[andreamatt]

Hello! Very new to all this! I found this site a couple of weeks ago and am already hooked! What a friendly bunch you seem. My husband, Matt, has this evening ! been offered a job with the Met. Service, based in Wellington - wow! It's very hard to take in, emotions all over the place but we're determined to make a go of it. Matt's currently working in Plymouth for the RN but is so ready for a change, we've both had NZ on our minds for years (and there are numerous other reasons for making a move). I have a very small part-time job clerking for the governors at my children's small rural school; I go in to help in the classrooms too - I wonder if there's any scope for doing this in NZ schools?

Our son William (8 in June) finds change very difficult - how to break the news to him of daddy's new job? Our daughter Martha (6 in 3 weeks) is so much more gregarious / easy-going. Their school (of 93 children) is so much smaller than any primary school I've so far come across in Wellington city - help. Is there anyone out there now living in Wellington with children of a similar age?

Many questions: Best family-orientated Wellington suburbs / primary schools? What to tell the family? etc.

Sorry for going on. Best wishes to all moving to NZ this month - seems there are quite a few of you,

Andrea Matt William & Martha

[The Hodges]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations. :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

As you say, you'll find lots of impartial and honest advice on this forum. We can't help you with Welly, but they'll be many people on here that can.

However, you may wish to try www.movetowellington.co.nz for some initial advice on the Windy city. Also, try the search function at the top of the page, which will through up lots of previous questions asked.

Good luck. :clap

[andreamatt]

Hello The Hodges

Thanks for your welcome and thanks for the website address. Where are you planning to move to? (No doubt you've mentioned it somewhere in the forum).

Best wishes,

Andrea Matt William and Martha

[Moorf]

Ohhh someone on the inside at the NZ Met Office - we're a bit weather crazy round here :nice1

Welcome guys :yes

Moorf

[Brijan]

Hi Guys
Welcome to the Forum. Wow working for the met service in welly must mean a place up at the top of the Botanic Gardens, there can't be many offices with a better veiw.
We live in Khandallah which is in the northen suburbs and about 5km away from the botanic gdns, its a bit of a posher place than some other areas but you can get spectacular veiws, Cashmere school in Cashmere Ave is a really good school although our kids are older now but our neighbours tell us its great.
Kelburn, Karori, Northland, Ngaio, Crofton Downs and Wadestown are the suburbs with easier acces to the Met office but they are a little more expensive than other areas, Johnsonville, Churton Park are a little further out but not bad areas.
The Eastern suburbs are quite nice Seatoun,Miramar,Maupuia but you have to get accross either end of the airport and it can be busy at times.

We love it here in wellington, been here over 4 years, you don't notice the wind after a while unless its a really bad day, there's always things to do going on, today was the xmas parade through the cbd for example, its a great place for kids and not bad for adults either thinking about it.

Hope i've answered some questions for you
All the Best
Brian and Jan :)

[Smiler]

Welcome to the forum :cheers and congrats on the job offer too. :nice1

We're all obsessed with the weather on here and will now be looking for the low down on the weather before we plan our BBQ's etc. :laugh

Good luck with all your plans.

[Nienke]

Welcome to the forum! Congratulations with the job offer, and wish you good luck with all that is coming your way!! :cheers

[andreamatt]

Hello and many thanks for your warm welcomes. Yes, if all goes well Matt will be above the Botanic Gardens - as he would say, how many jobs are there where you you're paid to look out of the window?!

Thanks Brijan for your insider info. on Wellington suburbs. We would love to be a one-car family and so ideally (finances permitting) would like to eventually find somewhere in Karori / Kelburn / Wadestown - maybe we're dreaming?!!! But Khandallah looks lovely (have been checking out school websites etc.). A Christmas parade in November - does the festive season start so early in NZ too?

To anyone in Devon / Cornwall looking to head out to NZ - let me know if you want to meet for coffee...

Best wishes,

Andrea Matt William and Martha

[jo lois]

Hi Andrea

congratulations on job offer and welcome!!!

We're hoping to head off to Wellington in Jan (fingers crossed and house sale pending!!) We live just outside Plymouth at the moment so it's great to hear of another Devon lass and family taking the plunge.
PM me if you want to chat!!
Cheers
Jo

[The Hodges]

Hi andreamatt

In response to your question, Where are you planning to move to?, we'll be moving to Auckland in the New Year, hopefully around January time, as that is where my job will be located.

It looks like you've had some responses, which I hope help, but don't hesitate to repost your questions under the specific headings of employment etc. on the forum.

Also, if you want to meet up, I am sure that'll there will be a Welly meet up organised soon.

Good luck guys. :nice1

[andreamatt]

Good luck with your move to Auckland - not long now...

Best wishes,

Andrea Matt William and Martha

[Bruckner]

Welcome at the forum Andrea, Matt, William & Martha!

Emily

[Kim39]

Welcome to our World you Devonites:nice1 Hope you guys will not be called that word the Cornish use when you arrive......emmetts!!!!

Hey to think good old Matt will be able to update the NZ weather report each and everyday in the Lounge. Wow our own forum weather forecaster:clap


Kim

[StevieD]

OOer, an RN METOC - wasn't you along with a few others I went bike riding with into Spain from Gibraltar in 1990 from RFA Argus was it? Very drunken affair, bareley made it back in one piece :laugh (especially those particularly gritty Spanish hillside roads)

Probably not, anyway, welcome to the forum, and good luck in your venture :nice1

Steve

[andreamatt]

Hi

StevieD - nope, wasn't Matt - sounds fun though (?!) Thanks for your welcome.

Bruckner - when are you off to NZ, and whereabouts? Good luck.

Kim39 - don't think Matt will be doing any forecasting until he's done the upside-down-weather course!

Thanks everyone for making us feel welcome,

Andrea Matt William and Martha

[stephenandjulie]

Hello Andrea Matt William Martha
I have just sent you a PM to say hello. We are in Exeter and in the very early stages of applying for Residency. Good to hear of fellow Devonians moving to NZ although I suspect there are many more out there.
We have two children, George 8 and Eleanor 4. George is excited and Eleanor is probably a bit too young to understand we may be going to the other side of the world to live.
Good luck with the process. It seems you are already miles ahead with the job offer in the bag.
Julie and Stephen