I can hardly believe that it’s been over a month since I stepped off the plane in Auckland. Well a month and a half now as I’m back in Europe for work and my poor blog took a backburner for a week. My bad. It’s been 30 days of ups and downs, highs and lows, everything you might expect from a big move abroad.
New Zealand has been everything I wished for and more. It’s almost hard for me to articulate my feelings and emotions so far on this adventure. That being said, it takes a lot for me to be at a loss for words. Born an overly verbose person who has trouble shutting up at the best of times, I’ve spent the past few weeks contemplating this big transition abroad and how best to share it with you all in the least wordy way possible.
Reflecting on my first month in New Zealand, if I had to sum up my experience in one sentence, it would be, “wow, that was a learning experience.”
Let me just tell you, I’ve learned a whole hell of a lot. From improving my kiwi slang vocabulary to acquiring some profound life lessons, the old adage “you’re never too old to learn something new” has never been more true than my first month down under.
Check out 20 things I’ve learned during my first 30 days in New Zealand
1. New Zealanders are the friendliest people in the world
Before I bought a one-way flight to Auckland, I had heard mysterious rumors of the friendliness of the kiwi people. And over the years when I was backpacking around the world, I often met people from New Zealand, and I was struck by how kind they were. That being said, I was not prepared for just how friendly and sweet EVERYONE is in New Zealand.
And I mean EVERYONE! Not even exaggerating.
From the shopkeepers to the bartenders to the average person walking down the street, if there is one thing you can always count on in New Zealand is just how lovely and friendly everyone is.
Moving abroad is scary. Moving abroad to a new country without knowing a single person is absolutely terrifying. However, picking a place with super friendly people has made all the difference.
If I don’t leave New Zealand in a year a completely changed person, I don’t even know myself.
2. What Kiwi really means
Kiwi is the name of people from New Zealand as well as New Zealand’s flightless bird. Kiwis as we know them in America are called kiwi fruit. This is an important difference, as I’m sure you can imagine, especially if kiwis are your favorite fruit.
3. Driving on the left is fun, until you get to a roundabout, then it’s terrifying
If I die in a road accident while living in New Zealand, there is a 80% chance that it happened in a roundabout. While in general I think there are a more logical way of directing traffic, it doesn’t make going through them in the wrong direction any less scary. I pretty much scream every time I go through one here, especially the ones with double lanes.
4. The more sheep than people rumor is not false
So the rumor that there are more sheep than people in New Zealand is not exactly false, as I quickly found out. After leaving sprawling urban Auckland, the complete lack of people took me by surprise. Driving down to Wellington, I would drive for ages and sometimes not see other cars.
Once you get outside of the cities in Wellington, you quickly realize that there are just not a lot of people about. New Zealand really is the end of the world. And yeah, there are a lot of sheep. Everywhere.
But now that spring is here, all the lambs have been born which means adorable, fluffy, baby sheep EVERYWHERE!
5. New Zealand is freaking expensive, but not as expensive as Australia
When I was packing for New Zealand, I made an executive decision to leave my hiking boots at home. I figured I since NZ is such an outdoorsy place, I could pick up a nice pair once I got here. My old ones needed to be tossed and I didn’t want to waste the luggage space.
What a stupid decision, my god!
I went to go buy hiking boots in Wellington, and the pair I wanted was 450 NZD – that’s roughly 375 USD which is roughly twice as much as back home.
Because everything is virtually imported to NZ, things are expensive. For example, I usually drop around $80 on my weekly groceries.
But then I went to Australia and realized NZ was cheap in comparison.
Looks like I’ll be hiking in my running sneakers!
6. NZ has the worst internet in the entire world
No, I am not exaggerating. I’ve had better internet in Africa. In Jordan. In rural Turkey.
When I first heard rumors of shoddy internet in NZ before moving there, I laughed it off. I thought those stories were not up to date or relevant any more. Boy, was I mistaken.
As I understand it from my tech friends, NZ is literally at the end of the under-the-ocean-magic-internet-cable. Literally, it’s the last stop for internet, which means it’s really bad, really slow, and really expensive. It’s also limited. LIMITED!! I didn’t even know limited internet was a thing!
Without a doubt this will be the hardest challenge I have to overcome this year.
7. There are a lot of foreigners in New Zealand
New Zealand is an amazing, empty place. I think one of my favorite things about this country is that it’s so remote with so few people. That being said, there are a surprising amount of foreigners to be found around the islands.
NZ has a very open working holiday scheme which means many people from around the world can come and easily get a visa to work and travel around the country. Also NZ is a popular travel destination. Pretty much everyone I’ve met has NZ on their travel bucket list.
This means there are lots of foreigners around town, which for me is both a positive and a negative. Negative because I want to go native and fit in with the locals which can be challenging, but also awesome because I get to make friends with people from all over the world.
8. But no Americans in NZ
That being said, there are NO AMERICANS IN NEW ZEALAND. Fellow countrymen, where are you?
This past month (ok, month and a half) I have flown to NZ from the US, and I have flown from NZ to Europe. From San Francisco, Auckland is a 12 hour direct flight. From Wellington to London, it took me approximately 40 hours of travel time and 4 flights.
How many Brits have I met so far on my journey? Dozens. Germans? A million. How many Americans? One.
What the hell?
Expect a lengthly post about this phenomenon shortly.
9. Rent is per week not per month
Completely random but for those curious-minded folks, apartments are listed with rent prices per week not per month. It’s a confusing but interesting phenomenon which somehow makes the extremely high cost of living more palatable.
And speaking of apartments, they are called flats like in the UK and the deposit is called a bond. Speaking English is hard.
