3 Months in

karltsmith · Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 10:12 pm Post subject:

Hi Andy,

Thanks for that.....what is the current cost of braodband in Auckland. I'm headed back to the East Coast Bays hopefully in March. I believe only NZ Telecom offer the service and I've heard it's expensive but I don't know how much...could you enlighten me?

Karl

andy · Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 10:22 pm Post subject:

I use paradise as they are cheaper for me. They are part of Telstra.
Their prices are: Primary Plan $10 for 20 hours
Paradise 150 Plan $15 for 150 hours
Paradise 250 Plan $20 for 250 hours
JetStart Plan $30 for 10 GB (plus Telecom charges)
Paradise ADSL Plan $20 (plus Telecom charges)

Xtra (telecom) offer jetstream.

http://www.xtra.co.nz/products

Sounds cheap when you are in the UK but seems alot more when your salary is half!!

Hope this helps

karltsmith · Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 10:26 pm Post subject:

Thx Andy,

Current UK costs vary between £20 - £30 per month appox unlimited use.

Are there any unlimited time plans in NZ?

THX

Karl

abdul · I Like It Here Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 75

Hi Karltsmith

I use NZ Telecom's dial up service (unlimited) for NZ$ 27.95 a month
called the Xtra value pack. If you are on this plan you also save a few cents on International calls made from your telephone by dialing a prefix 0161.

As for broadband they have different packages
example:

Xtra JetStream Home 500 has a monthly fee of NZ$ 49.95
and includes a 500MB allowance .
If you exceed the 500MB monthly free allowance, you are charged 20c per Mb. This service allows you to connect at speeds upto 256k/s.

You also need to buy a modem that will be in the region of NZ $ 150 to 200.

Check out http://jetstream.xtra.co.nz/chm/0,,202853-1000,00.html

Cheers

Abdul

karltsmith · Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 11:09 pm Post subject:

Thx Abdul,

Great Info...do you have any experience of web cams????

Karl

abdul · I Like It Here Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 75

Hi Karl

Sorry, haven't used webcams on the Internet

I have used windows messenger to chat and had voice conversations.
Seems to work pretty well, saving a lot on International call charges to speak to friends and family.

regards

abdul

Tate6 · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2004 3:20 am Post subject:

Wow! I am new here and my husband & I just decided this NZ is where we want to be. We have been tossing it around for a couple of years. I am just overwhelmed reading the info from all of you! I want to be "three months in"!! We are planning a trip to Richmond, Nelson area, in April. My husband works for a wood mill here, and there is another US based mill in Richmond. With the wood industry doing well, we feel he should not have too difficult a time finding a job at that mill or one of the other ones in Nelson area. fingers crossed

Next order of business- getting house ready to list. What is the first step as far as paper work? Is a work permit the way to go? Help!! My head is spinning and my stomach has butterflies!! I am excited and want to make sure we do this all in the right order. Any info would be greatly appreciated. I am so glad I found this site!!! Talking to people first hand is so much better than spending hours searching the net!
Terry

karltsmith · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2004 3:33 am Post subject:

Hi Tate,

Welcome to the club....great forum eh!!! Nice One

To answer some of your questions in brief!

a) visit the NZIS website for all your paperwork which is downloadable in pdf format. Nutcase

b) you need to investigate the priority occupations list and Occupational Shortages List. If our husbands quals and exp are listed he can get a work visa or apply for work to residence. If not he/you will have to register an expression of interest EOI. From next month you can do this on-line on the NZIS website. You need to get >100 points to enter the pool for a 3 month period and wait for an invitation to apply. Havinf a job offer increases your chances dramatically of getting PR. If you have the opportunity to get a work visa take this route first so you can join the workforce. Then apply for PR using an EOI. By having a job already in place you get a further 50 points and after 1 year in employment a further 10 points. You have to decide whats best for you. Getting a job from so far away can be very difficult so your plan to go over on a 'holiday' is a very good idea. See other threads on this matter elsewhere on this site but for now just start reading the paperwork! Heres the link you will need to start the ball rolling!!!! comfort

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/

Good Luck Razz

Karl

Tate6 · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2004 8:19 am Post subject:

Thanks so much, Karl, for your help!! I have been to the site before, but it is somewhat overwhelming. Uhoh

Having someone tell you exactly what you need to look at there helps tremendously! I will also look at all other listings here pertaining to this subject. Again, thanks for your time!! I'm sure I will be chatting with you again-many times!

Terry

andy · Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2004 11:21 am Post subject: 6 Months in

Just an update! We are now 6 months in to our life in Auckland. We are really begining to settle now. We are really getting to know how things work.
Alot of our UK friends have now got web cams so we are seeing them all at weekends.
We now feel like we have done the right thing, we just feel less hassled here. We notice when we talk to people in the UK how miserable and downtrodden they all sound. Sad

We are still struggling financially and the 6 week summer holidays have added to that. The children have settled quick and are content.
We are finding it hard to believe how long summer is here, it started to warm up in october and is still warm now and the peak of summer I hear is Febuary. I have used the BBq more times in the last 2 months than I did in 5 years in England!!!

We have got used to a life now when we pay our bills on time and nobody hassles us. We can go to the beach any time and look forward to the downtrodden ones getting a closer look at what we have.

ENZ · Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 12:02 am Post subject:

Hi Andy, 3 months in - 6 months in - now 12 months in. How are things going for you?

wilson182 · Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 1:40 am Post subject:

Hi Karl

At the moment, the kids and me are in the uk and hubby is in nz, so a web cam is really good. However, I know the same will be the case when we are all over there, more for our mums than anyone else. At the moment though we dont have broadband, so it is not like a video link up, but it is lovelly to be able to see one another. It is our intention to get broadband, because my brother-in-law has it, and we are hoping for a much better connection. fingers crossed