[Carol]

We arrived in New Zealand.



doesn't time fly when you are enjoying yourself!!!!

:cheers

We arrived with a 7 year old and a 4 year old
We now have a 17 year old, a 14 year old and a little kiwi sister who is 7.
Kenny is still working for the same bank (he was given a 10 year bonus!!)
We have moved house 4 times - been in this one 4 years now but we are ready to move again.
I have learned SO much through teaching in NZ - more than I ever learned in the UK.
And we have made some some wonderful friends - some very close - who are fast becoming "old" friends.
But oddly enough - the closest of them are also geordies who we used to know 25 years ago, and met up with again 5 years ago, after meeting accidently on the ferry.

And...we got our citizenship this year.


We came without the advantage of the internet or even email
I discovered this forum about 3 years ago - hope we have been of help to some having had the benefit of a few years experience behind us.
It opened a few doors to meeting some lovely people and making even more special friends.

I wonder how many bottles of NZ wine we have drunk in ten years!
:cheers :laugh

It's lovely to look back - and reading about folks just arriving here in NZ is a reminder of us as we arrived too.
I can't say it has all been easy - far from it.
But we have grown in an incredible way as a very close family which is basically what we wanted and what we came for.

Cheers everyone!
:cheers

[dawn]

Fantastic news, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

It's great to hear a success story. How are the kids finding it now as "young adults"?

CONGRATULATIONS on the citizenship too :D :D

[tigerlily]

Carol,

Congratulations! That is a wonderful achievement! I hope you are breaking out a bottle of champagne! What do you think your life would be like now, had to stayed home and not gone to New Zealand?

[Carol]

Hi Dawn - they love it here.
They love their school and have made some gorgeous friends who we just adore.

We are about to move into "phase 3"
We are looking at possibilities for tertiary education for Scott our oldest at the moment - we are hoping he is going to stay in Wellington but he is such a "home bod" I can't see him going too far somehow......
:)

[dawn]

That's the news I was hoping for, I do worry about how our teenagers will settle.

I can only hope that we end up being as happy as you sound :D

[Carol]

Carol,

Congratulations! That is a wonderful achievement! I hope you are breaking out a bottle of champagne! What do you think your life would be like now, had to stayed home and not gone to New Zealand?


I really dont know Tiger Lily.
I've said it before many times - no matter where you live there is good and bad.
I have no doubt at all that I would have been happy in the UK too because my family are there and I still miss them terribly - I've never lost that pain.
But who knows - as a close family unit we may not haqve been so close because we have had to work things out between us.
A classic example of that was last night - we got a call at 7pm from our geordie mates to meet them at the pub down the hill from us.
We knew they would come back here afterwards so we left the boys in charge of feeding their sister, tidying up (including washing the very dirty kitchen floor! :o ) and putting washing away etc.
It was all done when we got back.
(Ok we had to offer "Boost cards" for their phones but they were happy with $10 ones!!) :D
To be honest - if we were in the UK - I suspect they would have been out on the drink somewhere! ;)

Making the most of where you live and every minute of your life has been a very valuable lesson for us to learn.

[Marie P]

Great post Carol from someone who is nine and half years behind you . :nice1

It just goes to show what a great community of friends with have on this forum that people don't just ask there questions and then leave ,but hang around to help ,have a giggle ,send a cyberhug or to help out when they can .

Cheers Carol and Family enjoy the long weekend :cheers

[sizzlingbadger]

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY :cheers

Congratulations on Citizenship

Great to hear that things are still going well for you after all this time. It certainly has made me feel about where we will be 10 years from now.

[Nienke]

Congratulations Carol, with your 10-year anniversary! :cheers

And I completely agree with Marie P, this forum and it's people are one of the best I've seen! :nice1

[jess]

:D:D:D

Congrats on a decade in NZ! And thanks for all the help you offer on the forum!

[voth30]

Hi Carol,

You must be one of the longest survivor in this forum. Most of the forumers will somehow disappear from the forum once they have settled down.

Good on you for your ongoing input. It has been very useful to the newbies.

Vincent

[Babette & Andy]

Wow Carol - time does fly!! Congratulations on this milestone. Thanks from me also for all your input and sharing of your experiences on this forum, also thanks for sharing your ups and downs, makes me feel 'normal' when I have my moments, knowing I'm not the only one. Here's to the next10 years!!

Babette

[Diny]

Happy anniversary old gal !!! Not sure I wanted to hear that the pain of missing family is still with you after 10 years - reckon it's just something I'm just going to have to learn to live with eh.

Good to know the kids are happy here. Can't remember whether it was Craig or Scott but you said last year that one of them still had a foot in both camps regarding living here versus living back in UK. What has made him change his mind (or at least made his mind up which one he prefers). My two are in different camps about being here too. Fergie says it's OK and that he's happy wherever we live but Henry will make no bones about the fact that he'd pack up and leave tomorrow if he could. I'm just wondering if you have any tips on handling that one.

