[Michelle and Richard]

Thought as there are a few of us out here this might be a good one to give those at home a brief summary of our first thoughts so these are ours.

Better

Friendly people
Clean air.
Spectacular views
Great restaurants and bars
Beaches
Relief and excitement to be here, just been able to make the most of this fab city after spending so long planning to return.
Fresh food is so much cheaper and in general better quality



Worse

Traffic
Parking charges
AKL drivers, agree with all Karl said on the subject
Little free banking

As Expected

Weather, yes it rains same as ever
Nightmare second had car market
Crappy rentals
TV
Wages poor considering cost of living in Auckland
Cost of food shoping

So what disappointed, suprised you ?

Just thought this might give those at home to consider, look forward to, be prepared for etc

Michelle

[Moorf]

Great thread....

Here are mine so far, I don't think I'm fully qualified to whinge about anything just yet :uhoh but...... you'll see duplicates but also some marked differences I think...

Better than expected =

Friendly, courteous people
Fab scenery
Fresh air
Beaches / Mountains
Cafe/Bars/Restaurants
Cycling lanes / facilities
Weather
Traffic / Driving
Parking (loads of it and free!!)
Indian Takeaway!
Oodles of wildlife / reserves / conservation areas around city
Lots of lovely parks (the daffs are coming out too :yes )

Worse than expected....

Chch City (who said it was like an English Town??!! :no )
Food prices in supermarkets (but haven't been to PaknSave yet!)
TV!! But then we don't have sky yet... and having said that Woz has just told me that Lord of the Rings is on 2nite plus Location Location Location (NZ style!) and a good horror later ... :nice1

There's really nothing we don't like yet - but we have only been here 3 days so watch this space! But as you can see from the above - most things are better than we expected and this is our first trip to NZ so it's all v. new.

Moorf

[veronica]

Hey Morph, glad the jet lags gone, the daffs have been out all winter.

[Moorf]

Really? Daffs all winter?? How bootiful is that eh?!

:nice1

Will be checking out that cafe you gave us directions too, plus the botanical gardens, during the week :nice1

I see snow is forecast on Bank Peninsula - does that mean more for Mt Hutt too?

[Jodie]

Thought we'd put our 2 pence worth in as we've been here for 2 months now (can't believe it - it's gone so quickly!!)...

Better:
Weather (the wind here in Welly isn't as bad as we thought it would be - thank god!)
Friendliness/helpfulness of the kiwis - they're just sooooo friendly!
Wages
Traffic (Yes - even though we're in the capital!)
Rental prices
The flight (It really wasn't as bad as we thought it would be - probably cos we know we're not going back any time soon though!)


As expected:
Stunning scenery
Fantastic sea views
Good beer :clap
Wellington city - we loved it last time we were here and love it now that we're back!
Cold nights - although we have acclimatised more now and can got to bed with only 1 hot water bottle!! :laugh Bring on the summer!


Worse:
Kiwi TV
Getting a job - it was a lot harder and took longer than we were led to believe, even though we're in the IT industry....
Immigration red tape - oh I just love queueing up at the immigration office for hours only to be told come back tomorrow :?

All in all we're loving it here and feel that we can really make a go of it. We've both landed jobs and our PR application is going through, so hopefully soon we'll be fully fledged residents - yay!

Jod
:D

[xanctus]

Worse:

Getting a job - it was a lot harder and took longer than we were led to believe, even though we're in the IT industry....

:D

oh no? really? that's not good

[veronica]

hmm.
Well the first is that on the positive side we have found everyone to be really friendly and helpful.
The weather is better in chch than I was expecting (and they have just had the worst winter in 10 yrs)
clean pavements (lack of dog doodoo)
The nearness of everything in chch
The ease of setting up a business, we found the govt depts very helpful


the as we thought side, I have to agree with that inclusion by Jodie.
Fantastic scenery,
clean air (although a lot of chch people would disagree with that we used to live downwind of London)

the bad side.
blooming lack of insulation and heating indoors brrr.
Bad TV content, Although we have been lent a telly we haven't really found much to turn it on for.
Supermarkets don't carry the range of goods we are used to.
Pete and I are struggling with this one. just at the moment we can't come up with anything else.

