Moving back to NZ - pros and cons

[steviebabynz]

Hi
Found the right forum area this time i think. Have been talking to AM (which has been good) about moving home maybe.

Torn between staying or going - hard 1. I guess the govt really looks after families here - at least they have a realistic idea of "low" income unlike nz - cant believe how many ppl miss out on assistance in nz and arent on good wages but the govt thinks they are - that worries me :no:

Was reading the nz terms thread - haha that cracks me up.
no body understands me when I say "Tu meke" (sp) or misi toro (sp) hehe no idea how to spell only say.
I think im too soft to handle it here - im useless at being pushy at work like the aussies are in my job - so used to just getting stuck in and doing it and not whinging.

hehe too many things to think bout - wish wages were better in nz then it would be wicked!!

has anyone adjusted back from oz money to nz money ok?

[JosieJo]

No :-( in a word, we came back just over 6 months ago. And guess what, we are going back again next year. It's not just the money, honestly, the weather takes a HUGE adjustment, as I am typing it is peeing down outside, has been on and off all week. Try doing that with 2 toddlers, shopping malls without play areas, no undercover carparks and cold houses...

[JosieJo]

Oh ... when i say peeing down, it is also FREEZING, high of 18 today... roll on qld

[epiphany]

How long have you been in Aussie? Realisticly, I found it took at least a year to feel comfy here & not miss NZ like mad. By the end of year 2, Melbourne was home. Now when I go back to visit (been here 4 years), I don't really wish I was staying - I prefer it over here now (just wish my family were closer!).

It's a massive change, moving countries. Especially if you're not close to friends or family. Have you been able to meet lots of people over here & make friends? I found it really helped to get involved in a few groups as a way of meeting people.

Agree about the weather...I went back to NZ earlier in the year & was shivering almost all the time, I was so cold. It's funny how quickly you get used to the warmer weather (even here in Melbourne...lol).

I also don't think we'd survive financially if we moved back - we earn more on one income here than we did with both of us working back in NZ...so I'm a SAHM now (which has been fantastic for the kids). NZ doesn't have the business opportunities that Australia doe for hubby's business...so we do find it much easier to earn a decent living here. I also don't like a lot of the things that have happened to NZ (politically & otherwise) since we left. NZ seems to have changed quite a bit recently...

[funnymama]

Hi,

We moved to Sydney 9 years ago and have a 16 month old. We really miss family now but there is no way we could afford to live in NZ. Geez, on my last holiday there I paid $4 for a nasty small coffee at the domestic terminal in Auckland! If my hubby was employed there he would make less than half what he does now and I would earn stuff all too. We really miss our whanau but its not financially viable for us to move and to be honest, most of our friends there are having hard times and they're miserable. :( In the past 2 weeks, 1 friend was made redundant and another lost his business and home. It's tough without family support but I think it would be tougher living there!
Good luck with your decision.

[steviebabynz]

Thanks everyone - yeah I think we've decided to just get on with it here - its not that we dislike it here and focus on the positives of being here. I'd definitely rather have to use some of the extra income to go home more than be struggling to survive living there. I think I have a distorted view of gparents as mine lived 2 doors round so i saw them all the time and i wanted that for my kids. But DH's lived all over NZ so did my friends. I realise now that not everyone has grandparents available so close.
I want to be a SAHM so its better we stay here and enjoy the sunshine. Man if my parents said we were going to live in QLD when I was little i would have been stoked.
So POSITIVE thoughts is what I am telling myself.
Thanks everyone - glad Im not the only one out there with similar situation :-)

[kiwibird27]

I agree with everyone else.. NZ is REALLY expensive.. and the wages are ****.. u will get tough and stop trusting people in time... took me about 5 years to start sticking up for myself and realsiing that actually Australian employers are pretty much out to lie and cheat there way out of stuff.. it does get better!!! Once u start getting everything in writing and not believing a word anyone says!!!

[steviebabynz]

Ahh yes that's one thing we struggled with esp in Perth, not so bad since we got to Cairns - you can't rely on anyones word or handshake. You do have to be pushy. Hehe everyone for themselves here it seems. DH got walked all over when we first got here but he's learnt as have I. Still think I might be getting ripped off compared to the aussies at work. Wish salaries etc were transparent.

[kiwibird27]

I know what u mean... eventually u will become cut throat too, don't worry.... hahahahahahaha