Michelle and Richard
21st May 2005, 02:04 PM
Hi all
Yesterday,quite by chance, I ended up chatting to someone at work who mentioned they used this forum and found it helpful. So I thought I would make a reapperance to update you on our move, highs and lows and general experiences after 9 months here.
First of all hello Linda, Ali, Moorf, Timbo and all the others I used to chat with regularly.
We arrived last september with PR on the strength of my job offer as a nurse, that job didnt work out for a couple of reasons so after 4 months I moved on and am now in recruitment, working mainly with UK nurses and other health professional wanting to move to New Zealand so what a job ! I get to chat to people going through exactly what we have been through and hopefully get them out here as smoothly as possible. Its great having that insight into what we all go through and I have to say I love it.
Richard worked briefly for ACC and is now working for an insurance company whilst he studies for his NZ law exams. The hugely frustrating thing and I am sure its not unique to Law is that Kiwi Lawyers are not required to sit any exam if they decide to go to the UK whilst Uk lawyers have to sit 6 exams involving considerable study time and huge expense. Anyway the main thing is he is happy in his current job and we both earn pretty reasonable salaries by NZ standards.
That brings me onto wages, they are bad and in the lower cost of living( particularly in Auckland) doesn't compensate. Add to this the measley 3 weeks holiday (4 from 2007) lack of tax free pension contributions and novelty of employers schemes and this side of things is not good. Tax is pretty hefty and you only have to earn $60 000 to pay 39% tax which is the top rate. We definitely had more disposable income in the UK and we certinly disposed of it mostly on holidays to escape the country 4 times a year. Annual leave is poor but we make the most of weekends and at the momnet quite happy to spend it in NZ, we head to the south island again next week and all that is an hours flight away for $99
We have bought a house and are living in Devonport so get to travel to work on the ferry. I would put a picture on if I knew how to do it ! Its a villa and I just love it, needs a bit of cosmetic work but nothing desperate. We have a view over the bay and a big garden which we initially loved but now its a pain because days off over here are not for gardening because there is so much to do. We have a beach 10 mins walk away and another short stroll we can be in Devonport village. We have fallen in love with the place and it really is a million miles away from where we lived in the UK.
House buying was straightforward although it took us ages to find somewhere, being thrown out of our rental because we wouldn't sign for a year forced us into making the move. Real estate agents are utter sharks here, we found 2 decent ones and stuck with them, they are not being friendly they are not being helpful they are after their hefty 4% commission. Remember they are working for the vendor not you and their aim is to get the highest price for the house. There is this huge secret about prices so take what you are given as a guide price with a pinch of salt. If you find a good agent stick with them. Altogether we saw and completed on the house within 4 weeks, once your offer is accepted its legally binding so no last minute hitches here.
Cost of living is definitely cheaper, council tax, power, car running costs etc although I would say food evens out but shop around for offers. Clothes and shoes are expensive and generally poor quality if you need smart for work stock up before you leave.
Eating out is so cheap and we do this far more than we did in the UK. Our social life overall is excellent, we had a house warming last week and had around 50 people, all of them we have met since we arrrived. I have found people incredibly friendly and welcoming and in the short space of time we have made some really good friends.
Our lifestyle here is better, priorities are different and there is so much to do on your doorstep. I love Auckland as a city to live in but I also love the fact that we have so much on our doorstep when we do want to get out. I think a lot of people knock it and I doubt if many have been here or passed through it briefly. The suburbs are great and all have their individuality and many are so close to the sea. Yes the traffic is an issue and I'm glad I don't have to tackle the bridge in a morning but think about cities in the UK and this is so so much better. Rural life here is very different to rural in the UK where you can still only be 20 -30 mins from supermarkets and schools etc. Rural here can be hours down a dirt road and there are plenty of places like that here I know from experience !
We shipped everything out and I'm glad we did as household stuff is pricey so bring it all. The only thing we wouldn't have bothered with is wardrobes as everywhere seems to have them built in except some older villas and portable TV's which we can't convert, our main TV was fine once we got sky.
So do we regret it NO, would we go back to the UK? NO but as both of us are only children this has been a very difficult move for us and long term if our parents are not able to join us I don't know what will happen. My parents have been out for 2 months and have booked again for later this year, they want to come out but the 3 year residency rule is unbendable. This is the hardest part of being here and whilst they fully supported our move I feel so terribly guilty.
If you have children this is without doubt a great place to bring them up and even if you don't its a great place. I watched sky news this morning from the UK and it jsut hammered home why we have done this. Its not perfect here and many of the UK problems exist here but because the population is so much smaller it seems so much less of an issue.
To any of you still reading this ridiculously long post who are sat back in the UK you are doing waht I was doing this time last year and here we are now. It can be done and its not easy but I wish you all well and if any of you have any questions please PM me and I'd be happy to help. And to those of you who remember me from beforeI would love to get updates from you.
