[NannyOgg]

Hi All,

Been one of the many ditherers on this site for the last year or so. I think this is it. I think we are finally going to take the plunge - and quick.

Plan is to put he house on the market (at a very realistic rate), sell up, in an ideal world be in NZ by end of Auguest (AH! I hear all of your that have have your houses on the market for 2 years and all sorts of other property issues!). Arrive on holiday visa, stay with sister, OH get a job, get work permits, get kids into schools, live happily ever after. Sound to good to be true? Then it probably is! OH been told by many agencies he would be snapped up in no time. Realise we will probably have to pay school fees until work permit aggreed - any one else done this?

I feel I have been standing on the diving board for too long and the only thing that has stopped my from jumping is the thought of missing all my lovely friends and family. We love our life here - it is such tough choice. The only way for me to do this is block all thoughts of what we are leaving (not very healthy I know), close my eyes, count to three and then jump.

Have any of you taken this route and can anyone point out any pit falls from either a practical or emotional point of view?

HELP!

Cheers
Nanny.

[Marie P]

HI Nanny Ogg ,

Get all your family and friends to be able to use computers and web cams ,it has really helped me in the 5 months that I have been here to see and talk to everyone I need to several times a week .[in fact we talk to our parents more since we moved ].

We have lots of visitors planning to come out this year and next year , that helps too,my best friend has booked to come out for 4 weeks in Aug and my parents for 8 weeks at christmas.

Marie x

[K&CS]

Hi Nanny

Good on ya! There is someone on here who took this route, but I can't remember who it was and I'm not sure if they've been on here for a while. Helpful, eh? I'm sure someone must know.

You're right about just getting on with it and not thinking about the people you're leaving behind. It's early days for us yet - just 2 months here, but so far we're loving it and although I miss friends/family, it is just so easy to keep in touch with people these days.

You must feel better for having made that decision - it'll work out because you want it to!! Good luck.

Kate x

[Bubbles]

Hi Nanny,
There's been a few on here who have taken that route. Kate could be talking about Timbo.
Don't know if you've seen it, but if you haven't, check this link out. :nice1

http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=6245

All the best

John

[Debbie]

Hi there,
I know nothing about the merits of your proposed route into NZ as we went the SM route from the UK. However I know a lot about the fear and concern of leaving friends and family. I have no great words of wisdom to make it all go away, but I can assure you you are not alone.
To tell you a bit about myself, Im 35, I have two small children 4&2 and an OH in IT. We have never been to NZ and have no family there, as yet we have no jobs lined up.
We have a very good life in the UK and definatly don't feel any push to leave the UK. We do feel a pull to NZ, OH openly admitts there is more than a smig of mid life crisis about out plans.
I think making the decision to go for us was more stressfull than the actuall doing has been so far.( although we are currently struggling with estate agents). We agreed that we would go for it but also agreed that either of us could back out no recrimination up until the last minute. I don't think we ever defined 'the last minute'.
If you ever feel the need to have a moment of doubt or even a major wooble feel free to PM me. We are also based in Kent, as are a few on the forum at the mo. It's good to talk to people who are doing and going through the same. Im sure this forum will point you in the right direction.
P.S Gave everyone in my family webcams for Xmas so they have had time to practice and it's definatly been the right move.
Debbie

[katandbob]

Quote:P.S Gave everyone in my family webcams for Xmas so they have had time to practice and it's definatly been the right move. UnQuote

Yep me too, and for the very un PC literate.......step by step instructions on how to do it will also be required :p got to do some instructions and further training for my dad ;)

Good Luck

Kat

[wilson182]

We came over on "holiday", OH got a job and work visa and I went back to the UK to rent out house. Came back four months later, got work and student permit's for me and the kids. Got PR in February of this year.:raebanana

[Moorf]

Yep, we came out on visitors visas with no jobs, having only just been selected from the pool and having not received our ITA... arrived Sept 04, holidayed for a bit, started job hunting in Nov 04, got job in Nov 04 and did the whole immigration / ITA procedure from NZ and got our PR in March 05.

[K&CS]

The person I'm thinking of had about 4 kids and was having to pay for her kids to attend school. I wish I could remember who it was - if I have time later, I'll do a search. I've often wondered how she was getting on and if she's applied for PR etc!

For the record, I think the prospect of leaving your loved ones is far harder than the actual reality. I hated that last week in the UK with all the goodbyes, but I'm enjoying meeting new people and telling friends in the UK about my life here via email and phone. The world definitely is becoming a smaller place. The worst that can happen is that it doesn't work out and you have to go back. Just stay positive - it makes everything so much easier.

Kate x

[wilson182]

It wasnt Hannah was it Kate?

[K&CS]

No it wasn't Hannah, Debs! That's it - I'm going to do a search!!

[K&CS]

It's Glenda I'm thinking of and I can see that she is definitely still around. With dial-up, it would take too long for me to do a full search to see if she got PR, but just look up Glenda and her update posts on arrival and they should make interesting reading for you!