[irishliz]

I won't bore everybody with the finer details (check our update posts for our various one month, three month, etc updates) but suffice to say we love NZ and have really enjoyed our time here as have the children. We had a very easy route here - OH with job offer, got working visas, sold family home very quickly, and got PR last October. We live in Wellington, OH has a reasonable job he enjoys, I found work as well, kids in good school, made friends, and generally we have travelled most of the North and South Island and love the environment. And the weather is definitely better than the UK even allowing for the winds in Welly!

So why leave? Two reasons.

The first is distance from family - and the death of a close relative brought that home very quickly.

The second is financial. Our standard of living here with 4 children is worse than in the UK. I have to work here to manage day-to-day - and that is not taking into account holidays, the occassional trip to the UK, and emergencies. And we have no chance to save. We know we can manage here if we really wanted to, and there are things we could cut out if we really wanted to. But we didn't come here to just make do - and believe me we are not extravant wearing the latest clothes, gadgets, takeaways, etc. In fact I think we have the smallest telly in NZ! Some things are definitely cheaper but the extra costs of school donations, stationery, extra fundraising (quite aggressively), doctor's fees, etc, do take up income we didn't spend in the UK.

So lessons learnt:
- we should not have kept a house in the UK. It turned out to be a draw back when we could have used that equity to set ourselves up here. Financially that would have made a big difference.
- We both took unpaid leave from our jobs in the UK. So glad we did as our return has been made much easier.
- OH had a job in NZ before we left the UK. In my opinion this is absolutely essential and in the current market I wouldn't contemplate moving my family across the world with all the related stresses and strains without one.
- We didn't do a recce and glad we didn't. Nothing beats the reality of actually living here.
- We are so glad we travelled and saw NZ in all its glory. We found the baches we rented on the whole great. And we have seen some amazing sights.
- We have both had trips back to the UK - OH for funeral. Me for a recce in February to see if I could live back in the UK. It surprised me as I actually felt I could cope more with the crowds, and the general madness, as there are other compensations - a reasonable NHS (in my opinion), well paid jobs, family, and I actually found people generally very warm!

Will we be back - very possibly! If we could gather enough equity to set us up mortgage free and we had jobs to come back to then maybe in a few years. But for now it is back to moving the other way!

Thanks to everybody for all their help and advise here.

[themilkybarkid]

I'm from Liverpool (Anfield originally) but have lived on Wirral for a long time and we are considering going to NZ so it's interesting to read of your return to the 'pool.

For all my weighing up I think family/distance is the hardest part of the equation by far.

Sorry to hear of your loss and the heartache and stress that must have caused being so far away.

Hope you soon settle back in ya livapuul 'ome!

Scousers are friendly!!

[Georgebulldog]

All the best Liz with your trip back, was good to meet you
A good honest post :nice1 lots of thought gone into your move so looks like you've made the right decision
Safe journey home x

[dusk]

Best of luck :)

[Kanga]

Good luck with your return to the UK :)

I understand 100% your first reason- it's hard to live so far from family and I think many people report that as the years wear on that becomes harder, not easier.

[peebles16]

Thanks very much for posting this Liz and all the very best to you and your family :)

Karenx

[Arwen]

Hello irishliz :)

At least you can return to the UK with your head held high knowing that you didn't just 'talk the talk' you 'walked the walk'. :nice1

Emigrating really is quite a courageous thing to do, and you and your family have done it and will always have memories of the experience. :)

I wish you and your family all the very best.

xxx

[Carol]

Good luck Liz

:-)

I'm going back too with my daughter . . .. . just for 6 months - but. . .. . with a view to seeing what I really want to do. . . .longer term...

And thats after almost 13 years. . . .

You are doing the right thing.
In some ways .. .wish we had done it at that point tbh. .

x

[Scotty69]

Good honest post, we wish all the best in the move back :nice1

Natasha

[lynnie]

thanks for an honest post as tbh the financial side of things is my biggest concern as a nurse i know what my income will be be and am in the process of weighing up emigrating vs staying put.
good luck with your move back

[Tia Maria]

Great post Liz and great idea to do a reverse reccie, (you too Carol!).

I think doing a reverse reccie can almost make it as exciting to return as to come out here in the first place. Looking at your home country with fresh eyes and then on to the next stage.....

Good luck to you.

Cheers

Tia

[nickydwuk]

I won't bore everybody with the finer details (check our update posts for our various one month, three month, etc updates) but suffice to say we love NZ and have really enjoyed our time here as have the children. We had a very easy route here - OH with job offer, got working visas, sold family home very quickly, and got PR last October. We live in Wellington, OH has a reasonable job he enjoys, I found work as well, kids in good school, made friends, and generally we have travelled most of the North and South Island and love the environment. And the weather is definitely better than the UK even allowing for the winds in Welly!

So why leave? Two reasons.

The first is distance from family - and the death of a close relative brought that home very quickly.

