[Keith]

Having been offered the Job, (Whangarei )

We have both started looking on the web and this site to make sure it's the right move.

1) Crime rate ; Just as bad per head of population as the UK. but then thats the global world we live in.

2) Housing ; the houses sound horrendous, used to central heating double glazing no damp etc that in a 300 year house. Seems like the summer is fine but winters sound horrible. We would be in rented for quite a while, not selling up in the UK. so would find it hard to buy for a while.

3) Isolation; whilst we live in the country concerned that NZ might be a little to isolated.

4) Unspoilt / uncrowded coastal beeches sound good.

5) Health care costs are they really that much,I believe 70% of kiwis don't have insurance so can't be that bad ? can it ?

6) Culture shock, we speak the same language, well almost, even a lot of the slang is the same. but we a under no disalusion that the values are different.

7) Won't miss the UK drive towards insurance for everything , and you can;t do that you might enjoy yourself nanny state. ? Is NZ going that way ?

8) Racism ? is it really that bad.

9) TV : ah well probably watch to much anyway.

10) Work, this is a biggy, will it be worse,

11) Oh whats all this 1 year without holiday about. ( currently negotiating this one as well as the amount.

Could go on,

Bit of a ranble this post , sorry, just nice to get it off our chest and see what replies we get, honest it does help.

Think we will probably go it's just a big move and a bit scary.

[pieeater]

Yes, the holiday thing is a shocker.Currently three weeks after a year.They may even try to tell you when to take most of them.Most people we know take Leave without pay but this hits the already meagre and pretty streched income even more.As for individual negotiated contracts,I found mine to be 'Non Negotiable'.Don't forget to look into the sick pay,generally 40hrs.per year.I used mine up when a colleague came back from Tonga and gave me a Bug.Then I got a groin strain and that put me out for a few weeks. a $45,000 dollar wage can take a hit of about $6000 a year quite easily.mmmm?what are we doing here?.Again.

[clg]

Leave varries quite a bit, in 2007 it goes up to 4 weeks for everyone. Quite a few employers do grant leave in the first year. In my case I get 16 days of days leave (20 next year) that accrue on a montly basis so after one month I had something like 1.3 days of leave. And we shut down for two weeks around christmas. I also get 10 sick days and 5 days of caregive leave (taking care of a sick child, etc)

Lots of other points rasied here, as to crime there are some things about how crime stats are gathered and reported here that may be making it look worse than it is when compared to other countries, I may post something on that at some point if I get around to it. I have been wanting to do a paper on this and if I do it, I will post some of it.

Housing varies here, you can get nice warm dry houses here they exist.

[willsken]

I think the doubts are something we all have. One thing you will find by coming on these forums, any doubts you may not otherwise have had, will certainly be fed! You are going in to this move with your eyes open, as are a lot of others who post here are. One thing you have to remember is there are a lot of people who have made the move and have settled very happily, and don't use these forums. I posted a survey earlier that shows a lot of people, while having to come to terms with a few shocks still find the move a worthwhile thing to do.

You can only do your research and look at all the pros and cons and think how they will affect you as a family. We are taking a HUGE pay drop to come, I know this and what this will mean to us. For me it is worth the trade off.

Housing- not all the housing is bad - up to you to be choosy! Also a few basic odd jobs around the place could cure a lot of problems.

Health cost - take out insurance. The amount we pay in stealth tax in the UK will more than cover the monthly cost!

Isolation - can't help on this on as it is on my list of reasons for going!! Unsocialable old bag that I am!

Racism - from what I have read it's not that big a problem. God I know some very racist people in the UK. (some of them I count as friends - have just learnt over the years that this is a topic that causes friction between us and avoid the subject. It's horrible and I hate it - you will never find a place where it doesn't exist unfortunately :mad:

Crime - yes, again the same per population almost as the UK. BUT I would rather take my chances with 10% (example not fact) of 4 million bad uns that 10% of 60 million of them.

