Should I stay or should I go?

So, can anybody tell me is it realistic to pack up the kids, kiss everyone good-bye and move to the other side of the planet? I have looked up tons of information on-line and the only thing I found out - was in fact I know almost nothing. I am drawn to this beautiful country, I long for a safe place to raise my kids. I admire the countries politics, they seem so different than the conservitive, repressed, zenophobic culture that I am currently sorrounded by. Ok- I do live in Utah, but don't get me started on the US culture, trust me I can go on forever. So here are my stats: My husband is an Aerospace Engineer, specializing in composites and design. We have six children(no we are not mormon) and a golden retriever. I am a stay at home mom without a degree, but 4 years of art and sciences classes under my belt - (let's just say changing your major a year away from graduating - not wise). My husband does have a BSME and 10 solid years of experience, and before you say that New Zealand has almost no Aerospace industry-- He wants to move to the Marine industry - New Zealand kicks butt when it comes to building boats (can you say America's Cup). Anyhow he has applied to several jobs and sent his resume with several consulting firms - which apparently, is not a good thing - no bites as yet.
Before I go on, please forgive my horrid grammer, spelling, ect. That being said - Has anyone gone through the move and had to come home because, the cost of living was to high or the wages to low?

How do American kids adjust to New Zealand schools, do they have to catch up, or do they fit right in?

Would my husband go first, or can we all go together?

Is there an Anti-American attitude, since the influx of Americans buying large quanities of New Zealand real estate?

Can you get a job, or even an interview from New Zealand employers without a permit?

Could I, would I even want to ship my chevy suburban(I do have six kids)?

And that is only a smattering of the questions that bounce around my head on a daily basis. In my heart of hearts I would love to move to New Zealand, and then reality and fear start to make New Zealand seem even further away. I guess I just want to hear from others who share that dream, and have been lucky or persistent enough to make it happen

Thank to anyone willing to first read this novella, and second to give us insight

A. Maxon

Hi,
I cant answer many of your questions, as I dont really know how well american children fit in etc.

There was a bit of a long post on here about how Americans are welcomed in to NZ. Generally, you'll be fine. There doesnt seem to be any prejudice against Americans, except the ones with heaps of money who buy up coastal properties for inflated prices, driving up prices in the whole area.

As has been said in many topics on this forum, it doesnt matter how much you have/dont have, just dont brag about it! Equality seems to be the way of the land.

I dont know what a Chevy Suburban is, but i'm assuming it has lots of seats! There are many family vans available in NZ, so it all depends on how much yuo love yours. It will be quite costly to ship that over, i would imagine.

Hopefully, one of our american fellows will be able to help you with the other questions!

Believe me though, NZ is a great place for kids.

All the best

As far as the car goes, you probably won't be able to import it unless you change the steering to the other side. We are pretty sophisticated here though and there are plenty of vehicle alternatives (and probably better than chevy's anyway). If worst comes to worst, you could always use a horse and wagon. Those wagons hold heaps of people!

NZ schools rate very well internationally, and your kids will easily fit in. In many cases they are better resources and equiped than many American schools (based on teachers experiences in America)

As for the rest, you will suffer from about 6 months to 1 year of homesickness, when the excitement dies off and you miss familier things. If you having anxiety already over moving and there is little excitement for it (as it sounds) you will indeed have a hard time.

Mind you, just to be contrary, you may be plesantly suprised, and actually enjoy the country....

