Good for you. I love New Zealand. I visited the place two years ago for vacation, and I really wanted to stay. Didn’t want to return.
I’m thinking about possible getting a doctorate degree in writing down there. It’s such a beautiful place.
An honest view of New Zealand
I moved here to work as a health professional 2 years ago and its frighteningly like the UK. The countryside is absolutely gorgeous and we love travelling around and experiencing all the good things to offer such as lovely wines, stunning mountains and unspoilt lakes and coast. The really positive things are the beautiful blue skies, the wild open spaces and the immense variety of wildlife. I would be very careful though about all the hype that the Immigration department and tourist marketing board pump out, (don’t forget this is a country absolutely desperate for skilled workers) it does have many many problems; the pay here is low (you suddenly feel very poor when you visit other countries with NZ dollars), there is very little annual leave, you work more hours than anywhere I have ever worked in the world and there are so many problems with lack of services, infrastructure and all the issues related to a country that has a very small population to feed and support itself. There is quite a bit of crime, drug problems and violence (nothing like UK spawling cities of course, but there are murders and I have been attacked and mugged in the streets of Wellington the capital in broad daylight.) When you are on holiday, doesn’t everyone seem friendly? My partner and I are happy here to stay for a while, but anyone planning to come here should not come with rose-tinted spectacles, don’t think you can run away to a new life just because it looks great in the brochures! It is a small developing country that has plenty of frustrations and for those that like variety and stimulation, you may find it dull after the initial excitement has worn off. We really would recommend coming here for a ‘look see’ (NOT a holiday as this gives completely the wrong perspective) and try working for a while before selling up and emigrating, its the only way to be sure this really is what you want. A working visa is much cheaper and easier to get than residency which is very very expensive and to be honest, unless you are staying longer than 2 years is not worth the thousands of pounds and hours of work to get. Good luck and stay practical and realistic!
Theskysthelimit1976 And I would be good... even if I did nothing... Alanis
Haha!
No one works more than in the states!! : ) I thought NZ started with 4 weeks paid leave/vacation time? No? That’s a rarity in the U.S. U.S. employers usually offer around 1-2 weeks paid vacation…. I am one of the lucky ones who scored 3 whole weeks!!!!!! : ) lol ... awful…
Now, I wasn’t there on holiday and I found the people very kind and warm. Not a drop of crime… but I wasn’t living in the city either. Crime where I live now in the states is awful…. probably similar to the london area. Again…. probably all based on perspective and past experience too. Everywhere has it’s problems… I really never find cities to differ all that much… they all seem to have ruder people, busier pace, higher crime rates as compared to their respective suburbs.
I think it all really depends on what kind of life you are looking to live too. If I were to return, I would be doing so to simplify my life… not to make my fortune or build a career, status or name…. I do agree with you that that is probably not the place to build your wealth.
Personally… I don’t think there one “perfect” location for anyone…. but I think there is an “ideal” place for each of us to live and different times in our lives based on our goals and dreams and desires… I must be a hippie…. lol : )
I hope you are enjoying your time there anyway and finding awesomeness in the good things the country does have to offer… like you said the land and nature! Good luck!
Not the same for everyone
We travelled in NZ for a while but despite actually knowing a dozen people many of whom owned their own homes, not even once did anyone offer us even a single night’s accommodation to save us a bit of money.
Guess it’s not as ‘perfect’ as some like to make out.
It has one of the highest teenage suicide rates in the world – wonder why that is? It is beautiful and natural and people are quite laid back in the countryside – but then so too are the peope in the UK countryside. There’s no point comparing a city in the US/Europe with the countryside in NZ any more than comparing the countryside here with a NZ city. There’s so much more to see & do here than in NZ and as lovely as it is it doesn’t have everything.