At the end of the day this is a huge huge undertaking. No one can tell you if it will work out for you. Only you know what money you will take and how much you could earn. The most important thing IMHO is the strength of you and your family, how much you dislike what you have now and how strong your desire to change your life is.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[Avalon]

Keith-

I think the points you are considereing are very good ones - and I think the fact that you are considering them is a good sign.

1/ crime rate
Remeber - teh figures are Per Capita - so although it really as bad as in teh UK, you wont actualy see it as so bad because there are less people (unless like me you come from a very low crime rate area)

Isolation
In some ways Ive actually found it quite nice to not feel part of teh world these days. This is something that for me - has got better over time. I guess I have got used to being here and it bothers me less than it did.

Insurance.
I get the impression that: Where the UK leads - NZ follows. This seems to happen with all sorts of things. However - you should get a few years grace.

Racism.
Oooh - thats a difficult one. Theres probabaly some lovely heated discussions on here on that topic :laugh Im not sure its really any worse - Again - i get the impression the main difference is that people say it out loud.

Holidays.
Disgusting. I find the treatment of workers in this country nothing short of shocking. Im appalled at what employers here get away with, and the tricks they try and pull on thier staff. Its worth noting that some jobs seem to not have this ridiculaous rule - maybe its just IT - but i know for example my oh didnt have to accrue the leave before taking it. He also takes estar as Time off in leiu if he works OT. Sometimes he does this to get an extra day. This does seems partially dependant on the career unfortunately. On the other hand - its also worth noting that I once fro some doctors in teh UK and they tried to pull the same stunt.

I think with a lot of issues like this - until you try it and see how it affect you persoanlly - its hard to work through. Mainly because we all have different opinions about what we can manage.

So my question would be - are any of these dealbreakers? Is there any of these points that are just too big an issue if it turns out to be the case. If so - then those are the ones you need to look at more - and if not - then try and and see.

Does that help at all.

[Diny]

Keith - have sent you a PM.

[StevieD]

Keith, crimes are reported per crime, so if a burglar beats the cat to death with a frozen fish for instance (?!), the burglary and the cat death will be separate crimes unlike UK where they will all be lumped into one crime ref. :)

[Moorf]

Nanny state - it's already here and it's getting worse :( but nowhere near as bad as the UK, but give it 10 yrs or so.....

[KerryS]

To randomly answer some of your points...
The crime recording is different to the UK, so the statistics here are skewed when doing a comparison.
All the properties I've lived in have been warm and dry - not damp and cold. And had no double glazing or central heating, usually just a small oil heater and an electric blanket in winter. (This is in Auckland.)
Healthcare costs aren't prohibitive - as you say, many Kiwis cope. Insurance costs are pretty reasonable, and would certainly ease that worry. Check out some of the main providers for estimates (eg: Southern Cross).
I have never yet come across an employer who makes you work for an entire year without any leave. They let you earn leave throughout the year, which accumulates so that you have three weeks at the end of the year. Generally this can be taken at any time - if you take more than you have earnt and you leave the company then you have this subtracted from your final pay. This is the same as in the UK, no?
Finally culture shock was one of the things I enjoyed. It wasn't a shock, more a pleasant learning experience, I wanted to understand and know as much about NZ as possible.
Oh, tv is rubbish, but it does have an off button!

[K&CS]

I find it very hard to answer these sorts of questions, because it's all so subjective and what is acceptable for one person is totally different for someone else. I'll answer your questions in the order they were put.

