[Saintlos]

GREAT site - have been monitoring it for a number of months

Glad to find we are not alone in the 'emotional rollercoaster'

Doing something totally 'Out of the box'

Ages over 40 - kids left home, no job offers, just doing it.

ITA lodged 8th Nov 05.

Awaiting Immigration to contact us....................!

Plan - Arrive Bay of Plenty Aug/Sept 06

Are we MAD..........?

Is there anybody who can give us advise on Tauranga .v. Whakatane?

[tigerlily]

Sorry can't help with your questions, but just wanted to say WELCOME to you. Yes, you are surely crazy. But better to go and have the adventure than to always wonder what if?

[zardell]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Yes, to echo Tigerlily you probably are crazy, but then so are we, so welcome to our world ! :roll

At least now you have like minded people to share your troubles with.


Julie

xx

[StevieD]

There is a thin line between madness and sanity, and you will definitely find which side you are on in this forum!! WELCOME, hope you find it as useful and entertaining as we have.

Steve and Jan

[katandbob]

There is a thin line between madness and sanity, and you will definitely find which side you are on in this forum!! WELCOME, hope you find it as useful and entertaining as we have.

Steve and Jan

DITO Stevie!

yep, as they say Life begins at 40! we sent ours off a week or so after my 40th, now I am a granny!! and due to organise relocation plus a wedding! oh and babysit as much as possible before leaving them behind. so yes my sanity has long gone! but the ride were on has brought us some good friends, and LOADS of advise along the way.

We fly out on the 31st May, so Good Luck on your Journey....ps what do you do?

Kat

[Nienke]

Welcome Saintlos! You're just as crazy as the rest of us! :D

[Saintlos]

My hubby and I still can't believe what we are doing and so have not booked any flights or anything yet! But watch this space!! I want to finish by school year in England so we will be looking to go around August time, also after our grandaughters 2nd birthday. We are aiming to put the house on the market shortly when we have decorated to get best price for it. Brother has said we can live with him until we go. Overseas movers have been around to see what we want to ship over there. Hubby is saying we are not there yet with residency, but looking forward to making new friends and seeing what life if like outside of this village I have grown up in.

[Moorf]

Welcome Aboard Saintlos :cheers


I've sent a reply to your PM, I'm afraid I can't help on the North Island stuff though.

Moorf

[Toronto_Kiwi]

Just got back yesterday from my sixth trip to New Zealand - brought my hubby along for the first time to meet my Kiwi 2nd cousins. We spent about four days around Whakatane and did all our shopping there. It's a nice town although local people kept asking us why we were hanging out there. Ohope beach just 6 km over a steep hill pass is a gorgeous beach resort village. I'm not sure what the job opportunities around Whakatane would be like relative to Tauranga: I think Whakatane is mostly a farming community.

[Jules]

Is there anybody who can give us advise on Tauranga .v. Whakatane?

Welcome Saintlos, we are living in Rotorua and have been to both Tauranga and Whakatane numerous times. I think your will find both places very nice but if looking for work Tauranga would be the best bet and plus The Mount is 5 minutes away with fabulous beaches and both places have good shopping :nice1

Jules

[willsken]

Mad as hatters or truely hoping for a better lifestyle? Bit of both I think!!! :D Welcome to this wonderful forum.

[ellen]

I'm popping in briefly from the shadows myself, and yes, we are mad to be doing this. We are all now in Taupo ....my husband came for a job last May and my son and I arrived in January. We are in a small rental, my son (age 15) is settled in school, and I'm beginning my look for a job. So far, can't even get an interview for a receptionist position (I taught at University level in Kansas). Most of the jobs seem to be for cleaning motels and cooking in cafes. My husband is 62 and I'm 55, so we're not in our early years (son is a late and wonderful surprise). We're losing money so far (we still have to support a daughter at college in the states and the exchange rate isn't favoring that).
We do live more simply here (though we tried to in the States too) and my husband is in frugal glory land. Taupo has a small town feel and an active club culture (Aero club, glider club, yacht club, soccer club, etc.) that has the feel of the 50's and the early 60's back home. Since my husband is private pilot, we're meeting a lot of people that way. But I'm finding some fine women in their fifties just by taking long walks along the lake and stopping and chatting....think I've netted two potential friends that way.
Internet is a problem....I'd planned to work via internet, but even the broadband connection is too slow for some of the English teaching via the internet...and limited in usage too.....I'll continue to check into this.
Ellen