[kiwi]

hee hee he,

'stay in chch...nice weather....warm....lots of $$$ to be made by warren the amazing......."

Dont worry about the southerly coming....it is all good!

Nic
yeah, see ya carol!

Ps went to 'on the beach ' for lunch...where were you? didnt see you on the sand, you in your courtyard?....nice huh!?

[Carol]

hee hee he,

'stay in chch...nice weather....warm....lots of $$$ to be made by warren the amazing......."

Dont worry about the southerly coming....it is all good!

Nic
yeah, see ya carol!




15 - love
to you kiwi......
:laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh

[kiwi]

game, set and match...you watch!!! :raebanana

[Moorf]

We went for stroll along the beach - then spent the afternoon on the upper decking and the evening on the lower patio!! Lunch at T for Tea!

:cool

[Moorf]

Well, the latest update... we have now been here SIX weeks :eek - it certainly doesn't feel that long.

Life is ticking along nicely and Warren has TWO interviews tomorrow :clap - one found via Elan IT and one via an ad in The Press last Wednesday.

I can honestly say there is nothing here that makes me even CONSIDER moving back to the UK. Even the homesickness hasn't reared its ugly head for a few weeks. The times when I do get emotional is when I see an amazing view and wish that my other family members could also see it. Perhaps when we see what salary Woz receives we shall be complaining? :uhoh I have read other threads on here regarding what people perceive as a decent salary... that's a hard one.. we would like NZD60K to feel comfortable - we don't have kids and we won't have a big mortgage, but we do have a level of comfort that we are used to. I think that is why we kept one property in the UK (that we rent out).. it's our pension.

I've been trying to think of something negative to balance out this post - i.e. "surely it can't be ALL good", but I really can't think of anything !! The only fly in the ointment right now is the exchange rate and the housing market which seems a little uncertain. However, we've decided that if we find the house we like and we can afford it we shall "go for it" despite the market as we anticpate the place we buy will be a long term home. We are still focussed on Diamond Harbour / Governors Bay :nice1

Went to a house auction the other day, just to see what it was like. Well, it wasn't very exciting - no bids and the auctioneer just kept bidding up the price to what we assume was the reserve! :roll:

Met the lovely Tara Sage and hubby last week when we were invited round for dinner... great to meet and chat with others in the same boat (well, not exactly the same boat - they're pretty much sorted :nice1 ). We all agreed that being here on the ground is soooo much different from anything you read in books / guides etc - you really do just need to GET here and you can make it work from there.

Joined the library.. now SURELY there must be something negative there... but NO :eek - libraries here are FAB! And the online database of articles and magazines etc that you get access to via the internet (using your library card no. and PIN that they provide) is AMAZING!!!! You can get out up to 20 books at one time, you can order books in from other libraries around Christchurch and they arrive next day - you can drop off your books or borrow from any library in Chch! Oh... ok.. negative - 30 cents a day for late returns... :laugh

We've instructed NZIS UK to pass over processing of our EOI etc to the Christchurch branch - it won't necessarily be quicker, it WILL be cheaper, and we'r'e hoping that a job offer will speed up the process.... so fingers crossed for Woz's Thursday interview-a-rama! :hopeso

So, how many of you that are based in Chch (or even those from other areas?) are coming along to the BIG BBQ that Kiwi has arranged? Not long now! :nice1

Moorf

[Tash]

Hi Moorf
I know what you mean about wanting other family members to be able to share things with you. It's sad leaving people behind, by far the biggest issue to us. We have no family hear, but are making some good friends. In my humble opinion, I think you should do what feels right when it comes to buying a place. Everyone told us not to buy in the UK, wait for prices to drop. Well they didn't, and we made a killer profit, and more importantly, had a great home to settle in. Whe we arrived here in Auckland 18 months ago, it seemed like the housing market had gone crazy. We went to several auctions where houses sold for $40-50000 above valuation (we know, because we paid $400 for one them). I'm dissapointed to hear that places in Chch are selling by auction too. Anyway, we bought a place despite prices being high, and it has helped us to settle in much faster, without a doubt. It's a place to call home. Some folk need that, others don't. There are mutterings that the prices are falling, but I don't know. They definitely are not rising as quickly. The most important rules are, don't overstretch yourselves, and even if you buy in a peak period, for as long as you don't HAVE TO sell in a cool period, you'll make out alright. An embarrassing, but correct quote, as Oprah Winfrey said "God's not making any more land".

