[Migueliones15]

I wondered where I should introduce myself, looks like its here in The Lounge :D

I'm 15 years old and I live in Nottinghamshire, in the East Midlands. For the last year or so everyone asks what I want to be when I'm older. I absolutely love history and so it would be great to teach it. However, the pressures on teachers here, and the fact that the UK is rapidly going down the pan, made me think about emigration.

Obviously the first three places I thought about were Canada, Australia and New Zealand, all amazing countries which speak English and have links to the UK. My dad (who is a NZer) told me about how I could be entitled to citizenship, and so NZ started to become more and more attractive.
I absolutely fell in love with NZ after reading about it and looking at pictures of it. IT REALLY IS STUNNING. The ENZ site taught me so much and its something I realllllly want to do. New Zealand is just an amzing country wiht so much to offer and from the stories I've read, and things I've seen it's right up my street.

The fact that NZ needs more teachers really encouraged me and thats why I'm hoping to study at university in NZ and teach history at a secondary school. The teaching style over there really seems to be built more around the students.

The places I'm thinking about living in right now would be Christchurch, Wellington... but I have so much time to make my mind up about that... what I really want is a town/city where I can live but be just a few minutes from the countryside and the beach.

My uncle lives in Picton, and my cousins live in Christchurch and Wellington. I might even get to spend a month out in NZ with my uncle next Christmas! :D

It makes me sad to see how the UK is sinking but NZ looks like a place I can raise a family in without worrying about so many of the things I would here. Hope to be joining you all in New Zealand permanently - unfortunately I still have to wait three years!

Michael :)

PS I like rugby! :D

[Cardiff Irons]

Hi Michael and a big welcome to the Forum.:cheers Ooops, sorry, you're not old enough to drink in public, so :raebanana instead. Be good to have a younger voice on here. Most of us are old fogeys having a mid-life crisis. ;)

You mention that your dad is a NZer. What prompted him to come to the UK?

Totally agree about the UK. In fact I've just posted a thread that sums up how bonkers we've become.

Good luck and look forward to hearing more from you.

All the best


Steve

[Al_S]

Michael,

You show amazing maturity in your note. I wish you the best. Hope you are able to follow and fulfil your dreams. NZ , I am sure can use talented people, young or old. Good luck.

Al

[Migueliones15]

Hi Michael and a big welcome to the Forum.:cheers Ooops, sorry, you're not old enough to drink in public, so :raebanana instead. Be good to have a younger voice on here. Most of us are old fogeys having a mid-life crisis.
:D

You mention that your dad is a NZer. What prompted him to come to the UK?
My dads side are from Jersey but my grandparents emigrated to NZ a little while after WWII finished. My dad was born and raised there. They moved back to Jersey when my dad was 10 or 11, my dad joined the army and eventually settled here in Nottinghamshire - but never stopped singing NZ's praises!

Totally agree about the UK. In fact I've just posted a thread that sums up how bonkers we've become.
haha I'll go and check it out now... frankly, its depressing how bonkers we've become!

Good luck and look forward to hearing more from you.
All the best
Steve
Thanks for your message Steve :D My mum is from Bridgend btw and a very proud Welshwoman!

[willsken]

. Most of us are old fogeys having a mid-life crisis. ;)

Steve

Hey! Speak for yourself!! I'm in, well sort of... my prime!! :roll

A big welcome from me also, Michael!! :raebanana :raebanana

[Migueliones15]

Michael,

You show amazing maturity in your note. I wish you the best. Hope you are able to follow and fulfil your dreams. NZ , I am sure can use talented people, young or old. Good luck.

Al
Thanks Al :D

Hey! Speak for yourself!! I'm in, well sort of... my prime!! :roll

A big welcome from me also, Michael!! :raebanana :raebanana
Thank you for the welcome Nicola!

[Diny]

Welcome to the forum Michael .... wow - talk about an old head on young shoulders (and I mean that in a complimentary way). You certainly do seem to have your future mapped out - good on you.

I'm not the best person to comment on the education over here (I find it far from satisfactory) - but I'm sure whatever school you end up in will benefit from having you on the staff. I too love history (that's one of the 'biggie' things I miss over here), anybody wanting to promote it's learning in schools has the thumbs up from me.

You have plenty of time to 'plan your assult' and I wish you all the good luck on the way.

Diny

[Al_S]

Thanks for your message Steve :D My mum is from Bridgend btw and a very proud Welshwoman!
Interesting indeed. My wife grew up in Bridgend before moving to Canada. She to this day tells me that is the best place in the world ( I don't dispute it; you wouldn't either if you knew her :) )

[Carol]

Hi Michael.
You certainly seem to know what you want - good luck in your quest.

I'm a teacher...primary level.
I've taught longer here than I did in the UK (ten years here now)
And......guess what - I've burnt out.

It's no less a demanding job here than it is there.
(I'm having a wee break until the end of the year - and then who knows.)


I think where you do the "job" in itself is irrelevant.
It is how much of yourself you are prepared to pour into it that is the problem.
So be careful!

My kids have had a wonderful education here....and still are having it.
It is full, rounded and full to the brim of learning opportunities.
As far as history is concerned though.......remember this is a VERY new country!
I miss the history of the UK terribly - even now I find that a strange thing to say as I took it all for granted so much when I lived there.
But....what history there is here is incredibly interesting.

Carol

[zardell]

Hi Michael.

Just wanted to say WELCOME to the forum........... :)

I hope all your plans come to fruition and that you fulfill all your hopes and dreams.

Good luck to you.

Julie

xx

[Moorf]

Welcome Michael - you sure do seem to know what you want, good on ya, I certainly didn't aged 15 and I still don't aged 38!! Strangely enough, I was at a party last night in the village as my friend is marrying a local secondary school teacher - all the teachers there, bar one, were British :D !!

Having no kids and not having been to school here I can't comment on the eduation, but it does seem to be "the" focus for families in Chch - it appears to dictate where you live!

[jodieinchch]

Hi
Welcome a fellow young person (not meant to others in an offensive way)! I'm currently studying in Christchurch to be a primary school teacher at the age of 19. So why did your dad leave for the UK? And would they be keen to return to NZ?
Jodie x

[Migueliones15]

Thanks for all the replies and advice everyone :)

My dad's side are from Jersey but my grandparents emigrated to NZ and my dad was born and raised there but they moved back to Jersey when my dad was 10 or 11.

Several years ago we were going to emigrate to NZ but in the end it never happened (I think I had a part in that I didn't want to leave my friends :p)

What made you want to move to NZ Jodie?

[Avalon]

Michael-

Just wanted to say welcome :clap If you can dream like this at 15 - then theres no stopping you. You have a great future ahead of you - whatever you decide to do.

[jodieinchch]

I'll PM you.

[Angie and Mick]

Hi Michael

Welcome to the forum and all the best for the future. If you go on holiday to NZ I am sure you will then have a better idea of where you want to live, perhaps you could make some contacts before you go and have a look at the univeristies etc. :)

[Migueliones15]

Thanks for the advice, I'm checking out universities and at the moment Christchurch looks good, but I'm keeping an open mind!