1) know nothing about statistics and how they are gathered, but far fewer people here, therefore not as much crime. I didn't experience crime where I lived in the UK, but I haven't experienced crime here either, so don't really see any difference from a personal point of view.
2) our rental has been fine - we have double glazing and a log burner and the house we're buying is very warm and well insullated. I'm probably warmer here than in our old UK house as the heating bills were so high, that we didn't have our central heating switched on a lot of the time. There are some truly horrendous houses out there, but forewarned is forearmed. Luckily (thanks in many ways to this site), I was aware of how cold some houses would be so we made sure we'd have a warm house - just shop around.
3) I don't feel isolated - I quite like the feeling of being away from it all - especially after the recent problems in London. However, not everyone feels that way, so difficult to answer.
4) yes, the beaches are fabulous. I have to pinch myself every day when I go to the beach - am off there once I've finished typing this.
5) health care costs - a bit of an issue for us. It's probably the only thing I really miss about the UK - the NHS. One thing though is that I can always get an appointment on the day I phone.
6) Culture shock, homesickness - call it what you will. Effects some and not others - you can't really plan for it - just expect it and you might be pleasantly surprised. It's fun learning the ways of a new country.
7) Nanny state - can't comment really - not been here long enough
8) racism - not in your face. It exists - I think it's more that people are less PC here.
9) TV - a lot of the time rubbish (watching MASH at the moment funnily enough). Evenings at 9.30, there's usually something good on - Desperate Housewives, Boston Legal, Gray's Anatomy, House etc etc
10) Work. Impossible to comment - don't know what you do and even if I did, would depend on your partiuclar workplace.
11) OH gets 4 weeks hols a year - don't know if that's standard or not.

Good luck whatever you decide to do. There really is no right or wrong - you just need to decide if you think it's right for you, although the fact is, you probably won't know for sure until you get here!

Kate

[Diny]

Good luck whatever you decide to do. There really is no right or wrong - you just need to decide if you think it's right for you, although the fact is, you probably won't know for sure until you get here!

Kate


Excellent advice !!!

[Avalon]

Regarding health care costs - I had a thought. I know we are not used to paying to see the doctor - but from what experience I have of teh GP system here - the fat you pay for it is greatly offset by the fact that you can actuallky SEE a doctor.

As kate wisely says - its all subjective as to whether that is worth it for you, but thats just something ive noticed a nice difference with.

[Smiler]

Yep I'll second what Kate and Avalon say, you actually see a doc and often on the same day.

Our surgery charges $56 per consultation, it's $29 if you are covered by ACC for the problem and $29 if you are over 45 years of age. :raebanana:raebanana:raebanana but the knowledge that I won't have to wait 2 weeks to see a GP, outweighs the cost for me.

[Trigirl]

I don’t actually mind paying to see the doctor provided the service is good.

However (to put a slightly different view to those above) it will have to be very good to match the service I get here in the UK. I’ve never had to wait more than an hour or so to see my doctor on the odd occasion I’ve needed a same day appointment. I can book “work friendly” appointments (eg 8am) up to a couple of weeks in advance for non-urgent stuff. I’ve never felt even slightly hurried by him – he always has time to listen properly to whatever the issue is and to fully explain to me what his recommended treatment is.

I’m aware from the news etc that not everyone is so lucky in the UK. But “everyone gets to see their doctor on time” doesn’t make good headlines so I’m not sure the news gives an accurate view of the overall situation. Not all GP surgeries in the UK are that bad.

[Smiler]

I don’t actually mind paying to see the doctor provided the service is good.

However (to put a slightly different view to those above) it will have to be very good to match the service I get here in the UK. I’ve never had to wait more than an hour or so to see my doctor on the odd occasion I’ve needed a same day appointment. I can book “work friendly” appointments (eg 8am) up to a couple of weeks in advance for non-urgent stuff. I’ve never felt even slightly hurried by him – he always has time to listen properly to whatever the issue is and to fully explain to me what his recommended treatment is.

I’m aware from the news etc that not everyone is so lucky in the UK. But “everyone gets to see their doctor on time” doesn’t make good headlines so I’m not sure the news gives an accurate view of the overall situation. Not all GP surgeries in the UK are that bad.

Thats good, I'm aware that not all GP's in the UK are bad. The majority are understaffed and under funded though.

2 out of 3 of my last GP's in Surrey could not offer an appointment within 2 weeks, unless you were at death's door and then they advised to visit A&E first. When it was time for my appointment, the doc always had time to explain and examine.

The exception was the outstanding GP who offered an out-post surgery, where you had the option to drive to a village hall in the backend of beyond and be seen backstage. You could be seen withn 2 days if you were able to get there.

What bliss to be offered an appointment here the next day.