Who knows what your life would have been like back in the UK, your kids have very level headed, moral parents so I'm sure that wherever you live you'll get very little trouble from them. Having met them they don't strike me as being rebels. I personally believe that has more to do with the standard of parenting they receive rather than where they live. I have lots of neices and nephews back home around the same age as your boys and they're wonderful 'young adults'. Fun, intelligent and a real pleasure to be around - they're all VERY good kids.

You're right - there's good and bad everywhere. Knowing your story as much as I do, I applaud what you have achieved. You arrived in a strange country with 2 young kids and little money - good on you for building up your 'family empire' to what it is today.

Happy anniversary !!!!!

Diny

[Carol]

HA Babette!!
I had a "down" on Monday morning - when I slept in and everything turned to custard!!!
I kicked a box or two and slammed a few doors - turned out alright!!

Ten years on - I still blame NZ for stuff........
shouting "this bloody place" has gradually reduced though ......and funnily enough - the problem has never got much to do with NZ but more to do with me and my lack of organisation although I AM getting better!!!


And the lovely thing is ......

10 years on - I STILL drive around Pauatahanui Inlet most mornings and think
"OH my god - that is gorgeoeus - I really AM in New Zealand!"

[Carol]

good on you for building up your 'family empire' to what it is today.

Diny


:D :D :D :D

Love that!!!

And yes - I reckon they both still have a foot in each camp Diny.
But.......isn't that as it should be?

We did this to give them opportunities.
They have the opportunity to live wherever they want to.
Be it here, the UK, Australia or anywhere really.

that was our ultimate goal.
And to open their eyes to the fact that there is so much more to life than Tyneside - although it will always hold a big part of our hearts.

Guess we got what we wanted........

[Diny]

:
And yes - I reckon they both still have a foot in each camp Diny.
But.......isn't that as it should be?



Yeah I guess it is, just wish my youngest would feel abit more settled. I think this is a case of giving it time.

The world is a huge place, I've seen alot of it, I hope my boys decide they want to too.

Diny

[xanctus]

Happy Anniversary Carol and COngratulations of the citizenship!!!
Your post is always been valuable in this forum, as your experience is shown in the duration of your living in NZ. :D

[pleccy2000]

Carol - do you have a kiwi accent?

[Carol]

Carol - do you have a kiwi accent?

I'll let Diny or Debs tell you........

:laugh

[StevieD]

Great post Carol, and congratulations! I consider we have lived where we are for 9 years, so I can get some grasp on your timescale, because it is hard to gauge sometimes unless you have something to measure against.

I like you, want to give my children the benefit of a rounded view of the world, and experience places that were denied to me as a youngster. I also feel that this move to NZ will provide them with benefits that will far outweigh any that may be gained around here. I not slagging of uk, but benefits that come from different cultures, outlooks and way of life. I am lucky in that I worked on ships for a few years, and saw some absolutely stunning places. I also saw some awful places too, but that goes with the territory. So I grew to appreciate the world for what it was. I always remember returning home on leave, and going to my local. The lads were in there, drinking, playing on the bandits. gambling, and were, to be honest, a pig ignorant lot. I had changed so much in 6 months, but nothing changed for them. I still see them going in to that pub sometimes, that is their life, and in some ways it is quite sad.

I hope that my children will grow into sensible adults, with an appreciation of the world that comes from mixing with, and seeing, different cultures. I also want to provide them with options. The opportunity for citizenship is huge, as it will provide them with many benefits, and options like you mentioned.

So well done and here's to the next 10 years maybe??

Steve and Jan

[Diny]

Carol - do you have a kiwi accent?

Ha!!!!! Get away with ya nonsense pet !!!!

[Carol]

So well done and here's to the next 10 years maybe??

Steve and Jan

And who knows where they may be spent Steve.......

That is possibly the most exciting part.
Once you have done this whole immigration thing - the world is your oyster really.

[katandbob]

Hi Dawn - they love it here.
They love their school and have made some gorgeous friends who we just adore.

We are about to move into "phase 3"
We are looking at possibilities for tertiary education for Scott our oldest at the moment - we are hoping he is going to stay in Wellington but he is such a "home bod" I can't see him going too far somehow......
:)


Hi Carol, Happy Anniversary.....its our FIRST real day for us! he he :D

I will look forward to reading any advise on the "phase 3" as as you will know i will have my boys to sort out education out for in September.

cheeers for now...going to read the rest of the replys you got.... :cheers

Kat

[Carol]

Hi Carol, Happy Anniversary.....its our FIRST real day for us! he he :D

I will look forward to reading any advise on the "phase 3" as as you will know i will have my boys to sort out education out for in September.

cheeers for now...going to read the rest of the replys you got.... :cheers

Kat

You'll be OK around this time next week Kat!

