[rensburg]

Hi again. This is my second posting on this site, and allow me to say that it is probably the friendliest and best organized internet forum I've ever been on. If people in NZ are as helpful and open as people on this forum, it is a great testimony to the warmth of (at least the people in) NZ!

Just one question to everybody who are there or hoping to go: What is the one deciding factor that made you choose NZ over any other country? Surely some of you could have gone everywhere they wished to, and a lot of you at least contemplated more than one destination.

It is amazing to me that a lot of people from the USA and the UK (Okay, it's probably the "wide open spaces" thing there) choose NZ over their home countries. My perspective is probably a little different than yours, as South-Africa is, technically at least, a third world country. I find it comforting that people from countries which are higher up on the list on the greater scale of things (don't mean that in a rude way) would rather choose NZ than, say, Australia or Canada. There must be something very special about the place indeed... :clap

[clg]

Coming from the US here is my take. I do like a lot of things about California and if it was like it was 20 years ago I would probably not be moving. I have far greater economic opportunities here but I litterally feel trapped by the crowds, traffic, culture and sprawl of the place. I don't really want my kids growing up here.

We considered other english speaking countires bur really keyed in on NZ and OZ. We could have gotten into OZ but what ended up turning me off to the place was there seems to be a fair ammount of anti americanism (can't blame them really right now). NZ seems to offer a more open society and the scenery/outdoor activites have great appeal to us. I would love to just pick up and go for a hike here but it means 1-2 hours in the car each way. There it is just a quick hop to go tramping. Canada is too cold and the UK is a bit to urban for me, I want a more outdoors lifestyle.

[Timbo]

Hi rensburg. Nz is a very special place indeed, and Iam sure that you will find the people there as friendly and helpfull as anywhere.
We did consider Australia, but on reflection, it was not really us in a lot of ways. We are not culture vultures (just as well really) and we dont hanker for material possesions. The people in Nz take you at face value and do not seem to so class orientated as some here in the uk.
You can be a millionaire or a penniless peasant, it makes no odds to them.
Our kids are all grown up now, so our reasons for wanting to go differ from a lot of people here. For us, I guess it is wanting to do something totally different for the rest of our days.
In the words of the late great Mr Mercury."I done my sentence, but committed no crime"

[Hamakide]

Hi rensburg,

so you would like to know why we chose NZ over Australia / Canada / US ? For us there is not one special factor, it's a combination really..

( We are not leaving yet, hopefully we will in a few years, but we are trying to get as much info as we can upfront.. )

* friendly people;
* space;
* less stress ( because we will BE employees instead of HAVE employees );
* far less of a rat race;
* better attitude of the people, maybe not as straightforward but probably more honest;
* working hard and actually accomplish something instead of working hard, be stressed out and "donate" to the government;
* have a better family life;
* future for our kids;
* the nature;
* what Timbo said : you are not judged by the labels on your clothes or the brand of your car;
need I go on ?
:laugh

Australia is not an option because we will be too old to get in once the time comes, America is an option ( going to enter the DV2006 ), and Canada too.. but so far NZ is on no. 1 !

Just my 2 cents worth here :)

[Diny]

We have a slightly 'closer to home' reason for moving to NZ. My husband is a Kiwi and we have 2 boys who are going through the dual nationality process.

I've been to NZ several times and I guess I can agree with the majority of the 'pro' comments mentioned above.

I see NZ as a modern country with an old fashioned way of life. I love the UK - yes it sure does have its faults, nobody can deny that - but to me it is home - and home is where the heart is. However, it's not a case of 'me me me' - NZ is my husbands home, it is my sons' heritage and it really does offer a better standard of life than I can see here. It saddens me to see England going downhill - if I could single handedly flick the self destruct button into an 'off' position I would - but alas I can't. I guess you could call me the rat who is deserting the sinking ship.

NZ is the obvious choice for us - it's as simple as that.

[rensburg]

Isn't it interesting, though, that everybody seems to think that their country is going downhill? Rather depressing, really. Seems to me the whole world is going downhill. Pity, I used to like the place...Maybe our kids will be more responsible with it than our parents were/ we are. Getting them out into the open more to experience true nature must be a good start, I'll bet.

[cpgrant]

For me, I don't really think my country is going downhill but it certainly is moving in a direction that doesn't appeal to me. It's been doing so for a good 20 years (or more). Where I live, there is more gorgeous scenery than any human could possibly need and the possibilties for experiencing "true nature" are endless. But people are caught up in our consumer society and they just want more and more material stuff in their lives. Bigger cars, bigger houses, fancier clothes. This fantastic panorama of delight in the midst of where we live simply is not good enough.