Good luck
Michelle
Yesterday,quite by chance, I ended up chatting to someone at work who mentioned they used this forum and found it helpful. So I thought I would make a reapperance to update you on our move, highs and lows and general experiences after 9 months here.
First of all hello Linda, Ali, Moorf, Timbo and all the others I used to chat with regularly.
We arrived last september with PR on the strength of my job offer as a nurse, that job didnt work out for a couple of reasons so after 4 months I moved on and am now in recruitment, working mainly with UK nurses and other health professional wanting to move to New Zealand so what a job ! I get to chat to people going through exactly what we have been through and hopefully get them out here as smoothly as possible. Its great having that insight into what we all go through and I have to say I love it.
Richard worked briefly for ACC and is now working for an insurance company whilst he studies for his NZ law exams. The hugely frustrating thing and I am sure its not unique to Law is that Kiwi Lawyers are not required to sit any exam if they decide to go to the UK whilst Uk lawyers have to sit 6 exams involving considerable study time and huge expense. Anyway the main thing is he is happy in his current job and we both earn pretty reasonable salaries by NZ standards.
That brings me onto wages, they are bad and in the lower cost of living( particularly in Auckland) doesn't compensate. Add to this the measley 3 weeks holiday (4 from 2007) lack of tax free pension contributions and novelty of employers schemes and this side of things is not good. Tax is pretty hefty and you only have to earn $60 000 to pay 39% tax which is the top rate. We definitely had more disposable income in the UK and we certinly disposed of it mostly on holidays to escape the country 4 times a year. Annual leave is poor but we make the most of weekends and at the momnet quite happy to spend it in NZ, we head to the south island again next week and all that is an hours flight away for $99
We have bought a house and are living in Devonport so get to travel to work on the ferry. I would put a picture on if I knew how to do it ! Its a villa and I just love it, needs a bit of cosmetic work but nothing desperate. We have a view over the bay and a big garden which we initially loved but now its a pain because days off over here are not for gardening because there is so much to do. We have a beach 10 mins walk away and another short stroll we can be in Devonport village. We have fallen in love with the place and it really is a million miles away from where we lived in the UK.
House buying was straightforward although it took us ages to find somewhere, being thrown out of our rental because we wouldn't sign for a year forced us into making the move. Real estate agents are utter sharks here, we found 2 decent ones and stuck with them, they are not being friendly they are not being helpful they are after their hefty 4% commission. Remember they are working for the vendor not you and their aim is to get the highest price for the house. There is this huge secret about prices so take what you are given as a guide price with a pinch of salt. If you find a good agent stick with them. Altogether we saw and completed on the house within 4 weeks, once your offer is accepted its legally binding so no last minute hitches here.
Cost of living is definitely cheaper, council tax, power, car running costs etc although I would say food evens out but shop around for offers. Clothes and shoes are expensive and generally poor quality if you need smart for work stock up before you leave.
Eating out is so cheap and we do this far more than we did in the UK. Our social life overall is excellent, we had a house warming last week and had around 50 people, all of them we have met since we arrrived. I have found people incredibly friendly and welcoming and in the short space of time we have made some really good friends.
Our lifestyle here is better, priorities are different and there is so much to do on your doorstep. I love Auckland as a city to live in but I also love the fact that we have so much on our doorstep when we do want to get out. I think a lot of people knock it and I doubt if many have been here or passed through it briefly. The suburbs are great and all have their individuality and many are so close to the sea. Yes the traffic is an issue and I'm glad I don't have to tackle the bridge in a morning but think about cities in the UK and this is so so much better. Rural life here is very different to rural in the UK where you can still only be 20 -30 mins from supermarkets and schools etc. Rural here can be hours down a dirt road and there are plenty of places like that here I know from experience !
We shipped everything out and I'm glad we did as household stuff is pricey so bring it all. The only thing we wouldn't have bothered with is wardrobes as everywhere seems to have them built in except some older villas and portable TV's which we can't convert, our main TV was fine once we got sky.
So do we regret it NO, would we go back to the UK? NO but as both of us are only children this has been a very difficult move for us and long term if our parents are not able to join us I don't know what will happen. My parents have been out for 2 months and have booked again for later this year, they want to come out but the 3 year residency rule is unbendable. This is the hardest part of being here and whilst they fully supported our move I feel so terribly guilty.
If you have children this is without doubt a great place to bring them up and even if you don't its a great place. I watched sky news this morning from the UK and it jsut hammered home why we have done this. Its not perfect here and many of the UK problems exist here but because the population is so much smaller it seems so much less of an issue.
To any of you still reading this ridiculously long post who are sat back in the UK you are doing waht I was doing this time last year and here we are now. It can be done and its not easy but I wish you all well and if any of you have any questions please PM me and I'd be happy to help. And to those of you who remember me from beforeI would love to get updates from you.
Good luck
Michelle