[Bergita]

Now this is something I hadn't thought of and will have to adjust to. I can see a doctor any time I want over here, always the same day I phone, and often within less than an hour. It doesn't make sense to have to wait weeks to see a doctor, you can't predict when you will be sick. :confused:

The only doctors you have to wait for here are specialists, you can normally get to see them within a week. Oh, except for plastic surgeons, the waiting period for them is closer to months....

[olivia]

I can't wait to be able to see a doctor that easily.

Our doctors surgery here is terrible for getting an appointment. They won't give any out in advance which means you have to ring at 8am on the day when you want to go and spend half an hour trying to get through. Once i was even told they were too busy to see me and a doctor would ring me back and diagnose over the telephone to see if i needed to see a doctor! How do they know what's wrong with you if they can't see you. Sometimes in the past i've waited until after 6pm and rung the NHS Direct number and got an out of hours appointment at the local hospital just because it's easier. When i was 38 weeks pregnant i couldn't even get an appointment with my own midwife, until she came out and spoke to the receptionist and they slotted me in.

anyway, it seems this thread has been hijacked a bit, so back to the original post. Many of the reasons Keith put down are also the reasons we want to go to NZ. I too am looking forward to being just a little bit isolated, especially after living in close proximity to certain family members over the last few years.

Re the houses, i'm sure if you buy a 1920's villa then it might be a bit cold and damp but surely the newer houses won't have this problem. Am i right about this?

And i really can't wait to break the habit of watching the TV that we seem to have ended up in. I said to my OH last night that i wouldn't watch any soaps yeserday so we could do something else instead and he suggested watching a film, not quite the idea as it still involves the TV!!!!

Good Luck Keith whatever you decide.

Olivia

[Avalon]

Not all GP surgeries in the UK are that bad.
I think this actually illustrates a very important thing - why its is often so difficult to answer these types of questions. Because not only do our persoanl perception of what life is like in New Zealand differ, we also often have different ideas about life in the UK, and that can always affect how you see the new country.

Also, I think its worth bearing in mind that while you start of in a certain area - it doesnt mean you have to stay there (with the proviso that there may be restrictions on some visas). So if you move to say, Whangerei and find you are not happy - theres nowt to stop you considereing a move elsewhere in NZ to see if it suits you better. Some of the general issues will be the same obviously - but you should find difference overall. To use the GP's as an example - while in general in NZ they are good - they probably arent all good, just as in the UK they arent all bad.

However - most people on here seem to agree on one thing (I guess it has to happen occasionally :) ) - and that is to try it and see.

[Diny]

However (to put a slightly different view to those above) it will have to be very good to match the service I get here in the UK. I’ve never had to wait more than an hour or so to see my doctor on the odd occasion I’ve needed a same day appointment. I can book “work friendly” appointments (eg 8am) up to a couple of weeks in advance for non-urgent stuff. I’ve never felt even slightly hurried by him – he always has time to listen properly to whatever the issue is and to fully explain to me what his recommended treatment is.

.

This made me smile ... reminds me of the GP clinic we used at home. It was a very small clinic, and when you needed to see a doc you simply reported at reception then sat in the waiting room. It was quite a social event - a good opportunity to catch up on village gossip.

There were 5 docs from another village, each of them taking a turn to 'staff' our village clinic so you knew exactly who you would be seeing on any given day.

Our docs over here run pretty much the same routine, just turn up at reception and wait your turn ....... but you have no idea who it is you'll be seeing. I've been 4 times since getting here (me and the kids) and haven't seen the same doc twice. I miss the 'history' we had at home, each visit means we have to start from scratch all over again.

At home it was totally free, over here it costs $28.00 for the kids and $56.00 for us oldies. Plus prescription costs of course.

Not wanting to turn the thread around to talking about doctors, but just another example of how different people with different experiences will see things differently once here.

The operative word being ...... DIFFERENT !!!!

Diny

[Keith]

Just to Jump in again,

On the subject of Doctors / Health.