[nzforus]

Hi Moorf!

What a fabulous post :yes - I was grinning during the entire read! :laugh Sounds wonderful there - congratulations :clap :clap :clap

nzforus

[Annierobrigado]

hi nzforus

you gotta hand it to moorf, she really knows how to write out her experiences in a humorous way... and her positiveness (is that a word?) is definitely infectious! (oh, moorf, i'm not making you sound like a disease... :laugh )

hi moorf,

good luck to woz's interviews... tell him to smile! he's on candid camera! :laugh :laugh

LWRO (laughing while reading online)

annie

[Annierobrigado]

nzforus

whereabouts california are you from?

annie

[Diny]

Great update Moorf. Good luck to Woz with the interviews.

You sound like you've slipped into your new life with great ease, which is really pleasing to read.

I know exactly what you mean about wishing you could share the scenery etc with other family members. Somehow photo's are a poor second aren't they.

Had to smile at the '20 books at a time' rule in the library. Just had a mental picture of you with a 20 high stack of hardbacks struggling your way to the car.

It's also good to hear you say that actually being in NZ is SO different to reading about it and looking at glossy mags .... that's a comment that quite a few people need to take to heart.

Good on you for keeping us up to date. All the best to the both of you.

Diny

[Michelle and Richard]

Hi Moorf

Good luck to Woz. Been there done that with Richard over the last few weeks and it all worked out OK in the end. Work brings a bit of normality to your life its what we are used to and it all helps with the settling in process. How's the rental, still cleaning ????

Sorry cant make it to the BBQ in CCH its just too far and we have lots planned for that weekend.

Michelle

[jo b]

Moorf,

thanks for the update great to see you settled.

Did you have the smear int he end?? :oops:

Wow what about those library books fantastic my house is like a library me and my 9 year old read about 4 books at the same time (well not literally if you know what I mean). Bethnay is a real bookworm so she will love the libraries.

I said to my better half yesterday I just want to be there, not because i am impatient (well yes I am) but because I want to live it for myself and feel NZ living for real. Holidays aren't the same although I have been twice. And as you say glossy pictures and brochures evern forums :angel don't always portray REAL life.

Keep us posted when you'r not living it up in CHC.

Cheers

Jo

[nzforus]

Hi Annie!

Moorf's posts do make me giggle! :yes Our family REALLY needs a good giggle and cry today :wah . I won't get into politics (well, just a bit) - lets just say we are horrified, crushed and embarrased by the outcome of our election yesterday. Please don't send me hate mail if you approve of 'you know who' :uhoh! And please don't judge all Americans by our political leaders. It's hard to be in a liberal minority in San Diego County (where we reside at this moment in time). Okay - off my soapbox now!

nzforus

[Moorf]

Jo B - yes I did have my smear and I got the results back within the week... and it was CLEAR :raebanana :raebanana

I am a total bookworm too :nice1 so the visions of me with a tower of 20 books wasn't too far off the mark!!

And nzforus - we were both glued to laptops and tv yesterday and are also pretty gutted that "you know who" got in again... why oh why oh why? :no (prob best to carry this on in the Lounge :oops: )

[shagen]

Moorf,

Great to hear you are settling in real well. Good luck to Warren on his upcoming interview. I am sure he'll do fine.

Been out of the forum for awhile. Work is really killing at the moment. I can't wait to get myself to Chch in Feb!

Cheers,

[Moorf]

Early Update - Woz had first interview at 10am this morning, they offered him the job early afternoon :raebanana

Second interview also went well - he would prefer that one - and he will hear early next week! :nice1

His first interview was for a Govt developer position and he faced a panel of three :eek poor guy, his first interview in YEARS too!

