[NooDleS]

Hi folks,

After reading, re-reading and reading once more. I've had a realization that I seem to be the only person trying gain residency on my own. Everyone else happens to have at least a partner and some gremlins.

My questions to the regulars and non vocal users of the forum are...

Has anybody applied and emigrated on their own or is in the planning/preparation stages of it at the moment? If so, i'd like to hear about any obstacles you've come across.

I'm thinking it might be a lot more emotionally challenging, as i'd be leaving my other half behind for a good two years while she finishes her PGC.

Being 20 I have no equity and few ties. I have a small amount of a loan to repay and pay £40 a month rent. Easily manageable. So nearly everything I have is going into savings. I have about £3500 available balance on 2 credit cards, one Mastercard one Visa. I have an open return ticket for July and probably £4000 cash which should see me through a full 12months providing i'm responsible. Although the goal is to go on a WHV and find permanent work that way.

I skipped Uni and went straight to work. I'm now enrolled in the Open Uni which I should complete in October of next year and have that crucial 50points extra for the EOI. Taking me well into 160s with a job offer. So I have that 2 years experience in an area of absolute skills shortage and the qualification points!

Ok, I apologize for the incoherence of this post but I get rather excited talking about this.

To summarize, I'm looking for an insight into the experiences of anyone who has left the airport alone. For anyone who is planning to do so in the future, I would like to find out what steps you've taken so far to see whether or not i've missed anything in my plans.

Kindest regards

[gpbenton]

I'll be arriving in Auckland on my own on January 8th - but I've gone through the immigration process and already have a PR visa in my passport.

My current plan is find a motel/B&B for a couple of weeks to get settled in. Find somewhere to rent (or someone suggested that is more normal to share a flat in NZ). And look for a job - actually I'm applying online now.

I have some stuff that I'm putting into storage in the UK until I get sorted out (house & job) and then I'll have it transported.

I'm setting up a bank account with Westpac. I first asked my current bank (HSBC) but they were going to charge me GPB100 so I turned them down. I got a letter last weekend saying that was a mistake, but too late for them.

I think that's just about it. It all seems pretty simple really, considering what families have to go through. I can't imagine having to look after kids on a 24 hour flight. Actually I can't imagine being responsible for kids. :uhoh

I'll let you know how I get on if you like.

[veronica]

hiya we have met several people who have come here on the WHV and ended up staying so you are far from alone. I think that its just people with more encumberances, houses kids etc that feel the need to get reassurance from the forum, its easier for the singles.

[Trigirl]

i think those making the move alone face different challenges to those moving with a family.

you are likely to find the move itself easier, without a house to sell, container to ship, kids to move etc. but a friend of mine made the move by herself 18 months ago and found the first 6 months very hard. those of us with partners or families have at least them to communicate with - for a long time she found she was working long hours so finding it hard to make friends outside work and was then going home after work to an empty flat. she found it initially very isolating and was close to heading back to the uk after 6 months or so.

[anna_c]

Whilst I do have a partner now (and am applying for PR on the basis of our relationship) I came here alone, initially on a working holiday visa and then a student one.

I think the process was a lot simpler - having to worry about schooling, finding a place to live where two people could get employment, having to deal with reluctant teenagers all sounds like something of a nightmare to me.

On the other hand, there were emotional components that made it hard. Initially I was living in hostel style accomodation, and though I met many friendly people they tended to move on after a couple of months. Though I have, over time, established strong friendships I found it was hard initially with no-one close to fall back on.

[KerryS]

I came here alone too. I was on a year out, which extended to two, and then as I was in Australia it seemed silly not to visit NZ before returning back to the UK...
I was offered a job here very soon after arriving, secured a work visa and then got PR.
Initially it was hard to meet people as I spent so much time at work, but I joined a couple of sports teams and met people. Then I started sharing a house and met more people that way. I now have a huge group of friends.
My partner is a Kiwi and wants to go and work in the UK for a while, but I'm not so keen to go back. I've put him off for this year, but we may go back together in 2007 for an extended trip. That will be my first trip back home since I left to go travelling.

