[Alex]

Hi Everyone,

No it's not a new NZIS selection procedure... :D

Following on from Willsken's "emigration nerves" thread, what did you all do in those months before you emigrated? Apart from the obvious roller coaster of packing up, selling house, goodbyes etc? I'm looking for stories along the lines of, "We had 6 months so we resigned our city jobs and became artists". Or perhaps not that extreme, but you get where I'm coming from.

For me I'm finding it something of a torture - can't concentrate on things, day-dreaming about emigrating etc. Only problem is, we can't come out until next July :uhoh

I also may have the chance to change jobs, so I'm thinking...well, what the hell, if it doesn't work it doesn't matter!

[jewelsvani]

Hi Everyone,

No it's not a new NZIS selection procedure... :D

Following on from Willsken's "emigration nerves" thread, what did you all do in those months before you emigrated? Apart from the obvious roller coaster of packing up, selling house, goodbyes etc? I'm looking for stories along the lines of, "We had 6 months so we resigned our city jobs and became artists". Or perhaps not that extreme, but you get where I'm coming from.

For me I'm finding it something of a torture - can't concentrate on things, day-dreaming about emigrating etc. Only problem is, we can't come out until next July :uhoh

I also may have the chance to change jobs, so I'm thinking...well, what the hell, if it doesn't work it doesn't matter!

Snap mate, me and my misses are in the same boat, we go there next August very early August, i just research like crazy about the move and everything connected to it. Should have a huge knowledge about new zealand by the time we get there. :)

[Omer]

I would try do make as much money as I can.

Anyway this is a rich man troubles, as they say here in Israel so enjoy it...

[ShakerMike]

Well for me, the rollercoastr has begun! I resigned yesterday which, after 17 years with the same company is quite strange feeling. And now, it has all become very REAL !! Still convinced we'll be okay though

However, I'm in a bit of a turmoil with all the paperwork- the police report requests were done yesterday, now I need to book the medical appointments, but there's a slight snag - my son is on my passport and we've decided it's probably better for him to have his own, so now his passport and my passport both have to go off together, so I need to time the meds appointment for when the passports are back....

Tuesday night we spent £20 on photographs (twenty quid!!!) And the real kick in the teeth was, after spending all that money, I still looked as weatherbeaten as ever! :D

My biggest headache now is getting people to view the house...and getting the estate agents to get their finger out - another story.

So no life of luxury and artistic pleasure for me just yet

But the good news is, I finish work on 23 December, and have a proposed NZ start date of 31 Jan. Should be be a bohemian for a month and try to get out there asap, or should I be worried about having no salary for a month, and bring forward my start date?....decisions decisions

[katandbob]

For me I'm finding it something of a torture - can't concentrate on things, day-dreaming about emigrating etc. Only problem is, we can't come out until next July :uhoh

I also may have the chance to change jobs, so I'm thinking...well, what the hell, if it doesn't work it doesn't matter!

Hi there Alex, your not the only one in this situation - we can't get out till then either - but the wait seems like foreva

my OH has changed jobs and hes now contracting as he can earn more - downside is hes working nonstop! :rolleyes:

I have spent the last week day dreaming & on this site at work as the boss has been away and at home packing as weve sold the house and move out this weekend but it will be back to the grindstone next week :no

Its hard to stay focused but you have to as you dont want to burn too many bridges or get bad references when you leave ;)

kat

[Glenda]

I would try do make as much money as I can.


I think Omer's got it right. We spent a lot of time twiddling our fingers and reading up on the PC finding out all we could about NZ. Whilst useful, I regret not taking a part-time job when I could and earn as much money as I could. Emigrating is expensive - not just moving but getting used to your new life.

[jubjub]

We spent the time doing things with relatives that we may not do again, ie holidays etc, drinking too much :cheers , getting the house ready to sell, trying to pay off as many debts as possible, most of this before we had even sent in our ITA!

Many hours were spent on the net doing as much research as could possibly be done without visiting. Ooh theres loads to keep you occupied, but as for staying sane, thats another story :yes . Hubby drove me mad daily checking the NZIS website for progress.

I agree with the money gathering thing though, you can never have too much as there is always something more expensive than you thought it would be, or expenses you had not even heard of crop up!

[CricketLover]

Alex,
I just posted to the 'second thoughts" thread...when this thread is actually more appropriate.
My job sucks and I want to quit, but I also want to be saving as much money as possible for NZ. I work at an animal shelter,so I will save money on all the lab work for the dogs when it comes time to send them over. My job also pays a decent wage compared to other jobs available in town right now. For both those reasons I will stay (for now). We plan on going sometime next summer (July/August??)

I went for a job interview today---I had the same thought as you did, Alex---if it doesn't work out - what the hell - we'll be off to NZ soon enough!! They seemed interested, so I may hear back soon. Then I'll have a big decision to make.

[willsken]

I want to save a s much money as possible. This has been reinforced by reading so many posts about the cost of things over there.

I am going to spend the next few months, same for OH, doing extra work of one kind or another to pay off all debts and buy the furniture etc that we intend to take.

I am not going to slow down until I get to NZ as that is one of the reasons I'm going!! :cheers

[Moorf]

We spent weeks and weeks ebaying off unwanted stuff, great fun!!

We also went on trips to Berlin and Amalfi Coast (Italy) both two places we wanted to revisit before we left Europe. You won't appreciate just how lucky you were to be near such a huge variety of countries and cultures, and how easily accessible they are, until you are halfway round the world from them!!

We also drove from our house in Scotland to Lands End!! Couldn't leave UK without seeing as much of it as possible!!

And finally, we spent lots of time with friends and family, especially the little 'uns - they'll be so much more grown up the next time we see them. Bless.

[Do B Brief]

I got drunk a few more times than normal leading up to the departure date!

All those goodbye's involve a beer or twenty :cheers

[KD17]

Like Alex, Kate & Bob we too are not going until mid next year.

We are trying to get in all those tourist trips that we wanted to do, but hadn't got round to for one reason or another.

We've also done a lot of car boots and will be e-baying the rest early next year.

I look at property sites a lot but try not to dream too much as it's still a little way away yet. We know we won't be able to get round to see all the friends & family we would like to before we go and have had lots of visitors, which no doubt will continue into the weeks before we leave.

I'm taking courses in Reiki; Crystal Therapy; Colour Therapy; Hopi Ear Candelling and also plan to get a few more IT quals under my belt before we leave. Keith has just completed some qualifications also (he's a therapist - massage, sports etc.) All in preparation for our new way of life.

It's all very exciting learning all these new things and keeps us quite busy and time goes very quickly.

Keith & Debby
:yes