So, we're pretty excited at the prospect being in the "employed" sector soon :cheers

[xanctus]

Moorf,
congrats on the job offer for Woz, that's a good thing to hear. At least you can boost up your chance of getting PR sooner than just waiting for the ITA to arrive.
again, congrats....please say my regards and congrats to Woz about this.
:nice1 :cheers :clap :clap

[Diny]

That's really good news, you must both be feeling very pleased. Hope he gets the job he wants, either way there's work there for him.

I'm sure this will speed your PR up.

All the best.

Diny

[bbq]

Well done to Woz and thanks for letting us know Moorf. Keeps me going reading the good news

all the best

alex :cheers :cheers

[jo b]

Moorf,

congrats to Warren on his job :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

Crack open the champers this weekend :nice1

Kind regards

Jo

[Dave & Sandra]

Great news Moorf - hope Woz gets the job he wants. :cheers

That's it then - looks as though you won't have to try Wellington after all. Is it only 6 weeks since we've been here - feels like a lifetime :eek

I joined the library as well, maybe the 2nd week I was here. It's fabulous and so good to see them being used. I think I was the only one in the UK that used my local library - there was never anybody else in there when I went.

[Nicola]

Congrats to Warren.

Really good news that things moved so fast after the interview. Very heartening for those of us hoping to make the move soon, that there are some IT jobs out there.

[Tara Sage]

Congratulations to woz :cheers

I think maybe it our turn to buy the fizzy stuff next time.

Well done to you both :P :nice1

[Annierobrigado]

Hi Annie!

Moorf's posts do make me giggle! :yes Our family REALLY needs a good giggle and cry today :wah . I won't get into politics (well, just a bit) - lets just say we are horrified, crushed and embarrased by the outcome of our election yesterday. Please don't send me hate mail if you approve of 'you know who' :uhoh! And please don't judge all Americans by our political leaders. It's hard to be in a liberal minority in San Diego County (where we reside at this moment in time). Okay - off my soapbox now!

nzforus

Hi nzforus

Actually I send my sympathies to the american public (well some of them) for another 4 years of GWB. I dont get some of your politics, but what I've learned from watching the US do things, I think I'll just step up my NZ immigration process and pray that NZ won't be too affected by what the US decides for the world... :wah

My mom and Dad live in San Francisco right now. THey're green card holders at the moment, and they've about 2 years towards oath taking and citizenship. I can only pray they made the right decision. (they're in their 60's.)

SO let's just read Moorf's adventures and laugh with her! :P

:cheers
annie

[Michelle and Richard]

Hi Moorf and Woz

Well done, it starts to feel like you are here for real once you are working. If its a government job is it in Christchurch or Wellington. Richard is working for ACC so sort of government and in the future a move to Wellington could be a possibility.

Other thing is Government jobs seem to come with a few perks, pensions healthcare etc and I never thought I would see them as perks thought all jobs came with them until we came here !

Anyway well done again

[lindajax]

well done woz!!!!
Weight off eh!!
Love linda xxx

[shagen]

Hi Moorf,

Can one work for the government if you are not a PR or hold a resident permit?

Cheers,

[Moorf]

Shagen - the Govt department he has job offer from (which he picked up the contract for this morning) knows our situation and still offered the job (contract) so I guess that means you don't need PR etc to work for them.

[shagen]

That's great Moorf. From the ads I have seen for government jobs, they offer pretty good benefits! :nice1

I am still counting my days before I arrive in Christchurch! :hopeso

Cheers,

[Annierobrigado]

hi shagen

did you read on another thread (i forgot where) the link to the site where they listed the average annual earnings for positions in NZ? i just noticed that if you are working in the government, and especially if you are a high ranking official, you get a high salary too, at least comparable to a private/multinational company. (maybe even more. :mrgreen: )

i just wonder, what are the normal benefits an employee should get (by law of course, whether you like it or else, heehee)?

annie

[shagen]

Hi Annie,

Yes I did and it is rather depressing...

