Americans coming to NZ

[Dawn]

Selch, I too am vair vair disappointed at how 'ungreen' this wonderfully beautiful country is. It too often doesn't put it's money where it's mouth is.

[selchie]

At least the folks haven't mucked up the land too badly, and will hopefully soon catch up with the state of the green arts.

[pianist1]

After having been absent from the forum for a while - got busy with life etc. - I popped in and I decided I just HAD to comment on this thread and give my two cents worth. I consider myself realistic and more adaptable than many...having spent my childhood years in a third world country in Asia before living twenty-six years in the US. When we moved to NZ, I had great dreams of making this place my new home. Our first six months were more like something out of a soap opera, filled with bad luck, mishaps and disappointments. We were evicted out of a "friend's" place, got into an accident, had to take Telecom to the tribunal for a dispute, had 2 offers on houses fall apart.....I was afraid my marriage was also falling apart from all the stress. Sure, you could say this could happen anywhere in the world you move to....yes, that's true. So, I must say that being the optimist I am, I have tried not to mention much about the things in NZ that bother me. However, having said this, I feel like I would not be doing justice to all the Americans who are currently trying to decide if they should move here by not speaking up.
I have come to be friends with nolasmom over the last couple of months, so I can tell you that she is a most reasonable and down-to-earth woman who is not "spoiled" like some other Americans I know. We are middle class people who are not independently weathy and I have to agree with her on many of the things she has commented on.
After having lived here for a year, my husband told me recently that if he knew what things were going to be like here, he would have never decided to move to NZ. All this time, we have both been trying our best to be positive and optimistic, but I know it must bother him a lot to have told me this.
If I were an American trying to decide about moving to NZ, I would want as many viewpoints as possible from other Americans. A good choice is an informed choice. What is the point of having a forum when only good things can be mentioned and you would be shot down if you had a different opinion? As I have mentioned previously in one of my other posts, the world is made of people with different experiences and opinions. Everybody has a right to feel the way they do, so please let's all be civil and respect everyone's differences. We can all learn from each other on this forum!

[kokopeli]

Originally Posted by pianist1

After having lived here for a year, my husband told me recently that if he knew what things were going to be like here, he would have never decided to move to NZ. All this time, we have both been trying our best to be positive and optimistic, but I know it must bother him a lot to have told me this.

Hi Julie, Glad to see that you're still around. Can you say which aspects of NZ (and life in NZ) your hubster was referring to? I'd certainly be interested in hearing more

[Dawn]

Originally Posted by pianist1

If I were an American trying to decide about moving to NZ, I would want as many viewpoints as possible from other Americans. A good choice is an informed choice. What is the point of having a forum when only good things can be mentioned and you would be shot down if you had a different opinion? As I have mentioned previously in one of my other posts, the world is made of people with different experiences and opinions. Everybody has a right to feel the way they do, so please let's all be civil and respect everyone's differences. We can all learn from each other on this forum!

Of course everyone has a right to their feelings, thoughts and opinions no one worth their salt would want it any other way. I celebrate and champion difference and equality and anyone who has actually come to know me as a person and not just through my posts on this forum will vouch for that. We must all also remember that posting something on the forum means that we take responsibility for it and are prepared to deal with any comments, thoughts or less than favourable opinions that are posted back. The rough with the smooth and that's the way it goes. I like it when people disagree with me, I respect and applaud difference and I respect and applaud people who are honest enough to vocalise it. If someone says something that I disagree with and I feel moved to reply then I should. Nolasmom felt moved enough to write the post in the first place and that's great. Anyone that her post informs and advises is better off for it and that's great too. That I disagree with some of the things she said should also be great. I have no objection to her venting her frustrations on how she finds life here compared to the US and if it's cathartic all the better but she made a few comparisons that weren't accurate and that were open to attracting criticism and that too is healthy isn't it? If you're bold enough to state a thing then your bold enough to deal with any questioning of it surely.
I know that this forum has worked hard on allowing people to post their honest opinions. It's never encouraged only good things to be said. I respect the fact there are many varying opinions on here, they helped me make that informed decision you mentioned. But I also think that informed decisions aren't necessarily the best decisions, but hey I often throw caution to the wind and welcome the consequences. I've learned a lot that way.
What you say about your husband is interesting because the other night when Gary and I were talking he said exactly the opposite. Gary is very cautious and he also stresses over a lot of unnecessary things, he gets anxious. He said that since being here he has never felt so free that is such a profound change in him that it brought tears to my eyes. We would have left the UK 3 years ago if Gary had been willing and now he says he wishes we had. Hindsight eh?
Guys, listen. I know I'm outspoken, I'm abrupt and to some, maybe all who have never met me, I may come across as difficult, provocative, argumentative, brash....and on and on......but really I'm just a pussy cat.......aren't I taf?

