If you couldn't get into NZ..........

[MotherBear]

If things went belly up and you found you couldn't get into NZ, would you consider trying to get into another country and, if so, where?

This is a problem we could well be faced with in 3 years' time when Taffy sponsors us for immigration into NZ (if he doesn't change his mind in between :icon_eek: icon_exclaim.gif ). As we'll only be going there basically to retire and are regarded as a potential burden to the country rather than being of any use, there is absolutely no guarantee that we'll get in. The obvious thing is to get Plan B in place, so, if things go wrong we'll have another option to turn to. We've already scrapped other possibilities:

Spain - nice but crime is rife, especially on the large expat developments where many villas are holiday ones, left empty for a lot of the time. Also they are full of Brits, some of whom seem to be continually scrapping with one another in power struggles about community leadership. Also, do we want to be battling with a foreign language at our time of life? As you get older it gets harder to learn/retain stuff.

France - the French don't always think kindly of the British so it could be difficult to integrate. Also it throws up another language problem.

Dubai - a lovely place and more relaxed than other Middle Eastern countries but it's growing at an alarming rate as developers are jumping onto the property boom there. Would be good for young people who like a 'happening' place but not for older people who need a bit of space about them and a slower pace of life. Traffic congestion has long been a big problem and is set to become much worse unless it's brought up to date with the vastly increasing population. And, of course, there's the summer climate to contend with!

USA - non-runner

Canada - too cold

Australia - a possibility as they do a retirement visa but can be more difficult to get into than NZ and there are the nasties to contend with. Don't want to continually live with a can of bug spray in one hand and a shotgun in the other.

Cyprus - expensive and is only a small island so a bit claustrophobic.

Oman - which is reputedly opening up to foreign property buyers in 2007, is a beautiful country but has the same climate problem as Dubai. Very hot and extremely humid in a summer lasting about 5 months.

Anyone know of other places that would welcome immigrants, have a nice climate and not be too expensive?

[nattydread]

I agree, USA/Canada Non Starters..

Spain, if you start now, I'm sure you would have quite a good command of Spanish by the time you moved there in 3 years.. Solution to the high crime in expat areas,.... don;t move to an expat area...

France... too many French People..

What about Belgium? The southern part near to France is quite nice.
The belgians aren't a bad bunch.. You get fairly decent wather..
Their national dish of chips in a baguette smothered in mayonaise accompanied with a Jupiler or Stella... mmm mmm mmm..!!!

Unfortunately for us, if NZ falls through, I think we'll be stuck here..
I quite fancy buying a holiday home somewhere though, probably in crime ridden Spain...

[driver]

We've decided to move from our house in any case if it all falls through, we've spent so much on this already and don't want to take the children to a country where they have to learn another language. I've watched many shows on TV where the parents have done this. I think even though the kids cope in the end and settle it is a cruel thing to do to dump them into a school where they can't even communicate.

We're not happy in this town, want to move miles away from everyone.
Will reluctantly stay in the UK but although we'll be certain of work, its the kids and their schools which bother me. Finding decent secondary schools where they will be happy and taught instead of just bullied and cajouled about the building all day isn't going to be easy.

Even if we do get to NZ our visa still isn't PR and we won't have that for 3yrs and then only if we prove ourselves to be a benefit to the country.
We're going on a LTBV.

Its a challenge and others have suceeded so why can't we?
I feel that you only get one chance at life and I see how my family ahead of me have just stayed put and aren't really happy with what they've achieved so I have to do something.
It comes back to the kids again but I want them to know that nothing comes to you on a plate you have to get out there and get it. I believe that theres more opportunity for them in NZ. Lets hope so.

[MotherBear]

I've already been dabbling in a bit of Spanish as we do have a house in southern Spain but I fear that my hubby, who just isn't into languages, would be out of his depths if anything happened to me in the future. It's the thought of not being able to communicate should something serious go wrong e.g. ordering an ambulance or doctor and directing them to the house (sadly you start to think like this at our age). It's surprising how little English is spoken in that neck of the woods. This, however, isn't one of the main reasons for not wanting to go to Spain. The standard of housing on these new big developments isn't all that it should be, where properties have been just thrown up to keep up with demand. A lot of people have already retired out there and are very happy but they have been prepared to put up with all sorts of grief with the builders and put in a lot of money and work themselves just to hold onto the life they aspire to. The worry of owning a place that could start crumbling around us at any time was enough to prompt us to put the house on the market. The crime in Spain is not only directed at expat communities. Bandits on the highway are quite common as are break-ins and muggings. Personally we are looking to somewhere to relax in our later years without worrying about problems that already exist there.

Belgium - never struck me as a place to live. It is said that Belgians are dull people and it's not the easiest country to live in but I can't confirm or deny this as I've only motored through the place many moons ago. I would agree with you about the chips and mayo though :icon_razz:

Driver - let's hope your plans to live in NZ bear fruit, as I'm sure it has a lot more to offer with quality of life than the UK has these days. At least you're doing what you can to improve matters and I wish you lots of luck in achieving your goal.

