[Sam B]

Hi
We're arriving at the end of January, me, my partner and 2 children. We first talked about moving in August, I got a job very quickly as on long term skills shortage, did EOI in October and got PR in November. It's all gone so fast, haven't really had a chance to think about it until now. We've just packed up the house (it's all going into storage and we're renting the house out in case we change our minds) and it's suddenly hit me that we're moving to a country that none of us have ever been to and are we mad?

I've been reading stuff on here for a couple of weeks now and I would say in general it's made me panic more. I'm sat in the lounge reading avidly and occasionally throwing comments over to J like "apparently there's no Bisto" or "the houses are really cold in Winter". Never mind that we have no heating here and are permanently frozen in Winter!

Can anyone make me feel better?

[jess]

Hi Sam. It's pretty normal to feel uncertain right at the end when it all becomes very real. Here's a good thread to read (http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=7054). People offer some good advice there.

Hope it settles down for you soon.:) Which part of NZ are you moving to?

Oh, and Welcome to the Forum!!! :D

[Sam B]

Thanks Jess, just read that link and it was helpful. Good to know that I am in the company of many people having panic attacks as was beginning to worry I am becoming mentally unstable. We're moving to the Waikato. Have agonised over that too as was offered jobs in several areas. Never gone through such a range of emotions, or at least not since just after birth of 1st baby. Everyone keeps asking me if I'm excited, and then looks slightly disapointed when I say I'm more terrified. And all my relatives have suddenly realised they will miss us and keep crying - aaarrgghh.
Cheers
Sam

[gil]

Hi Sam B and J,

We did the same as you (but without the job and with 4 kids) also without ever having been here. Now been here six weeks. So far, we love it and it has far exceeded any expectations we had.

Haven't been through a winter here so can't make an experienced comment on that, but if someone asked you to list the top 10 most important things in your life I suspect that Bisto wouldn't be on it. If it is, then you may well struggle here :D (I am trying to make you feel better, honest!)

Whereabouts are you headed?

Gil

[Sam B]

To be honest I never have Bisto so perhaps we'll be ok after all!

[Caroline and Dave]

Hi Sam and wellcome to the forum.
You are doing the right thing and your not mad at all. We have bought our land, chosen our house, even employed a gardener and we have never been there. If even a little bit of you feels you are doing the right thing then you are.We are thinking 100% positive and it is working.
We wish you and your family all the best in the future

Kindest regards

Dave and Caroline

[andreamatt]

Hi Sam

It's all happened fairly quickly for us too (we were idly talking about moving to the Balearics only last August!) but we are wholly focussed now on making a new life for ourselves and our 2 children in NZ. We've never been to New Zealand - and we're selling our house here. At the end of the day, after all the soul-searching, fretting and wild excitement too, NZ as a future home just 'feels right'.

I figure that if NZ doesn't work out how we'd like it too, and if we come back to the UK, then it will all have been an incredible experience...

Best wishes

Andrea Matt William and Martha

[snailandthewhale]

Hi,

Like you, Sam B and Andreamatt, it's all happened pretty fast for us too, we're leaving in just under 2 weeks and I think a bit of panic is to be expected. We've never been before either and I do worry about taking 2 children to the other side of the world on a whim.
However, reading about our fellow forumites adventures makes me realise it is a well trodden path. I keep telling myself, how bad can it be? and if it isn't for us, then at least we tried instead of just talking about it.
After all, the UK will always be here, and hopefully they'll let us back in....

Karen

[Sam B]

Yeah, you're right, I'm now back in wildly confident mode, soon to replaced with nostalgic crying with friends mode, then obsessive reading of guide books mode, then exhausted staring at ceiling all night... Aarghh. Will I miss old houses, Cornish beaches, friends, Big Brother (sad I know), British birds, friends again, my own bed, friends. why am I so tied to my life? Still must make the most of wildly confident mode before it ebbs away again in 5 minutes.
Cheers
Sam

[bob_the_engineer]

Hi Sam B, just go for it

We never visited, just moved here too.
I thought “so if we don’t like it we waste a little time and money and gain a new experience”.

LOL been here a year, we love the place, and have no intention of going back to the UK.

Bob

P.S you can buy a central heating system in the shop up the road from me, you can buy double glazing (although most people don’t), if you don’t have the money you can buy some thermal underwear. Not as glamorous but a little bit cheaper!
If your open minded you can have all you had and more by simply trying everything.

LOL the solution to the instant Gravy problem (this ones suitable for our vegi friends too)

1 pack of continental light brown gravy, 1 pack of continental rich dark gravy.
Try the light
Try the dark
Mix them together and try them again, I bet you like at least one of them.

If you really want bisto they sell it in pack ’n’ save along with oxo (never seen vegi oxo hence the gravy solution LOL) for those marmite lovers a visit to new world will get you the New Zealand, Australian and English versions.

One piece of advice is you have to give it a year to get the experience, this place is really season orientated and things change a great deal in autumn, winter, spring and summer and I’m not talking about the weather (for a change) :laugh

[thepiesleys]

hi sam

we arrived here 6 weeks ago, again no visit before hand - me OH and 3 children - i went through all the same emotions that you mention and i must say that they have not all gone away yet. I feel really homesick at times (especially over xmas and new year)
i am still questioning wheather we are here for good ( we have also kept our house in the UK) If i am perfectly honest i do hold a sort of security mantra in my head of 'if it all goes t**s up i'll just go home' a bit like 'just whistle a happy tune' if any of you are old or sad enough to remember that film!


- but i can honestly say it would be a struggle to find anything truly awful about NZ so far - different- yes - but thats the whole point - yes things, peolpe/ places will be missed but others will take thier place, i have met a couple of people allready whom i know will become long time friends and the landscape is all the brochures say and more.

Coming out of our comfort zones is always scarey and some just refuse to do so - others like you and i are prepared to give it a go - I will always be grateful for being given the opportunity of living here for however long .

I also truely believe it will be an experience my children will benefit from socially/culturally and emotionally.

o.k ramble over.

best wishes

Sue

[stephenandjulie]

Hi Sam
We are not panicking yet but I am sure we will be when it gets closer to moving out there. We haven't yet sent off our ITA forms and we have no job offer so it's early days still for us. Nonetheless, we hope to be in New Zealand by June 2007.
All the best with the move
Julie

[gpbenton]

Hi Sam,

I think its normal to worry, even panic, but hopefully this will put things in perspective.

If you are not selling your house, then really you are only a flight from home (albeit a 24 hour one). If things don't work out, you can all just get on a plane and go. (OK you have to wait for the tenants to move out, but you ought to give NZ 6 months tryout anyway).

Of course there is a small matter of jobs, but finding another job is not a really big deal - you did it to get to New Zealand. Your old employer may even want you back. :yes

I lived in the US before returning to the UK and managed to live without McVities Plain Chocolate digestives for 15 years, except for Christmas and my birthday when my mum sent me a pack. I survived, and Christmas felt special because of the treat.

I hope you have somebody to send you bisto. :)

[Sam B]

Hey thanks everybody, this is really helpful.

Honestly, I'm not some gravy freak, can't remember the last time I ate some, (oh yeah - 25th Dec), and I can't believe I'm niggling about little things like that, when the real issue is a previously unsuspected fear of change. I thought I was the carefree adventurous type, but maybe not when reality hits!

Anyway - much calmer today, even a bit excited. May even sleep tonight...

Sam

[bpk]

this place is really season orientated and things change a great deal in autumn, winter, spring and summer and I’m not talking about the weather (for a change)

life here is changing as quick as weather.