The second is financial. Our standard of living here with 4 children is worse than in the UK. I have to work here to manage day-to-day - and that is not taking into account holidays, the occassional trip to the UK, and emergencies. And we have no chance to save. We know we can manage here if we really wanted to, and there are things we could cut out if we really wanted to. But we didn't come here to just make do - and believe me we are not extravant wearing the latest clothes, gadgets, takeaways, etc. In fact I think we have the smallest telly in NZ! Some things are definitely cheaper but the extra costs of school donations, stationery, extra fundraising (quite aggressively), doctor's fees, etc, do take up income we didn't spend in the UK.

So lessons learnt:
- we should not have kept a house in the UK. It turned out to be a draw back when we could have used that equity to set ourselves up here. Financially that would have made a big difference.
- We both took unpaid leave from our jobs in the UK. So glad we did as our return has been made much easier.
- OH had a job in NZ before we left the UK. In my opinion this is absolutely essential and in the current market I wouldn't contemplate moving my family across the world with all the related stresses and strains without one.
- We didn't do a recce and glad we didn't. Nothing beats the reality of actually living here.
- We are so glad we travelled and saw NZ in all its glory. We found the baches we rented on the whole great. And we have seen some amazing sights.
- We have both had trips back to the UK - OH for funeral. Me for a recce in February to see if I could live back in the UK. It surprised me as I actually felt I could cope more with the crowds, and the general madness, as there are other compensations - a reasonable NHS (in my opinion), well paid jobs, family, and I actually found people generally very warm!

Will we be back - very possibly! If we could gather enough equity to set us up mortgage free and we had jobs to come back to then maybe in a few years. But for now it is back to moving the other way!

Thanks to everybody for all their help and advise here.


I can echo all that you have said. We are going back after 9 months for similar reasons. Wouldn't change what we have done for a minute - it has been a life changing experience but you only ever get one family!!!!!! Good luck with the move back.

[victoria24]

good luck with your move. i'm sure its a difficult decision whichever way round you do it :nice1

[JandM]

Good luck.:nice1

[spudulike]

Good luck with your move back home. We moved back to the UK almost 2 years ago (yikes!) after 18 months in NZ for many of the same reasons you are. We moved to a completely new part of the UK and I have to say I appreciate so much more for the time I spent away. I love where we are living, people are friendly and we have amazing beaches and countryside around us. Financially we are better off so are happier and more relaxed.

On a sadder note, my Mum was diagnosed with cancer when I first came home. Two years on she is in a hospice with very little time left. I have managed to see her, she's spent time with my children and I get chance to say goodbye. This could never have happened whilst in NZ.

Good luck with your move home - (and good luck with your visit Carol)

Louise :)

[irishliz]

Thanks for the kind wishes everybody.

Spudsulike - it must be very difficult for you at the moment. Best wishes. I remember your journey back as we were getting everything ready to come and I am very glad the move back has worked for you.

Carol - I would be really interested in how you get on. You have always been a very objective informative poster and I was very surprised when you expressed doubts. A six month recce will hopefully provide some answers. When do you head off?

[tea drinker]

Thanks for the honesty in your post.
Hope all goes well with your return.

[leachio]

Good luck Nikki, Liz and Carol.

18mths after our return we have no regrets about coming home.

[mgf]

Good luck with your move back and thanks for you honest post. Have been tossing moving back after 18 months here as well for the some of the same reasons. I have not regretted coming this way and glad my kids got the experiences that they did.

[irishliz]

TBH our decision was made easier because OH had to return to the UK by November or resign his job there. And in the current economic climate we didn't feel ready to do that - and I suppose that was our answer. We are returning in July to have a bit of a summer and for the children to start school fresh in September.

But it hasn't been an easy decision at all and very tinged with 'what ifs...'. I actually think the decision to return is more difficult to make than the decision to come in the first place!

But we do realise we are very lucky to have the option to make a choice.

[spudulike]

I actually think the decision to return is more difficult to make than the decision to come in the first place!



Yes, we found that too! I'm sure it'll work out and the worst that can happen is you may ping-pong but at least you'll be sure where you should be.

We've been given a forecast for a hot/dry summer :roll so you may have picked a good time to return...

All the best

Louise :)

[shakyle2906]

Good luck from me too!

When do you go back ?

I can understand that its a tough decision to make and about a month ago it was one that we were asking ourselves as well when hubby lost his job.

Keep in touch

Sharon
x

[irishliz]

Well - a short update.

We left Wellington two weeks ago. At the end we were so fed up of setting everything up to leave, and organising everything at the Uk end we were just relieved to be on the plane.

So far so good. Boys are settled into school. House was manky!!! Agent had said it was clean - not sure what standards he was using but we are in and camping out until container arrives. OH started work this week as well but that is another story. And the weather is great.

Bizzare that very little has changed and it doesn't feel like a recession especially in the local Sainsburys and town was heaving last week.

Have we made the right decision? Who knows but we know we have put us and the kids through alot and for now we just want to do nothing for at least six months except settle in.

Good luck to everybody getting on with it and making decisions.

[JandM]

All the best.:nice1

[leachio]

good luck hun, I know its 'manky' but at least uve still got a roof of ur own. We wish we had done that, but cest la vie!!

Good luck and enjoy sainsburys, havin some cash in ur pocket and oooohhhh my fav a lovely dark crimbo!!

xx