I would like to find a place where there land and the opportunity to enjoy it are as boundless as Montana, but where the people are more apt to be appreciative of it. I don't know if NZ is the only answer; I'm also considering Canada, and possibly Chile. But so far, NZ seems to be the best fit for me.

[Diny]

Canada is a place I would love to visit. I have an aunt who has been to both NZ and Canada on a number of occasions and she often comments about the similarity between the 2. Sadly I can't comment - maybe one day I'll be in a position to.

Diny

[Rimbo]

Most people have already said our reasons.
Another is that here (like most Brits) we have alot of cash tied up in bricks and morter. if we sell up and buy another house we are no better off. if we sell up and come to NZ we should be mortgage free allowing us to afford the finer things in life at an failry early age. I know NZ'ers arent materialistic, but the finacial situation that we would be in would mean Quality of life and lifestyle opertunities would be more open to us. And maybe i could afford that fast car i have had on my bedroom wall since i was 8.
Diny,
the avatar of me is in the Muskoka Lakes in Onterio from 2 years ago. Simply breathtaking, you would love Canada! if wide expanses is your thing then Canada has the widest. Onterio is about the same size as Europe!

John

[jesselyn]

hi rensburg,

welcome to the forum :cool

umm if you asked this question a month ago, will say bec there is a cadbury chocolate factory :oops:
after a rude awakening, will just reply bec nephew wants 4 seasons :yes

jes :angel

[coastcat]

Hey Rimbo, my very first trip to Canada was to Muskoka! It's quite lovely up there, but wow, those insects... We stopped off at a visitors centre en route, and giggled at the hat with the mosquito netting that can cover one's entire head. After our first night in Muskoka, we understood why the hats are necessary. :eek

I love Canada, and in my single days I thought quite seriously about relocating there. Cold weather doesn't bother me (hot weather does!), and it's both familiar and foreign when you're an American. When I got married, we honeymooned in Vancouver (still my favorite city in North America, and yes, I've been to San Francisco!). Not long afterwards, my husband asked if I'd still be interested in emigrating there. Turns out he wanted out of the US for the same reasons I'd been wanting to leave.

Peter Jackson is to blame for putting NZ on our radar. :laugh When we first saw Fellowship Of The Ring, my husband sat wordlessly through the credits, jaw hanging open. After the last credit scrolled away, the first words out of his mouth: "Let's move there." Recently, when our interest in emigrating re-emerged and strengthened, I thought about NZ again and started researching. The more I read, the more I liked the possibilities.

My husband is more materialistic than I am, but his definition of material goods mainly encompasses high tech toys and Japanese sports cars. Both seem to be readily available in NZ! The NZ pace might take some getting used to, as we're accustomed to the lifestyle in the Washington area (very materialistic, very power-hungry, very work-oriented). However, since we hate this lifestyle, we're looking forward to getting used to a life where you're not defined by your job, your security clearance, your McMansion house with the two huge SUVs parked out front, etc. (however, some things don't entirely change - we'll probably move from capital to capital, so there's no escaping the strange driving antics of people with diplomatic license plates!)

We thought about Oz, but my husband is opposed to the government's stance on electronic privacy and other geek issues, and the politics seem a bit conservative. I just want to avoid all the poisonous creatures!

Canada (either Vancouver or Calgary) remains our backup plan, but we think we'd prefer the more dramatic lifestyle change in NZ. We have plenty of time to decide; we're not applying for EOI until I've gotten a graduate degree, and it would be better if he finished his undergrad degree in computer science, so we have a few years. We'll see how our first scouting trip goes.

[Diny]

Rimbo - I think I would love Canada. Maybe a holiday there one day?

Diny

[Tara Sage]

We considered the usual 3 NZ, Canada and Australia!

Canada is far too cold, Australia too hot and has nasty snakes and spiders and well NZ Perfect!!!! The country is beautifull, they speak English drive on same side of road etc.... There are hundreds of reasons why we choose to come here and we are loving it! ;)

There are some bad days, but in all having a great time

[rensburg]

Well well, you'd never have guessed it but we've been selected!! :P We only started considering NZ two weeks ago, and already a positive outcome. So to hell with Oz, Canada and all the rest. With a bit of luck we'll be there in Jan/Feb...can't wait!

