Moving to NZ

[joydot]

Originally Posted by YogiSara

Hi, My husband and I are in the process of immigration to move out to NZ with our two girls (9&7). We have been getting some quite disturbing information about the Maori influence and gangs. Namely the Maori's are not friendly towards the brits and that gangs are everywhere. This person lived near Wellington and we will be in Auckland. She also said that the schooling was terrible and that her 7 yr old was learning stuff he did in nursery!! Her 10 year old was doing more chores than school work and they did PE outside on tarmac in bare feet. She said that they all take shoes off and as a result have very dirty, black, flat feet.
We have been told that the cost of living is really high, she had nothing good to say about the housing either. My husband has a job to go to that pays $65,000 is this enough for a comfortable lifestyle, because that is one of the reasons we are going!!!
Apparently, no one eats with a knife and fork and have no manners, doors shut in faces and generally rude to everyone, no one talks and conversation is minimal. This seems to go against everthing that we have been told in the past about NZ so has given me a bit of a scare. Can anyone help me out or at least confirm it, so we can decide whether we continue with this dream!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks

Sara

we are in process of leaving after 3.5 yrs in nz. there are so many problems here that crime - a substantial one - is only a little piece of the picture. many many people who come cannot afford to leave so it immobs the stats - its v expensive to settle here - and of young-ish uni edu professionals we know we have stayed the longest. even in time we have been here things have descended further into chaos amazingly fast - the national govt will help some of it get back on track but they cannot change the kiwi mentality which is poor and proud of it. the media and marketing execs do a brilliant job of controlling the flow of info, most of the time we dont recognise the nz we read about. the climate in hawkes bay is fantastic but its not enough. beautiful free beaches soon get boring. if you live in a dangerous place where work/ pay is basic and social order is non-existant then you will simply trade land mass - but it might be better if fresh air and sun is important. there are a lot of regretful migs here but their options are gone and no one here cares. god help you if you break silence.

[joydot]

Originally Posted by YogiSara

Hi, My husband and I are in the process of immigration to move out to NZ with our two girls (9&7). We have been getting some quite disturbing information about the Maori influence and gangs. Namely the Maori's are not friendly towards the brits and that gangs are everywhere. This person lived near Wellington and we will be in Auckland. She also said that the schooling was terrible and that her 7 yr old was learning stuff he did in nursery!! Her 10 year old was doing more chores than school work and they did PE outside on tarmac in bare feet. She said that they all take shoes off and as a result have very dirty, black, flat feet.
We have been told that the cost of living is really high, she had nothing good to say about the housing either. My husband has a job to go to that pays $65,000 is this enough for a comfortable lifestyle, because that is one of the reasons we are going!!!
Apparently, no one eats with a knife and fork and have no manners, doors shut in faces and generally rude to everyone, no one talks and conversation is minimal. This seems to go against everthing that we have been told in the past about NZ so has given me a bit of a scare. Can anyone help me out or at least confirm it, so we can decide whether we continue with this dream!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks

Sara

$65000 is basic pay. not much life with that and i am being diplomatic.

[Shouganai]

Originally Posted by joydot

we are in process of leaving after 3.5 yrs in nz. there are so many problems here that crime - a substantial one - is only a little piece of the picture. many many people who come cannot afford to leave so it immobs the stats - its v expensive to settle here - and of young-ish uni edu professionals we know we have stayed the longest. even in time we have been here things have descended further into chaos amazingly fast - the national govt will help some of it get back on track but they cannot change the kiwi mentality which is poor and proud of it. the media and marketing execs do a brilliant job of controlling the flow of info, most of the time we dont recognise the nz we read about. the climate in hawkes bay is fantastic but its not enough. beautiful free beaches soon get boring. if you live in a dangerous place where work/ pay is basic and social order is non-existant then you will simply trade land mass - but it might be better if fresh air and sun is important. there are a lot of regretful migs here but their options are gone and no one here cares. god help you if you break silence.