10. Getting the bill in the restaurant
The first time I went out for a meal at a sit-down restaurant in New Zealand, I was surprised by several things. Firstly, the food is phenomenal. Seriously, there are some damn good restaurants to be found in this part of the world. And don’e even get me started on brunch.
However, at the end of the meal I was confused. When were they going to bring the bill? We sat and waited and waited and waited before getting the attention of someone to bring the check. Quickly they explained that you pay at the register and not at the table. Soon I figured out this was standard around NZ.
Can anyone explain this to me?
Instead of having the waiters bring you the check, it’s standard for you to get up when you’re finished and head to the register to pay directly.
This is not universal but I’ve definitely encountered it way more here than anywhere else in the world.
11. Likewise, you usually have to go up and grab a jug of water and cups
Same goes for water. Most of the time they don’t bring water to you, even if you ask. They have sinks or jugs set up for you to grab it yourself.
I haven’t decided how I feel about this yet. It’s an internal struggle between my inherent laziness and my urge to be in control of everything. First world problems.
12. The brunch culture will blow your mind
Hi my name’s Liz, and I am addicted to brunches.
Heavy pancakes. Crispy French toast. Fluffy poached eggs smothered in decadent Hollandaise sauce. Swoon.
One of my favorite things about home was brunching with friends on the weekends. One of the things I hated most about Spain was the total dearth of brunch spots to be found. Lucky for me, NZ is the best of both worlds and has an amazing brunch scene. Everywhere.
13. NZ has the best coffee in the UNIVERSE
In addition to a great foodie scene, there is a thriving cafe culture which means awesome coffee all the time.
I have not had a disappointing cup of joe since I arrived which says a lot considering I’m the world’s biggest coffee addict.
And just like there are new words for everything in NZ, I’ve learned a lot of new coffee vocabulary too. For example, when I get a nonfat or skinny latte, here they call it a trim latte. Makes me feel so classy.
Same goes for a flat white, a type of espresso coffee in New Zealand. A new favorite.
14. Wellington is actually the coolest little capital in the world
I talked before about how much hype Wellington was getting and how it initially put me off living there. But then I arrived and fell head over heels in love with this city.
Proudly named the 2011 Lonely Planet “Coolest little capital in the world,” the buzz around town actually lives up to expectations. In short, Wellington rocks, and I am so so SO happy I decided to make it my home.
15. Everyone in Wellington knows someone who works for WETA or the Hobbit
Sometimes I have to remind myself that not everyone is as big of a nerd as me, and they don’t realize that part of Wellington’s fame comes from the fact that it’s home to WETA, the design studio behind the Lord of the Rings.
Now with the Hobbit franchise in full swing, WETA employs tons and tons of people, which means when I go out at night, there is a good chance I’ll meet someone somehow associated with the project. That is, if they ever leave the studios.
I think you can imagine my reactions when this happens.
16. Finding Peter Jackson has been harder than I thought
One month into my time in Wellington and I have yet to find and shake hands with the most famous son of New Zealand (apart from Sir Edmund Hillary), the man, the myth, the legend – Peter Jackson.
Of course I count this as a giant failure. Luckily I still have 1o months to go.
Anyone can make an intro for me?
17. Windy Wellington lives up to its name
Wellington is nicknamed “Windy Welly” and let me just say, a more accurate epithet never existed.
I’ve been to some windy places over the years, but nothing could have prepared for Wellington. Most days it’s just average level of winds that will mess up your hair and might blow your skirt up. However, in just a month I’ve witnessed some wind storms where I thought the world was ending.
I’m talking wind that will blow your clothes clean off. One week we had 140 km/h winds for three days. I couldn’t leave the house. Those are the moments where you realize you’re living at the end of the world.
18. Earthquakes
My first week living in Wellington we had an earthquake. I had gone out for a wine tasting that evening, so it’s safe to say I was pretty sloshed by the time I rolled home a few hours later. Climbing into bed, I was closing my eyes when the room started to shake. My hopes that it was just a big gust of the famous wind were dashed when my roommate popped his head in to check on me.
I’m from Virginia. We don’t get earthquakes. I don’t know how to react.
I know there are more and more bigger earthquakes happening in New Zealand, and let me just preface this by saying I am SO not ready for a big one.
In fact, they are so prevalent, many Kiwis I’ve met have an earthquake app on their phone that let’s them know about them. Can I just stick with Candy Crush?
19. No drunken behavior
I learned real fast my first month in NZ that I had to bring my passport out with me to the bars to show ID. I haven’t had to show ID to go out drinking since living in the US, let alone bring my passport.
NZ is also pretty vigilant about drunken behavior. They don’t let belligerent people in bars and will kick you out without a second thought.
One of my last nights in Wellington I was out at a bar with friends and while we were waiting for drinks, a group of young drunk guys were getting rowdy on the dancefloor. Suddenly, I saw one of the bouncers head over to kick him out. Causing a scene, eventually the guy picked him up and carried the dude out on his shoulders. The kid was so waster he was high-fiving and cheering everyone on his way out. Hilarious.
20. The wildlife is slightly different from what I’m used to back home in Virginia
21. Shit happens and you can’t plan for everything
So basically I’ve had the worst luck in the entire world my first month in New Zealand. I legally cannot write the specifics so far, but let me just say there’s a reason I’ve not been online as much as I meant to. My first month was a struggle, but I’ve been trying to make the best of it.
Something bad happened which I’m trying to deal with that’s costing me a lot of money.
If anything, it’s been a good lesson on trying to look on the bright side and be positive. Fingers crossed it will all work out for the best.
22. No matter where you are in NZ, you are approximately 15 minutes from somewhere spectacularly beautiful
New Zealand is ridiculously beautiful. No matter where you are in the entire country, you are likely a stone’s throw away from a place that will make your jaw drop open in awe.
