family living in christchurch one year on.questions welcome

psh12001

Feel fee to ask us any questions before you get here. It will be too late once your here. If we can help we will. We did it all ourselves and learned the hard way.....but made some silly mistakes on the way which we would love to share with like minded couples making the move...ask away !!!

wiz · Posted: Thu May 20, 2004 9:37 pm Post subject:

Hi,

It seems that alot of people who contribute to this site are in the Christchurch area..it must be very nice! We are due to land in Tauranga around the end of June. My husband has a job about 50 mins commute away. We decided on Tauranga after travelling around a bit, altough I must admit we didn't get as far as Christchurch. We have two primary school age children, and we would welcome any advice you can give, from renting and buying property to schooling and what to bring with us.

Thanks for any advice you can offer. Clapping

psh12001 · Posted: Fri May 21, 2004 8:49 am Post subject: reply of wiz

Well, when we decided on coming here we were heading for NI wellington i though , but i got an offer for christchurch and that was that. We have had our kids in two different primary schools now as we have now bought a house in a different area that where we were renting. rimary schools are very similar to uk and kids settle realy well. They are much more ope that in uk and events they do are a reflection of the the type of weather they have here. There is a govt. web site which has infor on how they perform etc ...but lets face it , you will probably put themin the nearest one. they all seem to give your kids a "buddy" to teach them where everything is etc and most kids seem to like the "new kid " anyway! re renting ,again there is a web site which is very accurate and states all the avarage rents in any area, so you can see what kind of range vs area to live in. its based on the amount of bond you pay, usually 2 weeks rent, which is held in a fund. Most renting is unfurnished...we were luck and got one off a girl from work and she left everything in till ours arrived . Buying a house is a quickprocess here and can be done in a week...and it does too! we viewd and bought the same day and if we hadnt done, we woulldnt be living here now ..in Chch, they are going really quickly at the moment. even the papers/web sites are out of date and some good buys have already gone by the time they are out. My only advice with regards what to bring , is bring it all if it works except old tvs and videos. eveything else bring it , if it doest fit in to your life once here ..then you can sell it no problem as second hand stuff here is what we all threw out in the 70s back home. We sold fishing stuff tools bikes garden stuff etc just to buy it all again here ..some things are not as readily available here and cost more. We did carboots and we could have brought the lot. Get a container and for 2000-3000 pounds it should be money well spent if you have nice furnature and good small items. The only thing i would leave is some of the winter clothes you had ..you willneed some ,but not as many..any more questions , just ask..paul

susanlin · Posted: Sun May 23, 2004 11:00 pm Post subject: living in ChCh

Hi Paul
Any recommendations for places to take the family (15 and 11?) Have been here 8 weeks.

Thanks!

Sue

wilson182 · Posted: Sun May 30, 2004 6:14 pm Post subject:

Hi Sue

Have you tried the QE11 Leisure centre in New Brighton. Free parking, plus $10 for a family ticket. Fantastic fun, the kids loved it. Also the science museum on Moorhouse Ave, great hands on fun., my 12 year old loved the giant slide, and the anti gravity seat. Plus for the 11 year maybe Chipmunks. (they do have playstation there). Have you been to the beach in New Brighton? What did you think? This is what we have discovered so far, have you found anything we havn't?

psh12001 · Posted: Sun May 30, 2004 8:12 pm Post subject: places to visit

Hi sue , i thought you would have found your feet by now. Ditto the above , but i think you will have to wait for summer to take them to beach etc. We have been to Akaroa, west cost, Ski season is open soon , so a trip to the mountains may be good in a few weeks. If you wanna call by us, give me a shout and i too have an 11 year old,girl, If you wanna know anything , you can call by for a coffee with the wife. she will be glad of the company too. its supprising how lonely you feel some days especially at the begining, but it gets better after a few months here...roll on the summer , you will have a ball! and wont know what to do with yourselves. Tell me the sex of your kids and it will help me think of some ideas. Where were you from ? we were in manchester area and dont regret the move here. There is loads to do here , just depends on the time you have and the money ! We are in the Kaiapoi area now, just bought a house here two months ago. Im a builder and wife works at the warehouse.. let me something about your life here so far , chat soon Paul

lin thorpe · Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2004 6:51 am Post subject:

Message to Susanlin - Just really curious to know how your children have settled in to NZ living as our children are 15 and 11 too (and a 7 year old).
Thanks

susanlin · Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 12:25 am Post subject: Kids settling in

Hi Lin

My children have settled in really well I am glad to say - it is just me who is homesick!! My son (15) has made some mates and has been socialising a lot with them. He went to the big rugby match here in ChCh a few weeks ago - one of his new mates got him a ticket to introduce him to rugby in NZ. He loved it! The teenagers here seem really friendly and welcoming. A big relief! One of my main worries was how the kids were going to cope. My daughter (11) is also happy and has made lots of friends too. She likes school and has settled really well.

my hubby is happy and settled here too - it is just me who isn't! I am missing friends and family such a lot. The strong feeling of homesickness has taken me completely by suprise. I didn't expect it to be so bad - I really thought it would be the kids who would feel it most!

best wishes

susan

Moorf · Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 12:39 am Post subject:

Hey Lin,

Sorry to hear you're homesick - it's only natural I guess - and kids are so much more resiliant to change.

Have you got friends yet? You mention everyone as having made friends but yourself? Are you finding it easy to meet others ?

Hope you'll come to the dessert party Yes

Moorf