This next lot are just observations, we did find that food had gone up since we visited 2 1/2 years ago. but on the plus of that meat is still a good price to what we paid in the UK and seems to be good quality and for some reason the veggies do taste better.
We had no trouble buying a 2nd hand car and have been pleased with what we have got. We would use the same agent again.
Property has also risen tremendously in that time but we were aware of that through keeping a close eye on Realenz website, watch that though they don't always update as often as they should. If I think of anytghing else will edit and update.

[Michelle and Richard]

Had also forgotten about the heating over here, freezing, one poxy heater.

Will have to "get to the warehouse the warehouse, where everyone gets a bargain and a money back guarantee" and get a heater.

Oh also forgot how annoying the adds are.

Michelle

[Moorf]

OH I forgot...

Better than expected....

The white wine.... *hic*

Lord of the Rings (for the 3rd time) and a bottle of NZ white... We've arrived!!!

:laugh :laugh

Oh, and I poxy heater which will have burnt out by the time we vacate this place!!

[Moorf]

Should clarify for those who have more than 4 poxy channels... they are showing Lord of the Rings, with NO ADVERTS, on NZ telly 2nite.... *hic*

Personally I am waiting for the horror film afterwards, hence logging on!!

[Carol]

oooh it all sounds so familiar!!
* years on and I still agree withyou all.

WHY dont they have central heating??? I mean I know it would only be needed for 4 months of the year - but oh my god - those monhs are cold!!
Double glazing salesmen would have a FIELD day here!! DOnt you think? Maybe we should go into business selling that!

The TV has improved dramatically in the 8 years we have been here - but....it still isnt brilliant.
THe ads however are a different thing.
aaaaaaaaaaargh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ads ads and more y ads!!
And they are SO BAD!!!!!!!!
Actually - to be honest - sometimes they are so bad we roll around laughing at them.....wait till you see "Park and Clarke" up here!


By the way - all your newies.... try to get your hands on a NEw zealand Womans Weekly this montyh (that statement actually makes me laugh uncrontrollably!!)
Seriously....it is really interesting this month - a whole mag all about "What it means to be a kiwi"
I'm sending one home to my mum and dad.......

Have fun guys.
Carol

[veronica]

Have to add a note about the heating, it is here and when you get your own house you can get it put in, double glazing is here ditto, insulation is ..... you get the picture. Once you get your own place all these things can be sorted to suit yourselves. Just that when you first get here you are likely to be in rented accom. and that won't have it for sure and thats what makes first impressions and a very chilly first winter.

[kiwi]

EVERYONE..our rentals are the pits. Wooden, old, damp, smelly...if you can get this into your heads, you wont be dissappointed cos you were expecting it. It is just how it is.

We are not the UK, we live differently. If you want to build a house and have all those things, you can. (like Veronica mentioned)
Think of us still all living in huts and you will be pleasantly surprised!

Nic

[Jodie]

Worse:

Getting a job - it was a lot harder and took longer than we were led to believe, even though we're in the IT industry....

:D

oh no? really? that's not good


Afraid so - well from our experience anyway. Yes there are loads of jobs advertised, but the ads seem to be very misleading. For example, Darren has been looking at junior and graduate jobs as he only finished his IT degree last year - and he's found that a lot of them aren't interested as they're looking for more experienced people. WHAT? :? It seems that junior, trainee and graduate means a very different thing than in the UK!!

On a good note though, he has just got a job :clap working for the government in their IT department - not a junior/trainee/graduate job at all! Work that one out....

:roll: Jodie

[Moorf]

EVERYONE..our rentals are the pits. Wooden, old, damp, smelly...if you can get this into your heads, you wont be dissappointed cos you were expecting it. It is just how it is.

NEVER A TRUER WORD SPOKEN / TYPED!!

Seriously crappy rentals.. even in the nice areas!! Even some of the "executive" rentals are terrible... that's not to say there aren't some good ones out there - you just have to look at EVERYTHING and keep an open mind....

[Annierobrigado]

Kiwi TV
Getting a job - it was a lot harder and took longer than we were led to believe, even though we're in the IT industry....
Immigration red tape - oh I just love queueing up at the immigration office for hours only to be told come back tomorrow :?

All in all we're loving it here and feel that we can really make a go of it. We've both landed jobs and our PR application is going through, so hopefully soon we'll be fully fledged residents - yay!