This is probably my favorite thing about NZ. I need beautiful landscapes and lush natural spots to feel comfortable and at peace. Lucky for me, New Zealand has that in strides.
23. I already love New Zealand to pieces and I never want to leave
Only a month in and I can already see myself settling in NZ permanently. It already feels like home to me.
My whole life I feel like I’ve been searching for that special place where I can settle down. Maybe it’ll be New Zealand.
Have you ever been to New Zealand? Is it on your bucket list? Ever transitioned abroad before? What’s something you learned in your new country?
About the author
I am just joining the blog world, and wanted to say I couldn’t agree with your list more. I was in New Zealand from January to May and adored every moment and returned home with a glow. I have missed it too much and I’ll be returning in November! I look forward to reading more of your adventures, And I’m glad I found you. cheers from another Liz.
I moved to New Zealand a year ago after a year in Australia. From Canada (Toronto) and have also live in the UK. Here’s the truth about NZ:
1. Expensive! $4 for a cucumber. $9 to get a key cut. $3.50-$4 for a simple doughnut. $25 for a 24 pack of Coca Cola at a supermarket (maybe this is a good thing though) $20 for a pack of cigarettes. $35-40 for a bottle of basic Vodka. $400 for a gram of Cocaine that isn’t even 25% pure. $6 to get on a city bus. You have to pay extra for ketchup and sometimes ever for a takeaway coffee cup….even when the coffee was $5. Eggs Benedict $18 plus $4.50 for the coffee, and you have to stand in line and order at a counter for that privilege. Petrol (gasoline) $2.25 a litre. You get the idea. Prices are ridiculous. If you find a good paying job here you might get used to this, but more than likely if you’re from US/Canada/UK you better get used to living with way less. Food, consumer products, everything!
2. Wages. Yes the wages are pretty bad. In unskilled labour jobs you might make equal to what you were back home but everything is 50% to 1000% more expensive. And if you had a well paid job earning tips in Canada/US, you’re SOL here. Most Kiwis don’t tip much, if at all.
3. Internet. Yes it is crap here. But it’s becoming passable. Expect to pay more of course. And it is limited, but I have never gone over my 80Gs so it’s fine for me. Mobile phones…. they finally have 4G in my area but the 500mb I get for the month expires quick. It costs an extra $30 for 3GB more :/
4. Drinking culture. Right on the coattails of Australia, NZ is becoming a failed state when it comes to bars and clubs. Essentially you cannot get into a bar if you are thought to be even slightly intoxicated or will be ejected if you are found intoxicated. That sounds pretty standard for the western world except here they enforce it very strictly, because of huge fines that can be levied against bar staff or owners. It’s great that they want to stop people from being too wasted in bars but the problem is that’s how most people behave when they drink here. So you’re ending up with a situation where there’s draconian security measures in and outside bars, bouncers and bar staff view you suspiciously as an enemy who needs to be taken out. 50 year olds get ID’d and are mortified at the treatment. The bad apples from NZ, Aus and other problem drinking countries are ruining it for everyone. Pretty soon you will see here what’s happening in Sydney- no shots, no pints, 1am lockout, fingerprint scanners, way overpriced drinks in response to king hits and glassings. If you don’t know what a king-hit or a glassing is… Google it….. very sad indeed.
5. The People. They ARE indeed very friendly and mostly a likeable bunch. Some if not many are a little weird but I kind of like this. Aside from the way some of them behave when drinking, and the way they make your ears crunch when they’re speaking English, you will find them an honest and fun bunch. There is a bit of the Tall Poppy Syndrome happening, which has it’s benefits sometimes. The one class system is a slight example, however there is definitely a class divide here between those that can afford the $20 glass of wine at lunch and those eating at Subway, just like everywhere else in the world. The only difference is you might not be able to tell by their accents, mannerisms and sometimes clothing. Like Australia, you’ll find quite a few upper-middle Bogans (rednecks) that were working class decades ago but have become land rich now. And the service can be shockingly bad sometimes, but you’ll chill out after being here awhile and get used to it.
Overall, great people and great sense of humour.
6. The Scenery. AMAZING! Incredible! Breathtaking! This is why we’re all here, let’s not kid ourselves. Is it reason enough to stay for another full year. We’ll find out in 12 months.
Happy Travels everyone! 🙂
Oh, forgot to add the most important thing that many of you may want to know…. is it worth moving here?
Many expats move on because of the cost of living and the isolation from the rest of the world. Flights in a out are very expensive and can take up to 36 hours to reach home. And when you’re awake and up on Facebook your friends and family at home might be asleep or just in a different mindset when you speak with them.
But if you can handle the cost of living and the isolation, then you have a fighting chance here.
I am a New Zealander born and bred. Although I haven’t travelled I think I am blessed to live in such a beautiful safe country. We don’t have dangerous animals which is a definate added bonus! If your looking into coming to New Zealand I would advise you to hire a car and to travel around both of the main islands (other wise you will miss out on the spectacular natural sites like blue rivers, kea birds and also it is the best way to experience true kiwi culture). I recommend also trying kiwi foods like: pinapple lumps, l&p, pavlova, kiwi fruit, marmite, and hokey pokey ice cream.
Hi
Thank you for the posting your comments.
I am in the process of applying PR to NZ my qualification is Ph.D Pharmacy i got all the points for apply but now i am worrying that whether i will get job or not?
Please give me the real picture about this.
Thanks
Hello Anand,
I went to NZ with IT degree and 3 years of international IT experience.
Did not get success in a job.. Their job application process is very long and conservative.
I would say to exercise caution and be mentally prepared to expect career option here.
This is not a place to make money but to have retired and clean lifestyle which is very much here.
All the best!!