Hi Sara, I do think your perceptions are a little colourful and generalised. Perhaps the reason is that the country is so boringly quiet (as any place with just 4mil people will be) that you are incensed by every media exposition into every crime. I think its sensationalised, and people such as yourself see yourself in a crime zone, and at risk....thinking you will be next. I have heard about drive-by shootings in our neighbourhood, yet there is no causal link to me because I am not in a gang, displaying attitude to other people. For that reason, NZ makes a lot of sense for retirees and people earning offshore income. I think the dangers are exaggerated. My area is famous for murderers, in fact we bought between two crime scenes, and it couldn't be a more idyllic setting. It was considerate of the gangs to drive prices down. The reality is that gang warfare is gang-on-gang, and thus life for most people is pretty pleasant. I've taken the neighbours out for dinner, and they have had us over for beers. The police are friendly, people are friendly. The crime I think looks worse because its spread throughout the country (in pockets) rather than in zones you can so easily ignore. I think you still need to pick your streets wisely.
If I am wrong, please tell us about the particular threats that you have experienced. I do think you can avoid problems by talking to neighbours before you buy, eg. Wary of domestic violence, gangs, public housing areas. Maybe you walked in with closed eyes. Risk is managed, not avoided. NZ may not make sense for you, but blanket warnings serve no one, least of all your own state of mind. Specific and balanced accounts are more useful. People like yourself have placed fears in my mind before I came to NZ, but so far such fears have been dispelled. So I wanted to offer more perspective. We paid $NZ78,000 (USD43,000) for our house, so I'm in no rich neighbourhood. We paid cash for our house so without rent or interest payments, the cost of living is reasonable. If you bought in one of those high-priced city suburbs 3.5 years ago, I guess one might be anguished in these times. Maybe you are making another silly decision by moving out of the country at the worst possible exchange rate. Now is the time to come......if you can get a good job or retire. But at the end of the day I think you are externalising responsibility. You should reflect on your lack of planning before you came here.

[YieldQwest]

I think what you will ultimately find is that people are people wherever you go. If you live near a bad neighborhood dont expect good things. Gangs? Nothing like inner cities of the US but South Auckland is dodgy.Housing quality? Yes the above post speaks to an absolute crime in my opinion of the lax building standards in place here. Dont buy a newer house but the old Rimu studded houses are solid but poorly insulated-a managable problem.

I have found the Maori to not be hostile, but keep in mind, moving to NZ requires you to assimilate, not the other way around. Some Brits believe they may be visiting one of their Queens Colonies and this vibe rubs people the wrong way. Consider your sources personality in the equation.

I've lived on both coasts in the US, in Texas and Mississippi while in the military, these regional differences are more diverse in many ways than the difference between California and the North Island of NZ. All presented their challenges but at the end of the day, if you get along with people, dont be surprised if you get along with people here.


Regards


Mike Reps

yieldqwest.co.nz

[helenlhoppy]

Hi, I am in the process of moving over to NZ too with my husband and 3 children. We have been over to NZ twice, and bought a house over there last time we went. I found NZ very similar to the UK, and the things this person said are absolute rubbish!!

They sound as though they are either very jealous of you moving over, or very bitter about something! It only takes one person to put doubt in your mind, but rather than beleive all that twaddle, listen to what everyone else is saying. Good luck.

[+3kids]

Originally Posted by YogiSara

Hi, My husband and I are in the process of immigration to move out to NZ with our two girls (9&7). We have been getting some quite disturbing information about the Maori influence and gangs. Namely the Maori's are not friendly towards the brits and that gangs are everywhere. This person lived near Wellington and we will be in Auckland. She also said that the schooling was terrible and that her 7 yr old was learning stuff he did in nursery!! Her 10 year old was doing more chores than school work and they did PE outside on tarmac in bare feet. She said that they all take shoes off and as a result have very dirty, black, flat feet.
We have been told that the cost of living is really high, she had nothing good to say about the housing either. My husband has a job to go to that pays $65,000 is this enough for a comfortable lifestyle, because that is one of the reasons we are going!!!
Apparently, no one eats with a knife and fork and have no manners, doors shut in faces and generally rude to everyone, no one talks and conversation is minimal. This seems to go against everthing that we have been told in the past about NZ so has given me a bit of a scare. Can anyone help me out or at least confirm it, so we can decide whether we continue with this dream!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks

