What a sad day guys. I have never been more ashamed to be American than I am today.
Honestly? I’m still in complete shock and don’t have words to describe how upset I am. I really believed America was smart and strong enough to move forward. I was full of optimism and hope.
Instead we just elected a serial liar to the highest possible office who has no political experience and who says women should be punished for getting abortions, makes fun of people with disabilities, says Mexicans are rapists, wants to ban Muslims from America, jail anyone who disagrees with him, regularly incites violence among his followers and said “grab em by the p*ssy” INSTEAD of the first female candidate. The most qualified candidate in history versus a reality TV show star for the leader of the free world.
Good job us. Glad to see those glass ceilings are holding up strong.
But before I run away with my feelings and completely lose my shit, I want to take the opportunity to say a big whopping thank you to the government of New Zealand for granting me a long-term visa and saying that moving to New Zealand is an option so I don’t have to live in a world run by a misogynist, racist, narcissistic undemocratic fool of a human.
I want nothing to do with the America I saw tonight. I’m ashamed of them and bitterly disappointed. I’m so incredibly disheartened that fear, ignorance, and hate won, and that the majority of Americans want to live in a country of walls, bigotry and hate. I do not want to belong to such a place. I’m devastated.
Luckily I have a choice, and I chose New Zealand. Though to be fair, I chose New Zealand years ago, but now I definitely want to make moving to New Zealand permanent.
Sorry, New Zealand. You’re stuck with me. I’ll start accepting applications for kiwi husbands to get me a residency visa STAT. Please form an orderly queue below.
Since I turned 18, I’ve spent seven of those last ten years living abroad; when I wasn’t being an expat, I was traveling quite a bit. I’ve got about 50 countries worth of experience under my belt, and I know where I want to live. Don’t worry, you have a choice too! Even if our country wasn’t doomed, I’d still advocate living abroad at one point or another; it’s good for the soul.
For me, the first time I arrived in New Zealand, it felt like coming home. It still feels like that almost 4 years later. This is where I belong.
And lucky for us, if you have a real strong desire to live abroad and you have some kind of skill, moving to New Zealand isn’t that hard Right now anyways. Hopefully I am not jinxing it, but there are a hell of a lot of foreigners living and working down under, especially in Wanaka and Queenstown.
More thoughts about being an American expat in New Zealand here and here.
First things first, while New Zealand has a wonderful standard of living and often comes across as being a pure Eden, it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be. Dairy farming is destroying the land at an almost laughable rate, the cost of living is insane, diversity isn’t its strong suit, and the current Prime Minister is a first-rate muppet, among many other things.
The average house cost in Queenstown and Wanaka is around one million dollars. THE AVERAGE! And sometimes avocados cost over $5 each. WTF.
But in spite of all that, I definitely prefer living here than back in the US. With a population of only four million people, you feel a strong community vibe here, most people are very friendly and welcoming and the crime rate is a joke compared to America. The healthcare is great and it’s an overall happy relaxed peaceful place. It’s easy to live here, and I love it. I could go on and on.
So in light of this shitshow of a crisis in America, I thought I’d go ahead and share some of the ways you can abandon ship too. If you’ve ever wanted to move to New Zealand, well, now’s your chance.
The emails and messages have already started pouring in from my fellow countrymen about moving to New Zealand so I thought I’d jump the ball and share how you escape too. Here are some of my tips and thoughts about immigrating to New Zealand as an American, which probably works for non-Americans too.
If you are under 30 and interested in moving to New Zealand, I definitely recommend coming here on a working holiday visa. Most youngsters come in that way, and that’s what I did back in 2013. You can apply online, and it’s super easy and straightforward. It’s open to any Americans under the age of 30 who have $4,200 NZD to their name and you can come and travel and work here for up to a year. If you’ve done agricultural work like working on a vineyard or a farm, you can extend your visa for an extra three months. Many of my friends came on working holidays, worked and traveled for a year and ended up with job offers that allowed them to stay longer.
