coopers
29th November 2006, 08:58 AM
Hi everyone,
I thought I would drop a line on our thoughts after being here 3 months. I always found this interesting when we were in blighty and looking to move.
We left Yorkshire 3 months back and now live in Christchurch, we were in Lincoln for a few weeks, but found it too quiet and isolated. Now on the edge of Ilam/Burnside.
The kids have had no trouble fitting in and finding friends, and are already sounding different, but we have found that while the kiwis are friendly, they are, well they seem on a different wavelength...hard to explain, but it is going to take some getting used to.
We have found that the cost of living is less than the UK, I did some sums the other day, and found that in the UK our housing costs..including Council Tax accounted for 48% of my salary...here...and the house and garden is bigger it accounts for 34%.
Even though people are telling me the weather is bad...we find it pretty good, and are out and about much more than we would have been in a cold wet Yorkshire!
With regards to food we are spending around the same, but have now noticed prices on fresh produce falling which will make a difference.
Overall we are financially better off here than in the UK, and converting my salary here on the current exchange rate I halved my salary!
Things we like about Christchurch...love being near the beaches, and also they are quiet at the moment...probably only hardened poms bother ambling along in the cool evenings!
Hagley Park is a lovely place..easy to get to and the kids like it too.
Overall so far...aside form the obvious homesickness and missing family firends and a good proper plate of fish/chips and mushy peas (or curry sauce) :) we are so far finding it ok....we are getting there slowly, I suspect that whilst it looks quite English in many ways that it is going to take us quite some time to settle in.....that sounded negative, and I didnt mean it to, we do know NZ was the right move...but there is more adjusting to do that we thought/imagined...does that make sense?!
A few q's now for those of you who have been here a while....does anyone know of a good 5-aside soccer league in Christchurch? Veteran level would be good cos I am old and knackered!!
And where is a good place to take your dog and let it off the lead for a good run??
And the best places to take my fishing rod on the coast?
Cheers for now
Andy Tracey Emily (13) George (11)
I thought I would drop a line on our thoughts after being here 3 months. I always found this interesting when we were in blighty and looking to move.
We left Yorkshire 3 months back and now live in Christchurch, we were in Lincoln for a few weeks, but found it too quiet and isolated. Now on the edge of Ilam/Burnside.
The kids have had no trouble fitting in and finding friends, and are already sounding different, but we have found that while the kiwis are friendly, they are, well they seem on a different wavelength...hard to explain, but it is going to take some getting used to.
We have found that the cost of living is less than the UK, I did some sums the other day, and found that in the UK our housing costs..including Council Tax accounted for 48% of my salary...here...and the house and garden is bigger it accounts for 34%.
Even though people are telling me the weather is bad...we find it pretty good, and are out and about much more than we would have been in a cold wet Yorkshire!
With regards to food we are spending around the same, but have now noticed prices on fresh produce falling which will make a difference.
Overall we are financially better off here than in the UK, and converting my salary here on the current exchange rate I halved my salary!
Things we like about Christchurch...love being near the beaches, and also they are quiet at the moment...probably only hardened poms bother ambling along in the cool evenings!
Hagley Park is a lovely place..easy to get to and the kids like it too.
Overall so far...aside form the obvious homesickness and missing family firends and a good proper plate of fish/chips and mushy peas (or curry sauce) :) we are so far finding it ok....we are getting there slowly, I suspect that whilst it looks quite English in many ways that it is going to take us quite some time to settle in.....that sounded negative, and I didnt mean it to, we do know NZ was the right move...but there is more adjusting to do that we thought/imagined...does that make sense?!
A few q's now for those of you who have been here a while....does anyone know of a good 5-aside soccer league in Christchurch? Veteran level would be good cos I am old and knackered!!
And where is a good place to take your dog and let it off the lead for a good run??
And the best places to take my fishing rod on the coast?
Cheers for now
Andy Tracey Emily (13) George (11)