[gpbenton]

I joined a couple of sports teams and met people. Then I started sharing a house and met more people that way. I now have a huge group of friends.

I think this is important. When I worked in the US I got into soccer a lot more, coached at a local youth club and even did some refereeing. I plan to do the same thing in NZ. I've even checked that there are local soccer leagues, just to make sure I'll have something to do.

[NooDleS]

Sport may just turn out to be my saviour. I'm a Level 2 WRU referee so can ref Youth (U19) games. I've played footy for years (indoor 5 a side at the moment), I stick darts in my wall, play tennis badly in the summer and generally like anything that keeps me active.

Cheers for all your replies folks.

From all my research i've found that NZ had a huge flatting scene! It's geared a lot more towards house sharing than the UK. www.nzflatmates.co.nz has thousands of up to date listings!

Graham: when do you plan to arrive in Auckland?

[gpbenton]

I'm arriving (tickets are in my desk) on January 8th. :D

That's a great link by the way. I'm not yet convinced about sharing somewhere again - I've had my own place for too long - but this site certainly gives a good idea about who the current occupants are, or at least who they think they are.
:clap

[The Hodges]

From all my research i've found that NZ had a huge flatting scene! It's geared a lot more towards house sharing than the UK. www.nzflatmates.co.nz has thousands of up to date listings!


Thanks NooDles for the link. Very useful as it also does vacant property (opps, have I given the game away?!) I've added it to my favourites. :nice1

[NooDleS]

I'm glad you find it useful. I've been looking at vacant properties there for a while. To be fair, rental prices are a lot cheaper all round than the equivalent in sunny South Wales.

Another brilliant site is www.open2view.com and they have just started listing rental properties, they haven't got a lot yet but as it is a portal you can expect country wide agents to be listing properties as and when they become available. Harcourtz is another great agent but IIRC they use open2view as well.

I'm renewing my Wexas membership and booking my flight just after Christmas and before New Year. I'm debating on the end of June or July. (Dilemma = should I save another months wage?).

Merry Christmas everybody!

[alan999]

My plan is to go out early, leaving my wife and 4 children behind. I want the two eldest to complete their degrees, the other two their "A" levels before coming out.

So they can all come out June 2008, my plan was to get PR and move over about this time next year to settle in and have a safety net in case things don't work out.

Now though, because I need a job, if I get one next month I expect to be over May/ June this year instead.

Still though, the kids can spend their summer with me and activate their passports so we still think it's worth it but it is casing me concern.

[Leccy-Lee]

This is a great topic, and i now dont feel so "mad" that i am planning on emigrating totally alone to NZ. I dont know how to put finger on it, but i since a teenager have always wanted to get out of UK, and for 5yrs plus i decided NZ seemed like the place for me, and with no partner, no kids etc i have decided to go for it.

I plan on getting down under about July time, in a simlar fashion as OP (although me being 33 am too old for WHV) my cashflow on arrival probably only be £5000ish and i hope i can pray to find work a place to stay and get a work visa all in a short period before that cash runs out.

Having a trade on the skill shortage list i hope will be useful in finding work, the rest is just fate i suppose....

I am tbh a little anxious about landing in NZ alone, and my friends and family back home in UK, not knowing a soul in NZ, but i am hoping and praying i can somehow makes friends and hope to settle into a new life, maybe its all a whimsical dream, but i am prepared to throw all my current life away to try!

My only regret is i never did it when i was younger and could get a WHV....

[KerryS]

Lee you'll be absolutely fine. NZ is so friendly that you'll meet people in no time at all.
I'd start job hunting and linging things up with agencies before you arrive if possible, to give you a head-start for when you get here. I had already contacted the person who employed me prior to leaving Oz, and had a meeting fixed up to discuss work opportunities.

Where are you heading for and what sort of work are you looking for?