Jod
:D

hello jodie,

we had a tv documentary sometime ago here in the phils about filipinos in NZ. many of them held good paying jobs here in the phils before they migrated to NZ. then when they were there, they had to get a job that was much different and even lower in terms of job responsibility than they used to have. some were lucky to get good jobs that were similar to what they used to hold, and therefore had a salary scale that was higher than that in the philippines. i think it's really a start from scratch thing. i tell that to myself anyway. i won't be able to get a job as a doctor at once there in NZ because the medical council only recognizes medical education from certain countries such as of course, NZ, Australia, UK, USA, SOuth Africa, Canada. I still have to take the exams unless i've already passed the US MLE (Medical Licensure Exam) all steps (there are 3), in which case, i might be eligible for recognition in NZ. So I expect to work maybe as a receptionist or health care assistant in a hospital or clinic, and probably work my way up while i study (again!) for the licensure exams. I don't care, i'd probably enjoy the lesser pressure and responsibility, and just work with people and filing, etc. AS long as i can get a job in NZ, and thus qualify for residence!

so chin up and just poke at it, you'll see, you might head one of the biggest IT companies in NZ soon, and then I'll come knocking on your door for a job :laugh :mrgreen: :nice1

cheers
annie

[Dave & Sandra]

The lack of central heating is the main problem - even though I knew about it before I arrived, you don't really appreciate it until you live it. It's fairly miserable. Also, the weather is a bit colder than is normal at this time of year. It's been a horrible day today in Feilding. Overcast and very.very windy. Throwing wood on the wood burner all day and still not feeling as though the house is warm enough. Something that is being looked into as to how we can improve it - maybe heat pumps are the answer. :yes

[Timbo]

Just move a few hundred clicks North...easy ;)

[Diny]

Sandra

I meant to tell you. Next time you drive out of Feilding, up the hill in the direction of Halcombe (sp) as you get to the top of the hill and out of the houses, look down to your right. You will see a really nice old fashioned villa down in the valley. That is the house PB grew up in. It wasn't there, it was in Ruahine Street in PN but the new owners relocated it.

Thought you may like to know that.

As for keeping warm After 5 months apart I wouldn't have thought that would be a problem ;)

Diny

[Carol]

The lack of central heating is the main problem - even though I knew about it before I arrived, you don't really appreciate it until you live it. It's fairly miserable. Also, the weather is a bit colder than is normal at this time of year. It's been a horrible day today in Feilding. Overcast and very.very windy. Throwing wood on the wood burner all day and still not feeling as though the house is warm enough. Something that is being looked into as to how we can improve it - maybe heat pumps are the answer. :yes

Sandra we are in our third house in NZ - 1 rental and two owned - and this is the first one with central heating. Got to say I LOVE IT!!! And would to give it up again.
The first house we bought in Whitby had no heating or insulation - nice house but so so cold.
We bought a number (five or six) of those electric oil filled heaters - but got the ones with timers on them.
So at least we could set them to come on in the morning in bedrooms even for an hour or so till we got up and dressed - and obviously in the living areas we had them coming on when we gotin from work.
You should be able to pick some up fairly cheaply at this time of the year (now that winter is over ha ha)

Make sure you get the ones with the timers though as they are VERY expensive to run if you forget about them and leave them on.

Carol

[MelissaLG]

If you do not want to go through the expense of putting in central heating, there are these units that can be mounted near the ceiling (just like a heating vent) with a generator that sits outside (like an air conditioning unit). They come with remote controls and can be programmed to turn on and off at certain times. My friend had one installed in his living room, and another in each of the bedrooms. It is amazing how quickly they toasty up the rooms! I was freezing at his place in June until I turned those puppies on....5 mins later everything was cozy. Not at all like an oil heater. He said they cost about $1500 NZD installed. A little dear but worth it as an alternative to central heating.

[karltsmith]

Hi Mel,

Sounds like you are describing heat pumps! In summer they cool and dehumidify as well! When heating you get about 3Kw of heat out for every 1Kw of energy they consume so they are very efficient. They are essentaily air conditioning units with a reversing valve that allows them to absorb heat from the freon filled heat exchanger system (Freon's boils at about -40deg C) and transfer it from the outside to the inside. In effect a rerversible refrigerator!!!! Neat ! They are effective at fairly low outside temperatures!

Karl :cool

[MelissaLG]

That sounds right Karl, because I do believe that my friend's units functioned as air conditioners as well. Another plus...since they run off electricity, there is less of a concern over condensation than if you were using natural gas or wood for heating. In fact, as you suggested Karl, they dehumidify! Yay! :clap