[selchie]

[quote:b8c95202e1="Mother Bear"]USA - non-runner[/quote:b8c95202e1]
Too bad, or I'd offer to let you live in our house (if we get to NZ). But it's also on the coast - cool and foggy ofttimes. But if ever you wish to see the redwoods, and we're still here, let us know. Perhaps we can play at being tour guides.

So what are you doing in Oman? My aunt & uncle spent a couple of years in Algeria on a work exchange with a natural gas company. Are you in a similar boat? Don't know much about Oman, but would love to hear tales.

How about spending southern summer in NZ, and northern summer in the north? Might you be able to do this as a "visitor"?

No British islands in the Caribbean? All I know (or think I know) about British colonial status is that British Honduras (in Central America) is now Belize. ...Well, that and we're not a colony anymore. You'd think I'd know more about modern South & Central American geography, history & politics, but I'd probably do better with European. Non-US America really does get ignored in America, more's the pity.

If we couldn't get into NZ, we'd just stay home and hope the Fourth Reich crumbles soon (not likely), or that they'll never notice us when the American "Moral" Revolution happens.

[nattydread]

Good thinking Batman...

Bermuda would be a possibility,
The British Virgin Islands, very popular apparently


and there's a beautiful little island in the middle of the south atlantic called St Helena.. That would be my next target if NZ falls through,,,

[MotherBear]

Hi Selchie,

Thanks very much for the offer, we?ll bear it in mind. Currently we are in a state of turmoil as hubby is working almost 7 days a week in a very stressful job. Consequently, he?s now looking for something less chaotic. He?s in the oil industry and we?ve been here 18 months. Originally we visited on our honeymoon 6 years ago (2nd marriage for both) and vowed to get a job so that we could live here for a while and enjoy all that Oman has to offer. It?s a very beautiful country and well cared for but, sadly, we?ve not been able to tour around due to the work schedule. For him it?s been a catalogue of disasters as it?s become the way now, in the name of cost cutting, to buy cheap materials that simply aren?t man enough for the job. Procedures that were completed are now crumbling before their eyes and the day of reckoning is upon them :icon_eek: icon_exclaim.gif .

Oman, to us, is the most attractive country in the Arabian Gulf with abundant flowers and greenery (but still lots of sand), long sandy beaches complete with fishermen hauling in their catch, dramatic craggy mountains, ancient forts and lots of decorative touches along the roadsides and on roundabouts (traffic circles, to you). They really do make an effort, although it is debated that it?s at the expense of the poorer village people who still haven?t got running water or electricity in their homes. You often don?t have to travel far to find yourself back 100 years with little mud brick houses and goats lying on the doorstep. The Omanis are pleasant, quite modern-thinking and more tolerant of us ?wayward? Europeans. I haven?t found a problem with the men who will chat to me as normal. In Kuwait and Qatar, however, men did tend to feel it beneath themselves to talk to an unrelated female and totally ignored my presence in any group conversation although I was standing right next to them. It?s just their culture so I didn?t take it personally. For those interested in a more happening scene with loads of malls and shopping fests, Dubai is the place to go. Here it?s more about scenery and relaxation (unless you work with my hubby!). Humidity in summer is a killer though, both here and in Dubai :smiley19: (sweat not tears).

I had toyed with the idea of the Caribbean but didn't know how easy it would be to get in. Had also given credit to the idea of living 6 summer months in NZ and 6 summer months in the northern hemisphere but wondered how we'd cope when we get too old to comfortably do that. NZIS would be knocking on our door telling us it's time to leave when all we'd want to do is sit peacefully in our rocking chairs.

Dear me, looks like it?s my day for long posts. Taffy will be caressing my typing fingers with a large brick if I?m not careful :021: .

[tottefan]

USA - Doesn't appeal to me.

Canada - Nice country but too cold.

Australia - a strong contender if things don't work out in NZ.

France - not really my cup of tea.

Spain - Crime rate way too high for my liking and language problems.



I suppose 1) New Zealand 2) Australia 3) Canada are my choices listed in order of preference.


Tottefan.

[selchie]

Well Mother Bear, let's hope that Taffy's sterling reputation in NZ counts for something when your Family application goes through.

Oman sounds lovely. I know so little of that area, but Oman sounds like my kind of Middle Eastern place to visit. I hope Mr. Bear's schedule lightens up soon, so he can enjoy himself a bit.

[Andyok]

Mother Bear
there should be a new catagory in the skilled migrants box, 'Agony Aunt'! You'd jump to the front of the queue with maximum points. Your e-mails are so informative and helpful, Taffy must be such a level headed guy if he has you as his mentor. The sad fact is, is that all the people on this forum are looking to leave UK for a better life and all the dross are left behind with criminals being allowed in. These people don't care about our society. This is a recipe for disaster. I hope you are successful with your application.