Sara

Like every part of the world NZ has its problems with gangs. It depends on where you live as there are nice parts and not so nice parts. I have three children aged 9, 7 and 5 and I was on the site as we are looking at a sabbitical in the UK. I have to confess to having a chuckle at your research! I also have to say that it is probably true that the kids do PE without shoes on sometimes - mostly because in summer it is too hot to wear trainers without getting smelly feet. The kids love it - very kiwi! Of more important matters, your proposed salary is the equivalent to what a primary teacher earns in NZ. It is probably relative to what you earn in the UK but most families here would find the cost of living on one income of $65,000 with two children manageable but tight. It would mostly depend on the size of your mortgage. The cost of living in Auckland is reasonably high and you would not be able to afford to live in the more affluent areas. You should look at some real estate sites. Affordable nicer suburbs in Auckland might be Pakuranga or Avondale for example (and not every one will agree with me about affordability!). In NZ you have lovely open spaces and beaches and lots of great access to these places. Having lived in various parts of the UK (before children) I would choose NZ as a place to bring up children over the UK any day - but it does depend on your quality of lifestyle and being choosy about where you live - as with any country. Do your homework!

[eduardodelroice]

According to Wikipedia. Murder rate in NZ is 1.29 per 100,000 people. HOW SO MANY PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT CRIME THERE? I live in a country with REAL CRIME. 1.29 is NOT a high crime rate

[camper8]

Hi sara, interesting discussion...my tuppenceworth...I'm English living in Wellington and have lived in a few different countries. My opinion is that people will have a much harder (not necessarily negative) experience who or where-ever they are if they move to a new country and expect it to be like 'home'.

Every city will have its rough parts and NZ is no different. As a previous reply said Auckland has alot higher population and therefore inherently more problems in terms of traffic crime etc but I don't live there so can't comment too deeply.

You will find in the main the houses are cold as the guy from the US said. They are seldom insulated and have no heating. But, you can get central heating. (we did as this was one thing I felt I really wanted, by the way we are currently looking to rent a centrally heated house in Wellington for just 8 months if anyone needs a place!)

The people are very laid back, its great to be able to leave behind airs and graces and wear your welly boots and shorts (at the same time) and no-one looks twice at you. The New Zealanders, be they Maori or pakeha (the local word for caucasians)are very friendly people, I have had the privilege of staying on a Marae (a communal traditional meeting / living place with lots of customs to acknowledge). This was a very humbling experience, electricity by generator, only for abt 4 hrs per day, eating and sleeping entirely separated (I was feeding an infant at the time so getting in the dark putting on gum boots and finding the right place to feed my baby in the middle of the night was a different experience). I tell you this as I am trying to make the point that one has to be flexible and understand the culture and customs. I am honoured to have had this experience and although I found some elements challenging I am a better person for allowing myself to be challenged in this way.

New Zealand has a massive amount to offer an open minded person, there is a great emphasis on work / life balance, and yes you do know your neighbours and bake an extra cake for them or give them some fish you have caught today.

My children are younger than yours so I don't know about the school system but I from what I see the children in Wellington are far better dressed in their uniforms than in the UK, there is an exam system - I don't know how hard it is, and children are encouraged to go to university. They are also encouraged to play sport (does it matter whether they are wearing shoes so long as they are the same as everyone else and they are safe and happy and you have a bath to get them clean at night?) Families are encouraged to interact with their kids, spend time together and the kids are important and friends genuinely are interested in the children.

The health system in my opinion is good, not the same as the UK but not a challenge.

In my opinion a salary of $65000 for the household is not huge, many people live on this amount but I also believe that at this level you would be entitled to some government assistance (benefit called working for families tax credit). I am no expert in this field and there maybe rules that say you have to be here for a time before you are paid, but it is interesting that a family with 2 children under 12 on $65K is entitled to claim benefit - this possibly says something about the ability to live on this amount.

Finally I think to put it into perspective some things will cost more, there is a land mass approx the size of England but a fraction of the population, therefore the cost of the electric grid (for example) has to be met by far fewer people.