What are the charges for prescriptions, and how do you stand regarding repeat ones. Just that over here you phone up and the repeat presciption is at the chemists ( or is that pharmacy) the next day , you pay your £6,25 regardless of what you have and walk out the door. Though sometimes the pharmasist will approach you, and ask you if you now how to use the item, normally so everyone can hear, OK if it's just your usual Migraine tablets, but can be a bit odd if it is something more personel.

[sizzlingbadger]

Not sure if it's the same everywhere. But here in Featherston it's $15 normally for a prescription. Some drugs are $8 and others that aren't fully subsidised are over the $15. With repeat prescriptions I pay $6 at the docs for them to give me the script and then I take it to the pharmacy and pay $15 or whatever amount there. As an asthmatic the bills can soon mount up over a year, in fact added up the cost of just me going to the docs just since April this year and all the drugs I've had to have and it came to $250 :(

As for moving here, well given you've only got one shot at life it's definitely worth trying it. We moved over a year ago and despite a couple of occasions recently where I've felt homesick (really took me by surprise as it never affected me in the first few months) we are all really glad that we took the step out of the comfort zone to do it :)

[Moorf]

Sizz - wouldn't you be eligible for a High Use card? Then you can claim discounts - it lists asthma as one of the conditions that would be considered and says it's not income related.
http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/wpg_Index/About-High+Use+Health+Card

[sizzlingbadger]

Thanks for that Moorf, not come across that card before. Usually they always ask for the community card which I know we don't qualify for :(

If I do qualify that could dramatically reduce outgoings for the docs, certainly please hubby who was complaining about my expenditure :D

[Howie]

Most of the original points will have very individual answers, but I'll toss in a few of my thoughts after 5 months in Auckland:

Housing and heat: We're Canadian. We're used to -20C outside, but we were shocked to discover how cold it was inside both of our rentals in Auckland during the winter. Since it's been a big beef for me, I've talked to a lot of kiwis about it. The vast majority have informed me that it just doesn't get cold enough in Auckland for insulation central heating. Since they don't think they need it, the houses (new or old from what we've seen) just aren't built for it. Why would they pay for what they don't need?

Our perspective is quite different. I'm used to being able to walk around in a t-shirt anywhere I want in my house. To keep our house that warm would cost us many hundreds of dollars in electricity. As it is, we keep a couple or rooms marginally warm for about $200/month, and we're having mould problems despite the dehumidifier. It often gets down to the single digits overnight and a high of 10-15C during the winter. Insulation is certainly needed in temperatures like that in my opinion.

Holidays: I get 4 weeks of holiday, and it accrues on a day to day basis so I can take some right away. I also get some sick time, but I don't remember how much. My time is very flexible, and I can work OT and take time in lieu. I have no idea how common my situation is, but my wife has a similar set-up. We're both engineers.

Crime: I feel safer here than in some places I've lived, less safe than others. Auckland's a city and it seems pretty average for a Canadian or American city of similar size (based on gut feel, what I hear on the news, how often I drive into an area that scares me by accident, how much graffiti I see, etc., not actual statistics).

There's been some debate in this thread over per capita vs. absolute crime statistics. I'm far more concerned about the per capita statistics. If five of us are living on an island and one person is murdered per year, my chances of being affected are far larger than if 500 of us are living on an island with the same absolute murder rate (one per year). The per capita rate has gone down from 0.2 to 0.002 and that's a good thing, even though there's the same number of bad guys on the island as before. Differences in how crime statistics are actually reported is obviously very important, though.

Chris

[leosus]

Whangarei? That's where I am headed too, and one of the driving forces is the MILD winter. I wouldnt worry about the double glazing keeping you well insulated in an area that rarely sees a frost.

[Diny]

Most of the original points will have very individual answers, but I'll toss in a few of my thoughts after 5 months in Auckland:

Housing and heat: We're Canadian. We're used to -20C outside, but we were shocked to discover how cold it was inside both of our rentals in Auckland during the winter. Since it's been a big beef for me, I've talked to a lot of kiwis about it. The vast majority have informed me that it just doesn't get cold enough in Auckland for insulation central heating. Since they don't think they need it, the houses (new or old from what we've seen) just aren't built for it. Why would they pay for what they don't need?

