http://www.emigratenz.org/forum New Zealand en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:48:54 GMT vBulletin 15 http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.emigratenz.org/forum http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27636&goto=newpost Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:35:53 GMT Well today marks the anniversary for 3 months since we arrived and i think it justifies a few comments.
I now call my house here in auckland home and refer to england as "back in the UK" we seem to have settled into a routine, DD has made friends and is enjoying the extra freedom that she has here, i can let her go outside and play with the neighbours and i know that she is safe, she also has her little friends in to play with her toys and that is nice.
we have figured out where/how to get the cheapest petrol, where to shop for our fruit and veg, the best place to buy all those little tiny DIY bits and pieces, we have pretty much furnished our house on a shoestring budget (thanks to donations from family and freecycle as well as generous trademe'ers)
I have missed home (even not knowing where home is) and cryed wanting to see family/friends, and wanted to desperately get away from the family here.
We are now finding that the space that we yerned is a bit more than we are used to coping with and the concept of having a spare room is taking some getting used to!

I haven't really made any friends yet and from that point of view i miss my friends in the UK who i still have regular contact with using MSN etc.

DP has settled well into his job but is still regularly exhausted with the long hours (he has gone from Uni course in the UK to full time job here) but considering the huge change that is not surprising.
we have a little money to save and a little to spend by the end of the week, but could do with another at least part-time income to live comfortably (and there is where i might also find my friends)

Sadly the nearest playcentre is 1 hours walk away which is a bit much for us at the moment but it looks like theres a Kindy just round the corner and DD can't wait to check it out!

I have obtained a child seat for my bike (at long last) and when that arrives we will be going out and about a lot more, we may even make it as far as the playcentre :clap

With christmas approaching we have no idea what our plans are, i have no idea what to expect and am still having trouble with the concept of christmas in the summertime and signs on the side of the road advertising christmas things and summer fayres still make me double glance, it doesn't really seem christmassy and i don't really feel any pull to go search for presents, but am having trouble convincing the UK family not to bother as we don't really want anything anyway.

TBH the only thing that i do really want right now is a washing machine.

so yeah, its difficult to remember what our life was like back in the UK so much has changed.

Just on a slight tangent, the last alcoholic drink i had was the night before we left the uk, not really felt the desire to open a bottle of vino and celebrate just yet, but then we very rarely drink anything anyway, i think mostly its the thought of wasting half the bottle that has put us off! ]]> Emigrate NZ Community Flutterby http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27636 http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27634&goto=newpost Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:25:57 GMT So I'm bored and looking through Bayleys (I miss NZ btw) and I found this house:

http://www.parihoa.co.nz/parihoa_photos.pdf

It's an 8 meg PDF with pics but its pretty funky.

This is the listing URL on Bayleys.

http://bayleys.co.nz/49048


I have always found NZ homes to be really interesting and unique and I thought I needed to share this one.

Dan ]]> Real Estate TheBigSaxon http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27634 http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27632&goto=newpost Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:20:28 GMT We've booked our medicals for a week on Monday and I'm trying to live healthily in the run up to them. A recent blood test revealed slightly raised cholesterol as well as a slightly raised liver enzyme, and my blood pressure is a bit high at 160/100. Should I see my GP about medication for this lot before applying? I'm generally healthy, a non smoker, go dancing at least once a week and have a BMI of 28.
Thanks
S ]]> Immigration Medicals sheppy99 http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27632 http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27630&goto=newpost Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:13:21 GMT Having spent a month in Australia at the beginning of 2008 I've decided to move to Auckland.
So far we've been to the NZ Medical Jobs Expo, submitted our EOI and been selected for processing.
A worry is the processing time listed on the Wellington office which is listed as 3 months :wah
We've booked our medicals for a week on Monday.
Cheers
S ]]> Introductions sheppy99 http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27630 http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27629&goto=newpost Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:00:52 GMT According to Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International published in November 2009, NZ is most honest country in the world. :nice1 Corruption index scores (2009-2008) SOURCE: Transparency International 1 New Zealand 9.4 9.3 2 Denmark 9.3 9.3 3 Singapore 9.2 ... According to Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International published in November 2009, NZ is most honest country in the world. :nice1