If you want a gap year or a year to explore but also need to work at the same time, this is the visa for you. There is an abundance of hospitality work among other entry level jobs in New Zealand that you can work for in this category. If you don’t want to work, you can come in on a visitor visa for up to nine months. Remember you are NOT allowed to enter New Zealand on a holiday visa and work or look for work – though this is kind of a gray area – more on the immigration page here.
New Zealand’s Immigration website has gotten a swanky, easy to navigate update recently which I’m pleased to see. Normally immigration websites give me panic attacks. My experience living in Spain as an expat scarred me for life and instilled a palpable fear of anyone working in immigration within me. But like with many things in New Zealand, it’s pretty easy, and you can answer a lot of your own questions, though I’ve found Immigration always easy to reach by phone or email here too. There are so many visas available, you can dig through a full list here.
Here is their page for work options in New Zealand. The explore visa options tab is pretty awesome and here you can put in your current situation to see what options are available to you.
I’ll start by saying you’re in a really good position to move to New Zealand if your work falls under the Skills Shortage list. Many surprising jobs fall under that, like being a chef, a builder, baker, skydiver, snowboarding instructor, winemaker, farmer, ect. For example, you can find a lot of work rebuilding in Christchurch which was damaged by earthquakes a few years ago. For example a lot of people have immigrated over from Ireland to help with the rebuild there, and they have their own specific list of skilled shortages.
For most visas, you’ll need a job or job offer which is a bit of a catch 22 because you probably need to be in New Zealand to get a job offer. You can also hire immigration advisors to help you submit your applications, but make sure never to use Endeavour Immigration in Auckland to help with your visa. They took $1000 off me and then refused to help me with my visa application, which I ended up compiling and submitting on my own. Read more about my experience with them here. Bastards.
Most of my friends are either on partner visas or Skilled Migrant Residency Visas or a work to residency visa. In New Zealand partner is for your significant other, any kind really.
I’m not going to really write about the partner visa because it’s fairly straightforward and totally annoys me, mostly because I wish I could go down this route and cant. Alas, I am determined to sort my visas out all on my own and not rely on a man to help me (though let the record stand I would if I could and kiwi boyfriend applications are now open).
Most of these like the Skilled Migrant Visa which is for people who “have the skills to contribute to New Zealand’s economic growth.” It works off of a points indicator system which recently just changed along with requiring a higher level of English. After you send an expression of interest, and now you need 160 points to apply. Along the same lines is the Essential Skills Work Visa which is for if you’ve received a job offer and the employer can demonstrate that there are no kiwis that can do that job; it’s aimed for temporary stays.
There there is the Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa which is for people who have job offers by businesses in New Zealand that already are approved to hire skilled foreigners. After two years you can apply for residency.
I don’t have personal experience with this but I will say half my friends in Wanaka have been sponsored and they work in cafes so infer from that as you will. There two pages here and here offer a good explanation of the way visas work in New Zealand.
If you are between the ages of 20 and 35, you can enter a visa ballot to win a Silver Fern Visa which will allow you come to New Zealand and look for a job for up to 9 months. Spots fill up super fast and I think there are only 300 spots per year.
Now, I’m on a quite an obscure visa that is very difficult to get – the Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visa. If you can demonstrate that you are exceptionally talented in arts, sports or culture, you can be granted this visa for up to 3o months. This will allow you work in that field and which will eventually allow you to apply for residency. You need an international reputation, and a New Zealand organization of national repute and a sponsor to back you up, and you need to demonstrate that you benefit New Zealand by being here.
In theory, it seems easy. The reality is very, very difficult. It took a long time and a lot of back and forth before mine was approved. I had over five years experience in my field an I am so well-known in New Zealand that I am stopped on the streets on a regular basis. I think only after it was the third or fourth time my case officer saw me on the news that they began to take me seriously.
For those of you who are entrepreneurs, investors or change-makers with a social bent, New Zealand has a brand new visa program that is generating a lot of excitement. The Global Impact Visa (GIVs) is a 3-year visa for entrepreneurs and investors who wish to build ventures in New Zealand that aim to solve complex, global challenges – like climate change, the changing nature of education and automation of work, how we are going to feed 9 billion people without wrecking the planet etc…
GIVs is only available to candidates who are accepted into the Edmund Hillary Fellowship, so that’s your first stop shop to find out more. Details on how to apply here.