Hello Satya,
I am also like you in terms of Qualification and job field. I am a Master Degree holder in Computer Applications and working as a lecturer in an university. Would like to migrate to new zealand but worried about whther I will get a job in any schools or university or institutions. Whetehr the salary what I get from there is enough for me to survive(atleast in the begining stage)?? Could you please reply…
after doing pgdm in business management of two years in new zealand will it be easy to get a good job
Your lack of success is likely to be because of your poor standard of English. New Zealand is not India – even in an IT job, you are expected to have a good standard of English if you will be speaking to English-speaking customers. But don’t worry – you can take courses online to improve your English level.
Anand,
You should easily get a job with a pharmacy degree. Make sure you have a job before you come and you will have less worries when you get here. I moved here in 2012 from the USA and have no regrets. I think the internet in the Auckland area is just as fast or faster than any internet in the midwest. Prices are high compared to midwestern states but not as high as NYC or LA. A cheap lunch at a restaurant is around $12 and the average cafe meal is around $18 but wages are much higher than midwestern wages. I am a nurse and I nearly doubled my salary moving here, but nurses are highly underpaid in the USA. I hear people in the tech industry take a cut in pay moving to NZ so it depends on what part of the USA you come from and what your profession is as to whether or not it is an economic advantage to come here.
What about someone at the basic labor level trying to move to NZ from the US?
Hi Miss Valerie,
My family and I are considering moving there. I have an RN license and there is a website that has an opening for an endoscopy nurse which is exactly what I do as a nurse in addition to periop nursing in an Outpatient setting. We are all excited about the opportunity but we are five total with my wife and kids and I am very nervous and almost doubtful about pursuing the move. Any positive comments.
Jorge in Texas
Hi Valerie!! Fiance and I are currently trying to make the transition from the U.S. over to NZ as well. Is there anymore advice you can give? Qualifications are:
Construction, drywall, painter
Photographer, Property Manager, Bookkeeping
Valerie, how do you like working as a nurse in NZ? I am considering moving overseas and getting my NZ license. What is the difference between the hospital systems? How is it living/working in Auckland? I have visited NZ, and fell in love with the country! While I would like to live in a more beautiful area, it seems like most young people are either there or in Wellington.
Jorge, I work in mental health so I can’t vouch for endoscopy but mental health nurses in Auckland make much more money than USA nurses. The base salary is $64,000 with 10 plus years of experience. Then you get shift differentials of 38% plus holiday pay is double time. I get 4 weeks paid vacation per year plus around 11 holidays. You can live 30 or 40 minute drive outside of Auckland and housing is cheaper if you don’t mind the drive. I don’t think you can find any other place in the world with a cost of living comparable to Texas. Auckland is like any big city in the USA, expensive but still cheaper than New York or San Fransisco. I would say it is comparable to LA.
Beth, I would go to immigration.govt.nz and see if your occupation is on the skills shortage list or not. Then get in touch with an employer or agency here in NZ to see if they can set you up with a job.
Emily, NZ nursing is different from US nursing in that there is much less stress. No one is worried about getting sued or not getting paid because of insurance denials so it is much more laid back. The down side is we seem to work with a lot less supplies and have to make things stretch.
Hi Valerie,
I’m contemplating to move to NZ. My agency advised that the best pathway would be to take my postgrad in Auckland (student visa) and my husband will be given a temporary work permit. Is it easy or difficult to find a part-time job and job offer in Auckland? What’s the average waiting time before you get a job offer? Also, is it advisable to rent or do homestay first for a few months?
Would greatly appreciate your two cents. Thanks.
I have a 20 year old son. Make up artist by day and U-tuber by night. He is moving at the end of the month and I am freaking out , he has never really been away from me. His new partner lives there and they want to find a place around Wellington or Mission Bay, depending. He seems to have investigated alot of his future there, but how can I cheaply get a few boxes to him? I know he can take 2 bags on the airplane, but he has more stuff to get there. I am wrapping my head around him moving, am very supportive. I want to help and make this a good transition. Then also, how can I send American dollars to him and have it convert higher in NZ to help him financially? So many questions, and I have no idea how I got onto this web page. Can you guide a worried mother with a 20 year old that thinks he knows everything? I just want this stress behind me! UGH!
THANKS Valerie
As i m coming to Newzealand for an MBA and canceled my decision 4 month back due to rumors that there are no jobs in newzealand,thank u again for your comment now im planning again for MBA………thanks
Valerie,
I’ve been an ER RN for the last 5 years in The States, with the last year and a half spent as a travel RN. I would love to pick your brain about the NZ visa process, as well as get your whole take on NZ medicine / hospitals in general. It’d be interesting to hear how nurses fit in that whole system from an actual nurse. I’d looked into this as a new grad, but figured I’d get some experience under my belt, and then life got in the way. Now that I’m looking to go on holiday there for awhile, I thought I’d revisit the whole idea. Let me know if we could chat?
Thanks!
-Nicole
I want study hotelmangent in newsland is worthable? Pls reply
Hello Valerie,
I just read your post and believe it aligns with who I am and what I am searching for in regards to NZ. Any chance I could pick your brain about a few moving to NZ type questions. I currently live in Colorado but am from CA.
Thanks.
Cramer
Anand,
If you are looking for better opportunities, financially, it will be a huge struggle. Your PhD in Pharmacy will not equate or be considered as one completed in NZ. Unless you have done it in the UK and your English is close to perfect. New Zealanders tend to love and value everything from the UK in terms of work and qualifications. If you come from or got a degree from a developing country, I will be honest, your chances to succeed are very slim. However you can easily find a job that will not provide you with many opportunities to develop but will give you enough to survive, not to save. That is, caregiving, youth work or the like. Also, NZers value NZ experience over qualifications. Let me add that is a very expensive country and travelling anywhere will cost you a fortune. So if you have important others overseas (besides Australia) then it will be very hard to see them frequently unless you or they are rich and can afford traveling. Also, it is very isolating. Kiwi people are friendly and polite, but is hard to make kiwi friends. They tend to keep to their own. The highlights involve safety and beautiful scenery. Good luck.
