[tottefan]

Hi there everyone,

I'm a 23 year old from the UK.

My main reasons for wanting to move to NZ are:

1) Open spaces. Natural beauty of NZ.
2) Cheaper house prices in British £.
3) Less people = less crime = more friendly = more laid-back. Simple equation really.
4) Less materialistic than the UK.
5) Tony Blair and the UK government.
6) An adventure.
7) I live in a middle class/upper class area and yet it has become overrun by Chavs in the last couple of years.
8) Less crowded.

I'm going to move out to NZ in the summer of 2008.

Tottefan.

[Jules]

Hi Tottefan

Welcome to the forum, I am sure you will find answers to all your questions on here.

Good luck with the move :nice1 Which part of NZ are you looking at?

Jules

[tottefan]

At the moment I'm thinking of either Christchurch or Wellington. I'm thinking of spending 2008 travelling around both islands on a WHV. That should help me to decide.

The north Island is milder but the South Island has more dramatic scenery, or so I've heard. Wherever I decide to settle, I'm sure that both islands are very beautiful and will be great places to live.


Tottefan.

[Diny]

Hi there - welcome to the forum. Good to know that you have some definate plans, and like Jules says, you will find all your answers here.

Have you been to NZ before?

I like your comments regarding Tony Blair, it's so refreshing to sit through a news prog without hearing his name or seeing his stupid smarmy face plastered across the screen - bliss.


Don't think that 'chavs' have reached NZ yet but you could be walking down any street in the UK when you see some of the kids over here. Lads in baggy jeans around thier bum, baggy hoodies - hood up with baseball cap on. Girls in too tight tops showing acres of pale blue wobbly midrif with their hair plastered in wet look gel (or is it just grease) and scraped back into a (Bilston facelift) ponytail on the top of their heads. Not sure what name they go by over here (although knobbers and slappers is apt).

People over here more friendly? Well I can assure you that you'll come across some really nice people, genuine, down to earth and happy to pass the time of day - a delight to be around. But the same doesn't apply across the board, there's a 50/50 split between those I describe above and those who are a million miles removed - NZers are human after all.

I hope all goes well with your plan, any help needed just ask.

Diny

[foolsgold99]

Tony Blair and the UK government. You've never heard of Helen Clark then :roll

[tottefan]

She's the Prime Minister of NZ. I've heard that she's a centre left lesbian. Not sure if that's true.


Tottefan.

[foolsgold99]

She certainly is. Very similer goverment to Mr Blairs, which you seem happy to run away from.

My point was the majority of your reasons for wanting to move to NZ are you running away from things in the UK, and not that many are positive NZ based reasons.

Your comment about "Chavs" and living in a "middle / upper class" area are concerning, NZ is a much more egalitairian society than the UK. Your apparent distaste for the working class will not go down well in NZ, NZ has many failings, but's it's not a country full of snobs.

I don't want to put you off, but I'd think long and hard about your reasons and exceptations

[Smiler]

Hi Tottefan

Welcome to the forum. I like your plans, it is a good idea to have a looksee before you settle if you can.

Any questions ask away. You can be sure someone on here will know the answer. :D

Til you said the name, I'd (almost) forgotten about TB although if I listen to Helen Clark without seeing her face, she sounds like a man to me.

[tottefan]

Thanks for all your replies. I've actually being researching into NZ for about 2 years now, so I know quite a lot about the geography of NZ, low salaries etc. I graduate from university in the summer of 2008 so that would be the ideal time to go out there. I can't wait!


Tottefan.

[tottefan]

I accidently deleted my last message without realising it. Must be too much wine. :D


Tottefan.

[tottefan]

Here it is LOL:


My father's a factory worker but we live in a middle class area because we've always kept to a tight budget. I've nothing against working class people: my parents and grand-parents are all from very working class backgrounds. I like the idea of living in an egalitarian society.

As for Tony Blair, his policies are more right wing than left. I count myself as more of a socialist, so I don't mind Helen Clark and her policies. In any case, when it boils down to it all politicians are liars. However, Tony is the worst kind of liar because his actions were responsible for thousands of deaths. That makes him a million times worse than Helen Clark.

My reasons for going are simple: I'm young, carefree, without a mortgage. I like the thought of all the open spaces and friendly people (generally). I want an adventure. The thought of commuting to work in horrific traffic jams everyday, as would happen if I stayed in the UK, doesn't exactly appeal to me. No money is worth it.

Tottefan.

[zardell]

Hi Tottefan and welcome to the forum.

Julie

xx

[Moorf]

Welcome Totte :cheers


We all have our own reasons for moving here, and some of us are glad to see the back of the UK, and some aren't! I was, and still am!

I hope we can answer your questions about what to expect, it's not all a bed of roses here but from our point of view it's miles better than the UK.

Good Luck!

Moorf

[smitjo]

Well I have to agree with you tottefan!

We are around the same age as yourself (well - a few years older) and decided a long time ago that England just wasn't for us anymore! I spent a great deal of my life growing up in South Africa (not the ideal country in the World but had the best life ever!) We did a lot of research into many countries and finally decided that NZ looked to meet all the criteria we set. OK - I know that we cannot comment as we are not there yet but we believe that moving to NZ is the BEST decision for us.We are not running away from England but moving to New Zealand that will hopefully offer us the outdoor lifestyle we crave. YES - the wages may be a lot less and the cost of living higher but as a young person in England it aint easy either! A lot of people on this forum are in the enviable position of having bought a house in the days when the average house price wasn't £210 000 - it really is difficult to get on this ladder now and I think many people forget this! NZ will be tough too but I think that you have made the right decision for yourself and I really hope it works out for you. :nice1

We move in October so will be in more of a position to comment on life in NZ next year!!

[Hannah]

Ditto on house prices. They have risen 50% in New Plymouth since we visited here 3 yrs ago. Our house in UK didn't rise at same rate and now cost of housing here in NP is similar to house prices in the part of the UK we came from (northants). We are hovering on not being able to buy here...and we've been on housing ladder for nearly 10 yrs!! the low house price thing is a myth...unless you go and live out in the sticks.

house prices set to fall though according to media and exchange rates improving.

hello tottefan, welcome to the forum. I've found this forum the most informative site i've ever logged on to! Does your name mean you are a fan of 'totte'???? :-)

[smitjo]

What I have seen of house prices in NZ they look much cheaper than here??! You seem to get a lot more for your money over there - we would be lucky to get a outside space over here! We are looking at living about 1hr - 1.15hr from Welly so the prices seem much cheaper than in the city centre!

I would be VERY happy to live out in the sticks!!!!!!

[Diny]

What I have seen of house prices in NZ they look much cheaper than here??! You seem to get a lot more for your money over there - we would be lucky to get a outside space over here! We are looking at living about 1hr - 1.15hr from Welly so the prices seem much cheaper than in the city centre!

I would be VERY happy to live out in the sticks!!!!!!


Out in the sticks over here means REALLY out in the sticks !!! Depends alot on which area you choose, for instance, at the moment our house is on the market, very big 4 bedroom bay villa on a 1/4 acre section, asking price $273,000. I was looking online at properties in Auckland (not intending to move there - just curious) and came across an almost identical house to ours on a section a fraction of the size and the asking price was $790,000.

Diny

[tottefan]

House prices in NZ are cheaper in British £, but I suppose if you're not going over there with any money, the low wages will mean that housing is just as expensive.

Since many Brits do take money over there, however, we are all able to take advantage of the currency conversions.

Does your name mean you are a fan of 'totte'???? :-)

Yep. The one and only Tottenham Hotspurs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Tottefan (and proud of it :yes )