The visa is incredibly open and flexible with no minimum day requirements or stipulations on what you can and can’t work on. It’s being heralded as the most entrepreneur friendly visa in the world, and the first to focus on impact. Because the visa is aimed at people who want to develop deep roots in New Zealand and build long-term world changing ventures, Fellows are eligible for permanent residency at the end of the 3 years.
Check out stories of Fellows on the EHF blog for inspiration on what kind of people they’re looking for.
Phew! How did I do?
I am distinctly aware that I just invited a bunch of my fellow Americans to the party when it is in fact, not my party. But please forgive me, New Zealand – I can’t help sharing how awesome it is to live here with others. And I can promise that the ones that are able to come are the good ones.
Now that America is doomed would you move overseas? Have you ever been an expat? Would you come and live in New Zealand given the chance? Are you an expat in New Zealand? How was your immigration process.
Disclosure – I am not an immigration advisor OBVIOUSLY, and I only have firsthand experience with my working holiday visa and with my current talent visa. I have done my best to try and explain some of the most common immigration questions above.
About the author
I’m not thrilled that Trump won. I wasn’t really enthusiastic for Hillary. Honestly, I didn’t vote. It wasn’t that I was apathetic-I just can’t trust the media anymore. There are so many lies and exaggeration, that I don’t trust anyone when it comes to politics. I have heard good arguments from both sides as to why they voted the way they did. In my opinion, neither should have even gotten this far. I understand that for Trump voters, they are tired of politicians and the lies. No one trusts them anymore-doesn’t less than 10 percent of the country distrust Congress? But I also understand that for Hillary voters, there were issues about women, LGBT members, and minorities. The only issue that I take is the fact that Trump and Hillary voters are insulting each other and at each others’ throats. I know kind, intelligent, and caring people who voted for Trump, and the same for Hillary. I think that we need to take a deep breath and accept the results, but be wary. We’ll be okay because we are stronger than who leads us.
And with all due respect, not voting was not a vote for Trump. Voting third party was not a vote for Trump. We all have a right to select whoever we think is the best candidate. The only thing that was a vote for Trump was a vote for Trump. That’s just how I see it. I just want everyone to be nice to each other and we shouldn’t panic! The world isn’t over! 🙂
Let’s all support each other! Even if you’re baffled as to why people voted the way they did, the only thing we can do is just treat each other with kindness as we are ALL AMERICANS! 🙂
Very disappointing. It’s such a privelage to have the right to vote in the US and to waste it. I spend a lot of time in places where democracy doesn’t exist, and it makes me value the privelage so much. You had the opportunity to help keep an American Hitler from the white house and you stood by and did nothing. I hope that comforts you in a few years when our country has imploded.
I don’t take for granted that I have the right to vote. Women fought so hard for my right and I am forever grateful for that. And you know what? I don’t care how much you try to shame me, I will never regret not voting in this election. Voting is a choice, and I didn’t want to make the wrong choice. I thought long and hard about it. I don’t like Hillary or what the DNC did to get her in this election-Bernie was cheated and the dishonesty makes me distrust so much of the media and our government. But I could not support Trump for the things he had said. No matter who I voted for, I would have felt sick with guilt. I felt it was best to follow my conscience. And I go to a moderate/conservative university, and I am surrounded by people who voted for Hillary and people who voted for Trump. Both had understandable and reasonable arguments for their side. To be honest though, the votes were reluctant. Living in America, I’ve seen signs that said “Everyone Sucks 2016.”
I’m just so amazed that people can compare Hillary and Trump that they are equally evil. It’s like arguing with a wall.