Hi Kiwi Gurl,
Thank you so much for your post. I am here in Abu Dhabi and thinking about moving there in NZ. I would love to hear from you via email and learn more about your country.
Warmest Regards,
Bjorn
Hi,
I have applied for PR in NZ already. Now waiting for their final decision. We can keep in touch cz atleast I got someone who has done the same. I live in Abu Dhabi too.
By the way, did you also apply for PR?
Regards,
Sabbir
I want to study hotelmangent in newsland is worthable? Pls reply
The only place to go for builders or associated trade skills is Christchurch where the $30billion NZ earthquake rebuild is in full swing. Wigram is a whole new suburb.Jobs for sparkies,drainlayers ,plasters,painters.Go online and arrange job before you arrive. Many jobs on commercial sites.Lots of construction workers from Ireland.
Medical jobs.Nz has very high standards of medical care. If you come from a 3rd world nation your qualifications may not be recognized .Your standard of spoken and written English must be VERY high.There are a lot of foreign nurses,doctors in NZ -ex Fiji (Indians) ex India ex Uk etc. The biggest hospital is in Hamilton (pop 140,000)1.5hrs south of Auckland. All main 5 main centres have large modern hospitals.Cheers Kiwi Mike
Hi! Can i ask how is the employment rate for health care nurse in christchurch today? Do employers prefer to hire natives than foreigners?
Yep, 100% agree with Mike here, I am living in Aus at the moment having moved here from Christchurch a few years ago, its the only place to go for laboring jobs, but ensure you arrange accommodation first, as rents are currently through the roof… (expensive)
ill just ride a bike everywhere haha
do you know much about rugby and good places to live while playing it as an exchange
hello, is there any link i can get from you to migrate to new zealand
you are really lucky girl!!
Hello,
I am from Mauritius and willing to settle in New Zealand.
I want to work and have a nice time in New Zealand. I am an Engineer working in the Mobile telecommunications department as a support Engineer. I want to visit N Z and at the same time meet people who can assist in the settling process and then share good times.
Can you assist?
Rgds
Trilok
Hi Kiwi Girl
I just read your views on youngadventures.com , I am very glad that withe all being said about the disadvantages about new zealand , I am going to move to New zealand as skilled immigrant from Iran .
Everywhere has bad and good things but I think New Zealand is perfect and should be pround for this.
Good Luck
Nouri
Hmm. You need to get out and have a look OS girl. NZ is not as great as you think. It’s pretty, but Kiwis are living in a highly controlled place with a large gap between rich and poor.
It’s not necessarily a safe country – it’s pretty violent.
And there are LOTS of thieves, so if you hire a car, make sure it’s not branded (so people don’t know you’re a tourist) and put your stuff in the boot or take it with you, especially if you’re in a remote or touristy area.
Does NZ have all the strange insects like oversized spiders like AUS. And where is the best location to live for a single lady.
You’re right. There are hardly any Americans here. How is it that we Americans are missing this? Anyhow, I moved here from Colorado and love it! If you haven’ been to “The Mount” yet, you must come. It’s fantastic! Kia Ora.
Hello Rebecca,
Hope this letter get to you.
I am Rosie, French origin, lives in Colorado Southwest corner, Durango. Moved there about 10 years ago.
Being around Denver for 14 years. raised my girls there. One girl lives in New York state, now. The youngest, is close to us near Durango, Co.
I am a grandma, active and thinking of a possibility to move our girls, family in NZ.
will you write back to me / or maybe one of my girls, depend of your age. One girl is 35 in NY, the other 31 in Co.
Let see if we could possibly exchange some words. Also do you know of others americans
Hey Rose, I am from Pagosa Springs, but my little family of 5 has been living in NZ for 2 years now, and we LOVE it! Crazy to see the word “Durango” on a forum about NZ, exciting really! Anyway, maybe find me on facebook and we could connect if you want more info on moving here? 🙂 Happy to help how I can! We actually have friends that just moved here last month from Pagosa as well! Anyway, have a lovely Christmas! Grace
Hi Grace,
My wife and I live in Colorado Springs and are trying to make our way down to New Zealand. I am applying for jobs online, but am having a rough go at actually getting any leads. Any advice would be helpful.
Hey there Grace, i am moving there in November, and work as a Chef in the hospitality industry. Was hoping to add you on facebook and network a little bit before i get there. Still Looking for places to stay and just hoping to have a job lined up or at least some good leads before i get there. Thanks and talk to you soon
Hi Grace,
I live in Steamboat Springs in Colorado. I use to as a child go to Pagosa Springs all the time with my family. Fun to see people from Colorado on this forum. I have been planning the move to NZ for over two years now. My son is a sophomore in high
school and therefore I only have 3 years until the move. Maybe we can chat as I go through the process for the points to move. Hope this finds you well.
Hi Grace,
We just moved to Dunedin from Colorado Springs and we would love a Colorado connection, especially if youve connected with other Colorado folks from this blog. If you are still here and available to assist, I’d greatly appreciate the connection!
Amber
[email protected]
Rose,
My family of 6 moved from Bayfield 6 months ago to Christchurch. I would be happy to chat with you and our daughters about our experience.