If you want to increase your time with the girls and find somewhere more laid back you will find those options in NZ, in my opinion England is good for keeping up with the Jones' buying flash things and showing the standard of living by what you have, in NZ its not about what you have its about who you are, are you friendly, welcoming, interested in others and happy to challenge yourself to enjoy new experiences? That to me is what matters here

[Soonout]

Having lived in NZ for 30 months I had the good fortune to be able to return home, yes, the UK.
We have some horrendous problems here, overcrowding, high prices and crime etc but by christ it is so much better than NZ.

Firstly, your $65,000 will get you a damp, cold and cramp run down to rent at extortinate prices. The homes in NZ are made by DIY fanatics who have no clue as to what they are doing, no tradesmen you see, just jokers.

Fuel costs are even dearer than here and that takes some beating.

Though I met some great Moari friends you will get rammed down your throat how hard done by they are and everyone owes them for past wrong doings. Sick of hearing it.

Equal opportunities do not exist and as for being treated well at work, forget it.

Dogs running freely through the streets as fences are too difficult to build for the DIY fanatics and who cares if the dogs get killed? Not the kiwis.

You will get scammed at every opportunity, money is everything there, not principals.

The list goes on and on but the usual response to these FACTS is, typical Brit, glad you went home etc. So am I, without doubt the worst backward piece of land on this earth.

By the way, the gangs? Little so called men with pea brains who get their kicks harrasing and bullying in numbers, very tough eh.

I wish you all the luck, you will need it

[butterfly1202]

Originally Posted by YogiSara

Hi, My husband and I are in the process of immigration to move out to NZ with our two girls (9&7). We have been getting some quite disturbing information about the Maori influence and gangs. Namely the Maori's are not friendly towards the brits and that gangs are everywhere. This person lived near Wellington and we will be in Auckland. She also said that the schooling was terrible and that her 7 yr old was learning stuff he did in nursery!! Her 10 year old was doing more chores than school work and they did PE outside on tarmac in bare feet. She said that they all take shoes off and as a result have very dirty, black, flat feet.
We have been told that the cost of living is really high, she had nothing good to say about the housing either. My husband has a job to go to that pays $65,000 is this enough for a comfortable lifestyle, because that is one of the reasons we are going!!!
Apparently, no one eats with a knife and fork and have no manners, doors shut in faces and generally rude to everyone, no one talks and conversation is minimal. This seems to go against everthing that we have been told in the past about NZ so has given me a bit of a scare. Can anyone help me out or at least confirm it, so we can decide whether we continue with this dream!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks

Sara

Hi Sara

I have been living in New Zealand for almost a year now, I joined my partner who was offered a job in Auckland whilst on a business trip. New Zealand is a great country lots to see and do, we have just had a great summer too, not like the UK summer which is always over so quickly. However, I have experienced a negative side. People do talk of gangs and there is a gang culture although I have never seen it where I live only on tv. Certain areas are worse than others. I dont have any children here but I have lots of friends that do and some do moan about the standards of some schools, good areas seem to have good schools, similar to the UK in that respect. I have had a couple of jobs since I have been here, mainly temping but they seem to get away with a lot more here than you ever would in the UK especially regarding discrimination. There arent so many laws that protect you in the workplace and you can be vulnerable. A friend of mine was recently offered a job and offered to go job share and suggested me as the other half of the job share. She is a kiwi (now) but originally a Brit and was told that I would not be suitable as this manager wanted someone with a kiwi accent. I have also been told almost straightaway that I wont get selected for an interview although I am overqualified for most jobs I have applied for. It is obvious from my CV that I grew up and was educated in England. I have decided to study until we (very likely) return to England in 2010 but even enrolling for courses etc here is difficult. I just got turned down today for a course I was willing to pay for as I am not a NZ resident or citizen. Things can be expensive here, especially food, supermarket shopping etc and also electrical goods, you dont tend to get the bargains you can get in the UK. But eating out, wine, leisure activities can be cheaper. It was a bit of a shock to the system when I first moved here, but I have heard from friends back home that food and other items are more expensive now too. It's good to think about WHY you want to live in New Zealand, I wanted to join my partner so that took precedence, I really do think you can have a good lifestyle here but sometimes that comes at a price and I am not necessarily talking about money. I do feel a bit like a 2nd class citizen here at times and hope that I can find something either job or study to tide me over until we make up our mind as to whether we return to the UK. Hope that helps you a little.