[Rusty]

I wrote this for our 'keep us sane' blog and wondered if it sounded familiar to others that have done this or going through it? I have edited some personal details so it does read strange in some areas...

So far, time has been spent collecting paperwork and now putting it all in order and getting copies of most parts. The police checks finally arrived last week after we had to resend them due to not putting the right ID with them.

We now have everything except proof of NZ relationships. This was posted to us 2 weeks ago and has not arrived. We watch the postman come to our door, deliver letters and then realise what we want most is not there. No idea where it is and now Sister is busy getting another lot copied and sent as quick as possible so we can hand it all in.

Why the stress? Well all based upon time (well mostly, but I'll come to that later). It takes 3-4 months to have the ITA allocated to a case officer (assume beg June now at least) and then 1-3 months to have a yes or no. It would be great to have everything in so we can find out sooner, as we will now have to start selling the house and give 3 months notice at work, even book flights and sort NZ side bits without knowing if we will be approved. All this if we want to keep with the move in September, much later and it will be too close to Christmas again and Son 1 will be in/out of school too long.

Another reason is that this is a really big, exciting move/adventure for us and we have to keep quite about it around most people we know and not be too happy about it with the others. All we really want to do is shout about how much we are looking forward to it all, but finding it hard to do so. We also just want to get on with it after planning for 2 years.

Then we have MiL moving to NZ last week and the problems associated with that while her hubby is staying here. So then all the usual everyday life bits that we would normally cope with seem to be blown out of all proportion. This means shouting at the kids more (sorry kids) which just makes it all a bit worse with guilt added on.

I should add thanks to ENZ as it is the only place we can talk about NZ all the time with others who are equally exceited.
On we go!
Lots of :) to avoid looking like :o

[Lara Croft]

Hi Rusty... don't worry, you are not going insane. Well not yet anyway... :)

I remember posting a similar thread a few months ago, about how I felt I had a 'secret life'. Like you, we didn't feel in a position to go around broadcasting our plans, so kept it just to a very small circle of people.

Otherwise the conversation goes something like this:

Me: We're migrating to NZ!
Them: When?
Me: Don't know yet
Them: Where are you moving to? What will be your address?
Me: Don't know yet
Them: Where will you work?
Me (getting fed up now): Don't know yet...

And then a month later, having them say to me, "Still here? I thought you said you were moving..." Grrrrrrr!!!!

Then there were the people that we told ages ago (over a year, when we were first planning), who assumed that since we hadn't gone yet, we weren't going after all, and seemed offended when we said, well yes we are!

And then the people (who have never been there!) who say, "oh I don't know why you're going there, it's expensive / quiet / foreign etc etc, somebody knows someone who went and they hated it and came back after 2 weeks..." You know the sort - you've probably already had this conversation several times as well!!!

Most people have NO idea how hard it is, and how much effort it takes to migrate to NZ ( in terms of applications / paperwork etc). And then you have all the normal stress & hassle of physically moving house etc.

<< rant over >>

Good luck with your plans!
Jane

[nonneiy]

Oh My word,,,,,,, can I relate to all thats been said:cheers

[Rusty]

Thank you, it's not the end of the world and I know that it will take time, etc.

Jane, I laughed at the part where you said everybody knows someone who has been to NZ and hated it or had issues with NZ. Although I can tell from the reaction of the people that tell the stories what they feel about us going. my usual answer is well of course they didn't like it, otherwise they would have stayed.

I'm a little curious how common this whole story is when such a big move is made anywhere?

[mgf]

I can relate to all of that..don't know how many times we have heard from people we have run into. "I thought you left already" You want to say "Am I standing here in front of you obviously not" then you have to go into the whole thing about paperwork and taking time things have to be checked etc etc....of course it is better than the reaction of being told it is one of the dumbest things I had ever thought of and obviously I had completely lost my mind (that person is no longer on our Christmas Card list):)

M

[Mickstim]

I can so relate to all this except in our case the paperwork is all ready and we haven't sold the house. I don't want to leave the house anymore cos someone will always ask 'Any luck with the house yet?' and although I know there is really nothing wrong with our house I think people think it must be really awful cos we can't sell it!!

Bx

[lockstock]

We were always asked (and still are now even though we're here) Why New Zealand? Having run out of variations on replies, we just say Why not? now. We've even forgotten the reason ourselves.

[StevieD]

Me: We're migrating to NZ!
Them: When?
Me: Don't know yet
Them: Where are you moving to? What will be your address?
Me: Don't know yet
Them: Where will you work?
Me (getting fed up now): Don't know yet...

And then a month later, having them say to me, "Still here? I thought you said you were moving..." Grrrrrrr!!!!



Most people have NO idea how hard it is, and how much effort it takes to migrate to NZ ( in terms of applications / paperwork etc). And then you have all the normal stress & hassle of physically moving house etc.



Yup, much the same with us, had all sorts of daft conversations with people over the years, then all of a sudden, when it was nearly time to go -
"Oh, you're still going then??" as if you were mad to even contemplate moving away at all. I'm sure there were many who thought we were just making it up to pass the time of day - as if!

So all you potential emigrees, don't worry, it isn't madness at all, just maddening at times.... but there are pitfalls as well as benefits, just be aware of this.

Steve