I are "EX SA's" so keep in touch and I will assist as much as I can.

BTW the forum is awesome and the advise and wonderful camradarie is what keep us all positive - even against all odds.

Kindly
Nonneiy:clap

[Steadybears]

Hi Rolenda
Not too sure about the medicals - have you maybe checked on the Immigration site under medicals - as far as I am aware - once the blood tests have been done and there is any query as we had with our son - we just had to have more blood tests - more money - for them to check up that its not going to be costing the govt money.

Hope it all goes well - keep us updated.

Jayne

[debsandandy]

Hi Rolenda
We arrived in NZ from Cape Town in September after 2 years of prep work, investigations etc. It was a long wait but worth it. We have 2 small boys of 1 and 3, and really made the move for their safety and futures.
How are things with Eishkom!!!! Would the last one to leave the country please blow the candle out?
Seriously though .... make the move ... you will have good and bad days in the build up to everything, but think about your kids and where they will be in 10 years time.
We are in a small town called Levin about an hour and a half out of Wellington, and the place is beautiful, the people are amazing and so friendly and keen to assist you making the move easier.
Good luck with everything .. shout again with questions
Debs

[Rolenda]

I love the joke about the candles, Debs. :D

It seems to take a very long time to get to the final moving stage. Did you go on a work visa or did you first complete the whole immigration process?
We just wish things can move quicker.

How easily did you guys make new friends with the NZers?

Rolenda

[debsandandy]

Hi Rolenda
We applied online on the NZ Immigration site and submitted an Expression of Interest. We were then chosen fromn the pool, and went through a long process which in total lasted about 16 months. We had to do it this way as neither of us had skills on the shortage list or a job offer.
With your teaching skills you should fly in easily, so perhaps try for a work visa first to speed things up.
We made friends EXTREMELY easily with the people in NZ: they are fantastic and easy to get along with. You won't have any problems there.
Where are you thinking about going to live?
Debs

[Simon B]

Hi all, I've just introduced myself on another thread...joined this forum yesterday. I'm still umming and ah-ing about the whole matter. Would dig to get out of here...we moved up to Johannesburg from Cape Town 3 and half years ago, both went through too many retrenchments etc etc to even talk about here. I'm keen but the wife is paranoia about getting into one of those jobless situations again. The cruel thing is that she has the best job EVER at the moment, loves it.

Simon and Michelle
47 years
6 Dogs - oh dear-problem.

ps need to do my signature here...

[Simon B]

Hi Debsandandy, one trivial question if you don't mind...would you say Wellie is windier than Cape Town. Living in JHB I DO NOT miss that wind in CT! (I'm a cyclist not a windsurfer...hee hee)

[debsandandy]

Hi Simon
I would say the wind is much of a muchness .... and not worth bothering too much about ... at least you'll have lights!!!
I see you have 6 dogs ... we have 3 dogs and 4 cats ......... and guess what, we took them ALL.
I know we are crazy, but they are part of our family, and having them with us just makes the whole settling down process easier.
So, if you need any advice on how to bring your babies, just shout and I'll be happy to help.
Debs

[Simon B]

Hi Debs, I think I will be asking much more questions as I get my mind around the whole idea. Looking at Wellington on Google Earth it does look so appealling, I'm a mountain biker so when I see hills I get excited.

I just can't come to terms (yet?) with the thought of having our dogs 'locked up' like that...for so long...they're active athletic animals, border collies and siberian huskies, they thrive to run! I know what I feel like if I haven't been on a bicycle for a couple of days, I'm impossible to be around..hee hee!

Anyway, getting back to the wind, well I suppose it keeps the air clean, in Jo'burg you can see what you breathe!!!

Take care, we'll speak again.

[kzn2nz]

Hi - another Safrican family here!!!

[Rolenda]

:exit

Hi debsandandy

So glad to here you easily made friends with NZ's.

We hope to get a job offer somewhere on the North Island, in a rural area. We are tired of big cities and would like a small town where our kids can ride bike and walk to the shop without an adult escort.

I sent my qualifications to NZQA on Friday and am waiting for my police clearance from SA so that I can register with the NZ teachers' board. Then only can I start applying for posts.

Hold thumbs for me!

