Americans coming to NZ

[nolasmom]

Originally Posted by KiwiHopeful

I do have a huge problem with the quality of NZ laundry detergent. I've yet to find one at any price that actually works well. Tide certainly spoiled me. I've given in and buy whatever is on sale.

I've had good luck with Persil Low Suds powder. I miss Tide too.

Originally Posted by KiwiHopeful

Hear hear! Forewarned is forearmed.

And that was my intent.

Originally Posted by KiwiHopeful

Ask 5 different people what heaven will be like and you'll get 5 different answers.

Unless one is a Jew* and then you'll get 6 answers.

*I'm a Heeb - I can mock my own.

Originally Posted by KiwiHopeful

I've been working on an post about questions potential migrants should ask themselves before leaving home. It keeps getting longer and longer ... But a key one is, 'How do you deal with life's little annoyances?'

I couldn't agree more, and I would suggest that question be near the top of the list. I will admit to seeing more trees than forest.

Originally Posted by KiwiHopeful

Please don't take that as an implied attack against anyone's character.

I don't feel your reply is an attack at all. Differences in opinion and outlook fuel discussion and debate. Those are positive and the purpose of a forum.

[Dawn]

Originally Posted by KiwiHopeful

Rather, it's a real issue. People who don't deal well with things back at home probably shouldn't try out an expat lifestyle. No one should come here thinking that NZ is enough like the US that they won't notice the difference every single day.

And not just the US KH eh? I've been lucky enough to share time with immigrants from at least a dozen different countries since being here and they all re-iterate the same thing, NZ is NZ not their 'home' country and they have to deal with the fundamental differences every day. Some obviously deal with it better than others and I think where you're from does make a difference.

I too miss TK Maxx! Well what I miss is decent quality clothing/homewares for a reasonable price. In the UK if you buy cheap you get cheap, if you're prepared to pay a bit more you get good quality, I know the same to be true in the States in fact to a greater degree because good quality, well-made clothes are much cheaper in the US than in the UK but here, well pay cheap get cheap, pay a lot still get cheap. It's frustrating when your new $350 bedding drops to pieces in the 3rd wash Maybe we should pool our cash KH and start our own shadow company KHDawns

Our house is an old villa style house. Yes the windows are draughty, the wooden floor is draughty but our house in the UK was a 200 yr old cottage. The doors didn't fit, the single glazed windows didn't fit, the central heating cost us ?800 a month to run andmost of the heat went out of the none insulated walls and barely adequately insulated roof. It wasn't unusual for us to have 4 or 5 layers on in winter indoors! As for sockets, we've got loads. The kitchen is well fitted and included the dishwasher, in the UK white goods don't come with the house unless they're integrated, it's normal to have to provide your own washer, dryer, fridge etc they're the kind of things we move with us from house to house. As for tumble dryers - come on guys - get your stuff out on the line, think of the environment and for me the smell of that clean washing when it's been dried in the fresh air is something special. The same goes for cleaning products, unless you buy the Eco friendly kind there's really no need to use as many as we do, many of them have been proven to be detrimental to health when used consistently and you know that we need to have germs around to build an immunity to them. Those people that scrub their kids clean with detergent at every opportunity really aren't doing themselves or their kids any favours. We used to play in the soil and the gutters when we were kids and although there will be those that would dispute it, we all grew up OK. The whole 'everything must be spotlessly clean' thing is just a clever marketing idea thought up by the massive pharmaceutical companies to keep their big fat capitalist wheels in motion. They've done a good job of brain-washing the masses.

KH I'm wondering whether the detergent thing is just a cultural difference. When we were in the states we couldn't find a detergent we liked. Here we buy Persil Sensitive. In the UK it was Persil non-biological, I have to use a non-biological because a couple of my kids have eczema so I have to be a bit careful but it washes well. You US guys tend to use the liquid don't you? Forgive me if I'm wrong.