Our perspective is quite different. I'm used to being able to walk around in a t-shirt anywhere I want in my house. To keep our house that warm would cost us many hundreds of dollars in electricity. As it is, we keep a couple or rooms marginally warm for about $200/month, and we're having mould problems despite the dehumidifier. It often gets down to the single digits overnight and a high of 10-15C during the winter. Insulation is certainly needed in temperatures like that in my opinion.

Holidays: I get 4 weeks of holiday, and it accrues on a day to day basis so I can take some right away. I also get some sick time, but I don't remember how much. My time is very flexible, and I can work OT and take time in lieu. I have no idea how common my situation is, but my wife has a similar set-up. We're both engineers.

Crime: I feel safer here than in some places I've lived, less safe than others. Auckland's a city and it seems pretty average for a Canadian or American city of similar size (based on gut feel, what I hear on the news, how often I drive into an area that scares me by accident, how much graffiti I see, etc., not actual statistics).

There's been some debate in this thread over per capita vs. absolute crime statistics. I'm far more concerned about the per capita statistics. If five of us are living on an island and one person is murdered per year, my chances of being affected are far larger than if 500 of us are living on an island with the same absolute murder rate (one per year). The per capita rate has gone down from 0.2 to 0.002 and that's a good thing, even though there's the same number of bad guys on the island as before. Differences in how crime statistics are actually reported is obviously very important, though.

Chris

Excellent post Chris ..... a well balanced view of life in NZ reported by somebody who's actually 'living it'. I enjoyed reading it.

Diny

[Smiler]

Just on the doctors things for a mo..

2 prescriptions just cost me $3 each. :confused: I was expecting to pay more.

[willsken]

Excellent post Chris ..... a well balanced view of life in NZ reported by somebody who's actually 'living it'. I enjoyed reading it.

Diny

Ahhh come on Diny be fair. Apart from me and Stevie all the advice being given is from people actually living it! :D

[Diny]

Ahhh come on Diny be fair. Apart from me and Stevie all the advice being given is from people actually living it! :D


Yeah I guess you have a point - could be proof that 'actually living it' can be different to 'wanting to live it'. I still reckon it was a good posting though. Notice I say 'can' be different .... NOT 'is' different. (Forever wanting to keep a diplomatic status quo).

Diny

[willsken]

Yeah I guess you have a point - could be proof that 'actually living it' can be different to 'wanting to live it'. I still reckon it was a good posting though. Notice I say 'can' be different .... NOT 'is' different. (Forever wanting to keep a diplomatic status quo).

Diny

You're right. Wanting to and doing it are of course going to be very very different. If I am to live the dream I have about the life I want in NZ, the week will have to contain far more hours than it does!!! Going to work full time, have a horse, go travelling every weekend, grow all my own food, keep chickens, make my own wine...... it goes on. This is a dream and I KNOW it won't happen!!! But I have to have this dream to keep me going.

The whole process is hard and I have to believe that things are going to be better in NZ or what is the point to all this. Yes, I love reading the posts that keep my feet on the ground (well don't love actually, just need to :roll :D ), but (and far more so, naturally) I also love to read the posts where people are really happy and love the life they now have.

What I say, good or bad keep all those post coming!!! :nice1

[Lupin]

It often gets down to the single digits overnight and a high of 10-15C during the winter. Insulation is certainly needed in temperatures like that in my opinion.

I've decided to start preparing for some of the things that are most often cited as NZ cons, so dh and I are sleeping with all our bedroom windows wide open in an attempt to acclimatize :laugh Central heating is forbidden until we get a reading below the zero (as I'm led to believe this is rare in Hawkes Bay).

[Diny]

You're right. Wanting to and doing it are of course going to be very very different. If I am to live the dream I have about the life I want in NZ, the week will have to contain far more hours than it does!!! Going to work full time, have a horse, go travelling every weekend, grow all my own food, keep chickens, make my own wine...... it goes on. This is a dream and I KNOW it won't happen!!! But I have to have this dream to keep me going.

