[Twig]

My husband and I are having a sort of 'debate'.

We are unsure as to how invaluable a reccy really is. The only time I could go (because of work) is the christmas period, and only for 3 weeks max. We've had a butchers at costings and we reckon we're looking at between 7 - 10K for the entire trip (including 2 x squids, 10 & 11yrs). He was thinking of saving this money and just going himself for 3 weeks, to have a look around and look for a job.

Has anybody gone without looking first? I'm not saying I don't trust my husband (heaven forbid!!) because if he likes a place, I'm sure I will. It just makes me nervous to emigrate to a country I've never seen.

But the thought of saving that amount of money to be put in better places, does persuade me.

What do you think? Is it really necessary to reccy for 3 weeks?

[StevieD]

Yes Twig, we are going with no reccie ata ll. We hae loads of mates who have already made the move and we think what the heck, why not. It doesn't mean if you make the move after a reccie trip that you are guaranteed to stay, as evidence points out with other people from here.

Good luck whichever path you take.

Steve (flying out 9th March yay)

[stevied20]

Well twig I have asked this question on this forum already and the result was don't worry about a "reccy" and we have decided to move to Welly without going in advance as we feel the money is better spent going in the pot so to speak. Plenty of research should seal it for you!

Steve & Ju

[neilw71]

TBH - 3 weeks over Christmas would not really give you the real feel of NZ anyway, as people are either winding down for hoildays or travelling out of the towns as quickly as they can. I would save your pounds for the move and let your hubbie come on a work reccie (but not at Christmas as no-one recruits then)

Neil

[gil]

http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=6467&highlight=bonkers

The upshot was that about half (or possibly more) of us came without visiting first. Save your ££!!

Gil

[sizzlingbadger]

We came without having a reccy trip first.

We felt that it would feel too much like a holiday for us and wouldn't give us the real feeling of what it would be to live here.

Just think if you've been abroad before, how many times have you thought I could live here ? Simply because you're not working, you're relaxing and enjoying yourselves.

[zardell]

http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=6467&highlight=bonkers

The upshot was that about half (or possibly more) of us came without visiting first. Save your ££!!

Gil



Well done Gil......I was looking for that link too. :nice1 (Mind you, I've only just sussed out how to post pictures - doh !! )

Save your cash Twig. Coming over Christmas time will prove nothing about the reality of actually living in the place(s) you choose to visit.

Good luck with your decision........

Julie

xx

[Leccy-Lee]

I planning on coming over without any Recce! (albeit i am single but hells lets go) Although officially on a Recce, i hope to not leave!!

[wilson182]

OK, I am the shoe on the other foot then :laugh

We did come for a reccie, and that was mainly because at the time the point selection was so high there was no way we would make enough points without a job offer. OH is a site errector and fabricator/welder and we didnt feel that we could secure a job in the UK (friends of ours did with the same skills as hubby, but they knew a friend of the boss and he was in the UK recruiting at the time), it was more a case of face to face and lets see what you can do. We had two kids in tow and didnt feel confident enough just to sell everything and come over without at least a job offer first. From research we had done in the UK we also had earmarked three/four areas that we wanted to check out. We also (being cautious calvins) did not want to sell the house straight away, so we did not have a huge savings pot that we could live from if OH couldnt get a job for a while once we were here (I do know of people who have fallen down on this issue)..... It didnt feel like a holiday to us because we had an alterior motive (so to speak) and we were checking out things like the cost of groceries etc.

It sounds though like you are not planning just to sell up and come, that your hubby will be coming over to look for a job? I agree with the guys above, Christmas is not a good time to do this, so in that respect you may be better off if he comes alone.

Anyway, best of luck whatever you decide:D

[Twig]

Thanks for all your posts - they were very helpful! I think that has sealed it for us then. No reccy it is :eek:

Good point on the christmas front, I hadn't actually thought about that. When hubby does come over we were thinking more Jan/Feb, so hopefully that should be okay on the job hunting front.

We were thinking of selling our house (because it's a redevelopment anyway) and buying a small purpose built flat (near family because we are currently out in the sticks in Kent) just to rent out - then rent ourselves in NZ for 12 months. That way, our foot is still on the ladder back here, and I would feel like we have a 'safety net'.

This is all very exciting :D