If any of you are in the accounting profession, here is a 2004 salary survey I found on the internet.

http://www.institutesurvey.co.nz/2004/results/

Cheers,

[Moorf]

*DRUM ROLL*

WARREN GOT THE JOB HE WANTED

:raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

Starts on 15th November!

:cheers :cheers :cheers

Well, we've come such a long way in just 6 weeks, if WE can do it, you can tooooooo :nice1

[xanctus]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
:cheers :cheers :cheers
that is definately a good thing to hear... :nice1 :clap :clap

[shagen]

:cheers :cheers Congrats to Warren! :cheers :cheers

Looks like you guys are now on the last leg of the run!

You two are sure an inspiration to the many of us still getting to the next stage! :nice1

Cheers,

[Raeven]

Hey, Moorf!!!!

C :raebanana O :raebanana N :raebanana G :raebanana R :raebanana A :raebanana T :raebanana U :raebanana L :raebanana A :raebanana T :raebanana I :raebanana O :raebanana N :raebanana :raebanana S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fantastic news!!!

Rae

[Annierobrigado]

YAY TO WOZ AND MOORF!! :nice1


A toast to one of emigratenz.org's most eminent couples! You have shown us the way, and with you as the org's guiding light, the path to new zealand will no longer be the way less traveled, but the most! Sheep and cattle, make way for the humans!
:mrgreen:

MABUHAY!

:cheers

annie

[Douglas]

I can't hope to go better than Rae's message ;) .

I'm really pleased for you Warren and Helen - all the pieces seem to be coming together so well. :nice1

[Annierobrigado]

hi douglas

yes, nobody can beat that dancing banana.

is there a la cucaracha anywhere?

annie

[Diny]

Brilliant news ...... well done and good luck.

Diny

[Timbo]

:cheers Well done Warren. Many congrats, and lets all hope it works out for you. You two are certainly an unspiration to all of us.

[deebat]

Fabulous news, Moorf and Woz! I just sat here and read all 13 pages of this thread... it's 1 a.m. and now I'm too jazzed to sleep! :P

-Dan

[jesselyn]

great news, moorf and woz! :clap
well done and congratulations! :nice1

all the best,
jes :angel

[lindajax]

Fab News, really chuffed for you both - Oh well back to normality soon for woz but in NEW ZEALAND !!!!!!!! yeehaaw!!!
:cheers :raebanana

[jo b]

This just shows us all with that little extra motivation IT CAN HAPPEN.

Well done that you kept going for what you wanted.

Really pleased for you both.

ps also pm'd you.

Jo

[Dave & Sandra]

Congrats Woz

Good luck for the 15th - hope you enjoy the new job :cheers

Sandra

[Moorf]

Woz is very taken by all your congrats and beers :P

He's also very pleased because he doesn't have to wear a suit for work :nice1

And he's REALLY pleased because today is his birthday :cheers and the job is the icing on a candle-laden cake :nice1 Shame he had to spend his birthday morning at the Immigration office in Chch :?

moorf, now that woz has a job, will you have to submit this new development to nzis for the additional 50 points and so push you up to the top of the heap for the ita? or is that a different method altogether?

I rang NZIS office this afternoon. I assumed that, with a job offer in hand, we would be fast-tracked through the EOI / ITA stage.... that is not the case!!! Was advised that our EOI has already been passed as "credible" and that we had plenty of points (120) so the job offer didn't actually matter!!!

Being marked as "credible" means that they have done all the preliminary checks... here's the shocker... a thread on this forum at the moment is discussing whether or not they contact your employer during the initial EOI stage... THEY DO! :eek I specifically posed this question to the NZIS guy (who is in the EOI Verification Team!) and asked if they would have written or telephoned the previous employer at that early stage and he said telephoned!! :? It doesn't affect us, but it may be a serious consideration for some of you.... :uhoh

In summary - if you are going through the EOI process and you get a job offer this won't affect the speed at which you are processed if you already have enough points to qualify.