Feel free to check out our blog to get a sense of our journey. kusack.blogspot.com.nz
Wendy
[email protected]
Hi Rebecca, I am also from Colorado, and I am considering moving to NZ in the near future. I was wondering, as a fellow Coloradoan, if it’s worth it? I know that sounds crazy, but I am big fan of CO, born and raised here, and I’ve been abroad before, but nothing I’ve seen has been comparable to my home. Contact me if you can! I’d like some advice!
HI Rebekah,
We moved from Bayfield 6 month ago to Christchurch. I would love to chat with you and share our experience with you.
Wendy Klusack
[email protected]
HI
I am gowtham from chennai india. Planing to study and work in Christ church, newzealand.
Will you please expalin about CPIT, also education lifestyle, job oppurtunity. I have 14 years experience in Automotive designlike CAD tools, solidworks, catia, ProE.
THanks and regards
Gowtham
You are an american from the US. I am headed to Queenstown in lower NZ in 2 weeks. Where are the cool places to visit as well as meet nice people.
[email protected]
A few years ago they said there were around 62,000 Americans here. When I came here in 2012 there were quite a few new Americans in Dunedin. So many in fact they had a get to know you pot luck for us and there were over 20 American immigrants from Dunedin there.
Americans make up less than 2% of the population I believe. If you want to meet Americans there are groups who have get togethers such as Americans in Auckland and several other meet up groups that are mostly American.
Hello!
This is amazing to come across your response here. I am moving to NZ from Texas, but I have lived in Colorado my whole 33 years of life up until a year ago when we moved to Texas 🙂 And now my sights are set on NZ so I’m looking into obtaining my visa and getting there by the end of the year! EVERY American has NZ on their bucket list! I couldn’t believe I was reading how little amount of Americans live there…! I’m kinda sick of typical Americans anyways, so maybe that’s not a bad thing 😉 Anyway, I just wanted to say hi and see how the journey has been for you.
AJ
Kia Ora Rebecca,
I am also a New Zealander as some people are here.
Thank you for complimenting my country like that, i am very proud to live here and it is a great place. But i just wanted to point out that there are more than one “Mounts” in New Zealand, depending on where you come from you have different places that you call “The Mount” so i just wanted inquire which mount you are talking about. Sorry this comment is so formal, i don’t know why,
Thanks
cocaine?
Hello everybody! I am Brazilian from Sao Paulo and I have been living in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada for 12 years with my family. Wife and 2 sons, Renan (25) and Bruno (18). I am seriously thinking about try to immigrate to New Zealand, since the things here in Winnipeg, MB did not work well, so far. I Have 2 jobs but none of them are permanent and no benefits, vacations and over time is just 50% (at a time and half instead 100%, double time to the permanents), this for the job in the government of Manitoba as a Protection Services Officer in the Protection Services Department. The other job I exert is Educational Assistant for Winnipeg School Division # 1, that is the biggest Division in Manitoba. But I am a Substitute Educational Assistant, therefore no benefits, vacation either. In the Government I am working for 3 years and still Casual. In the School Division I am working for almost 2 years as a Substitute E.A., in this last case I can become a Term position E.A. that means you got one fixed School, but still as a Term Position that can go until 6 ou 7 years until you become a Permanent Employee and have benefits.
Besisdes these frustrations about job the clime here in Winnipeg, known also as “Winterpeg” is terrible.Maybe is the coldest capital in Canada. I even heard that Winnipeg low temperatures could be compared to Moscow. With the “Windchill” The temperature reaches – 45 degrees Celsius and this is not good for my asthma that I have since one year old.
I am really excited to go to New Zealand, but the biggest problem I am seen so far is that my sons don’t want to go and my wife said several times that she is always follow our sons and she is not younger anymore for start from ‘zero” like when arrived here, in Winnipeg, MB, CA.
But I conscious that if stay here for more 10 years, if i reach this period of time, i’ll be lucky since looks like that on the last 3 years, on each year my asthma is getting worst and worst. Maybe for work to much and not have a social life, neither got to the gym as I used to go and because I am in a bad shape and getting older….
To Australia I cannot Immigrate anymore because the age limit is 50 y.o. and I am 51, but for New Zealand I can, because they accept persons with the age limit of 55 years old.
Even putting my marriage in risk, but the same that has 26 years already is getting worn and worn and what exist is just a kind of friendship with some conflicts since a while…
I would like to receive suggestions. I really would appreciate it. I want to live with more quality of life. It is because that that I left Brazil and came to Canada, but I am still looking for it. Thank you for give some attention for this note and another thing I forgot to mention….Brazilians usually are a very friendly people and most of Canadians are cold as the weather, but we have exceptions everywhere, of course; but knowing that New Zealanders are friendly, it is one more reason to go…Thank you Very much,
Francisco Carlos G. Andrade.
Honestly, if you are not enjoying your current standard of living in Canada at age 51, then moving to New Zealand is likely to be a beneficial choice for you and your family. Not only are the people friendly, the average wage is high compared to other countries, there is a great education system here for your kids, and the welfare benefits for retirees/unemployed is also very good.
