Chezzle
For me it was the smartest thing I ever did. I have been here 15 years and consider myself lucky to be here. To respond to your questions:
1. Was it lonely in the beginning, is it still? For me no but I have always been a bit of a loner. Phone calls were $2 a minute when I first came. Now I chat on Skype to family and friends overseas daily for nothing. When I first came all you had was dial-up internet, now you have broadband in most places and reasonable speed too. I am 17 meg to the exchange. Several times faster than I had in the USA. No regrets for me, just glad I did it.
2. How did the kids settle in? I don't have any kids so I can't respond to that.
3. Did you find the cost of living expensive? Yes some things are more expensive. If I am going to but a big ticket item like a new computer or a good pair of hiking boots I will order from overseas. Even paying the import GST and international freight it is still cheaper. So specialty items are sometimes better sourced from overseas. The market here is small so for very low volume items they have a higher mark-up. Not a complaint that is just how things are.
4. Did I get a culture shock when you arrived? Not so much a shock as I needed to adjust to the things. Example: people by and large go to bed by 9pm where as in the USA it is a 24 hour place. So if you want to go to the grocery store at 3:00am think again.
If you come from or have lived in a small place it will be easier than if you come from a big city. New Zealand is like living in a small town in many ways. For example your reputation is important. If you do somebody wrong or really mess up everybody knows and will have nothing to do with you. So you and other people don't do this. If you do you will have to leave the country. If you are specialist in some field or industry you will know all your peers in the country and they will know you even if you never met. If you are good they will know it and if you aren't they will know that too. Everybody knows everybody so watch out if you talk bad about someone because they may be related. I have met people who went to school with the prime minister or their kids go to school with his kids. You will see all the famous people from TV and politics on the street, same as everybody else and not locked far away from the normal public. They take the same flights as you and not their private jet. I have been on the same plane with a former prime minister, they got on and off the same as me. That would never ever happen in the USA. In a nutshell people are more accessible. This is a classless society where there is no difference between rich and normal people. I have seen multi millionaires who drive simple cars and put in their own petrol and are the nicest people you would ever meet. You would never know the own huge office buildings. I digress sorry for rambling own.
For each person it is different. Why are you coming to NZ and what do you think it will be like. I learned long ago you can either be happy or miserable anywhere. It is what you make of it. You can whinge (complain) or make the best of what you have. Here I can go for a walk on a deserted beach any time I want. In the USA you can't do that because most likely it is privately owned and a no trespassing zone to boot. So some things are free you can't even have in other places. One thing I marvel at even after 15 years is little school children walking to school each morning and walking home each afternoon. These are young kids where their back pack is bigger than they are. I hope you get the picture. You won't ever see that in the USA as the kid will never make it to the end of the block without being kidnapped. I have met more than one person who moved her to give their kids a better life. Some even gave up better paying jobs to do it. In my own words if you move to New Zealand you won't get rich but will live a rich life.
Hope that gives you some insight. I can ramble on for hours. If you have any specific question feel free to ask.
Cheers
Cliff
Nelson, New Zealand
NZ Citizenship in 2000, been in NZ 15 years now
Arrived NZ in 1997 from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
"New Zealand isn't just a physical place it is a state of mind."
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