MoveToNZ moving out of the square!

Jeez man, people need to give us folk in NZ a break.

It's a simple thing, when you're buying a car you research vigorously every source possible. When you've brought it, you don't look anymore.

I feel like people are almost getting accused of neglect when they arrive, like they owe the forum something. Whether it's true or not, you can't just make people feel obliged to 'repay there debt' to the forum.

An expat forum is a super idea and should be linked from the existing homepage probably. However, wouldn't this mean expats in NZ posting there experiences on there rather than on here making our service less effective to people who want to move over with less first hand experience on the forum such as Glendas story etc.

How about just another section the existing forum, where meets could be arranged for those extravert enough.

Well, I agree with Stevey. If people want to stay on once they've made it to the promised land then that's cool and all the advice and help they can give is invaluable. But i think that to expect or demand that they stay with the forum and keep posting is perhaps a little too much. Everyone is different aren't they and everyone's level of committment is different too. I'm sure that there have been those members who have fully intended to keep up regular posts after landing and then for one reason or another have just moved on - it happens doesn't it? No one knows where life is going to take them but neither do we know how many other people the old members have told about this site or recommended this site to who might be members now, nor do we know how many come back and look over things but don't post or how many just browse but never join (I bet I'm wrong and I bet with your wonderful superhuman IT all seeing eyes you can readily lay your mouse upon such information).
Anyway, all we can do is be glad to receive whatever information we do get and hope that people stay for as long as they feel they have something interesting to contribute. Maybe that's something to think about? Maybe people feel that once they've been there a while what they have to say isn't relevant anymore and they leave the advice thing to people who have been through it more recently?
Whatever the reasons, everyone's entitled to them aren't they?

By the way, don't think you'll be getting rid of me that easily either. I'm like a baaaaad smell [smiley=icon_eek.gif]

Yes, I can see the realism in Stevey's and Dawn's words.

Basically, this forum is for people who are considering, moving and settling down in New Zealand. That is what we all have in common. It may be in many cases that is all we have in common.

Over time, the information an expat can give a site like this loses relevancy. I quite expect in the next year, apart from being busier in my new life here, that there will be fewer and fewer posts I can reply to ... so no doubt I'll check in less. (Then again, I might miss you all!)

Maybe Taffy is looking for something to entice expats to stay on the site, or start another one - either way, it will not be easy. [smiley=icon_neutral.gif]

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Other forums seem to have amassed a fair number of dedicated members who have been in NZ for quite a while and, apparently, continue to enjoy just being part of their site. They are the ones who can best answer questions about all things NZ, as they have the inside information. Without this valuable information, up-coming immigrants would hit a brick wall when asking questions about how things work in NZ.

People who are going through the process of immigration can help each other out because they?re all going through a similar procedure. Once you start to look ahead and want to know what actually goes on in NZ, you?re stuck if you haven?t got a reliable source of information.

I think Taffy is just trying to add some glue to the set up by suggesting a way that might entice new kiwis to stay with the forum and take from it as well as give to it. No one?s suggesting that they HAVE to stay or SHOULD stay, merely that it would be nice if they did stay. Unfortunately, because we don?t have a large active membership and turnover of new and old members, it puts more emphasis on the members we do have.

Everyone?s situation is different when they get to NZ in that some will be too involved with their new lives to even think about forums any more, whereas others, once they?ve settled, may have the time and inclination to keep up with happenings on here.

Looking at the other side of the coin, it could be seen as a happy incidence that those of us yet to make the move still wish to have contact with those that ?have passed over? and, in many cases it?s because we?ve enjoyed their ?company? on the forum and are sad that they no longer appear on here. I don?t think it?s the case that we just want to take from them, rather we wish to keep them around us as friends and are genuinely interested in how they?re doing. I know I often wonder how so-and-so?s getting on and how they coped with this and that. Chances are I?ll never find out ? like a soap opera that suddenly finishes three quarters of the way through. Maybe I'm just too soppy.

Well, that?s how I feel about it and I guess it all comes down to how members feel about the forum and other members as to whether they want to stay in touch or not. No one can force that issue.

Tottefan, where are you? There?s another debate going on here.

Tottefan, where are you? There?s another debate going on here.

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You did not see that Tottefan, you did not see that Tottefan, you did not see that Tottefan ...

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I promise not to be involved in any debates from now on. [smiley=icon_confused.gif] [smiley=icon_neutral.gif]


Tottefan.

Well here's a thing I've started!

I'll just go back to the original idea - my thoughts were to start something to help new people settle in. Like an expat community where people new in NZ can ask questions/arrange meet ups with people already in NZ to help settle in and just build a group of friends.

However, if the folks in NZ would prefer to be left alone, then i'm not going spend my money and take time out from my family or work to waste on it either!

You could add another category to this forum e.g. 'Living in NZ' rather than go to a lot of trouble to create something new that may or may not be used. If kiwi members want to arrange get togethers or notify each other of special events or services on offer they could still do it on there.

The point is that many of us who haven't yet descended on NZ are nevertheless very interested in what goes on there, especially in everyday life. We might possibly feel a bit left out if we're excluded from asking questions or making points.

I remember you mentioning that you have a lot of stuff that might be very useful to those in NZ. Can't you put that on here, as it would be a pity to lose out on the information?

Jeez man, people need to give us folk in NZ a break.

Stevey, for some reason, that hurt. You have done extremely well with your informative posts since you've been in NZ and, as you can see, everyone really appreciates them, but that comment had a bit of a sting to it. It was like you're saying 'OK, I'm here now, leave me alone and get off my back.' I'm sure you didn't mean it like that as you've been so helpful, but it comes across like that.

I promise not to be involved in any debates from now on. [smiley=icon_confused.gif] [smiley=icon_neutral.gif]

Abject apologies, Tottefan. [smiley=icon_redface.gif]

I am sure we all value your input on here ... you just get a bit scary at times to us lesser educated folks, especially on socio/historical matters.

Please ignore my post of yesterday.

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You could always set up a blog , which allows for photos as well. ?This one is basic, but it's free and does the job. ?Family and friends can check in every now and then, read what you've been up to and add their own comments.

I've got one of these blogs, Lil Amy. ?You can see it on www.glenda.bloggers.co.nz ? [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

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