Would you ever consider moving to New Zealand?

[Sonshine]

I have lived in Texas for 28 years and no, I cannot imagine moving to

New Zealand or any foreign country. I love Texas and wouldn't want to live anywhere else. If you do go, take some Texas soil with you in case you have another baby. You can put it under the bed and say your child was born over Texas soil. Yes, people really do this.

[Colleen]

I would jump ~ and I do mean that literally ~ at the chance to live in NZ. My dh enjoyed traveling there when was younger, and our style of farming is compatible with the NZ climate and dairying practices. So,no worries there. Of course there are trade-offs, though. My parents, like yours, are just a few hours away now. Truth be told, we don't see them that often, but it's nice to know they're relatively close. But NZ isn't another planet (regardless of how some Americans act) and a move isn't necessarily a lifetime commitment. Carpe diem!

[Rosie_0801]

I have lived in Texas for 28 years and no, I cannot imagine moving to

New Zealand or any foreign country. I love Texas and wouldn't want to live anywhere else. If you do go, take some Texas soil with you in case you have another baby. You can put it under the bed and say your child was born over Texas soil. Yes, people really do this.

 

Not down here they don't. Unless they have a very serious disrespect for Quarantine.

 

If the OP wants her babies born over the US, she'll have to tuck a flag under her mattress :D

 

Rosie

[Sonshine]

Well, maybe a Texas flag and a U.S. flag. The person I knew who did this was living in another state at the time, not overseas. You can tell I haven't traveled overseas much - I didn't know about a ban on bringing soil into another country. It makes sense.

[Kareni]

Thank you handymum for the comprehensive list of pros and cons. I'd appreciate it if you or others in the know would answer a few questions.

 

...

2. Electricity is expensive compared to living in the US (although cheap compared to Europe). Most of your heating will probably be by electric space heaters - houses do not have central heating ...

 

I know that electricity prices vary widely even here in the US as we pay about a fourth of what my sister in another state pays. Do you know the price per kilowatt-hour?

 

Also, can you give me an estimate of the amount of money a couple would need for expenses in Dunedin per year? My husband has had a long time desire to live in New Zealand, and we're wondering what the cost would be.

 

One other question, I realize that individuals will vary but is the populace in Dunedin generally tolerant (i.e., to those of different races, religions, sexuality, etc.)?

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Willow]

I'm sorry I haven't had time to read the whole thread, but I am on the south island of NZ, although not in Dunedin, but I know the city. its a great place, small by international standards but with more 'things' (shops, facilities etc)than you would expect as it is an important university town. The South is much nicer than the North (Sorry Deb!)

 

The worst thing about living in NZ is the price of books and the cost to import from the US or UK. Books are an appalling price here, a kids paperback, new, is between $NZ25-35, and more for a thick book (eg Eragon)

 

Also the pay is low, and the cost of living high. Its worth it though, crime is lower here (although it does exist of course) We have less money here, but a better life, if that makes sense.

 

Homeschooling is of course legal, but you must register and can technically be inspected, although they don't actually bother any more. You need to declare that you are teaching "at least as regularly and as well as a public school' every 6 months. you also get some money, depending on how many kids you have. Its about $750 per year for the first and down to about $300/kid per year for 3 and more. This does not make sense, sorry. Its about $750 for no1, $600 for no 2, and $350 for nos 3, 4 etc. I'd have to look the exact amounts up.

 

 

Willow.

[Willow]

I have lived in Texas for 28 years and no, I cannot imagine moving to

New Zealand or any foreign country. I love Texas and wouldn't want to live anywhere else. If you do go, take some Texas soil with you in case you have another baby. You can put it under the bed and say your child was born over Texas soil. Yes, people really do this.

 

 

DON'T DON'T DON'T! YOU WILL BE ARRESTED!!!!!!!

 

You must not bring in any soil, seeds, even pine cones on Christmas decorations are banned, fruit, meat, anything like that. Please check before coming, I'd hate to have to come down to the airport police station and bail you out!

 

Willow.

[Guest home handymum]

I know that electricity prices vary widely even here in the US as we pay about a fourth of what my sister in another state pays. Do you know the price per kilowatt-hour?

 

Also, can you give me an estimate of the amount of money a couple would need for expenses in Dunedin per year? My husband has had a long time desire to live in New Zealand, and we're wondering what the cost would be.

