[Junnifer USA]

I never have time to write or check the forum. I used to be addicted, especially during the long, long months of waiting to get here!

It has been just over 2 months now. About 10 days ago we recieved our container and were in our new house, finally. We bought in Kaiapoi, on the north side of Chch. For those of you unfamiliar with the area, we are the last of the suburbs, still within the Chch circle. Kaiapoi has a river (trout and salmon fishing) and is on the ocean (Pines Beach). It also has a great inside aquatic center, (11 year oold son on swim and polo teams), as well as every other sport field and club. Great little BMX bike track and team, (son waiting for spring to do that too!) School is in biking distance. And house is about 500 meters from the motor way (straight into CHch). Takes about 12-15 minutes to get to Palms Mall, 18-20 for Northgate mall. 10 min to Rangiora! We love the location. DOwnside is we will probably be looking at Highschool comuting, as many people do during the reshuffling of schools at grade 9.

overall, we still find it friendly, clean, and relatively efficient. I have had part time work and am just about to launch my own business... as we had in the US. Husband has had several job offers... but we are waiting to find something with better opportunity in his area of sales and marketing. He has been interviewing extensively in the last week or so.

We bought a very good condition Toyota Avalon our first week here. And for the first 6 weeks or so we lived in a cabin/cottge in a camp ground. $160 per week incl utilities. Small kitchenette. Could sleep 2-4 kids (but was not spacious!) very clean. It saved us a lot of money while we looked for a house and started the job search.

Our container was packed up on February 22. It arrived on May 10. MAF did come out to check it... about 8 boxes that they wanted to see.. Lawn mower, grill, sports gear, christmas ornaments. We were squeeky clean, so no problem. Glad we brought a great Weber Grill, cause the junky ones here cost a lot. Lawn mowers are expensive here... but you dont need a big one to live in CHCH! The yards are little. And yes, bring everything you can afford to bring... cause consumer items are a killer here. We brought everything... and I am glad.

We find that all the food products here are loaded with sugar...everything is sweet here. I am eating more healthfully just to get away from the sugar! hiking is everywhere. biking is more dangerous than we were expecting...

We have an accountant, and got our own IRD numbers... the IRD office is very fast and easy. The accountant has saved us money as we make job and business decisions.

My son likes it "it's ine" school has been an adjustment, it is not as advanced as we were lead to believe... so we will probably place him in private school. I am surprised by that, and that so many Brits seem pleased, since I thought they would have higher expectations than we Americans! Anyhow... just my observations. I think the schools are about 2 years behind where he was in the US.... especially in math. On the other hand, kids are socially well adjusted here, have tremendous freedom. It is a good thing all in all. perhaps by the next posting I can tell you where we have settled my son into school.

As for me, I am still unpacking and trying to get the business up soon too. Havent met the neighbors yet. And, starting to make a few friends. Love cooking with the fresh vegis. Like going to the cheese maker on Sunday afternoon, and the corner butcher. Don't care for NZ sausages... I think it is an American thing... Do the Brits like them?

Have to end now. But must tell you that we all think this move was the best thing that ever happened to us. Love Christchurch too.

Jennifer

[jo b]

Great post Jennifer,

It's funny you mentioned sweet food. When we went to Florida to me everything was far too sweet and fatty.
The bread was sugar laced, the bacon was even sugary and on looking at ingredients it said sucrose added. So it's horses for courses, I suppose it depends on what you are buying.

I remember we made ham andwiches and we threw them away becasue the bread was too sweet and sickly, even the kids didn't eat them.

Good Luck Jennifer and keep us posted.

Jo

[Glenda]

Hi Jennifer,

What a bright and cheerful post!

Glad to hear things are going OK. Schools are a bit of a worry for us also and I wonder whether the schools would feel insulted if I suggest putting my kids up a year. :?

BTW ... sausages - it is not just an American thing, most Brits find Kiwi sausages are 'an acquired taste'. :smile

[nessie]

Hi Jennifer

Great post. We plan to stay in holiday accomodation when we arrive in August (same area as you). Can you please let me know the name/number of where you stayed as this sounds ideal.

Thanks

[Jo and Andy]

Glad you are settling in, and the area is where I would like to settle so very very interesting.