Dear Taffy and netchicken,
Thanks for your help, by the way how many miles per bale does a horse and wagon get these days. :icon_wink: As for my loyalty to Chevy's I grew up in a Ford house(it's a rural america thing). So now down to the nuts and bolts; I know that NZ wages are lower than in the US, but I go on the Wall Street Journal international salary calculator for NZ and get quoted a six figure salary?! I know that they need engineers in NZ, but they can't need them that badly. Now I have been on the NZ government sponsored job site and looked at a list of salaries- the closest to I could find - quotes about 55k, now this is above average starting salary for around here(utah) and sounds more reasonable. So can you help explain the disparity? And being the skeptic I am, if we were to make the lesser could we feed, cloth, and house six kids realistically? I know people there make it on less, but I am also aware that after I think $45,000, you pay 40% in taxes. And being that housing, clothes, and food cost more, I wonder if we could even squeak by. I feel almost greedy talking about this, when I know most NZ househould incomes are less, but as a responsible parent you got to make sure the basics are covered. Again any insight would be appriciated.

thanks
a maxon
(kiwi wannabe)

Averages can be very misleading. Sure the average may be high, but the wage groups are not statisticaly a normal bell curve. Instead they are skewed to the bottom - say 50K's with a few at the very high end.

So I remember reading that the average wage in NZ is something like 45K, but most people in the country earn about 32K.

I really can't imagine your husband having much trouble getting work here. maybe he needs to come over for a month and just go around the big businesses. face to face will open doors a CV or email wouldn't.

As for looking after 6 kids on the wage, .... dunno, sorry. Teenagers are pretty voracious, but then again lots of pressures in America will be missing, designer labels, expensive cars, etc

I think you would still get by OK, just round your freinds up at home to get them to send you CARE packages every now and then :)

[quote:497bdc1020]Now I have been on the NZ government sponsored job site and looked at a list of salaries- the closest to I could find - quotes about 55k, now this is above average starting salary for around here(utah) and sounds more reasonable. So can you help explain the disparity?[/quote:497bdc1020]

Are you taking into acount the exchange rate difference? NZ$ is about 2/3rds a US$ these days.

hi,
Waiting on pins and needles for that witty reply :icon_wink: ok did a lot of research today and went back to the site I thought was gov't sponsored, don't think it was but it did give a range of 45 to 100k in NZD went back to the Wall street journal-salary expert site and again the range for a mechanical engineer was low $98,489, average $126,984 and $152,355 in NZD!! I thought wages were low in New Zealand? I checked the same site to see if my husband's current salary was on cue and it was. I guess my next question would be has anyone ever known an engineer making that kind of salary? Gotta go - ortho appointment, which begs the question what's the attitude toward dental health in NZ?

A Maxon

Hi,
I've seen jobs advertised with that kind of money attached to them, but I didnt take much notice of what they actually were!

Try this site:

http://www.kiwicareers.govt.nz/

Its the govt site with the official statistics for pretty much any career available in New Zealand. Gives heaps of info on the job too, plus comments from people who are doing the job.

All the best

The kids will love it here. Lots of freedom to play sport and such. And American schools can be very conformist, which isn't the case here.

I was only planning on staying a couple of years, but after interacting with some kids and learning about the school environment, I may come back with my wife and kids (whoever she may be).

Don't know if this can help you, but it's why I moved to NZ - www.jamesthecarman.com/nzwhy.htm (the kids part isnt' in there yet, too new of a realization)

We have a great dental service, with the predominate philosophy being to pull all those unsightly teeth and replace them with new wooden dentures :)

Dental isn't covered in our health insurance, so can be expensive, (for us) a checkup can float around $100, and dental work much more.

BTW health insurance is voluntary, and without it you will survive but may have to wait for an operation. (unlike an american guy on another website who said he had cancer, and was going off to the woods to die as he had no insurance and didn't want to burden his family)

We pay about $30 per month each for ours, which is very comprehensive, we certianly make money off it, as all our doctors visits, etc are refundable.

Although i can't help much with the income side, I imagine that you will have enough money to purchase a house mortgage free, and with that even a $60K income will be sufficient.

I seem to be meeting more and more americans recently here :) Any antiamerican sentiments I come across are focused on the politics not the people.

One guy, from the cold flat central US, comes here in your winters for the trout fishing, and can't believe how proliferic the trout are, not to menton the mountains so close.