Been advised that our ITA should be with us within the next few weeks. :hopeso

[Annierobrigado]

thanks moorf, that's a big helpful piece of info. it may not speed up the ita if you're already selected, but a job offer is vital for one's stay in nz, especially if you don't have that much money in the bank to cover you. at least i think that would be in our case, because phil pesos don't stretch too long in nz dollars.

thanks and have a dancing banana!

WOZ - HAPPY BIRTHDAY! (my husband's envious, you get to go to work without needing a suit! He is a man who itches and perspires within 10 minutes of wearing a tie!)

:cheers
annie

[Moorf]

Yes, it will be interesting to see how our lifestyle works out with Kiwi dollars. He has been offered 58K for first 3 months with $60/65K after a 3 month review..... 4 weeks holiday.

[Daniel Park]

Hi Moorf, hi Woz,

Many congratulations!! Good to hear that there ARE jobs out there.

Probably see you in Sumner in February - we're booking the flights today (!!!) & will be staying there at my wife's sister's place for a while until we find a place.

I've posted our timings on the timings thread today, in case anyone's interested.

Dan

[shagen]

Hi Warren,

A very Happy Birthday to you!

:cheers
Cheers,

[Moorf]

Probably see you in Sumner in February - we're booking the flights today (!!!) & will be staying there at my wife's sister's place for a while until we find a place.

Hi Dan - keep in mind that this place we are in at the mo - which now that we are settled is really very nice - becomes available in March if we have found somewhere to buy by then :nice1

[Daniel Park]

Cool! Hey, I came across Homesell.co.nz which appears to be an estate-agent-free house-buying website. Not that I've now got a vested interest in you buying a house, or anything...

:mrgreen:

Dan

[jesselyn]

happy happy birthday, woz! :smile

all the best,
jes :angel

[xanctus]

Happy B'day for Warren.
Moorf, thx so much sharing the information about that EOI and job offer...wow that is interesting I must say.
However. what Annierobrigado said is correct, at least the job it's in your hand...so in the future to get a PR is somewhat easier I believe. so :nice1 :nice1

anyway, happy b'day again to Warren :cheers

[Annierobrigado]

yes, one of our forum members told me her boyfriend got a job offer already, so it's shift to high gear for them with the immigration process. he's been given also a relocation package, so it will be a big help in moving their stuff.

with a job (like anywhere else in the world), you feel you can move mountains and do anything! it's something i take for granted sometimes, but always reality checks in when i hear or see someone getting laid off or being rejected everytime he applies for a job, or when i make the weekly budget. it's really nothing to take for granted, because anything can happen.

so congrats woz and moorf again, and thank you for all your help. i've been selected yesterday, and so now i'm reviewing all what the forum has taught me about the immigration process. :P

:cheers
annie

[Woz]

thanks for the congrats on the job and happy bday wishes :)

Just had a long day in immigration getting my work permit sorted. I have made a post about this day as there is information people will find helpful.

[Moorf]

WE'VE BEEN HERE TWO MONTHS TODAY :cheers

Can't believe it's been that long. Warren has nearly finished his first week at work and he's loving it - free beer and crisps, great crowd, interesting work, good pay and 4 weeks hols!

We are putting off the house-hunt now until later in the New Year so we can see what the market is doing - we were rather hell-bent on getting a house in our earlier days but as we have seen that there is always plenty of choice on the market we are comfortable leaving it a few months more.

Plus, it will be nice to stay in Sumner for the summer :nice1

Now looking for car no. 2... does anyone know of a Mini for sale? Old one, not new one. :nice1

[Annierobrigado]

good luck on the car and house... and good on woz for enjoying his work! i think he's one of the lucky ones.

is looking in the internet for used cars a good idea? or do they charge more than those dealers who aren't in the internet?

just wondered.

where is sumner?

annie :cheers

[Moorf]

Far better to come here and buy one that you can see properly, inspect and take for a test drive - I wouldn't recommend buying before you arrive! Internet would be good place to look, although visit 2nd hand garages they will give you a good warranty and somewhere to go back if you have problems with the car.