[bbq]

hi Rensburg

contratulations!!

good luck]

alex :nice1

[kiwidebs]

Hi

Congrats on being selected Rensburg :cheers .
We're going to NZ for the same reason as Diny, except in our case I'm a Kiwi and hubbie is English. I want my children to grow up with the same appreciation for the great outdoors that I grew up with. And we can afford to buy a house near a beach with only a modest mortgage in New Zealand, as opposed to living in a three bed end of terrace here in London (well, the outskirts of London!!) with a rather hefty mortgage!!

By the way, the following is a little funny about why you'd pick NZ over Aussie. Hope you like it.

Once upon a time in the Kingdom of Heaven, God went missing for six days. Eventually, Michael the Arch-Angel found him on the seventh day, resting. He inquired of God, "Where have you been?" God sighed a deep sigh of satisfaction and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds "Look Michael, look what I've made." said God. Archangel Michael looked puzzled and said, "What is it?" "It's a planet," replied God, "and I've put LIFE on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a great place of balance." Balance?" inquired Michael, still confused. God explained, pointing to different parts of Earth. "For example, North America will be a place of great opportunity and wealth while South America is going to be poor; the Middle East over there will be a hot spot and Russia will be a cold spot. Over there I've placed a continent of white people and over there is a continent of black people," God continued, pointing to different countries. This one will be extremely hot and arid while this one will be very cold and covered in ice." The Archangel, impressed by God's work, then pointed to a small land mass and said "What's that one?" Ah ," said God. "That's New Zealand, the most glorious place on Earth. There are beautiful lakes, rivers, streams and hills. The people from New Zealand are going to be modest, intelligent and humorous and they're going to be found travelling the world. They'll be extremely sociable, hard-working and high-achieving, and they will be known throughout the world as diplomats and carriers of peace." Michael gasped in wonder and admiration but then proclaimed, "What about balance, God? You said there will be BALANCE!" God replied wisely, "Wait until you see what I'm putting next to them. I call them Australians!!!"

:laugh Debs

[Moorf]

:laugh :laugh

[Diny]

Nice one Debs.

To carry on the jokes (please - that's all they are - not Aussie bashing) ...

What is the difference between Australians and yoghurt ????

Answer .......... if you leave a yoghurt long enough it will develop a culture.

:laugh

Diny

[Rimbo]

Coastcat,
We too would love to live in Canada, infact itwas our fist chioce until last year but then i thought the pace of life would be worse than here. good points is the journey time from there to GB. only 9 hours opposed to the day or so from NZ :(
Muskoka was fab, can't remember the flies. we drove round in the 4.5litre mustang with the top down. when you are a Brit, your used to driving a 1.6 escort or similar, so for me that Mustang was the highlight of my holiday. We only went for 6 nights, it was a surpise for the wifes birthday and we loved every minute of it. Funny really, while driving round the Keilder forest this weekend, it reminded us of Muskoka, Same trees, winding roads, Lakes etc. Lovely!

John

[jesselyn]

Well well, you'd never have guessed it but we've been selected!! :P We only started considering NZ two weeks ago, and already a positive outcome. So to hell with Oz, Canada and all the rest. With a bit of luck we'll be there in Jan/Feb...can't wait!

congratulations!!! :clap

jes :angel

[jesselyn]

wtg debs! :laugh
hope its okay to copy&paste - will show it to my friends ;)
thanks for sharing... :nice1

jes :angel

[rensburg]

Thanks for the congratulations everyone!

I know Aussie-bashing is not nice, but I really needed that now, so thanks Debs for that nice one! (Besides, if Poms can be bashed, why not Aussies?) I'm going to show it to everybody, including my wife's cousin in Perth. (Don't worry, won't mention names, and he's a good sport anyway). Also the one about the yoghurt...

[lindajax]

Hi Rensburg,
We originally looked at canada tooooo extremes of weather for us. :eek

NZ just seemed to meet what we want more climate, space, people etc etc. :nice1
I must add that all of the kiwi people I am dealing with seem super nice - my job have offered me accom and car for 2 weeks on arrival to get sorted BUT another employee has offered me and my family a place to live - we've never met her and I feel thats the measure of the way kiwis think theyre just really hospitable - that would not happen in the uk!!!

These comments are just the tip of an iceberg for us and we can't wait to get there. :P
linda xxx

[Diny]

Linda

Your comments reminded me of something that happened to PB and me several years ago.