THe Nz education system is of a very high Standard. Most kids start at preschool at 3 or 4.Lots of choice and part paid for by Govt.Kids start school at 5.All schools are very well resourced and equipped. Class size about 20 at age 5 gradually getting bigger to about 28. Primary school is 5-10(sometimes to 12yrs)Then Intermediate -yrs11and 12 then secondary school(13-18).Formal accessments(NCEA)start at Yr 11 (age 15) . Pupils have a wide subject choice -normally study 5 or 6 subjects.Common ones are English (compulsary),Maths, science, PE,IT, Hard materials (metal /wood), soft materials (clothing),Music,Maori, French ,German, Mandarin. Students do internal tests reports etc and end of year exams. The school year is Feb to Dec in 4 blocks of 10 weeks (about). Most schools are free public schools or for the rich they can send their kids to a private school.(about $30-40K PA) Most public schools are as good as Private ones. Sport is very big in NZ secondary schools, music and drama less so. Teachers are highly qualified and registered.The whole systen is usually ranked NO 2 in the world after Finland. Public school cost about $50-$200 per child per year BUT paying is optional.Most schools have simple uniforms costing about $200-$300 that will last 2-3 years. You can leave school at 16. Most stay to 17 or 18. Many students go onto Polytechs or for the more able to University. University costs about $5K PA for a kiwi(x 3yrs) or about $10k for overseas student (course fees).There are 8 Universities in NZ. Best campus is Waikato with about 12,000 students-small city, mild climate, student friendly. Lots of overseas students from China ,India, Pacific Islands ,Thailand Malaysia etc.Standards are high and professional.Lack of really good English is a major barrier for overseas students. Polytechs and private schools can give help with English but it costs.Lectures have about 300 students in Yr1 and tutorial 12 or so students. MIx of internal assignments /tests and external exams. There are few jobs on NZ for folks with no quals and they are very low paid. Cheers Mike
Hey Mike,
Great info, I am looking at relocating to NZ (North Island) from WA, Will be bringing the family (Better half and 4 kids) so your write up was especially useful. (kids are 5/7/14/17) I am an Electrician with a contractors licence for WA so would look into obtaining an equivalent for NZ. Although to start with I will continue to do FIFO back to Oz. The reason for the move is we have family in both Hamilton and Wellington.
Do you know anything about Apprenticeships?, My 14 yr old son wants to get into either diesel fitter/mechanic or Welding (boiler maker)
Also the bad points of living in NZ. Everyone is always so positive which is great but we are realistic and know there is a bad side. Also a reason for moving I’m over the snakes, Mozzies, flies and Blue ring octopus here in WA. Knew about it all before we moved but didn’t think it would have such a negative impact on our lives. Constantly spraying the kids with chemicals to stop them getting eaten alive and not just in the evening, its all day everyday. cant eat outside due to the millions of flies and kids have to stay on the paths everywhere. I grew up enjoying the outdoor life, constantly exploring and running a muck I need to give that life back to my kids.
cheers Lee
Hi Francisco
I’m a Kiwi, born and bred. I have to say that if it’s asthma that concerns you, we have a high rate of it in New Zealand. Could be the high level of pollens in the air, also many of our homes are not well insulated, so mildew can be a problem in the colder months. Most houses do not have central heating, we just heat the rooms we are in. Central heating is for office buildings and the rich. The cost of living is high and jobs like educational assistant (not sure what that is, we have things like teacher aides and relief teachers in our schools, assistant lecturers and tutors in our universities) – but teacher aides are not high paid. Qualified relief teachers get good pay but school holidays are unpaid, unless they’ve worked the whole year full-time (e.g. covering a parental leave position). An 8% holiday pay component is added to their wages instead. Most people have pets and cat mite allergies probably account for a lot of the asthma.
The South Island, especially the bottom half can get cold – snow etc in winter – but mostly in the hills and mountains, not so much at sea level where most of the cities and towns are. Wellington can get miserable with the wind-chill – horizontal hail in winter not much fun. We don’t bother much with umbrellas – raincoats with hoods – as must rainy days are also windy and umbrellas are destroyed in seconds…
Having said that, NZ is beautiful and I love living in Wellington (just not so much in Winter). On a good day it is awesome. The last photo in the blog above is taken from Wellington’s South Coast, I know the area well.
But we only have 5 major cities and most Americans and Europeans would consider 4 of them more like large towns. Auckland, our largest city, has a population of 1 million. The whole population of the South Island is less than that, including two “major cities”. As a Kiwi I’ve found Canadians friendly and hospitable, so I’m afraid we might not measure up to Brazilian expectations either…
If you cannot persuade your family to come with you, I wouldn’t risk uprooting yourself. If you can afford it – a “scouting trip” (holiday and testing of the job market) might help you get a feel for it. Also, to get a good feel for the job market, you could look on http://www.seek.co.nz – also at the jobs on http://www.TradeMe.co.nz (which is like e-bay except there are jobs on it, houses to rent or buy, cars, as well as everything else). That should give you a good feel for wages vs. cost of living. One of our major supermarket chains (probably the 2nd cheapest widely available one) allows shopping online so you can scope grocery prices on that: http://shop.countdown.co.nz/
Hi Lissy, i am from Malaysia i like to find out on weather i can work in the farm sector in new zealand. How this is possible. Do you have any contact person/ or farm owner that ican in touch with
SANIAH ABU YAMIN
Hi Saniah,
I am from New Zealand. If your English skills are very good you will not have trouble finding a job in the farm sector. There are a few job sites that you can apply on (seek.co.nz and trademe.co.nz are both good). There seems to be a lot of competition for work, but if you have the skills and your English is good you will have no trouble 🙂
Hi Lissy, i am from malaysia. My son will be enrolling in a university in south island as an undergrad in the medical program. What are the chances of him getting a PR during his 6 years course?
E. Lim
Further to my last – I need to point out that what Kiwi Boii is saying is true, but not in relation to North America. The low-skilled wages to prices ratio is not good. Please read what Oscar and Mark Elden below had to say. I ‘m sure Kiwi Boii means to sound welcoming. The education system here IS good, but your kids are grown now. If your 18 year old was in college (university) he would have to pay international student rates, until he got permanent residence. Having said that, our international student rates are likely comparable to your own domestic rates – having got this from an American friend who did her Masters here (but couldn’t afford to send her 15 year old son to school here) and who tried living here for a while (but could not get permanent work, nor highly paid work) but is now back in the States. If you don’t have a job offer (of the type of work which we can’t easily find the skills for in NZ) you are unlikely to get Permanent Residence. It does not sound as if the work you are currently doing belongs in one of those skills shortages groups.