There's nothing wrong with having a moan, we all have a moan from time to time but there's something to remember, if we don't like it here, if we're really disappointed and we find that coming here hasn't been as we expected, then we can always go home. When we left the UK we knew why we were leaving the UK, we didn't know why we were coming to NZ. It will be what it will be and we will either stay or we won't but whilst we're making up our mind we'll try to get the most out of being here that we can. Whatever happens we'll learn a few things

[Dawn]

Originally Posted by nolasmom

I've had good luck with Persil Low Suds powder. I miss Tide too.

I don't feel your reply is an attack at all. Differences in opinion and outlook fuel discussion and debate. Those are positive and the purpose of a forum.

From this I gather you felt my intial response to your post was an attack. I'm sorry if I made you feel that way, it wasn't my intention. It may have come across as negative and made me seem insensitive to your situation. I'm a very positive, upbeat person, I'm a problem solver, I look for solutions and not problems, I see the beautiful trees (and hug them) and I see the wood as well. I guess some of the things you said just made me wonder why you weren't looking for ways to improve things for yourself instead of letting them bother you so much. To me, it's up to each and every one of us to shape our each and every day. Life is what you make it

But at least we agree on the Persil

[KiwiHopeful]

KH I'm wondering whether the detergent thing is just a cultural difference. When we were in the states we couldn't find a detergent we liked. Here we buy Persil Sensitive. In the UK it was Persil non-biological, I have to use a non-biological because a couple of my kids have eczema so I have to be a bit careful but it washes well. You US guys tend to use the liquid don't you? Forgive me if I'm wrong.

That's funny ... maybe it is!

We definitely go for the liquid variety in the US more than the powder. I don't know how long ago you were in the US, but in the past few years more and more sensitive or 'free' detergents have become available. I think more brands feature them now.

As for hanging clothes out, I was skeptical when I came here. I don't know why, but clothes hung out to dry always seemed to get an odd smell back home, something I haven't noticed here. I don't know if it was because of air pollution and pollen, or because we weren't using any kind of liquid fabric softener.

On another note, yet another thing I forgot to mention: I had been thinking about and researching this move for more than 3 years before we came. I know not everyone has that kind of time, but it's definitely a good idea to do as much research as possible before coming. I read everything I could get my hands on, cruised this forum and some others, etc. I remember reading in one of the NZIS immigration reports that something like 2/3 of immigrants were 'surprised' by something encountered here. I'm sure that ratio is even higher for those who eventually return home.

[Melza7]

Kia Ora, anyone 24-35 moving to Christchurch? I have met a few people off internet now, great friends with a girl moved here from Seattle, and also another from New York.
I love USA, did 4 week roadtrip there bout 3.5 years ago.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
NZ is the best!

[Silver]

Hi, I found this chat thread while looking to see if swiffer products were available in NZ!

I read through the entire thread and found it informative and interesting. Thanks to Nolasmom to point out seemingly insignificant but definitely important items to the potential expats.

I have to admit, they are moreso seemingly insignificant to me, but that is also due to the fact of my exposure (although limited) to the culture over the past few decades. (My husband and I are currently looking to relocate there, btw) I can certainly see how these items in discussion would be important to those potential newcomers.

I am quite curious as to the different situations each contributor to the discussion that brought them to NZ. It appears that some have been there for a while, others not so long, and perhaps there were some that lived there temporarily at first? I guess I am just looking to complete my image of the discussion.

For me, I started with a pen-pal in the 5th grade. I have been there twice and stayed in homes, hostels, campsites, hotel and motels. In addition to the home stays I have done my own laundry, cooked my own meals, shopped for my own groceries and have preferred going off the beaten path as opposed to touristy-traps. For the sake of not getting too wordy, I feel I have gotten cultural input beyond a typical visitor. Aware that I don't have all the information, but having a good "sense" of where New Zealand is in comparison to American "givens", none of what Nolasmom said surprised me. So, my curiosity is in the wondering wether or not any of you have had a similar background as I.