Trust me, if I liked Trump, I would have voted for him. This was the first election I was old enough to vote in but I feel that since I’m not living on my own yet and have trouble with going with what other people tell me to vote for I felt it was best to abstain. And like I said, I did hear reasonable arguments on both sides so I struggled a lot with pressure. Actually, the thing that disturbs me is not necessarily the people who voted for him last week, but the people who supported him in the primaries. He shouldn’t have gotten this far. And no I wouldn’t say they’re equally evil, but Hillary wasn’t the greatest candidate out there either. Having a woman president would have been awesome though.
“I’m just so amazed that people can compare Hillary and Trump that they are equally evil. It’s like arguing with a wall.”
well, that’s rich, considering you had just finished comparing Trump to Hitler. If you’ll recall, Hitler made himself a dictator through force, violence and intimidation. He invaded, conquered and occupied much of Europe and tried to get all of it. And he was responsible for the genocide of millions of Jews. What has Trump done to come anywhere close to that level of evil, so that he would be an “American Hitler”?
“Like arguing with a wall”, indeed.
Also, as to your original post:
– Trump corrected his comments and he does not think women should be punished for getting an abortion.
– Trump did not make fun of a man’s disability — that’s an easy one to look up (if your internet is working in NZ). Just google “trump did not mock disabled reporter”. It’s as plain as day.
– Trump did not say all Mexicans are rapists. Go listen to that speech. Anyone listening with an honest ear can tell he is bemoaning the fact that so many illegal immigrants are here even after committing crimes (and very horrific crimes, and repeat offenders to boot).
– I don’t think Trump truly wants to, or will attempt to, ban Muslims. Granted, he did indeed say he wanted to, I won’t deny that. I think he speaks carelessly (on purpose) in many ways. here, the general sentiment is, it is foolishly dangerous to bring in unvetted refugees from terrorist hotbeds without conducting even the simplest verification or background checks. Again, you can research the details for yourself, but officials have testified to congress that the vetting process for large numbers of these refugees was to simply ask them if they were terrorists and then take their word for it.
– I don’t recall any words or actions that would demonstrate that Trump wants to “jail anyone who disagrees with him”.
– The majority of the violence at Trump rallies was incited by the trespassing protesters, some of whom were paid (“professional”) protesters. The vast majority of post-election violence has been perpetuated by temper-tantrum throwing liberals and anarchists, not Trump supporters.
– I agree that Trump is a disgusting misogynist. But I also believe that Hillary Clinton is a disgusting human being, too. Bill Clinton sexually assaulted and raped women, and Hillary led the efforts to silence and smear them. She hypocritically declared that every woman who claims to have been sexually assaulted deserves to be heard and deserves to be believed, yet she did all she could to discredit her husband’s multiple accusers over the course of decades. It is a fact that she lied about her email server and the emails on it. Goodness, even Obama lied about that (he claimed he first found out about the private/secret server through media reports, when in fact he had actually sent multiple emails to her private account. He even used a pseudonym to try to hide his actions.). Hillary and Bill have enriched themselves through their foundation. I do not deny the foundation does much good, but it is pretty well documented (via hacked emails) that the Clintons ran a perhaps-not-quite-illegal-but-close pay to play scheme using the foundation and her role as SoS.
If your only answer is that Hillary is as clean as a whistle and that all accusations against her are just part of a vast right-wing conspiracy, and that this election result was caused by mainly a combination of the “glass ceiling” and racism, then you are by definition a bigot: “intolerant toward those holding different opinions”. If you can’t respect that the direction of this nation’s policies, and adherence to the Constitution via Supreme Court nominees, and/or that many people do indeed see Hillary as at least as evil (in her own ways) as Trump, were key driving factors to most Trump voters, then you are close-minded.
The left seems to be the one that just can’t deal with people holding different opinions and views from them on a myriad of topics. Liberals with their rioting, their pony-petting cry rooms and safe spaces, their rediscovered hatred for states’ rights and the constitution (electoral college), and their flimsy demands for recounts “just to be sure”, are the ones who seem to have a problem accepting the results of a legitimate democratic elections (Bush 2000, Trump 2016).