Corruption index scores (2009-2008)
SOURCE: Transparency International

1 New Zealand 9.4 9.3
2 Denmark 9.3 9.3
3 Singapore 9.2 9.2
3 Sweden 9.2 9.3
5 Switzerland 9 9
6 Finland 8.9 9
6 Netherlands 8.9 8.9
8 Australia 8.7 8.7
8 Canada 8.7 8.7
8 Iceland 8.7 8.9
11 Norway 8.6 7.9
12 Hong Kong 8.2 8.1
12 Luxembourg 8.2 8.3
14 Germany 8 7.9
14 Ireland 8 7.7
16 Austria 7.9 8.1
17 Japan 7.7 7.3
17 United Kingdom 7.7 7.7
19 United States 7.5 7.3
20 Barbados 7.4 7
21 Belgium 7.1 7.3
22 Qatar 7 6.5
22 Saint Lucia 7 7.1
24 France 6.9 6.9
25 Chile 6.7 6.9
25 Uruguay 6.7 6.9
27 Cyprus 6.6 6.4
27 Estonia 6.6 6.6
27 Slovenia 6.6 6.7
30 United Arab Emirates 6.5 5.9
31 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6.4 6.5
32 Israel 6.1 6
32 Spain 6.1 6.5
34 Dominica 5.9 6
35 Portugal 5.8 6.1
35 Puerto Rico 5.8 5.8
37 Botswana 5.6 5.8
37 Taiwan 5.6 5.7
39 Brunei Darussalam 5.5
39 Oman 5.5 5.5
39 Korea (South) 5.5 5.6
42 Mauritius 5.4 5.5
43 Costa Rica 5.3 5.1
43 Macau 5.3 5.4
45 Malta 5.2 5.8
46 Bahrain 5.1 5.4
46 Cape Verde 5.1 5.1
46 Hungary 5.1 5.1
49 Bhutan 5 5.2
49 Jordan 5 5.1
49 Poland 5 4.6
52 Czech Republic 4.9 5.2
52 Lithuania 4.9 4.6
54 Seychelles 4.8 4.8
55 South Africa 4.7 4.9
56 Latvia 4.5 5
56 Malaysia 4.5 5.1
56 Namibia 4.5 4.5
56 Samoa 4.5 4.4
56 Slovakia 4.5 5
61 Cuba 4.4 4.3
61 Turkey 4.4 4.6
63 Italy 4.3 4.8
63 Saudi Arabia 4.3 3.5
65 Tunisia 4.2 4.4
66 Croatia 4.1 4.4
66 Georgia 4.1 3.9
66 Kuwait 4.1 4.3
69 Ghana 3.9 3.9
69 Montenegro 3.9 3.4
71 Bulgaria 3.8 3.6
71 Macedonia 3.8 3.6
71 Greece 3.8 4.7
71 Romania 3.8 3.8
75 Brazil 3.7 3.5
75 Colombia 3.7 3.8
75 Peru 3.7 3.6
75 Suriname 3.7 3.6
79 Burkina Faso 3.6 3.5
79 China 3.6 3.6
79 Swaziland 3.6 3.6
79 Trinidad and Tobago 3.6 3.6
83 Serbia 3.5 3.4
84 El Salvador 3.4 3.9
84 Guatemala 3.4 3.1
84 India 3.4 3.4
84 Panama 3.4 3.4
84 Thailand 3.4 3.5
89 Lesotho 3.3 3.2
89 Malawi 3.3 2.8
89 Mexico 3.3 3.6
89 Moldova 3.3 2.9
89 Morocco 3.3 3.5
89 Rwanda 3.3 3
95 Albania 3.2 3.4
95 Vanuatu 3.2 2.9
97 Liberia 3.1 2.4
97 Sri Lanka 3.1 3.2
99 Bosnia and Herzegovina 3 3.2
99 Dominican Republic 3 3
99 Jamaica 3 3.1
99 Madagascar 3 3.4
99 Senegal 3 3.4
99 Tonga 3 2.4
99 Zambia 3 2.8
106 Argentina 2.9 2.9
106 Benin 2.9 3.1
106 Gabon 2.9 3.1
106 Gambia 2.9 1.9
106 Niger 2.9 2.8
111 Algeria 2.8 3.2
111 Djibouti 2.8 3
111 Egypt 2.8 2.8
111 Indonesia 2.8 2.6
111 Kiribati 2.8 3.1
111 Mali 2.8 3.1
111 Sao Tome and Principe 2.8 2.7
111 Solomon Islands 2.8 2.9
111 Togo 2.8 2.7
120 Armenia 2.7 2.9
120 Bolivia 2.7 3
120 Ethiopia 2.7 2.6
120 Kazakhstan 2.7 2.2
120 Mongolia 2.7 3
120 Viet Nam 2.7 2.7
126 Eritrea 2.6 2.6
126 Guyana 2.6 2.6
126 Syria 2.6 2.1
126 Tanzania 2.6 3
130 Honduras 2.5 2.6
130 Lebanon 2.5 3
130 Libya 2.5 2.6
130 Maldives 2.5 2.8
130 Mauritania 2.5 2.8
130 Mozambique 2.5 2.6
130 Nicaragua 2.5 2.5
130 Nigeria 2.5 2.7
130 Uganda 2.5 2.6
139 Bangladesh 2.4 2.1
139 Belarus 2.4 2
139 Pakistan 2.4 2.5
139 Philippines 2.4 2.3
143 Azerbaijan 2.3 1.9
143 Comoros 2.3 2.5
143 Nepal 2.3 2.7
146 Cameroon 2.2 2.3
146 Ecuador 2.2 2
146 Kenya 2.2 2.1
146 Russia 2.2 2.1
146 Sierra Leone 2.2 1.9
146 Timor-Leste 2.2 2.2
146 Ukraine 2.2 2.5
146 Zimbabwe 2.2 1.8
154 Côte d´Ivoire 2.1 2
154 Papua New Guinea 2.1 2
154 Paraguay 2.1 2.4
154 Yemen 2.1 2.3
158 Cambodia 2 1.8
158 Central African Republic 2 2
158 Laos 2 2
158 Taijikistan 2 2
162 Angola 1.9 1.9
162 Congo, Republic 1.9 1.9
162 Congo, Democratic Republic 1.9 1.7
162 Guinea-Bissau 1.9 1.9
162 Kyrgyzstan 1.9 1.8
162 Venezuela 1.9 1.9
168 Burundi 1.8 1.9
168 Equatorial Guinea 1.8 1.7
168 Guinea 1.8 1.6
168 Haiti 1.8 1.4
168 Iran 1.8 2.3
168 Turkmenistan 1.8 1.8
174 Uzbekistan 1.7 1.8
175 Chad 1.6 1.6
176 Iraq 1.5 1.3
176 Sudan 1.5 1.6
178 Burma 1.4 1.3
179 Afghanistan 1.3 1.5
180 Somalia 1.1 ]]> Emigrate NZ Community rizjunior http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27629 http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27628&goto=newpost Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:00:26 GMT Well, technically, it's two weeks tomorrow, but I can't really wait another 13 hours to have been on NZ soil for two weeks :laugh