 

One other question, I realize that individuals will vary but is the populace in Dunedin generally tolerant (i.e., to those of different races, religions, sexuality, etc.)?

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

Hi Kareni

 

Electricity prices can be compared on Consumer NZ's Powerswitch website

 

Wage details are here (Government Statistics on average incomes for 2009 year). Also see here (an info site for people thinking of immigrating). As a general rule, most people would find one average income insufficient, and most couples in NZ are two-income. Those of us on one income find inventive ways to be frugal, or have a partner who earns above the average.

 

Have a look on TradeMe (NZ's version of e-bay) to check out rough prices for goods, cars, houses etc.

 

Tolerance extremely high here. I would echo what was said above about NZ being politically liberal - even our conservative parties would probably find themselves on the Democrat side of the US political spectrum. If you are a dyed-in-the-wool Republican you could well feel culturally rather isolated here.

 

We are signatories to the UN convention of human rights. It is illegal here to discriminate on the basis of gender, race, sexual orientation, religious belief, age, ethical belief, marital status... or pretty much anything else. The farming/rural sector is slightly less tolerant as a whole, but in Dunedin itself (as in all other urban centres) racism, sexism and homophobia are very uncommon. Of the three, you'd most likely encounter racism, and then probably only if you are of Asian descent (shameful though it is to have to admit that about one's home town :-( ). NZ is perhaps one of the most feminist countries in the world - at one point we simultaneously had a woman Prime Minister, a woman Governor General and a woman Chief Justice - the three top jobs in the country - and we were the first to allow women to vote.

[Kareni]

home handymum,

 

Many thanks for replying. We'll be checking out those links!

 

Regards,

Kareni

[HS in NZ]

the Ministry of Education states they will randomly inspect you. We went 6 years without being inspected. I don't know if they don't bother with it anymore, but our last year, they DID come to our home and inspected all we did. They notify you in advance. I think they gave us a 2 week heads up. It went smoothly. They are pretty nice and want to work with you. They just want to check that you are doing what you stated you will be doing on your application among other things stated in a previous post. But, they do check. I just don't think they check often.

 

Regarding racial tolerance, I am Asian and never felt descriminated against while we were there. But I had an American accent. So that might have helped. Funny, whenever we were talking in public, everyone especially children would turn and stop to listen/look at us. I just thought they enjoyed hearing real live American accents like on their tvs! :001_smile:

 

Something interesting... NZ is very trendy and up on fashion by the way. It's hard to find really plain clothes! I had to hunt around. But that's probably because I just didn't know what stores had what being a foreigner and all. I was totally surprised to find our little country town so fashionable!

 

Please, let us know what you decide.

Edited February 15, 2010 by HS in NZ

[Guest home handymum]

the Ministry of Education states they will randomly inspect you. We went 6 years without being inspected. I don't know if they don't bother with it anymore, but our last year, they DID come to our home and inspected all we did.

 

Just in the last 6 months they've changed this - you now only get inspected if you've come to their attention somehow - like a concern raised by someone. Not sure how this will play out as the policy shift is quite new.

 

So current policy is that you need to apply for and receive an Exemption from Enrollment Certificate for each child aged 6 and over. After that you're home free, unless the Ministry of Education has reason to think you might be in need of some 'guidance'.

 

They stopped routine inspections because they never found anything wrong with home educating families and they needed to trim their budget.

[keptwoman]

They stopped routine inspections because they never found anything wrong with home educating families and they needed to trim their budget.

Stacey have you got a link to any info on that. It's the kind of thing it's nice to file away for when people push the "homeschoolers need greater accountability" line like the opposition is right now in Vic (not that I think they have a hope!)

[robsiew]

I'd be there yesterday! I wouldn't pass up an opportunity like that! We'll be stuck here until we die as dh hates change.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

In a minute, hands down, without a doubt, yes.

[GraceinMD]

If NZs pronounce "set" like "sit" (to rhyme with fit and wit),

 

Well, I'm not from there, and will be interested in authentic Kiwi answers - but from visiting NZ, my observation was that they don't seem to pronounce a "short e" sound at all as Americans do. It always sounded more like a "long e" sound to me --- so 'air' sounded like 'ear', 'fare' sounded like 'fear', and so forth. In your example, I would have expected 'set' to sound like 'seat' not 'sit', but maybe my theory is wrong!

