I’m looking at somewhere else to live for a bit, New Zealand is the only place which seems to have jobs I’m trained for.

What’s it like for live/work/schools/ride/climate etc? Mostly north island really, had enough of the cold!

Many thanks in advance

Sunny, full of hobbits.

it’s a foreign country, don’t let appearances deceive you.

Great replies, all of, erm, them…

Just found this thread which answers my queries.

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/anyone-ex-pats-livinglived-in-new-zealand

had enough of the cold

Can I strongly suggest you don’t move to NZ for the weather!

It’s a very, very long way away, and if/when you get homesick, it’s hardly a short hop back to see the folks…

No folks to miss or come back to. If we were to go it’d be for a couple of years.

Tbh, at the minute, if someone offered me a job in Guatemala I’d probably take it. I’m getting too old to be unemployed…

All the Kiwi’s I’ve met and know, bang on about how EVERYTHING is better in NZ. Funny that non of them live there any more…

it’s almost exactly the same as scotland*.

it really is.

only much, much further away.

(*yes, even the weather)

its a bit of a trip

I’d like to visit Napier, as it has quite a number of Art Deco buildings:

Funny that none of them live there any more…

Reminds me of a NZ PM who said that all the Kiwis going to live in Australia was raising the average IQ of both countries.

If you can get in, go for it.

its mint, the people are lovely, they are obsessed with coffee and the riding and outdoor stuff you can do is mind blowingly good!

My job is on the long term skills shortage list. I’ve contacted a few agencies to see what the job market is like. So I’ll have to wait and see what they say.

what job is it loddrik?

I’d just do it,

People will give you their opinions but you’ll only really know if you do it yourself.

I found NZ to be a beautiful place but I have no idea about the economy etc, It can feel a bit slow in places, compared with the mad rush that the UK is. I’d go but I prefer Australia to be honest and I don’t really know why. Yes its far away but if it gives you all that you need then go for it.

A few pictures of my travels..

Queenstown

I have loads more but not on line.

Town (urban) planning.

if you are any good at your job get out here quick!!!

I liked it, my wife hated it.

I’d just do it,
People will give you their opinions but you’ll only really know if you do it yourself.

Yep.

If u value your freedom and getting out and doing stuff it has the UK beat hands down.If u like sitting around and moaning about the weather,the economy or u kid yourself that the UK is actually ok your better off staying home.As for being a long way from home your only 24 hrs away by plane.

I’ve been out here 4 months, have a job and live in Wellington. It’s certainly different to the UK and there’s some epic riding minutes from the city centre (and further afield) but it’s not all fjords and lakes n stuff. You still have to have a day job, go shopping, pay bills and put up with the same everday stuff you would back home.

Also a lot of the amazing scenery is miles away from the centres of population where you’ll likely to find work. Don’t get me wrong though Wellington is a shed load better than my home town of Merthyr Tydfil. Just come out here eyes open. Culturally things are a bit ‘behind’ (not as many bands visit, that kinda thing) and the work ethic is a bit challenging, certainly working in IT it’s not exactly cutting edge stuff.

I don’t mean to come across as negative, I’m loving it here and will be visiting the UK next week for a wedding so it’ll be interesting to see whether my feelings are confirmed or if I miss greggs pasties too much and want to stay.

As for being a long way from home your only 24 hrs away by plane.

I’m next door 😉 . For me the problem isn’t the travel time but the time it takes me to earn the $2000 it costs to fly back and forth to Europe! (And, of course, the fact I don’t want to go back to the UK that much – horse for courses, different strokes for different folks, takes every kind of people, it’s a braw licht moonlicht nicht the nicht etc).

It’s worth remembering that it’s in a different time zone

……….. I think it’s currently 1976 there

The weather is pretty bloody ideal in Raglan where my bro lives as far as I an tell (have visited summer and winter)

uplink – Member

It’s worth remembering that it’s in a different time zone

……….. I think it’s currently 1976 there

Lovely !Anyonw would think all of the UK,s the centre of the universe.It would be pointless comming to NZ if its was the same as dreary old England.Im constantly amazed at the English way of wonting home away from home wherever they travel.Brilliant.Thats the point of travel,to experience new things.NZ,s a great experience as any new country should be.

