[sarah]

Hi , my name is Sarah , I am a new member , i'm married to Peter and have two children ( Emily 7 and Nathan 4).

We were selected from the pool almost immediately ,and was granted PR only 3 weeks later !!!, It was a lot quicker than we thought and was taken aback at the speed of the process. !!!

Your forum has been a wealth of information and I have spent hours just looking at all the interesting topics that are covered, and how much you all support each other.....its really fantastic !!

I was doing okay ,but only just!!! about leaving my family and freinds here in the U.K and going half way around the world to a country that I have never visited and have no family or freinds there either . But since we have been granted PR and our flights are booked for February, I have suddenly lost my nerve and am having nightmares about the whole thing.....especially the money issue ,as I have read so many sad tales on this forum all about money ,and Peter wont be on a huge salary once we get there either !!!

We are heading for Palmerston North and was wandering if anybody could tell me a little about this area , good and bad please, !!!

Thank you very much Sarah x x x x x

[Diny]

Hi Sarah - welcome to the forum.

We live in Ashhurst which is 12km outside Palmerston North. In a nutshell we find this is a great place to live, off the tourist track, reasonable housing costs, within easy reach of Wellington, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Taupo, Napier & Hastings.

There's lots I can tell you about Palmy but maybe you'd like to ask a few specific questions - I'm more than happy to help.

There's one or two forum members in this area, and Marcia & Kev will be arriving mid November. Don't worry about feeling alone - there's a huge network of forumites to offer help and support when you need it the most. Wednesdays are 'ladies that lunch' day ..... don't worry, nothing flash, just a get together and a bite to eat and a chance to catch up.

I'll look forward to hearing from you, please ask away - happy to help.

Diny

[Lupin]

Hi Sarah and family :)

We're not heading to Palmy, but nearly did (job came up in Hawkes Bay) and I liked the sound of the place...a little off the beaten tourist track (so more home for your dollar), near enough to both beaches and mountains to enjoy and a decent enough size city to offer everything you could want. I didn't get any further than that in our planning but several people on here live round there and speak very highly of the place, so I'm sure they'll give offer more help then that! Just wanted to say Hello and welcome to the forum and the "rollercoaster" really :)

eta: posted at the same time as Diny

[marcia]

Hiya

Well we are heading to Palmy - in exactly 5 weeks :exit

Can totally see where you are coming from with the emotions - I was crying this weekend whilst out shopping with my sister, standing in the middle of a card shop blubbing like a baby, then the next thing laughing my head off, also today getting as mad as anything at the incompetence of companies who waste 2 hours of my time whilst I'm trying to sort out cancelling things (Ntl BTW what a nightmare - customer care?????? They certainly don't!!!!)

The whole emigration thing is a huge rollorcoaster ride, your emotons will be all over the place, you will have doubts but hey lifes for living and do you want to sit here in ten years time and say 'what if?'

Keep in touch and when you get to Palmy we'll have a meet up! I have 3 boys aged 11, 9 and 2!!

[Shazanick]

Hi Sarah - know how you feel. We're outta here on the 27th of this month (Oct) so increasingly we're reaching for the plastic pants... ahem!
Scares me something rotten sometimes - particularly since I don't have a job yet which is a bit of an anxiety inducer to say the least! Had some tearful fare-ye-wells @ the weekend with old buddies - left my best mate and had to pull the car over 'cos it's impossible to drive when you're crying like a baby!
I would say that Marcia (see above) has got it right - if you don't go you WILL reget it. It will be difficult but that of course is all part of the challenge isn't it?
My constant idea is looking back at my life when I'm on my death bed (aged about 106 obviously!) and not wanting to be thinking 'Oh knickers, I wish I'd gone to NZ when I had the chance.' As they say, 'it's not what you do in life that you regret, its what you don't do'. How's that for some home-spun philosophy, eh? Wishing all the best and a great new life - Nick D.

[Smiler]

Hi Sarah and family

Welcome to the forum. :cheers

I've never been to Palmy, so can't help there, but will be living about 45mins - 1 hour away. We're moving from Wellington at the begining of November. So I'll be a newbie to the area too. :D Happy to meet up for coffee and chats too.

Losing your nerve is a common feeling at this stage and I remember posting on this very forum when I did the same. It is scary and all the things others have said but when you settle down, you'll be fine. Like Nick and Marcia say, you won't be in the old folks home saying "we had the chance to go to NZ and I wish we had" You'll have done it, been there and lived it!

Good luck to you with all your plans and anytime you need a dry shoulder, just yell.

D x x

[Shazanick]

How very wise you are oh Smiler!

Nick. X.

[sarah]

WOW !!! what can I say,you guys are just lovely,Im feeling a lot more optimistic now ,and wont need to pop down to the shops to buy any more tissues just yet anyway, but will definately stock up on those plastic pants in the New Year ....thanks for the tip Shazanick!!!!

I am so glad that some of you are in Palmerston ,Im going to need "ladies that lunch Wednesday " sounds fantastic Diny ,and thank you so much for the invite and the offer of help !!

We have been looking at properties ,and saw one that we liked in Pahiatua (18 Tararua Street to be precise!!!) Diny, do you know much about this area and the primary schools there ? Any info would be so great ,as we dont wish to buy a property if its next to an electrical pillon , rubbish dump or a train that runs through the kitchen !!!!

Thank you all once again ,and good luck to Marcia and Shazanick with the big move !, We wont be far behind you, and will no doubt be using those plastic pants soon as well , I was thinking of stocking up on incontinent sheets as a back up ,as they have better absorbent powers and dont slip as much when your seated in the car or on the plane !!!

Thanks again ! love Sarah x x x