[Diny]

Just got back from a whistle stop trip to the motherland. Feet didn't touch the ground all the time I was there. Had every waking moment planned out for me - spent the entire time catching up with my beloved friends and family - and I have to say it was all BRILLIANT !!!!!!!!

A couple of things which really struck me as being totally c**p about the UK. The traffic ....... I come from a rural backwater which was still as quiet as ever (apart from the occasional tractor) - however, made a couple of trips into town and one trip up the M6 (to meet up with the NW crew) - the amount of cars was almost overwhelming. Amazing how quickly I've got out of the habit of lane swapping, weaving in and out and tanking along in the fast lane without the slightest concern. Jeeze, I was 'crawling' along in the slow lane getting really cheesed off with all the trucks and the endless stream of cars. No thank you !!!!!!

Secondly - now this is the biggie ....... smoking in pubs !!!!! Walking into a bar and being hit my a wall of fag smoke, leaving a couple of hours later stinking like an ash tray - disgusting !!!!!! Rumour has it that the UK will be banning smoking in public places from June 2007 - let's hope it actually happens.

I watched with delighted glee all the 'hoo haa' about the labour party sleeze. Old 2 shags Prescott and the pending ousting of Blair. How I'd love to be around to see him leave number 10. The fact that labour lost oodles of seats in the local elections, each one of them being 'won' by the tories was (for me) real reason to celebrate - hell it felt good.

The weather was great, each day the boys would call me and tell me about how cold it was/is here back in NZ, I was enjoying mild temps and it staying light until 9.30 at night. The day I left Manchester (late afternoon) it was 26 degrees.

The NW lunch time meeting was great - sitting outside in the spring sunshine. Kind of puts it all into some kind of perspective when people in NZ bleet on about the good weather over here - it's just opposite seasons folks. December in UK is bleak, it's great in NZ. Mid May in NZ is cold and wet - in the UK it's warm and sunny. When I landed in Auck this afternoon it was 10 degrees and tanking down !!!!

Have come back to NZ to be told that we don't have a house. Mark accepted an offer on it while I was away and today we've gone unconditional - got 6 weeks to shape up and ship out. Haven't seen anything to buy yet but have plenty to go and look at over the next couple of days (hopefully).

Have a few pics of my trip so will post them over the next day or so.

My love affair with the UK hasn't deminished in the slightest, I was delighted to be there and I'm delighted to be back in NZ. I guess that means I'll be perched on the fence for a while longer yet.

Diny

[K&CS]

Hi Diny

Must have been great to see your boys again though... Think the weather's meant to be getting a bit better very soon. It's always awful arriving back from a good trip to stinking weather. How's the jetlag doing? I can only imagine what the traffic must seem like - the M6 frightened me at the best of times - I think it will terrify the hell out of my on our trip to the UK next year.

Good luck with the house hunting - it's a far cry from what you went through trying to get rid of your house in the UK though, isn't it?

Kate x

[Suzy Rimbo]

Hey!

Great to hear you had a good time in the UK! not sure if you know but jon and I went back in march, wheather was a little different to yours but non the less was great to see everyone again.

I have got to say one of the things I noticed about the Uk was the traffic!!!!! how bad is it, I never thought much about it whilst livin there but after a visit WOW!!! it was so overpowering.

And all be it I am a smoker I didnt realise the difference to being in a bar without smoke until I visited to the UK, I so much enjoy not being able to smoke inside, strange how you dont think or realise things until your taken away and then put back in the same.

Suzy
X

Will PM you soon!!!!

[Marie P]

Glad you had a good trip and that you are back safely .

Speak soon .

Marie x

PS Did you dribble ???

[zardell]

Glad to know you got home safe and sound.

Good luck with the house hunting.......sure you'll find something soon.

Will speak soon,

Julie

xx

[pleccy2000]

So glad you feel that both countres are suitable for you - that gives you double the chance of happiness than the rest of us!!!

[StevieD]

Homeless in New Zealand - hope you salvaged the iron :) Or was that the first thing to go?

Glad to see you home safe and sound. Speak soon.

Steve

[Diny]

Did I dribble - hell yeah !!!!!! 10 hours of drug induced sleep between Dubai and Melbourne - that's alot of dribbling time.

Stevie - I'm so tempted to keep the iron hidden !!! Just to explain folks ....... Mark employed the services of a girl in the village to do the mountains of ironing while I was away. Such a resourceful chap.

As for jetlag? It's 4.25 a.m and I'm wandering the house !!

Diny

[willsken]

Hi Diny - glad you are back safe and well.

Quick question, if you don't mind. :) I know you love the UK, but having just come back to NZ, if you HAD to choose between making one a permanent home, which would it be? :nice1

[marcia]

Glad to see you're safely back.

So did you get a nice young hunk sitting next to you on the way home so you could rest your weary head in his lap?????? :laugh

Looking forward to seeing the photos.

