[ElizabethD]

Hello everyone...
I wish I would have posted more over the past few months. I am one of those people who never asks anyone for help and I see the support you all give one another and it is so wonderful. So, I'm taking a deep breath and asking for some advice here.

The house has been rented out, our boxes are packed, the movers are scheduled to be at our home Monday morning and we fly down with our two kids (aged 11 and 7) Monday night to CA to stay with my parents through the holidays flying out via Quantas on Dec 30. Our PM stickers expire Jan 3 (nothing like cutting it close).

Anyway, this is my dilemma: the whole reason I've cut the dates so close is that I needed to continue working on this end to save more money for the move. Neither my husband nor myself have a job waiting , nor do we know where we want to end up. We were admitted under the skilled migrant category so they thing we are a pretty good risk although I often wonder what my skills are!

Anyway, we had planned to travel around NZ in an RV throughout October for a couple of weeks to asses the South Island (which we've never seen but something about Christchurch is calling my name) unfortunatley, due to circumstances beyoned my control, we arriving at the height of the season and JEEZE the prices of RV rental have gone up to $275 per day from $80 in the off season. So, we've had to cancel that plan although we will still drive to the south Island and do the B&B thing for a week or so just to catch a glimpse. The movers say it will take 45-60 days for our stuff to arrive. I gave my cousin's address as a temporary address for the movers, but honestly, i don't know where we are going to end up because we have not interviewed yet and the whole country apparently shuts down until Jan 15! I have asked the movers on this end to hold our stuff for a couple of weeks so our things don't arrive before we do or have had a chance to determine where we like. Then, if we determine where we like...who's to say we'll find a job there? i don't want to sign a six month lease and it seems that's what people are asking for.

I don't want to live in Auckland. Welly is nice, but I want what i have here....semi rural with access to a city where my son can study violin and my daughter who is a high academic achiever already (yikes) can be challenged
My husband (who is Iranian) has a strong background in the sale of men's designer clothing...sales in general and I have an MA in Middle East Studies but have spent the past 10 years in sales marketing and business development.

Question: Any thoughts as to how I can overcome these obstacles? Where would be a good city to make our base--where we can hop on a plane for an interview if we have to? I can't put the kids through school moves. I want to home school until we settle somewhere permanently


As you can see dear friends....we are not a family that agonizes over details until our backs are against the wall. With this move we have stopped planning becasue every time we've made plans, some thing or circumstance changed things. When we arrive in Auckland, I have to buy a car immediatley (I'm talking the day the dealerships re open) or we'll be stuck. We are arriving homeless!
Can you help calm me down?

[Trigirl]

Firstly – welcome to the forums :cheers as you say it’s a pretty friendly place so I’m sure you’ll find the answers you need.

You say you’ll be homeless when you arrive. Have you booked a motel or do you have family to stay with for your first couple of days? Might be worth booking something if not. Apologies if I’m being an idiot and you just meant homeless as in not owning somewhere!

I’m sure someone will be able to help you with car dealerships in Auckland – all I can say is that after reading about so many people making this move – finding a car never seems to be an issue.

Have you tried contacting the recruitment agencies in Wellington and Christchurch? Now you’ve got a fixed date for arrival they might be able to start lining interviews up for you both? Even if the interviews aren’t till the 15th or whenever it will at least give you a start and help you make some plans for the first few weeks. All the major cities (and most of the little ones!) have airports. You can connect from Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch to just about anywhere so you could make any of those your base to start with.

We’re planning on arriving in Wellington in 5 and a bit weeks time. Don’t forget you aren’t alone – lots of others have been down this route before us (I’m sure they’ll all be along with much better advice once they’ve woken up :D)

Lots of luck
Mandy

[StevieD]

Hi ElizabethD (no relation are you?? :laugh) Welcome to the forum :cheers

We will be in a similar situation to yourselves, but what the heck, go with your instincts and enjoy the ride...

StevieD

[tigerlily]

Welcome to the forum! It's never too late to ask questions!

I think you would be safe to start applying for jobs online- use www.seek.co.nz and find some things that you are interested in. Now that your dates are fixed, you can let them know when you would be available to start. I think that you could see where the jobs in your field are, and look tentatively into moving there. Such as, are there any jobs for you in Christchurch? Auckland is a huge city, so a bunch of the jobs are there, would you be willing to live on the outskirts? My American view of the world tells me that you need to have the job before you pick the town, but if you do something that is in demand all over then maybe this isn't an issue.

It's a lot of pressure on yourself to think that you have to find a place that you want to live permanently in just a few weeks of travel around the country. Try to give yourself permission to try out someplace (Christchurch?) and then move in a year if that turns out not to be a place that suits you. Kids are more adaptable than adults and will take their lead off you. If you tell them, we are renting this house for year, and we'll make up our minds if we like this town enough to stay after that, I bet they would be ok. A year is a long time to a kid.

Having a few nights reservations for B&Bs might help ease your mind too. If that first week is taken care of, you may be able to relax a bit (or just have different things to worry about!).

It's a big adventure, yes stressful, but also a time when you can all have time as a family exploring this new place.

Keep us posted on your settling!

[marcia]

Hi can't give you any advice really - in the middle of a big panic ourselves at the moment - our packers coming on Monday we fly in just over 2 weeks!!!!!!

I would definately try and book a motel for the first couple of days just so you can get your heads down and have a base - also you will be able to sort out your bank accounts in those couple of days - we have opened ours already just need to activate them when we arrive - have been told we will be able to collect our debit cards the same day and cheque book a couple of days later (ASB)

Anyway welcome to forum and good luck! :)

[Carol]

I would definately try and book a motel for the first couple of days just so you can get your heads down and have a base - also you will be able to sort out your bank accounts in those couple of days - we have opened ours already just need to activate them when we arrive - have been told we will be able to collect our debit cards the same day and cheque book a couple of days later (ASB)

Anyway welcome to forum and good luck! :)


Good advie..... especially as this is "holiday season" and places do tend to get booked up pretty quickly.


Take a few deep breaths...... you'll be fine.

[jess]

ElizabethD - welcome to the forum.:D
You've gotten some good advice already. In addition you may want to try the papers - (Wed. and Sat.) Dominion Post in Welly, and The Press in Christchurch - for rentals when you arrive. Although the agencies want 6 months or a year most of the time, the private individuals advertising rentals in the paper will sometimes be more flexible. That's how we got a rental for an open ended period of time. We only had to give 21 days notice before moving. So perhaps you could rent and not be locked in.