……….. I think it’s currently 1976 there

Lovely !Anyonw would think all of the UK,s the centre of the universe.

I meant it as a compliment, really 🙂

It is still 1976

id think carefully about where in north island you go – lots of nice places – lots of places that you couldnt pay me to live also !

as far as citys go – wellingtons alright 😉 – auckland – fack that ! – but i do realise thats where most jobs are – thus im still in the uk ….

was impressed with San Joaquin Valley CA though – been working over there for a couple weeks and yes it has crime – but youll see just as much in nz if you look below the holiday veneer that most folk see. lots of call for my line of work once im experianced enough (unlike nz for me)

forgot to say – without so much as a heart beat if i was offered a job out in nz – id be gone irrespective of where in the country just to get citizenship 😉

Dunno why but when I think of emigrating the US doesn’t doesn’t get considered. I’m sure it has everything but I could just never imagine living there.

I think it has just about the right level of political correctness out there for you lodders. 🙂

i know what you mean loddrik – mrs T-r is the same, how ever she has never been 😀 – my impressions of the us come from the movies and like most things – its nothing like the movies ! i had most americans down as being rude and busy busy all the time – in reality for the most part(the the south and west) they are friendly and cant do enough for you ! – although perhaps thats because i live in aberdeen the most unfriendly place in the world !. although ive had this discussion with folk in the places ive been and they tell me they are like the movies all down the east coast !

spent most of my time out there in texas though – texas is fine to visit could never live there – you couldnt live without a car !

I lived there, but would never return. If I was down that way I’d head to Oz (as most young Kiwi’s do anyway given half the chance – especially if they can’t stay in the UK!). Oh and the weather….. it’s not green for nothing..

But I always get shot down for my honest opinion.

TandemJeremy – Member

It is still 1976

He he, good one TJ!

People go on about the weather here but in Auckland you can wear shorts pretty much all year round, the summers have been long and hot since i’ve been here (3 1/2 years) with hardly a day of rain. The winters are damp, wet and anywhere in between. But not too cold.

Today I surfed overhead waves in shorts for 3 hours without getting cold and filled up my car for less than a quid a litre.

Some things are good, some things are bad (particularly the racist school songs ;0) )

Some friends of ours moved out there and moved back because they found it dull. To be fair though I don’t think they were that into outdoor activities etc.

I hope you wore total sunblock as the sun is lethal – when it does appear 😉

And yeah, the cultural intergration is NZ is awesome…

And yeah, the cultural intergration is NZ is awesome…

yup for sure – its deffo “them and us” – is it so different to the uk really …just you know where you stand with a kiwi – in uk they will just moan behind your back !

just you know where you stand with a kiwi – in uk they will just moan behind your back

I see that you’ve never worked in the education sector then! 😆

The sun is strong for sure, but i’ve had worse sunburn in Spain. I didn’t find it as much an issue as I thought that I would.

We’re out there at the moment (Christchurch, so this might affect my thoughts, and what people are saying).

Lots of comments elsewhere about lifestyle, weather etc elsewhere but have to say it’s the first time I’ve had a bike out here for quite a few years and the riding’s fantastic- there’s been big improvements to the trail networks.

Economically the government and press have been pushing the line that things aren’t great (nationally), and are going to get worse, since before the first quake. Obviously the outlook hasn’t improved lately. Check out stuff.co.nz for the news.

As far as town planning goes, the last ChCh quake may have been a game changer. It looks like the city is going to be completely redesigned- some areas will be abandoned and reverted to wetland, others relocated, buildings restricted to 3/4 stories etc- but starting planning for this could be a year or so off. It’s a big task, and will affect hugely what happens in the rest of the country- most available resources could be diverted to ChCh, leaving things pretty static in the rest of the country for the next few years, in which case potential work for you could just dry up. There’s a possibility that big projects may just get put on hold or abandoned. I guess you’d want to really check that you could get work before packing up, unless you want a career change.