[nolasmom]

"For the money" is how I should have entitled my original post, I suppose. For the money, if the house we're currently living in were in the US we would most definitely have central heating and, yes, a garbage disposal. And whiteware would be included in the price. It's just how things are.

And I said low-end homes have these amenities, not those in poverty stricken neighborhoods. Having worked for Legal Aid (a US non-profit providing legal assistance to America's most poor) for over a year, I am intimately familiar with what those less fortunate have to endure. Oh, and I didn't take a paycheck.

My original post was intended for those Americans considering the move over. Given current NZIS standards, those would be professionals most likely accustomed to certain conveniences in life. In NZ, those conveniences often come at a premium or simply do not exist. I had no idea when I moved here, and it was a shock.

I appreciate that this forum is populated by New Zea-loonies (my new term) who adore anything and everything Kiwi. Yay for you, you're where you belong. I'm simply trying to give those Americans (not Brits or South Africans nor anyone else) who are thinking about moving here a snapshot of daily life.

And I will go on record stating that Kiwi canister vacuum cleaners are the worst.

[Glenda]

Originally Posted by Dawn

Guys, listen. I know I'm outspoken, I'm abrupt and to some, maybe all who have never met me, I may come across as difficult, provocative, argumentative, brash....and on and on......but really I'm just a pussy cat.......aren't I taf?

I would have imagined you to be a big hairy dog running up to and jumping on folks who dare stand their place. Harmless maybe, but scary!

Perhaps you should have a postscipt on your posts reminding people of your respect for speaking openly, so that forum members can prepare themselves (and cover all bases) before tapping out their posts.

So glad to hear Dawn that you and your family are happy here in NZ. Some of us immigrants who have been here longer would say you are still on your 'honeymoon', still remembering that 'high' after the excitement of the move and full of optimism for the future. It may be (like myself) that in two years you will still feel blessed to be in NZ, but many of us know of immigrants (of differing nationalities) who have gone back 'home' for various reasons or have resigned to the 'put up and make the best of it' attitude as their dream has been slow to materialise. I am sure I speak for us all in that we wish them good energy and happiness.

[Dawn]

Originally Posted by nolasmom

I appreciate that this forum is populated by New Zea-loonies (my new term) who adore anything and everything Kiwi.

I am certainly not one of these, NZ and Kiwis certainly have their down sides and a lot of them frustrate the hell out of me BUT I decided to move here and if I don't like it the choice is mine to leave. No matter where we had decided to move in the world the emphasis is the same, experience a different culture and accept it or don't, simple. This was never expected to be a lifelong, life choice for us, it was another step on the journey, an adventure and a look-see, learn what we can, get the most we can from the experience good or bad, grow and move on.

Glenda, we're far from living the dream, we're far too pragmatic for that syndrome. NZ is suiting us just now. We never had any expectations or hopes for this place before we got here so I can't say it's turned out to be all that we wanted it to be. We didn't want it to be anything other than it is and we knew it was down to us to get anything, something or everything from it and not the other way around. It's not about where you are, it's about how you choose to live your every day and how you choose to shape your experience.

When a forum is as successful as this one with regular members posting to and fro frequently, it's easy to fall into believing that we know people better than we actually do.

And Glenda, I am far from being big or hairy and I only jump on people that I am exceptionally familiar with Oh and I would definitely never lick a stranger

[Glenda]

Originally Posted by Dawn

When a forum is as successful as this one with regular members posting to and fro frequently, it's easy to fall into believing that we know people better than we actually do.

Too true. We should all remember that.

[ebianca]

Well what a read this thread has been.

I beleive everyone has a right to 'air' their veiws and everyone has different expectations on what they want out of life.

As for basic needs in a house- here in the UK we don't have central heating in our house- we have a real fire and use electric heaters when we need them (and a couple of extra jumpers).

As for white goods in houses- not all rental places have these included.
My dad took on a council flat a couple of years back after a serious motorbike accident and the flat didn't even have a cooker in.

I know some people are used to their luxuries and we do have a few that we think we couldn't live without however we are hoping to have a better quality of life from our move to NZ and if that means adjusting our priorities then so be it.

I'm not expecting to have the same things as I do here in the UK like good clothes shops etc and my husbands need for gadgets will have to be replaced with somehting else but it is all part of the adventure.

Anyway think i've said enough for now.

Beth