Hey! I’m really interested in hearing more about your experience. I am also from Toronto and I am considering moving to New Zealand in the new year. I was kind of hoping I could just go there and find a steady job and place like I’ve done before in the UK, but all of this is making me a little nervous! Would love to hear back from you! Thanks!
Well, thanks for telling how it is! I love Canadians and they are an awesome bunch of people.
Hi all!
I am a 22-year old recent graduate from Boston and will be moving to Auckland for a job in September–so excited!
My biggest fear is how to meet other young people, and how to find flatmates. I would love to live with other young people who are also looking to start their network, as well as other kiwis of course.
Does anyone have any good resources or contacts? Feel free to email me at [email protected].
Thanks so much!
New Zealand has very attractive sights, I have already travelled here. Thanks for your news this will help other people choose their best travel destination.
Hi,
Your truths about NZ are slightly inaccurate, which parts of the country were you mostly based? I’ll do my best to explain a little further.
1. Food IS expensive. But it depends on where in the country you are and if you shop at a supermarket or a grocers. To eat well for a week it costs my partner and I around $60-80NZD and that includes toiletries and a giant bag of dog food. It also depends on where in the country you are. Very isolated towns and places like Auckland and Wellington are much more pricier. Where I stay the price of a cucumber is more like $2, a donut from a bakery will be $1 to $1.50 (Note that a bakery is VERY different to a cafe! Cafes are very over-priced). A key is $6-$7 to be cut, but it also depends on the type of key. Gas is expensive as hell though you’re correct about that lol.. Buses where I live are $3.30 for a transferable ticket that takes you anywhere within the city limits. As for Cocaine… It is not the drug of choice for most people here. The only places I’ve really known people to use it a lot are Auckland and Wellington, and it is usually wealthy middle aged people who use it rather than the youth. As far as heavy drugs go, meth is the drug of choice (and that is still about $100 for the minimum amount – no idea how much is in the bag, i’m not into that stuff). The most prevalent drug here would be alcohol, and the most prevalent illicit drug is definitely marijuana – we have a lot of marijuana users here. It’s not uncommon to come across someone’s patch when you head into the bush lol. From what I can tell it isn’t a whole lot more expensive than the rest of the world because its so easy to grow in the North Island (down south is more trickier and thus more expensive).
2. Wages are bad, but higher than the US. BUT you are correct, kiwis very rarely tip. I worked in hospitality (cafes and restaurants) for around 8 years and in that time I think I’ve received half a dozen tips directly. Usually we have a jar next to the counter that people can tip into and when it becomes full we have a good staff party. Honestly, I’d prefer to receive tips than them go into the jar, but I can imagine how annoying it would be to be EXPECTED to tip. Here it isn’t an expectation at all, and usually if someone tries to tip us it is taken as a huge compliment. It’s more like a gift than a necessity.
3. Spot on about internet, I live on a lifestyle block 3km out of town and ITS SO FREAKING SLOW. We do have unlimited options, but they are far pricier. We’re only just getting the ultra fast fibre network installed and its Aug 2015 -_-
4. This is the part to definitely disagree with. You must have been going to some pretty fancy clubs because in my experience you have to be INCREDIBLY drunk to be refused entry. We’re talking trying to start fights, falling over, vomitting everywhere, annoying other patrons with your drunkeness. I’ve been off my face every time I’ve gone out clubbing and I’ve never been refused service. And I’ve seen how wasted people get. We have a huge drinking culture here and “pre-loading” is common practice (pre-loading is basically drinking an entire box of beers BEFORE going clubbing because the drinks are so expensive in clubs). No one really cares if you’re drunk until you start causing troubles. However I do get ID’d a lot, and at 25 I’m starting to feel a teensie bit offended. Or is it a compliment? I don’t know! LOL.
The rest of it is pretty accurate 🙂
Ha! Times those figures minimally by 2x, 3x and 4x in a lot of cases and you have the cost of things in AUSTRALIA.
Eg. packet of cigarettes = $AU 30.00 versus $NZ 20.00
Cost to register a car for 12 months = $AU $1300.00 versus $NZ 250.00
Median house price in Sydney = $AU 1,000,000 (yes that is one MILLION)
Large coffee in Sydney = $AU 4.00-$4.50 versus $NZ 3.50 – $4.00
Get a key cut = $AU 15-25.00 versus $NZ 9.00
Australia has higher personal tax
Australia cost of living is 2-4 x what it was only a mere 10 years ago. It is worse in Western Australia where a $10 container of take away chinese food costs $30 PLUS!
New Zealand is CHEAP compared to Australia with 2 exceptions: price of fuel and, housing prices in comparison to wages (although no one in Australia on a minimum wage can ever afford to buy a house in this country. Renters until the day you die.)
I get a coffee in Melbourne for $3, right in the CBD trendy area. It’s cheaper to rent and buy here than in Auckland. Transport, supermarket also cheaper, power cheaper – we pay 1/3 of what mother in law pays. And there are two of us.
Lots of free stuff to do, we never worry about taking the car (petrol costs) which we had to do in NZ.
People are smarter than Aussies, though they keep voting in someone who fails to represent most of them, for some reason. Very aspirational people! Money matters too much, but guess that’s how it is when wages low, cost of living so high.
Great post…On number 21, was there ever a follow-up? You got me (and I’m sure others) curious, and I hoped it all worked out.
I’m working on it, definitely in the next few months, once I can get rid of the car haha
Hi I’m from Thailand. Love reading about your adventures. Are you thinking of traveling to Asia?