The 2 of us (before we had kids) were travelling up from Wellington on our way back to the in laws place in PN. It was a wet and windy night, I don't remember the exact name of the town (PB would be able to tell you). As luck would have it, a rather menacing red light came on on the dash followed by the pathetic sound of the engine whirring to a halt.

Neither of us can boast any mechanical prowess so we were kind of stuck. It was the days before mobile phones so our only option was to knock on the nearest door and ask to use their phone. We did just that.

The man of the house said that he would come and look at the car before we phoned 'FIL' to see if it could be started. He spent a good while under the bonnet then told us that it was the ?????????????? that was buggered. We would need a new one.

Then ..... here's the amazing bit ...... he told us we could sleep in his caravan which he had in the garden. He let us use his house bathroom, made us a drink and we sat in his sitting room for a while just chatting. He then picked up the phone and called his mate who owned the local garage to make sure that the essential bit of engine was in stock. It was !! The garage owner not only dropped it off on his way to the garage in the morning, but he fitted it too ......... and then refused to charge us the full retail price - we paid for parts only. Our hosts for the evening wouldn't accept a penny from us, saying that they had enjoyed the company.

I shall remember that night forever !!!!!!

Diny

[lindajax]

inspiring isn't it - would not happen in uk methinks!!
linda xx

[Radders]

That reminded me of the time i was in the coromandel. I was cycling down the east coast on my way to Tauranga, when I became faced with a tough decision; namely to pull off into a little collection of houses (can't remember the place name at the mo.) or cycle up a massive hill and probably get stuck some miles from anywhere when the light gave out.
So I rolled up to this little post office asking directions to the local campsite (which there wasn't). They told me that there was a backpackers round the corner, but were not sure whether it was open yet (it wasn't). Anyway, they invited me to stay for the night with them. This couple were well into their 70's, and it struck me that there was no way that a couple of that age, running a post office/shop would dare to invite a strange guy into their house over here.
Their reason? Oh we've had cycle tourers round here before, they've all been nice!
Just fantastic.

[Moorf]

We've experienced much of the same, starting with being left alone in the coffee shop, key in the till, whilst the owner went up the road to deliver tea to the garage owner...

Makes me laugh as I daren't say "we're cold" or "we have no x, y, z" to anyone cos before you know it the person you spoke to will be round your house with whatever it was they thought you needed!!

The old lady next door keeps trying to push her oil heater our way even though I've told her we have 2 on the go already and "we're toasty thanks"!! I think I am going to have to take it anyway and put it under the stairs!!

:laugh

Yes, you DID read that right ... we are TOASTY... at last!! :clap :clap

[AliJax]

is like Lindas, but i'd like to add 2pence worth.

Our garden is rubbish, its all due to the "not my problem" attitude given to us by the builder who'd rather dismiss problems than deal with them. :roll:

Work, too much expectancy from bosses on working until they think you should leave :? (I've done my 8hours - now its family time).

Weather, 6months of the year its to cold to venture out (you could wrap up, but the ground is always soggy & muddy). :wah

want to LIVE where i can call on my neighbour and do "somthing" go "somewhere" where it wont cost loads and get taxed and have to look at the kids walking past dropping litter on the floor, who would'nt look at you unless you have quote Linda "10 heads". :laugh

Total change of lifestyle required here!

Tried to play tennis at the local Indoor Tennis Centre £16/hour for the court
mini rant over

:nice1

[Paul]

So true Alijax - all of it !!

I think this is why I can't get the relatively recent idea of emigration out of my head at the moment - I always find our country so depressing from about Oct to Mar every year. Even when we get to summer we can't get anywhere as there are too many cars on road etc (joys of the South East and the M25!)

I just feel there must be more to life than this and especially more to life for our new baby who is on way in the not too distant future! :hopeso

Latest "incentive" is that I have seen several very nice looking new build houses in Wellington area for about £100k or so - mortgage free living in our 30's - nice!!

We'll see where this all leads I guess :cool

[lindajax]

now now victorjax - rant on mate then you wont do it at home :laugh :laugh

The shop thing is my biggest p off - you go in a shop and the assistant looks at you as though to say " god damn, its a customer do I HAVE to serve them" then when you dare to ask for help or haggle etc they look at you like you've got ten heads and say "i'm sorry we can't do that"

I work in a public job and in my job that attitude is thoroughly unnacceptable - I think its just rude!!!!! but it makes no difference I can be as helpful, caring and nice as poss, bend over backwards as the saying goes and I still get some idiot being rude to me or abusive or even telling me how to do my job!!!
makes me seethe it does :wah

My rant over now

Linda x