Look before you leap

[Dawn]

Haven't looked at this site for some time and am interested in the replies. I note that many people have viewed the site and that reassures me that it was appropriate to write.

In response to some of the comments
Re: safety: levels of child abuse, traffic accidents and low car insurance take up are not necessarily signs of adventurous spirit.......... - but we might well remember that many health, work and safety benefits that we enjoy were fought for at a cost by our elders.
Scenary: Quite frankly if one has travelled in England, Europe, USA and elsewhere you can beat the scenery in NZ anywhere.
Fresh produce and shopping: Didn't comment much before, but we were surprised by the poor quality and selection of produce. Where do people shop at home, if they think it is better - just can't believe it!

I wrote my original comments not to whing about NZ, to unsettle those of you making the move, to justify our own decision not to go, but to add balance to the euphoria of the books and comments we had absorbed ourselves. Having returned home we note how much more honest people are about their assessments about NZ. Let's be frank we all want to be proved right, not to lose face..... As a family we are happy to do all these things if it means we remain as a stong and healthy family unit, true to themselves. Our teenagers would have got out as soon as they could, like many NZ kids who go to make a better life in Austrialia, US or Europe. Being so far away from them would have been unbearable and certainly not alieviated by spending a couple of hours in warm conditions on a beautiful isolated beach - where are people coming from if they think this really helps. Values are really upside down - no pun intended

We went to NZ to assess it as a possible place to live. If we had just been going on holiday we would have no doubt thought it was lovely and been less critical. However we take the prospect of uprooting ourselves, the children and the impact on our extended families seriously. We had to assess properly and objectively.
I trust that those of you who are going or have gone will fine happiness, if it doesn't meet expectations that you won't feel you have to stay to prove a point. The context of our lives are important, but so is inner peace and happiness, which doesn't come from scenary, weather or activities.

Well that's my last word on this site - really have moved on now ?

Well, in response to some of your comments Clare, not that you'll ever read them because you 'really have moved on now' - how very good for you, but I have a sneaky suspicion you might just have to have a little look because you'll be glad to have provoked a response:
Safety - nobody in their right mind would see child abuse, traffic accidents and low car insurance as adventurous spirit, to infer that anybody would is down right insulting. Everybody is aware of why H & S regulations are in place and you may be surprised to hear that other people are intelligent enough to make the connection between how many people had to suffer terribly in accidents and incidents before it was deemed necessary to sanction and legislate.
ScenEry - quite frankly one has travelled in England, Europe, USA and elsewhere and we realise that there are many beautiful places in the world. But one should remember that there are many people who haven't had the privilege of travel and one shouldn't assume that that makes them any less able to assess natural beauty.
Fresh Produce - where do people shop at home? Golly gosh - it shouldn't be assumed that everyone has the luxury of having paid off their mortgage and so has an unlimited food budget every week enabling them to shop for the freshest produce in selected stores. I also think it's true to say that many UK ex-pats grow their own produce, we certainly intend to and do feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think you can get much fresher than that.
And yes, let's be frank, few people are actually so wrapped in their own egos that they're prepared to marginalise their families so as not to lose face. And I'm so pleased that yours is a strong and healthy family unit who stay true to themselves, because if it weren't it would have been extremely patronising not merely significantly patronising to take such a superior attitude and imply that once we've all made this terrible mistake and our children have cleared off to Australia to pay us back for it we can compensate for that loss by spending a couple of hours in warm conditions on an isolated beach. Where are YOU coming from to dare to assume that we all assume that it will help?
You're not the only people who take the process of uprooting everybody seriously, you're not the only people who have the capability to assess things properly and objectively, other people don't have their heads so far up their own arse that they would stay anywhere to prove a point and as for living with inner happiness and peace....well I'm glad you're in touch with your inner-self and that you're comfortable with it but maybe you ought to look a little more closely as I really wouldn't be able to live with myself if I looked upon my fellow human beings with your unstinting intolerance and disdain. Try a little generosity, respect and basic good manners.

Soz guys but the way that post was written was just rude!

That's my last word on this - really have moved on now

[MotherBear]

Must admit I did wonder at the tone of Clare?s post and couldn?t figure out what had prompted it. Thought I'd just read it wrongly. I considered the posts made by our other members to be fair and, to a certain extent, in agreement with her.

Hope you feel better having got that off your chest, Dawn. ;)

[missvee]

;D OOOHHH!! Another thought provoking post, stirring emotions, just what we need. Just wanted to ask Dawn - HAVE YOU REALLY MOVED ON! Sorry Dawn just pulling your leg. Looks like she upset you but on the good side, she won't be in New Zealand.