Love n hugs

Marcia and Kev

[Diny]

Quick question, if you don't mind. :) I know you love the UK, but having just come back to NZ, if you HAD to choose between making one a permanent home, which would it be? :nice1

Hhmmmm ........... flak jacket on ........ for me the UK wins hands down. But saying that, I love it here in NZ and am more than happy to be back. I've never made any secret of the fact that I don't see myself (us) making old bones here - but the for the here and now it's pretty darn good.

Diny

[willsken]

Don't claim to know you, but I thought that's what you'd say! Glad you love NZ though :)

[Kim39]

Glad to hear you arrived safely, and you enjoyed that little jaunt home. Oh that M6, how i miss it, and the M1, M25, M62, M56;) now there called proper roads. That kiwi hubby of yours never mentioned about about aupair when we spoke on the phone the other night, he must have been keeping it to himself (was she swedish we ask). Am sure Mark's glad to have you back, and make sure he doesn't hit that rum now your home cos i didn't get any sense out of him the other night;) Will give you a tinkle later on this afternoon.


Kim

[Diny]

Don't claim to know you, but I thought that's what you'd say! Glad you love NZ though :)


I do love it here, it's a very beautiful country and if you're looking for a quieter, slower pace of life then this is the place to be. I always find myself with a 'furrowed brow' when I read about the fact that NZ has the friendliest people in the world, low crime, no scum, the best weather, the best food, the best education (ha - don't get me started on that one), the best this, that and the other. IMHO it's no better/worse than anywhere else I've visited. All I can say is that we're happy here, life is good and we're moving ahead in leaps and bounds, it's just that I was asked which I'd choose if I 'HAD' to.

NZ rocks, if we're here for 2 years, 10 years or forever I know for a fact we'll enjoy every last minute of it.

Diny

[sizzlingbadger]

Great to hear your thoughts on visiting the UK again. I'm due to go back for a visit at the end of November. Since I've booked it I feel like I've been on a rollercoaster, on one side I don't want to go back and on the other I want to go back to see how I feel after living here for over a year.

Good Luck with the house hunt, I'm sure house hunting will cure the jet lag :exit

[katandbob]

glad you got home ok...........weather has been good this week but we had a doozy of a thunder storm yesterday afternoon/night.

hope it stays good today, its Coles Naming Ceremony...

by for now

Kat *(gota get ready!)

[Simon & Emily]

Have come back to NZ to be told that we don't have a house. Mark accepted an offer on it while I was away and today we've gone unconditional - got 6 weeks to shape up and ship out.
Diny

That should pose no problems to a woman of your talents - didn't you pack a lot of your own stuff when you left virtually on your own? :laugh

Glad to hear you had a great time, and that you arived everywhere safe and sound. I can't believe that it's been nearly a year now, it's flown soooo quickly for us here, trying to get everything done.

Always glad to read your postings - they are so packed with info and good to read.

emily

[Diny]

Thanks Emily. You're right, the year has shot by!!

We've found another house to buy - we go unconditional on Friday (building report being done today - fingers crossed). We're staying in the same area so not a massive move. certainly nothing compared with moving from UK to NZ.

Once again, I'm doing it solo, Mark is back in Egypt ....... could almost class moving house as a hobby. This will be our 13th house in 17 years of marriage (one of the joys of being married to a transient oil man I guess).

Diny

[StevieD]

Do the natives not wear wellies in other parts of the country then, thus negating any benefits of moving elsewhere? :laugh

[David with a dream]

Hey Diny, as ever a top post. I was driving back from West Yorkshire to day in the peeing rain (cold out side) bumper to bumper wondering if I will miss all this one day :no well who can say but one thing is for sure I will not miss our massive council tax :wah ...........Lesley (OH) has finally decided we will be heading back and as a teacher would love to hear your thoughts on education in NZ because as a teacher in the UK she is totally fed up....
Good luck with the move...........David

[Diny]

Oh David. Maybe I'm not the right person to ask about education in NZ. If you look back over my old postings you will read that I'm far from impressed - however others are more than happy with the education their children are getting so it's another one of those 'one mans meat is another mans poison' topics.

I feel I've done the 'shoddy education' subject to death on this forum but if you want to ask me any specific questions please PM me, I'd be only too happy to let you know my feelings on the subject.

While I was back in the UK I read a very interesting piece in the Daily Mail, I was so impressed I cut it out (with the devil minded intention of showing it to the head teacher in my boys school - but doubt I will). I'm not 'up to scratch' on story but I undertstand there's been some discussions about 'old style' education versus 'modern style'. This is what was said:

Quote:

Schools are too obsessed with making lessons fun when they should be aiming to challenge youngsters instead, according to a leading headmaster.

Richard Cairns attacked trendy teaching methods which leave pupils ill-equipped for more demanding classes.

The head of Brighton College warned that an obsession with making sure that children are 'getting what they want' is watering down standards in the classrooms.

He said the obsession with making lessons fun meant that geography teachers focus on volcanoes for 'excitable boys', historians concentrate on battles and chemists blow things up. He told a conference at his college of independent school heads that at the end of the school day, pupils bounce out of the gates 'their brains utterly untouched by the lessons they have just attended.