Rolenda:nice1

[debsandandy]

Hi Rolenda
I will be holding thumbs .. please let me know news of your qualifications from NZ: a recent survey in SA amongst real estate agents, immigration agents and removal companies show that emigration and enquiry quotes have quadrupled since Jan last year.
You are doing the right thing
We are also in a rural area 90kms from Levin: on 3 acres surrounded by cows, llamas and sheep: my boys are in their element
Debs

[Simon B]

Hi Debs, if you don't mind my asking, how did you guys manage the quarantine, nevermind the animals. WE suffer seperation anxiety if we're away from our dogs for an extended period of time, I think it would tear us apart to know they're locked up like that. It is 120 days for us from SA, I take it? What's also bugging me is the cost of it all, I mean that would knock a huge dent in the profit I'd make after selling my house. Then to make matters worse, the current value of the rand is baaad!

Yeah, I'm not surprised that the 'exodus' from here has escalated so, people here are now so negative. Although many have this "oh we've been through worse times" attitude, I think they're fooling themselves.

Simon Brehany
JHB, SA

[twoplankskier]

wecome to the forum...:raebanana

[ysbeer]

Hi from Cape Town,

My wife and I, and the two boys, 6 and 9 have also started the process, and ours took really fast so far...

EOI completed 15 Jan 08 (Without job offers... 160 points)
EOI selected 17 Jan 08
EOI successful 25 Jan 08
ITA received 28 Jan 08

We hope to submit our ITA as soon as all the documents are together. The ITA took us really by surprise. Now we have to spark....

Not that we are complaining a bit.

We just have one problem to sort out, which I have asked INZ today, so waiting on reply.

My wife is the principal applicant and her question is:

"With regards to the checklist we received and have to complete. It is my understanding that I do not have to send my qualification to the NZQA, as I it is a requisite that I need to obtain registration from the Medical Laboratory Scientist Board of NZ.
My partner has the same qualifications as I do. We qualified at the same time. He is though not going to do the same work as that of the qualification. Points were only claimed for his qualification, although he does have 7 years qualification experience. Does he need to do a full NZQA assessment, or must he register with the MLS Board of NZ as well or should only the qualification transcript docs be supplied?"

PS. We had a 5 week vacation on the North Island Dec/Jan 08... BEAUTIFUL:laugh :yes :) !!!!

[debsandandy]

Hi Simon
We are also besotted with our animals, and don't go away on holidays because we don't like to leave them.
We weighed up the situation: be apart from them for 120 days, and then have them share our new lives together forever, or rehome them and constantly wonder how they are doing and if they are ok.
We chose to bite the bullet and deal with being seperated for 4 months. The worst day is when Keringa/Pet Wings actually comes to pick them up, but thereafter, it does get better.
In terms of costs ... Big Bucks. We basically used my husband's pension money from his old company to cover it. So yes... we could have afforded a bigger house etc once we got here if we hadn't brought them, but at the end of the day, having them here makes the whole enormous move less traumatic.

The other thing to bear in mind is the location you decide to settle on once in NZ: have you thought about this yet? You will need to be out of built up urban areas which have very small plots, and will have to try and find a home with suitable space for them. We are 90kms outside Wellington.

For initial outlines of travelling costs, get hold of Deanne or Danuta at Keringa Kennels in Jhb : www.keringa.co.za. They will also mail you the procedure that has to be followed before hand in terms of vaccinations etc.
The quarantine station we are using here is great
.. www.shado-lans.co.nz ... get hold of John or Denise here to get an idea of costs on this side.

I know it is a difficult decision ... please shout for help
Debs

[Vision]

Debs

Thanks for the info on moving pets - we also have a Yorkie that wants to fly to NZ with us later on this year.

I am waiting for the NZQA "verdict" before we submit our EOI. We are from Bloemfontein and hope to move to Hamilton or perhaps the Bay of Plenty area.

Great to have a "contact" in NZ who have gone thru the whole process of moving pets to your new home. Did you visit your animals regularly during the quarantine period or is it better to stay put for the 4 months?. Was there any noticeable change in behavior after the quarantine period was over?. We just don't want to traumatize the little dog unnecessary but as you know...once part of the family always part of the family.

We will be in contact with you also as we go along.:)

Regards

[debsandandy]

Hi Vision
Our babies are all still in quarantine and they get released in 2 and a half weeks. As we are only 4kms down the road from them, we have been to see them quite a bit and they are always thrilled to see us.
Their behaviours haven't changed at all, and they have developed really good relationships with the quarantine people ... in fact they are a bit friendlier than they were before!!!
There are absolutely no signs of any trauma ... it was defintely worth bringing them over.
The pet carriers etc are experienced in everything and they were in great hands.
Just make sure you start the process which you will find on the maf/biosecurity website no less than 6 months and no greater than 12 months before hand.
I spoke to John at the quarantine station yesterday, and he said that in the last 2 months he has had a Huge upsurge in the number of queries from South Africa.
Shout again soon
Cheers