[aliz76]

Hi

I’m Ali and my husband is Justin. We’re planning to leave the UK at the start of March, and we should arrive in NZ at the start of August, as we decided to go travelling around South America for a few months whilst we have no job/mortgage/bills etc.

We’re in Liverpool at the moment, where we met at uni 10 years ago. It’s a great city, but we’re both looking for a more rural and laid back lifestyle. I’ve always lived in the UK but have moved around lots (Birmingham, Manchester, Ipswich, Leeds, Macclesfield, Newcastle), so I don’t really feel rooted down to anywhere in particular. Justin’s an Aussie citizen, so he hasn’t had to jump through all the NZ bureaucratic hoops that most of us have had to – lucky fella! When we first got together we talked about moving back to his native homeland, but whilst living in the UK he’s really got into his mountain sports and skiing in a big way, and we both love hillwalking and canoeing so NZ seems the most logical destination (there’s a distinct lack of mountains and snow in Perth, WA!).

We're both really excited at the prospect of moving to NZ, although we’re not sure yet where we're going to settle yet....I've got a couple of job interviews lined up this week (1 in Dunedin and 1 in Hawke's Bay) so fingers crossed I get offered one of those. We’re both on the shortage skills list (Speech Therapist and Science Teacher) so hopefully(?) we should be able to find work somewhere.

I recently seem to have developed a worrying addiction to this website (poor Justin is feeling neglected) but it’s so useful and I love hearing everyone’s opinions! ;)

Hopefully, we'll be able to meet up with some of the forum members in the flesh when we arrive in NZ, it'll be great to say 'thanks' in person.

Cheerio for now,
Ali.xx

[vixxann]

Hi Ali & Justin and welcome to the forum - it is terribly addictive isn't it!! :yes

Just wanted to say hello, best of luck with your plans and did you know we are having a meet-up in the North West on Feb 10th? It's a pub in Warrington so not too far for you if you're free. There's a thread for it in the meet up section if you're interested ;)

All the best

[aliz76]

Hi Vicki

Thanks for the welcome and invite. StevieD sent me a message about the meet in Warrington and I'm hoping to go....only problem is it's the day after our leaving party, so I might not make a terribly good first impression!

How are your plans for the research trip going? Do you know where you're heading to yet? I've not been to NZ before, but it would've been nice to have a recce trip if time and funds had allowed it.

Look forward to meeting you and your family in Warrington...you might just have to talk to me very quietly if my head's sore!

Cheerio for now,
Ali.xx

[StevieD]

I suppose this is as good a place as any to post my 2000th post!!!!!!

http://bestsmileys.com/fireworks/3.gif

Yes, as you can see by the count, it is terribly addictive, although, Jan, my dear wife, is just approaching 5000 (yes THOUSAND) on her scrapbooking forum - and she only been on that since Dec '05! But they do use it like a chat room more than a forum.... well, that's her excuse anyway :laugh

Yes it would be nice to see you there, here's hoping.

Steve and Jan

[The Hodges]

Hi Ali and welcome.

We just wanted to say good luck with all of your plans & your job interviews, and I hope that they go well so you have a choice of offers.

I loved Perth when I visited 6 years ago, top city and thoroughly enjoyed my time there. Yet to do the east coast, but hopefully when we are little closer. ;)

If you need any more advice, just post the question and we'll try to answer it.

And congrats to you as well SteveD, keep up the good work! :D

[pinkpiggy]

Hi Ali,

Welcome to the forum. Good luck with your interviews.

I haven't been but my dad lived in Perth for about 25 years when he was in the Auzzie Army. He loved it. He only came back to the UK after his marriage split up. Good for us he did, that's when he met my mum. ;)

[vixxann]

Hi Vicki

Look forward to meeting you and your family in Warrington...you might just have to talk to me very quietly if my head's sore!



We promise not to shout too loudly :D (cannot promise for the kids though!)

Will be great to meet everyone and share cummulative New Zealand news, plans and gossip!

[Ana&Steve]

Hello! I like your fishies avatar, very cheerful :D
Ana

[wanderingoregonian]

Welcome - and just wanted to let you know that I'm a speech therapist. feel free to pm me if you want any info or have any questions. If you are interested in education sector, its worth checking out the education gazette... you can have them email you posting of all the job offers. If I didn't love my current job, a couple of these look interesting (http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/vacancy.php). Speech therapist are very much in need here, and there are many maternity leaves that need to be filled - a great way to find a job in advance (i.e., employers have a few months notice) and a nice way to 'try' out a place. Motueka is right next to the abel tasman national park and just last month I was joking that if a job ever opened up there... oh well... I've also visited the Mt Roskill School and got a good feel from it (in the hour I was there...)

[willsken]

Welcome to the forum. If you're looking for secondary science positions you should be fine. As in the UK good science teachers are hard to come by. We are living in Hawke's Bay and I am just about to start my first teaching job here. Good luck with the interviews. :nice1

[Kim39]

Welcome to our world Ali. Am sure you will become more addicted as the days and weeks pass by up until your departure for South America. Take that trip along to the meet, it will be well worth it. This comes from one of the founding members of the NW meets, as we came out here not far from you at the moment(prescot, spoke with Stevie D) which was across the bridge in Runcorn.

As for you Mr D, i was beginning to wonder where this 2000th post was going to be fitted in. Well done mucker:cheers

Kim