We landed in Windy Welly two weeks ago, and the landing into the airport couldn't have been smoother - I was most disappointed having seen all the vids on YouTube...

We spent just under a week in a caravan park in Seaview, Lower Hutt (it's the Top 10 one, built in converted army barracks (we heard the owner talking to an inspector outside our cabin...), on an industrial estate) before finding ourselves somewhere to rent. It was the second house that we looked at (out of 4 houses/flats), and we really did love it straight off. So we are now living in Lower Hutt, just round the corner from Waterloo Station, in a semi-detached bungalow, with a front and back garden (with a greenhouse), with a view of bush covered hills from the living room. The sort of place that I could only have dreamt of renting in the UK (particularly round Bristol!), and we have it at less than we would have paid for our flat in Brizzle (particularly given that the landlady is paying our rates for us!).

I've been interviewed by one company, but I've now had three interviews with them for two different jobs! One sales (standing in malls and accosting shoppers), which I'm not particularly keen on, and one general office admin (being their only administrator - it's a start up company); the pay isn't great (the quarterly performance bonuses will help, but I can't guarantee on getting them), but the role would be perfect for me (basically the director I'd be working under is a "make it so" type of chap, and I work best when given goals and just allowed to get on with the task). I find out next Weds, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Overall, I'm still loving it. Money is going faster than I'd expected, but then we have bought a fridge/freezer and washing machine brand new, plus second hand dining room table, chairs and a couple of wicker lounge chairs, so I can't really complain! We have internet access (finally - turned on today!) that doesn't require me going to the library (and we have already taken huge advantage of the Lower Hutt War Memorial library and have each taken out (and returned, usually the next morning - so much reading time when you don't have internet or tv!) huge numbers of books.

Everyone we have met has been so friendly and helpful, from the bus drivers to the people in the dairies. I really feel like this is home, already (and even without our shipped goods, and with Pickfords not talking to me to tell me where my stuff is! :wah). I know that there are likely to be homesick days ahead, probably when the newness wears off and I have my first bad day at work, but at the moment I keep looking out of the window and going "Bloody hell, I'm here!" and try not to giggle too loudly!