We know what we want out of NZ and what we are going for. We also know its not a Utopia.

So enough from me and I REALLY HAVE MOVED ON!! LOL ;D
Missvee

[Glenda]

Well, I was tempted to reply to clare's post ?[smiley=014.gif] but chickened out (wrong time of the month). ? [smiley=096.gif] ?[smiley=067.gif]? [smiley=icon_eek.gif] [smiley=icon_lol.gif] I am almost sure she was just cautioning those who feel coock-a-hoop about NZ being the best place for them, however strange her 'examples' seem to read.

I'll stick to the slightly less controversial sub-thread subject of Marmite. ? [smiley=icon_wink.gif]

thanks Glenda
It just doesnt taste the same though ..ug ? ha ha :)

Guess if you can't get used to it, it is off to a British food shop like Bramptins http://www.bramptins.co.nz/ - perhaps you can do the toast test to see if there really is much difference between them. ? [smiley=icon_biggrin.gif]

:D

[moose]

Here Here Dawn I'm With you, Totally Totally agree.

Just So Sorry for you Clare that you just weren't ready enough to move on.

My verdict is that before you came out here you were of a negative attitude and because i am out here and living the dream, I find your negative excuse for research being very unkind to the likes of others on this forum who are in the midst of making the move, you have no tact love, and what others must realise that your likes maybe other dislikes, how selfish and self centered you are, cos you haven't stayed around to answer anybodys queries, just to be distructive, ooooohh ?how nice.

May I ask, have you actually servered the apron strings, I think not, and will never know cos you have moved on now.

Just incase you do pop in enjoy the rest of your life and I hope you never have any regrets in 10, 15 yrs ?time. ?;D


Macfod... ? Our Mate ?is ?Marmite ?same jar as Uk and same taste. ?The little red pot though nz call marmite, isn't the same and doesn't taste the same, ?try woolworths they do it

[MotherBear]

As with everything, it's horses for courses. Some people love NZ and some people are less than enthusiastic and on this forum we want to hear both sides so we can take it all on board before making our own judgement. In this case I think it was just unfortunate that Clare's way of expressing herself and taking exception to what others have written came across rather badly. Personally I thought it was a pretty balanced debate and couldn't see why she reacted in this way.

Macfod, if I remember rightly, we bought some Our Mate when we were last in NZ and found it to be OK. Perhaps we just don't have cultured taste buds :D. I know that Marmite in NZ is not the right one and as I haven't tried it, I can't comment on its taste. I'll no doubt be sampling Our Mate when we arrive again in 2 weeks' time so I'll pay extra attention to the flavour and let you know.

[mea]

I haven't heard of Our Mate, but I've heard of one called promite that's made by masterfoods.

What exactly do you mean marmite is not the right one? :P

I've always had marmite, but depending on your parents/what you have growing up some people have vegemite, one of them is supposed to be stronger, but I've never tried vegemite so I don't know.

[MotherBear]

What exactly do you mean marmite is not the right one? ?:P

There's Marmite in the UK and there's Marmite in NZ, but they don't taste the same apparently. ?A lot of UK Marmiters really don't like the taste of NZ Marmite but find Our Mate to be more like the 'real thing'. ?

[hatter5]

Forget the Marmite.

Dawn please don't move on yet! Had a good chuckle as Clare's first post got on my tits too but thought better of commenting on such a crock of shite. So pleased you got that off your chest.

What planet yet alone country are you on Clare? Life's what you make it (or is that a Talk Talk song). Quality of life is my reward and I have a life outside of work now because I don't have to work all hours and spend 3 hours each day traveling to and from London.

If my kids go on their OE (I hope they do as there will be no boundaries for them to overcome) then they will make a good living for themselves and will have enjoyed their childhood and will, like many, return to NZ to settle down. I will of course make a point of asking them to visit Bath and judge it for themselves (without prejudice).

No point in being rude.

Actually there was -

Lack of stress ..... nothing else to moan about I expect.

Blighty will be forever grateful you stayed

[MotherBear]

Dawn please don't move on yet! on such a crock of shite.

I think (hope) that Dawn just means she doesn't want to comment any more on the subject rather than she's quitting the forum, unlike Clare who stated it was her last word on the forum. She certainly made an impact during her short time with us.

It's at times like this I wonder how Tottefan's doing. ?He always liked a good debate and we haven't really had one since he left. ?Wherever you are Tottie, hope all's good with you. ?

Great to hear things are going well for you in NZ, Hatter. ?Are you still in Wellie?