Losing elections is disheartening and scary. But my goodness, have some class. Don’t be such a sore loser. Don’t fool yourselves that this election is “different” or “especially with bad”, because many liberals would still be saying similar things had any other “R” won the election. (Remember how misogynistic Romney supposedly was for simply saying he had “binders full of women”? He was hit for being a woman-hater because of words that didn’t come out right (but also had no malice or meanness behind them) as he explained his proactive efforts to hire women to high positions when he was Governor of MA.). You feel bad. You eel worse than it actually is. Maybe you will see that with time.
If this was too long and boring, sorry. Politics isn’t as quick as “My candidate lost, yours is evil. Liberal good, conservative bad. I’m ashamed of my nation.”
congratulations on spending so much time writing a comment I am not going to read
Congratulations on proving again that liberal thought is shallow and feelings-based. Too much reading making your head hurt? Go get your news from Jon Stewart and Bill Maher. They are funny and they agree with you, and you barely have to think, so they must be right. Remember, Trump bad, Clinton good. Facts be damned.
Just so you know Liz, I don’t want you to think I’m a hater, because I’m trying not to be. I truly understand why you feel so upset about Trump. Trust me, I didn’t like him either. I just decided not to vote because I just couldn’t do it. I thought we were screwed either way, really. All I’m trying to say is that I want everyone to get along. I believe that we all must treat everyone with kindness, regardless of who they voted for. My prayer is that Trump won’t be quite as bad as people think he will be!
You could have voted for local and state officials though. It’s not just the President/Vice-President that’s on the ticket. So yes, Liz was right in “shaming” you. We are lucky in the US to have the right to vote, and if you don’t use it then frankly it’s appalling.
First of all, it’s none of your business as to why someone chooses to vote or not. As for me, I’m only 20 years old, and I go to college in a different state that I’m from so I don’t know as much about what is going on in the state I’m an actual citizen in. I’m still trying to figure things out. I’m learning to grow and figure out what my beliefs are as opposed to just going with what I was raised. I actually have issues with going with what everyone else is telling me instead of following my heart. It was my own personal decision. Just as you have the right to vote, I have the right to choose not to.
Katie, keep being nice. Keep encouraging others to be nice. You have stayed above the fray. Well done. I think 20-year-old Katie was the most mature and kindest poster on this comment board.
And while I would encourage you to become knowledgeable about your state and local issues and to vote, we all need to remember that voting is a right, not a requirement.
Your response is why you should be one of the people that doesn’t enjoy democracy. You only want it when it works for your biased side. The people voted in a democratic system and you don’t like the person that won. You are against democracy when it doesn’t go your way. Spoiled child.
Okay Jim I think that’s enough.
Liz, think this is the first time I’ve commented in a while.
As a fellow travel blogger, I approve and appreciate you sharing your opinions on this blog – regardless of what BES says. Travel is inherently political, as most things are. Many Trump supporters would like to think that their votes and daily lives don’t reflect the political climate or their political beliefs, but they DO.
Travelers, especially those of us who can help open people’s minds to the world and how beautiful it is – with POC, LGBTQ, Muslim, and other “minorities” in it – have a responsibility to do so, each as we see fit.
Losing a reader who thinks Donald Trump can EVER improve our country is not a bad thing in my opinion. Go you!
That’s what I think too. Thank you!
I read the first couple of paragraphs and had to stop. As a Trump supporter, I am offended by your words and will now stop following you. It’s really too bad that you offend some of your followers, here I thought I was following a travel blog. Please do move to NZ, because America will be better off without you!!
It’s ok, I’m ashamed to have had you as a reader.
He’s probably equally shamed he read your blog. He will probably follow me in unsubscribing. You little libtard should learn to be more politically correct and not inflame your readers. Its amazing a libtard wouldn’t be politically correct. Isn’t that what you people are selling all the time?
Enjoyed this blog post. My husband and I are visiting NZ in March and wish they would let us stay. We are looking forward to being away from this madness.
You have to ask yourself why NZ won’t let you stay. Is it because they hate immigrants or hate Americans? Why is America criticized for wanting to control its border and have lawful immigration but other countries aren’t? Why can’t I just go to New Zealand and sneak in and get amnesty? Hypocritical? I think so!
Good luck!