Kim39
3rd November 2006, 10:28 AM
Well we have been in NZ for one whole year and 1/2 an hour, and i must say it has had its up's and down's.
Now having fought for about 10yrs to get to NZ, the last 12 months have had its fair share of if's, but's, and maybe's, but there again i suppose that is normal especially when you hit the air to travel halfway around the world, and uproot your family, but in the process leaving loved one's, whether it be family or friends behind. Anyway we are here and this is how the last 12 months have gone.
We came in under the work visa catagory as i had a job offer with a refrigeration company in Auckland. After having met with the HR manager we decided to take a look at the 3 locations they were offering me, which were Auckland, Palmerston North, and Hastings. After giving each and everyone serious thought we decided that neither of these places were of any use to us so politely made a few excuses and moved into the Waikato region where we had stayed with friends when we came in.
So after having a little jaunt around the North Island seeing various places, and i must add a big thanks to Diny/Mark for putting us up and using their place as a base whilst we looked at Palmy and Hastings we headed back North.
So after much decision making Elaine and myself began to seek employment. Now this is where i began to have serious doubts about this move, and if somebody had dropped a ticket to return home in my lap when i was suffering then i would most probably have snatched it right off them.
Having had several jobs in the past 12 months(transport industry in a right state) i think i may have settled a little better as currently i am on the tankers with Fonterra here in TA. Elaine has been very lucky in her search for employment as she has ended up with a company in Hamilton who are so concerned about our plight with the visa running out very soon that they have decided to apply for accreditation so allowing Elaine to apply for WTR. We are keeping fingers crossed that this can be sorted within the 3 months that i have left on the visa, otherwise she will apply to become the main applicant for another work visa, so allowing us a bit of breathing space.
To make matters worse for our new life, three weeks into it i got news that my sister had passed away, only 10 weeks after being diagnosed with Breast and spinal cancer. Now you can imagine the thought of, what the hell is happening to us, from coming in all guns blazing, with a job and plans, and then the job isn't in the right place for the correct wage and then bang i get that news, and immediately my thoughts are back in the UK regarding my Dad who's only son has done a bunk 12000 miles away, and then his daughter passes on. My concern was he is 76 yrs old and his world is collapsing around him, but being the good Dad he is he told me straight "you are not coming back, you have your family to consider and the cost's involved" so i took those words on board and tried to enjoy our new life whilst thinking about my sis and my Dad. Jeeze it was hard.
Ok, as i say things have got better, my girls are really settled into their new lives, they are picking up the lingo which is quite annoying really, no accent, just stupid saying's. Elaine is enjoying life out here, and i suppose i am too. We have paid a deposit on a section here in TA, and intend to build once we have the visa situ sorted. We have a good social circle, i am involved with the local footie team(play and coach), we have a good group of friends mainly expats, but with a few kiwi's thrown in for good measure.
I'm not going to blurt on about the price of things, or the state of this and that as i think i may become disallusioned again and have to carry on this thread on a reply thread, but what i will say, and using a kiwi phrase is.......LIFE IS SWEET AT THE MO!!!!!
Sorry if its a bit long winded.
Kim
Now having fought for about 10yrs to get to NZ, the last 12 months have had its fair share of if's, but's, and maybe's, but there again i suppose that is normal especially when you hit the air to travel halfway around the world, and uproot your family, but in the process leaving loved one's, whether it be family or friends behind. Anyway we are here and this is how the last 12 months have gone.
We came in under the work visa catagory as i had a job offer with a refrigeration company in Auckland. After having met with the HR manager we decided to take a look at the 3 locations they were offering me, which were Auckland, Palmerston North, and Hastings. After giving each and everyone serious thought we decided that neither of these places were of any use to us so politely made a few excuses and moved into the Waikato region where we had stayed with friends when we came in.
So after having a little jaunt around the North Island seeing various places, and i must add a big thanks to Diny/Mark for putting us up and using their place as a base whilst we looked at Palmy and Hastings we headed back North.
So after much decision making Elaine and myself began to seek employment. Now this is where i began to have serious doubts about this move, and if somebody had dropped a ticket to return home in my lap when i was suffering then i would most probably have snatched it right off them.
Having had several jobs in the past 12 months(transport industry in a right state) i think i may have settled a little better as currently i am on the tankers with Fonterra here in TA. Elaine has been very lucky in her search for employment as she has ended up with a company in Hamilton who are so concerned about our plight with the visa running out very soon that they have decided to apply for accreditation so allowing Elaine to apply for WTR. We are keeping fingers crossed that this can be sorted within the 3 months that i have left on the visa, otherwise she will apply to become the main applicant for another work visa, so allowing us a bit of breathing space.
To make matters worse for our new life, three weeks into it i got news that my sister had passed away, only 10 weeks after being diagnosed with Breast and spinal cancer. Now you can imagine the thought of, what the hell is happening to us, from coming in all guns blazing, with a job and plans, and then the job isn't in the right place for the correct wage and then bang i get that news, and immediately my thoughts are back in the UK regarding my Dad who's only son has done a bunk 12000 miles away, and then his daughter passes on. My concern was he is 76 yrs old and his world is collapsing around him, but being the good Dad he is he told me straight "you are not coming back, you have your family to consider and the cost's involved" so i took those words on board and tried to enjoy our new life whilst thinking about my sis and my Dad. Jeeze it was hard.
Ok, as i say things have got better, my girls are really settled into their new lives, they are picking up the lingo which is quite annoying really, no accent, just stupid saying's. Elaine is enjoying life out here, and i suppose i am too. We have paid a deposit on a section here in TA, and intend to build once we have the visa situ sorted. We have a good social circle, i am involved with the local footie team(play and coach), we have a good group of friends mainly expats, but with a few kiwi's thrown in for good measure.
I'm not going to blurt on about the price of things, or the state of this and that as i think i may become disallusioned again and have to carry on this thread on a reply thread, but what i will say, and using a kiwi phrase is.......LIFE IS SWEET AT THE MO!!!!!
Sorry if its a bit long winded.
Kim