(I do have a blog, if anyone wants to read a slightly more detailed version of the above posted over a number of days(http://withdrawmyself.blogspot.com)) ]]> Emigrate NZ Community Toonster http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27628 http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27626&goto=newpost Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:44:00 GMT The strangest thing happened today about 2 pm. I am not sure what to make of it or what to do about it. I was getting a school uniform for my daughter while they are on sale. But I had to drive across town to get her size. I was going to a mall that I had never been before in a less than savory... The strangest thing happened today about 2 pm. I am not sure what to make of it or what to do about it.
I was getting a school uniform for my daughter while they are on sale. But I had to drive across town to get her size. I was going to a mall that I had never been before in a less than savory area.
I did not know the layout of the mall and parking etc. I ended up driving completely around the mall several times trying to see if I could easily see the Postie + store and park on that end.
A small car followed me AROUND the mall two times. I noticed because I was trying to pull over and look at my map (GPS has crashed!!) but the little car stayed right on me. I don't know where it started following me but it followed me around the mall 2 times. Weaving through the parking lot, it followed me up and down the aisles.
I was getting a bit unnerved!
I tried to take a very hard left (more like a U-turn) toward more parking and it followed me so closely that I was blocked. I sat there for several minutes trying to decide if I should get angry or afraid--as this car was being VERY WEIRD! I had to move forward an inch and back up an inch for several minutes (they were too close for me to back up at all really) to get turned. When I finally got free, the car followed.
I finally found a parking spot near a bunch of people and pulled in.
The car pulled up right behind me--blocking me into my space.

A very odd acting older man approached my car and stood there. I rolled my window down a bit and asked what he wanted (I was hitting myself for refusing to carry a cell phone for emergencies!! I guess the radiation is secondary at a time like this and I will be IMMEDIATELY getting one)

He said that he saw me run a red light and he was going to get my information.

This was a bit confusing to me as I thought there must have been some kind of light in the parking lot??? Maybe I was so focused on this weird guy following me that I ran it??? (After the fact, I drove through the entire parking lot and there are no lights!!)

I knew I had not run any red lights on the public roads (in fact, was trying to look at my map so would have been helpful) and so this "red light" issue seemed a ruse to me.

He started talking about my daughter and telling me that I was a bad mother for running a red light with "such a beautiful little girl" in the car. He kept talking about my daughter (who is 4)--even attempting to speak directly to her through the windows. He demanded that I give him "my information"--which is just weird. Sorry, I am not giving ANY info to ANY stranger--except in a wreck.

If he legitimately thought that I ran a red light and wanted to report me, he could have written my license number down and I would have never known he existed. Why follow me for 15 minutes? Why come and speak to me? Why focus so creepily on my 4 year old?

Obviously, I gave him no information but I immediately thought of him getting my home address with my license number.

This got me less scared and more angry and I jumped out of my car and told this weirdo that the only problem was that he was following me and tailgating me and being weird.
I made a big show of getting paper out and writing down his license plate number and he took off at that point. I also wrote down the license numbers of the other cars in the area (with people as witnesses).
I said "OMG what a weirdo" to the 2 girls who watched the whole thing and they both laughed.

I am TOTALLY CREEPED OUT!!

Am I over-reacting?

Do I need to make some kind of police report or will they think I am a crazy over-reacting american?

Any thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated. ]]> In NZ, how / what / when.......? GrumpyGoat http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27626 http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27624&goto=newpost Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:29:22 GMT Am I likely to be alloweed to do this? I have been made redundant and may be able to secure soem contract work in varying lengths of 3-6 months with roll overs. I have 10 months left on my WTR? Will I be allowed to do this? Am I likely to be alloweed to do this?

I have been made redundant and may be able to secure soem contract work in varying lengths of 3-6 months with roll overs.

I have 10 months left on my WTR?

Will I be allowed to do this? ]]> Working in New Zealand http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27624 http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27623&goto=newpost Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:15:22 GMT Hi,

Reno on the house I bought is 95% completed. 3 weeks ago, the builder mentioned about the guarantee. He said that if I wanted the guarantee, I needed to pay an additional NZD800 to buy that guarantee.

I didn't know that I had to pay for a guarantee. My fault, I took for granted that a guarantee would come with the engagement of a certified master builder just like how a 2 year warranty comes with a brand new washing machine.

I asked why this wasn't mentioned at the beginning of the project even though he knew from the very beginning (in May 2009) that he was going to renovate the garage, 2 bathrooms and a bedroom? His lame excuse was, "oh, because the quotation for the house (approx $40k) was done after the quotation for the garage (approx $10k), and I am required to offer the guarantee only if the quotation is beyond $40k." Mind you, the quotations were given 1 month apart only.

According to http://www.masterbuilder.org.nz/index.asp?id=57, the builder should offer a guarantee for work >$25k. So, do ask your builder about the guarantee before you sign any papers or pay any deposit. ]]> Real Estate anothertrekker http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27623 http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27622&goto=newpost Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:34:06 GMT I was going through some of my old bookmarks and I found this:

Golden Bay

and so I'm looking through it and I would like to hear opinions of those who have been there and those that live there.

Thanks,

Dan ]]> Locations TheBigSaxon http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27622