 

I'm from the southern U.S. (but don't have much of a southern accent), but when I was living in England, the Brits thought I was from Australia. When I traveled to Australia, everything sounded ... fine. I had always thought that Aussie accents and Kiwi accents were similar, but not at all! It was actually surprisingly hard for me to understand the New Zealanders.

[Rosie_0801]

I'm from the southern U.S. (but don't have much of a southern accent), but when I was living in England, the Brits thought I was from Australia. When I traveled to Australia, everything sounded ... fine. I had always thought that Aussie accents and Kiwi accents were similar, but not at all! It was actually surprisingly hard for me to understand the New Zealanders.

 

 

:P at Keptwoman.

 

:D

Rosie

[GraceinMD]

:D

Rosie

 

LOL - just saw your link above! I love being right (about the short e/long e thing).

 

However, just to keep from getting between you and keptwoman, I must say that the ONLY time I had to "point wildly" (as keptwoman said) was near Canberra (but not IN Canberra - sort of out of the big city a bit!), when I was just trying to get a slice of pizza. The woman at the counter could NOT understand me, and I could NOT understand her - but the really bad thing was she couldn't seem to understand my pointing EITHER :lol: I got a Coke. :D

 

I would recommend that you and keptwoman try to keep the peace, but it might sound like ... kip the .... oh, never mind!

 

And to the OP: yes, NZ was lovely! (Dh and I personally would choose Australia, but NZ would be a close second) I usually try to decide life-altering choices like this by factoring in the "will I regret it?" score: 10 years/20 years, etc. from now, will you and your family say, "I wonder how it would have been if only we'd moved to NZ...."

[Aoife]

My mom is there visiting now :) I would go in a heartbeat if we could but we are settling for BC in a few years :P

[keptwoman]

Well, I'm not from there, and will be interested in authentic Kiwi answers - but from visiting NZ, my observation was that they don't seem to pronounce a "short e" sound at all as Americans do. It always sounded more like a "long e" sound to me --- so 'air' sounded like 'ear', 'fare' sounded like 'fear', and so forth.

I concur, they are all homonyms for us.

 

In your example, I would have expected 'set' to sound like 'seat' not 'sit', but maybe my theory is wrong!

Nope, most would say it sounds like sit. Me, I say it sounds like SET people SET :tongue_smilie:

 

Rosie, you'll keep. (not kip ;) )

[Rosie_0801]

Rosie, you'll keep. (not kip ;) )

 

And you, my dear, said you were going for Australian citizenship. :tongue_smilie:

 

;)

Rosie

[keptwoman]

Course I am. I'll still sound like a Kiwi though, no feesh and cheeps and pewls for me.

 

This is a good video to see the NZ accent

Plus of course Whale Rider, which is English with a Maori accent.

[Miss Sherry]

Family is very important to me, so that would be a huge factor. The only way I would willingly move that way away from our family would be if we really felt a very strong call from God to be a missionary or serve Him overseas. Other than that, nothing else compares with being near family for us, especially while we're raising children. Friends have scoffed at us when we've said that we wouldn't move away for any amount of money or position, but we honestly mean it. Living near grandparents is invaluable for kids, we really believe.

Yes, grandparents are invaluable for kids,but my children have a grandmother that lives near us that shows no interest in them. It would be better to live somewhere else, it seems to me , at times, than around people that pay no attention to you. So no matter how much family means, some of us aren't really tied down by family.

[Guest home handymum]

Stacey have you got a link to any info on that. It's the kind of thing it's nice to file away for when people push the "homeschoolers need greater accountability" line like the opposition is right now in Vic (not that I think they have a hope!)

 

The National Council of Home Ed put this notice up on their website - the article contains links to the relevant Ministry documents

http://www.nchenz.org.nz/2009/08/07/ero-review-changes/

 

And as far as accents go, when DH was in Atlanta, he was continually having to repeat his name; "Hi, it's Mark here...no, no, not Mike, Mark...no, not Mike, Maaarrrk. Yes, Maaarrrrrkh" (at least, that's how he tells it :) )

Edited February 16, 2010 by home handymum
adding an amusing anecdote

[keptwoman]

Thanks for that :)

[stripe]

Sounds like loads of fun. Plus I think the Kiwis and Ozzies from here alone could keep your spirits up for a few years at least if things got tough. (Besides, Rosie, don't you have a frig she can use?)