;)

Welcome to NZ!

[MB]

Well done indeed, Carol. I suspect you might know that Giesen Sauvignon Blanc I was just on about on another part of the forum, but whether you do or not, or whether you choose another label, please toast yourselves and your family's achievements in NZ!
We'll toast you, too, but it'll probably be with Steinlager or VB. :laugh

[Carol]

I know many Matt......
:cheers
My personal favourite.....well....I've a few of those too!
I actually LOVE gewurztraminer...... ;)

[Cardiff Irons]

Nice post Carol and congrats to you and your family. 10 years seems a long, long way off for us at the moment!

Never thought of you guys as Geordies, I'll have to revise the way I read your posts from now on :laugh (fishies on dishies, jarrow march, toon army etc. etc.).

And well done Kenny as well for doing 10 years service. I reckon he deserves some sort of reward and would suggest a big screen in readiness for the World Cup. Oh hang on..........:D

[Smiler]

Kiwi accents????

Whyeye Lass! No is the answer there. :laugh

The first time I met Carol I was missing my family sooooooooo much. I could have cried just hearing a UK accent. But we had coffee and a good chinwag and I felt heaps better just knowing she felt the same and was brave enough to admit it.

OK so Carol is still missing her family 10 years on, but she is still here, with Kenny and 3 lovely kids. A great inspiration to all of us following.

Well done Carol and family. :nice1 Congratulations. :raebanana

[Carol]

awww.....


xxxx

[tonyb]

Another good post from StevieD, echoing my sentiments precisely. ( im sure we must be related ). I too see old mates going into the same pub that they frequented 20 yrs ago, they talk about their mates who have been nicked, or doing time as if its something to be proud of. I just dont want my kids living and mixing in that environment. Then theres the freak show Big Brother and the worrying thing is lots of youngsters are glued to the box watching this. Its put back years the work im involved in (mental health) by having a group of people where most have some form of mental weakness /disorders, ie;tourettes syndrome, anorexia, manic depression, body dismorphia. One contestant has already threatened suicide. This is broadcat all in the name of entertainment. Viewers, including children laugh at the goings on and the tantrums, where actually they are laughing at peoples mental frailty. In a country where we are always told to be understanding of peoples differences or shortcomings we are encouraged to laugh at these unfortunate people. HerE i go againg RANTING !!!!!

And, Well Done Carol on your 10 years !!
It must have been a great 10 years journey up to now. And its a heartwarming story to hear how your kids have grown up level headed and good kids. And the time will come where they may get itchy feet and want to travel and thats how it should be, we should all want to broaden our horizons.
Thats why im coming to NZ, for me, my wife, but more so for my kids.
My parents were great and brought up me and my brothers properly (we were all born, brought up and went to school in the roughest part of the East End of London) but they didnt have the opportunities that i now have to give my kids a chance to see another part of the world, its culture and what it has to offer.

Good Luck on the next 10 yrs Carol

Tony

[Cardiff Irons]

My parents were great and brought up me and my brothers properly (we were all born, brought up and went to school in the roughest part of the East End of London)Another East Ender! Where in East London were you brought up Tony?

[tonyb]

Hi Cardiff Irons

With that name i assume you are a WestHam supporter like me !!! Mind you West Ham and Cardiff this seasson is a bad memoty.

I was brought up in Poplar, and also lived nr Limehouse for a while !!!!

Where were you from ???

Tony

[StevieD]

TonyB, all I can say is, (in best Scouse accent now...) Calm down! ;)

Haway Carol, have a great time pet.

Steve

[tonyb]

Hi Steve,

Ive just found a picture of a sunset over Christchurch NZ, NOW im calm !!!

Tony

[Cardiff Irons]

Hi Cardiff Irons

With that name i assume you are a WestHam supporter like me !!! Mind you West Ham and Cardiff this seasson is a bad memoty.

I was brought up in Poplar, and also lived nr Limehouse for a while !!!!

Where were you from ???

TonyHi Tony. My Dad was born in Limehouse, but I was born in Forest Gate. Early years lived in East Ham with just a short stroll to the Boleyn (the ground, not the pub :uhoh).

Sorry Carol.....wildly off topic here :exit

[Carol]

:laugh :laugh

[gil]

Phew! Busy day so far, just got on the forum and want to say CONGRATULATIONS to Carol, Kenny and family on your 10 year anniversary!! :cheers:cheers
Lots love
Gil
x

[David with a dream]

Well done Carol and family. Your comment about growing close as a family sums it up for me really. Fantastic....Our best wishes to you all. David, Lesley, K & J........

[meely&paul]

Congratulations carol and family!

What an achievement :cheers


meely