The whole process is hard and I have to believe that things are going to be better in NZ or what is the point to all this. Yes, I love reading the posts that keep my feet on the ground (well don't love actually, just need to :roll :D ), but (and far more so, naturally) I also love to read the posts where people are really happy and love the life they now have.

What I say, good or bad keep all those post coming!!! :nice1

NEVER stop dreaming Nic - it's what keeps most of us sane. If you want all the things listed above then you have every chance of getting them - maybe not all at once - but you WILL get them if you want them hard enough.

There's zillions of good things about NZ and living here (waking this morning to 1 degree c and to find that the fire went out over night is NOT one of them !!!). Having another horse is one of my long term plans too but like you say - so far I just haven't found enough hours in the day to fit all my wants into.

I think the best advice I can give (not that I'm actually qualified to give any at all) is to bear in mind that nowhere in the world can be sheer bliss all the time - there's still the everyday living to be done, work, school, grocery shopping, paying bills, getting the car fixed etc. At the end of the day, these 'mundane' aspects of life are pretty much uniform wherever you live.

Anyway - keep the dream alive, soon it will be reality (with maybe just a few minor adjustments).

Diny

[jess]

Lupin - you'll be totally ready! :laugh:laugh

From a US perspective this is pretty interesting, since working for a US company via internet from NZ I still get just 10 days off a year plus a couple of days at Christmas. I'm jealous of the NZ vacation time! All relative like so many before me have said...:)

K&CS summed it up nicely. "Good luck whatever you decide to do. There really is no right or wrong - you just need to decide if you think it's right for you, although the fact is, you probably won't know for sure until you get here!"

[willsken]

NEVER stop dreaming Nic - it's what keeps most of us sane. If you want all the things listed above then you have every chance of getting them - maybe not all at once - but you WILL get them if you want them hard enough.

There's zillions of good things about NZ and living here (waking this morning to 1 degree c and to find that the fire went out over night is NOT one of them !!!). Having another horse is one of my long term plans too but like you say - so far I just haven't found enough hours in the day to fit all my wants into.

I think the best advice I can give (not that I'm actually qualified to give any at all) is to bear in mind that nowhere in the world can be sheer bliss all the time - there's still the everyday living to be done, work, school, grocery shopping, paying bills, getting the car fixed etc. At the end of the day, these 'mundane' aspects of life are pretty much uniform wherever you live.

Anyway - keep the dream alive, soon it will be reality (with maybe just a few minor adjustments).

Diny

:)A fellow horsey girl!! I haven't riden for a few years.. I waiting to see if the old back will still be up for it. :uhoh

[Mike & Nicola]

Hello mate, thought I'd give my point of view seeing as I'm on the forum at the moment (which is a pretty rare event :exit )

1. Personally, never felt safer.

2. The majority of houses are shite, but things are slowly changing. Makes me laugh how they have TV ads here talking about "the future of housing" which means insulation and double glazing. We live in an apartment in Akl central, and all winter (I blinked and missed winter I think) and never had any heating. My missus feels the cold, but she was fine. So its not all bad. Also, there's plenty of ways to fix the problems too - just budget it into the cost of buying if thats what you plan to do.

3. Unfortunately/Fortunately NZ will always be isolated. Only been away 8 months, so not really expecting homesickness to kick in for a good few months yet.

4. Better than you can imagine

5. Not been to the docs yet. Never had insurance in the UK, guess I'm still to young to worry about that stuff yet ;)

6. ALL kiwi's are cool, everyone we've met from all cultures have been great to us. There are idiots the world over though.

7. Not really sure, only just got car insurance after driving all over NZ. Probably should have earlier, as most kiwi drivers are on a death wish (my only gripe with NZ).

8. Personally havent suffered it, most kiwis are interested why you're here, where you're from etc... And genuinely nice about it too.

9. Honestly, unless you plan to sit and watch every waking hour on the box, its not that bad. I was expecting MUCH worse!

10. Only been working for a couple of months, but I work in a pretty relaxed nice environment. Comparable to the UK I'd say.

I honestly love living in NZ at the mo, and am hugely impressed with Auckland.

Good luck.