Am I crazy?

Ian Simpson · Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2003 10:40 pm Post subject: Am I crazy?

I've had enough of GB plc. Litter, bad manners, street crime, dirty trains, broken trains, vandals, traffic cones, Tony and Cherie, etc, etc, etc.............................I just want out. It has to be an English speaking country and from what I know and from reading on the internet New Zealand sounds best. I'm a maths teacher so I'm in the lucky position that getting work anywhere shouldn't be a problem. BUT I've never been anywhere south of Crete in my life. Would I be crazy to uproot my wife and kids to go to a country I've never been within 10,000 miles of just on the basis of what I've read? Has anyone else done this and found that New Zealand was exactly as described............or otherwise?

Cheers,

Ian

AJ Cartwright · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 5:04 am Post subject:

If you're crazy, then I'm crazy too Laughing

.

martwend · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 6:53 am Post subject:

Add us to the crazy list!!! We have never been to NZ but want to emigrate for much the same reasons as you. The Gulf war was the last straw! We have spoken to every friend or contact who has been to NZ and watched every TV programme and read books and eventually came to the conclusion that they can't all be wrong.....so we are going.....with the 4 kids in February providing we can get all the permits sorted out. We can't wait to get there! Laughing

Wendy and Martin

mbrain · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 7:33 am Post subject:

Me too:)
Would love to leave this god forsaken dump!!
Really don't know where to start, any help would be good? Tips etc. :D

JCM · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 1:20 pm Post subject:

Add me to the crazy list too then, except I'd been a bit further south than you Ian. (Assuming Rhodes is further south than Crete. Is it?)

When we finally touched down at Christchurch and took our hire car out of the airport, it was remarkable how it felt as if we had arrived in an exceptionally nice suburb in a British city, except it was sunny :P. You drive out of the airport past a WW2 Spitfire with red white and blue roundels and down Memorial Avenue into the city. Memorial Avenue is the four lane main road from the airport to the city centre. The houses on either side look like a top suburb in the UK.

The next impression I got was how uncity-like Christchurch is - no high rise anywhere and almost every house detached in its own well tended garden. (Some of the gardens in one or two of the eastern suburbs can be somewhat less well tended Wink

)

If you arrive in summer, with the gardens in bloom on either side of the road, you'll get a real lift in your spirits that you've done the right thing. Of course, time will tell if that first impression lasts longer than the first few months :) .

ENZ · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 7:44 pm Post subject:

mbrain · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:09 pm Post subject:

Thanks,

Think getting a job offer will be the best bet! Do you know of any good job sites to have a look at? I've heard it's a chicken/egg situation...need a visa to get a job, or vice-versa!! Hmmm

Ian Simpson · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 5:20 am Post subject:

So I'm not crazy after all. Or even if I am crazy it's good to know it's been done before with good results. JCM (and anyone else who has emigrated blind so to speak): Was New Zealand more or less the way you expected it from books/TV/internet or were there any major surprises?

Cheers,

Ian

martwend · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 6:42 am Post subject:

Hi mbrain,

There are lots and lots of good job web sites for NZ.....just use your search engine and follow the links.

If you are in a particular profession the there are usually links to job sites from the professional ones. If you are looking for a job in the medical/nursing or dental field then a lot of the regional health boards have web sites and huge lists of vacant posts. There is also a good web site for teachers.

The other useful place to start is with the shortages list which can also point you in the right directon. Local newspapers are also on the web and quite good.

For dentists, like Martin, be warned that jobs are generally advertised by dental suppliers ie. Henry Schein rather then in the professional journals like here.

Interviews are about as casual as you can imagine and NZ employers seem genuinely delighted that you are interested in the job and NZ. Clapping

Hope that helps,

Wendy

mbrain · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 8:12 am Post subject:

Thanks Wendy. Nice One

I've been in telecoms for 13 years, 9 in the RAF. Currently working with 3G, so hoping 3G will arrive in NZ soon!!

I'll take your advice and check the web.

Marcus

goldwheels · Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2003 10:29 am Post subject:

You’re defiantly not crazy; I've felt the same way for the past year or so. When's it all going to stop that’s what I keep thinking to myself, this government has made a complete hash of this country. The way they are carrying on there will be no true Brits left. I was speaking to the removals bloke the other day and he said that all they seem to do just lately is move more people out of the country than they bring in. I suppose you can't count the ones coming into the country in the back of lorries.
The more I look into New Zealand the more I want to be there. The lifestyle, a future for the kids and a beautiful country that’s what it's all about. I went to opportunities New Zealand Expo down in London in October and managed to get myself an interview for a job. Everyone there was so helpful I can't thank them enough. We start are new life in Dunedin on the 8th January and I can't wait, I'm counting the days.

Mr. Green

mbrain · Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2003 7:44 pm Post subject:

Sounds good. Where did you get the info about the NZ expo from, I'm very interested!! Hmmm

martwend · Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2003 10:42 pm Post subject:

Hi!

Another good source of employment information is the Working in New Zealand 2003 book which we were sent by the immigration dept. It has a web site which is www.workingin.com. It lists loads of NZ employers and details of employment opportunities organised by region.

Also has info on transferring money, removals and real life stories Clapping

Useful info.

Wendy

mbrain · Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2003 10:55 pm Post subject:

Thanks Wendy, I've just been on it and it looks good!!
Nice One

goldwheels · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2003 12:42 am Post subject:

The opportunities expo's are usually advertised on the Working in New Zealand site. I think they only have 2 a year.