Mr Cairs said heads should not be afraid of standing up for tougher lessons, he added, 'what is wrong with challenging children'?

Personally that sums up my opinion of NZ education, especially the parts that read ...... watering down standards .........ill-equipped for more demanding classes ............ brains utterly untouched.

While I was at home I visited some friends of ours who's daughter was in the same class as our eldest son. Last September she moved up to the local middle school and was keen to show me all the things she's doing at the new school. Bearing in mind that had we still been in the UK Fergus would have been with her. The standard of work, her diction, her attitude and her over all level was in a totally different league to what Fergus is in now.

Believe me, that's a very bitter pill to swallow. However, I admit that I'm a member of the 'old school of thought'. I fully appreciate that my opinions on NZ education are (hardly ever) shared by others, but like I said, I'll be more than happy to discuss the matter via PM. If I bash the system anymore on the open forum I'll get strung up !!!!!

Diny

[David with a dream]

Cheers Diny, whilst I can take on board your views of the education system in NZ, our daughter has had a 'hard' time coping with our education system so perhaps the NZ way may be more tuned to her...........Expect mails from OH!!! David

[K&CS]

David - just to say that I'm really pleased to hear that you've decided to head back. Difficult one, the whole education issue, but I guess a bright child will do well pretty much anywhere. I've considered doing the NZ equivalent of a PGCE, so would be intrerested to hear how her research goes re teaching here! Any thoughts on where in NZ you're heading this time?

Kate

[tottefan]

If I bash the system anymore on the open forum I'll get strung up !!!!!

Why should anyone do that? This is afterall a forum where people should be allowed to express their opinions on any given matter. Of course, you always might get some unreasonable person who doesn't respect others, but surely any one opinion is valid as the next. Afterall, aren't most things subjective and open to personal opinion?


Tottefan.

[Diny]

Why should anyone do that? This is afterall a forum where people should be allowed to express their opinions on any given matter. Of course, you always might get some unreasonable person who doesn't respect others, but surely any one opinion is valid as the next. Afterall, aren't most things subjective and open to personal opinion?


Tottefan.

You're right of course, it's just that I feel (personally) that I've done the (IMHO downright tragic) education topic to death. So much easier to look back over past comments than to write them down all over again.

One thing I will say though, I've never been impressed with the schooling over here in NZ, and since 'being shown' what by childrens peers are doing 'back home' I'm even more disillusioned.

Diny

[StevieD]

And Diny has first hand experience of things getting a bit "agitated" so I can understand why :)

[tottefan]

I guess I agree with some of your opinions Dinny. I don't want to live in NZ because I hate the Uk. I see it as a new adventure, a chance to experience something different. I'm only 23 so I want to experience what the world has to offer. NZ is a beautiful country so I can't think of anything better than travelling and experiencing what another country such as NZ has to offer.


Tottefan.

[foolsgold99]

While I was back in the UK I read a very interesting piece in the Daily Mail, I was so impressed I cut it out
Daily Mail eh ?? Good unbaised source of truth there.

Not sure if you're being ironic, but I fear not.

[Carol]

Hi Diny!
Welcome back luvvy.

I think if anything can prove this to be a discussion forum more than a battleground it is my friendship with Diny.

Our views and experiences of NZ education (and to be honest UK education too) is about as far apart as we could get.
And yet - we can still manage to discuss this without falling out or getting stroppy with each other.
HURRAY!!!!
Maybe it's a woman thing.

I absolutely love teaching here in NZ because of the challenges I give my kids daily.
now fair enough - I may not be the average run of the mill kiwi teacher - for a start they almost have to beg me to take them out to do some sport -
but....I reckon it is THE most educationally :nice1 demanding jobs I have ever done.

Working in the UK was a picnic compared to this...... :yes

[Diny]

Daily Mail eh ?? Good unbaised source of truth there.

Not sure if you're being ironic, but I fear not.

It was a quote from a head teacher NOT a quote from a Daily Mail journalist.

I fear that whatever newspaper I had mentioned you would have made some kind of superior remark. Perhaps the Daily Star would have met with your approval. Let's keep the red flag flying eh old chap ???? lol.

Carol - you're right. We're poles apart when it comes to our views on education but a better mate I'd have difficulty finding. Bottoms up !!

Diny

[Carol]

hic!
:cheers :nice1

[foolsgold99]

You know, you're right my last comment was a bit crappy.:no

I have a bit of cliched view of daily mail reading, immigrant bashing, right wing reactionary thatcher loving tories.

But I do realise that things aren't so simple, takes all sorts to make the world go around, it's very hypocritical of me to bash people for lack of understanding of the views of others. My jibe wasn't very self aware.

My unreserved appologies to you in this case, I did think about removing my last post, but decided that would have been wrong.

[pleccy2000]

Diny - You ROCK!

'nuff said

[Diny]

Cheers Pleccy - how's it going by the way, not heard from you for a while.

All the best.

[MB]

Diny - we were thinking about you during your time in the UK. Great to hear from you. All the best with your housing hustle 'n' bustle.
Best regards from your pals up here! :nice1