You can see a pic of Sumner on the link below, it's where we live - it's south of Christchurch and is a gorgeous seaside/surfie resort - expensive to buy and rent here though compared with the rest of Christchurch but it's our sort of place and we love it here.

http://www.gunyah.co.nz/photographs/sumner-beach-christchurch.htm

Moorf

[shagen]

Was that picture on the web taken out of a fairy tale book?

[kiwi]

ha ha...sometimes we feel we live in fairy land!

If you email me, I will send you a pic that helen and I took yesterday of the exact same spot from a house in scarborough where we were having "morning tea' with a friend.

The view is the same...as in, in real life!!!
I cant up load them on to the forum or I would..you just have to trust me, it is a perfect place re scenery (other things arent so perfect..but scenery it wins hands down)
Nicky
ps email is below if you want the addy

[shagen]

Nicky,

Sent you an email. Looking forward to seeing that photograph.

Cheers,

[Moorf]

Finally bought our BBQ and garden furniture today - I think we paid a fair price and we did a bit of shopping around.... prices for info:-

4 burner Gas BBQ with side burner (for wok etc) and thermostat lid with side shelves and cupboard under = $495 from Bunnings

Medium sized wooden garden table with 2 benches (2m long each - i.e. cheaper than buying 6 chairs as 3/4 can sit on each bench and decent chairs were c. $100 each!) = $600

2m brass and wood parasol with stand = $98

Alot cheaper than we had thought !! And all from Bunnings - we did go to the BBQ Warehouse/Shop whatever it was called but they were alot more expensive and the Warehouse didn't have the quality we wanted.

We are now ready to burn everything in site cos I didn't get a BBQ Cookbook!! :laugh

Moorf

[Tanya]

Moorf

We bought a medium rectangle wooden table (1400x800mm)and 4 chairs in Briscoes during the week $299.99 reduced from$499.99 :yes :yes

sad thing is that the table and chairs is our entire furniture so far :laugh

Tanya

[Carol]

oh Tanya - I remember that stage so well......

It was like Christmas when our furniture arrived!
It was winter too come to think of it!!
:laugh

[Tanya]

oh Tanya - I remember that stage so well......

It was like Christmas when our furniture arrived!
It was winter too come to think of it!!
:laugh

And we won't get ours until the middle of January when MIL will be here!! :no :no
Have to say air beds are rather comfy - now Richard is on a single one on his own leaving me with the double airbed :laugh :laugh

Tanya

[Moorf]

:oops: Can't do BBQ this weekend as it's our anniversary and Warren wants to go away (hopefully he meant he wanted to go away WITH me! :laugh :laugh ) but I'll defo arrange one for the v. near future!!

As long as there are no seagulls in the vicinity at the time :uhoh (us gals (Tanya Nic and moi) did lunch today and a seagull swooped on my gourmet bacon buttie and swiped my bacon!!) ... got it replaced tho! :nice1

[shagen]

:mrgreen: Replaced the bacon or the seagull? :mrgreen: Just kidding...

Happy anniversary Helen and Warren! :nice1

Cheers,

[Moorf]

:laugh :laugh :laugh I wish I'd caught that darned bird - I'd have done the "beer can" bbq recipe on it as in Rae's post!!

Thanks re anniv.. first of many in NZ we hope :nice1

Moorf & Woz

[leslie]

if they ring round employers (v sensible) how on earth will they verify hub as he is director of own company???

[Moorf]

I assume that they are going to ask Woz for client details.... ! Otherwise, I guess he's giving himself a reference!! :laugh To be honest we hadn't thought of this! Woz has had all his latest clients/contracts write references and confirmations of the contact dates etc just in case so I think we're covered!

[leslie]

good - its all rather academic then.

[Moorf]

We got high for our anniversary!

http://www.practicalsoftwaresolutions.net/nz/mountcookadventure070.jpg

[Moorf]

And we didn't get blue... but the rivers and lakes did...

http://www.practicalsoftwaresolutions.net/nz/mountcookadventure029.jpg

[Moorf]

All in all a fab weekend... and Mount Cook blushed with our evening's antics :P

http://www.practicalsoftwaresolutions.net/nz/mountcookadventure101.jpg