I think the reason Brits would be happy with the schools being easier (or behind) is that sometimes we think kids are pushed too much academically at a very early age, testing at 6/7 etc, but then again you don't want kids to get bored with re-doing things they have done before, so mixed about that, I believe that by the time they graduate they a ahead of UK and perhaps even US in their overall education. (not sure though).

What is the Sales and Marketing Market out their like, my husband will be looking in that sort of field too (Sales Management Construction).

Sounds a good place to live with everything so close (apart from High school) Looking forward to hearing more as your life progresses.

Jo

[Junnifer USA]

Sugar: Yes, it must be an issue of learning how to buy your way around all the sweet stuff. I knew how to do that in the US... Obviously I am still learning here!

Schools: My son has been moved up 2 years already. Put in the extention programs too. We are now holding him back a year. (I was not initially awaare tham my year 6 was with the year 8's... he is much too young for that!

Perhaps by HS there will be a huge catch up. We have gone through the same concerns... so much pressure when they are young in the school he came out of in the US... now it is the reverse. We are considereing biting the bullet and putting him into St. ANdrews. It costs a smalll fortune. And, we had dreamed of him biking to the local school... not the run around private thing... Yet to be decided.
Anyone here experienced with St andrews, or other Chch private schools?
Jennifer

[Junnifer USA]

oops. submitted twice.

[DrPhred]

Good to hear you are settleing well. Keep us all informed about the schools. That's a definate area of concern for many of us.

Good luck!

[Babette & Andy]

Great to read your progress report Jennifer, and so upbeat too :clap Wonderful that (so far at least) you're very happy with your decision to move to NZ.
Also very keen to hear what you have to say about Chch and the Kaiapoi area - job offers allowing Chch is also where we're hoping to end up, so any info very welcome :nice1

Keep the updates coming - and lucky you . . . time to change your Profile location ;)

Babette

[zsj]

We find the schools ok however I will stress that my daughter is nearly 6 - so they have put her up a year and that seems to have done the trick. I believe that as someone else said, they even out by the time you finish school but it could be problematic where people come with children in that mid range where they are so far ahead.

Haven't found any sausages yet that we *really* like!

Good luck.

Sarah.

[GeorgeM]

It costs a smalll fortune.

Whilst it would be better not to have to spend it, private schools in Chch are hugely cheaper than their equivalents in the UK. Top schools (Rangi, St Margarets, Christs Coll, STAC (St Andrews)) cost approx $12,000 pa. Equivalent schools in Britain would come in at approx GBP18,000. Even taking into account the wages differential in NZ this makes NZ private schools substantially cheaper.

Anyone who has considered a private education in the UK (for whatever reason) and has ruled it out because it was marginally too expensive should do the sums again in NZ as the equation might turn out differently.

It costs a smalll fortune.
Anyone here experienced with St andrews, or other Chch private schools?
Jennifer

STAC did have a problem last year with a new Rector (that's what they call their Head). He was an aussie who ruffled a few feathers and the new broom appeared to split the staff down the middle. He has now departed to head a school in Queensland and STAC seems to be settling down a bit (at least there's not the public squabbles there were last year).

STAC is the only co-ed private school in Chch (I think) which may be a plus or a minus depending on your POV. I believe that it was boys only until fairly recently but doesn't seem (at least from the outside) to be a 'boys school which now takes a few girls' which sometimes happens.

NZers from outside Chch tell me that many people seem obsessed with schools here. I've heard it said that in AKL what is important is who you work for, in WLG it's where you live but in CHC it's which school you went to. I can only report gossip, but I have been told by several different people that if you want to get into the large law firms in Chch, for example, you need to have gone to Christs, STAC, Rangi or St Margarets. How true this is I don't know, or how important, but gives a flavour for how the Chch gentry work.

[Diny]

How true this is I don't know, or how important, but gives a flavour for how the Chch gentry work.

Also shoots the belief that NZ is a classless society right out of the water too.

Just an observation :?

Diny

[lindajax]

hey Jennifer,
Was wondering how you were doing - great to hear your lovin it - well chuffed for you.
It is true that bringing everything is the best option to start with. consumables can be really expensive and the cheaper ones are generally of a poor quality so its two extremes.

Glad your all okay and settling in well.

Love Lindax

[GeorgeM]

Also shoots the belief that NZ is a classless society right out of the water too.


Most NZers (from outside Chch) would put this down to Chch being an "English" city. :smile