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Thread: Almost 1 Year!...

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    30

    Wink Almost 1 Year!...

    Hey All,

    Its almost been a year since we arrived from the UK and a lot has happened. We lived in Te Kauwhata for 6 months (eek!!) then moved to Auckland 3 weeks before my partner gave birth to our first child. So heres a few things we have observed - some funny some not. Thanks all for the continuation of this forum.

    - The midwifery system was a bad one for us. No one wanted to help us once we had moved to Auckland. Our Waikato midwife basically said its your problem your moving. There seems to be no communication between areas. Trouble was our baby was under developing and had we not been ignored by various midwives the problem might have been spotted. It was too late to prepare us for what happened and I won't go into details but our baby is lucky to be alive.

    - The breast feeding culture over here is warped. As a result of all our drama it was best for mother and baby to be formula fed. We were made to feel like terrible parents and my partner was left in tears every day by the attitude in the hospital. Our baby is now thriving and is a happy, healthy child.

    - Driving is really bad over here - lane discipline especially! Getting used to it though. Just need to be extra careful!

    - my line of work (tv production) is all word of mouth which is hard when you don't know anyone! I sent CVs to every company several times until eventually a job came up - thank goodness! The job wasn't advertised on job websites and interviewees were people my boss knew (except me) - strange way of doing things maybe. Luckily it worked out for me.

    - I love Shortland Street - not anywhere near as good as Corrie but NZ should be very proud of a soap thats lasted 20 years. It is entertaining enough for a 7pm soap!

    - House Prices - ARGH!!! bone of contention. We are currently renting in Grey Lynn (because we needed somewhere ASAP and my partners friends all live nearby) and unless we win lotto cannot buy anywhere near here. Between we will earn around 110K and we have a good deposit. The problem is people paying way over the CV. I don't know how stupid people are - if interest rates go up then they are screwed. I guess a lot of these people don't care and as long as they get a house then it doesn't matter. Personally I hope the market bursts and we can actually pay what a house is actually worth. Yeah dreaming aren't we?!

    - I hate that there are no ad breaks BETWEEN shows. They are usually somewhere stupid like after the opening credits. They also cut really hard out of programmes into ad breaks.

    - The newsreaders have real trouble pronouncing their words. At least 3 times a night I yell "spit it out" at one of them!

    - Phone calls at 7.30 am from various family members - I had heard about this and when it turned out to be be true it was a light bulb moment!

    - Phone packages are awful - 40 mins a month!! Having a laugh over here ripping people off. My partner and I use vodafone best mate - really good value. We just don't bother calling anyone else.

    - I miss IKEA

    - Briscoes are always having a sale - it cracks me up!

    - the lack of easy to eat non microwavable meals is a massive thing for us. God I could really murder some bloody M&S Chicken Cordon Bleus - half and hour in the oven with some Frites and some nice coleslaw. But no frozen, microwavable meals are all that exists over here. New World have just started doing fresh oven cooked meals but I would need to take out a personal loan to afford them every week.

    - Why are there so many banks?!

    - Kiwis impression of themselves as "green" cracks me up. Plastic bags galore at the supermarket not to mention EVERYONE drives EVERYWHERE. Public transport system in Auckland is so bad its laughable.

    - Everyone thinks Spotify is a new thing.

    - New Zealand Herald "Newspaper of the Year" - must be such a difficult award to win seeing as its the only national daily newspaper. Where is the political commentary, the bias of newspaper editors, debate amongst journalists. Doesn't exist. Its awful.


    So thats all I can think of for now. I'll update again - maybe when we have finally managed to purchase a house. It seems like a dream for now.

    Thanks for reading!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Auckland
    Posts
    3,697

    Default

    Wow! that's quite something and I agree with your honest experiences. Recently I was listening to a radio program on mid-wives and it ended on the same note (as your experience). All the best with your new job and I hope it works our really well for you

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    37,824

    Default

    All the best to you and the family.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    San Francisco to Auckland
    Posts
    626

    Default

    Sorry the first year has been so challenging. Hopefully year two will be much better. Best of luck!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    new zealand
    Posts
    28

    Default

    Hi we too have been here almost a year and have experienced some similar things.

    I too miss IKEA and EBAY (so limited in what ppl send here)

    Interestingly I am a midwife here and the NZ system is touted as one of the the best in the world - while I find it great as a midwife I can totally see where you are coming from.
    So funny you sohuld say that about the driving, i've come to the conclusion out second car will be an estate to try and stop people pulling out and 'not' seeing me.
    Hubby still hasnt found work, partly choice but partly as when did try found the whole you need to know the boss/someone who can get you in the door to even get an interview!
    I miss the easy food that isnt a frozen meal but hey i guess our diet is better now even it that is unitended.

    Personally my main issue is the almost inverted discrimination that goes on here, i cant get funding for course casue im not of 'colour', women who arent of 'colour' cant access certain services - and when i tried to look up discrimination the NZ sites all go on about equalling out inequlaites so basically saying its ok for certain ethnicities to receive extra than others (maybe im too english but doesnt seem right, equal oppertunities for everyone and all)

    Oh and the latest thing our HUGE electricity bill, the solution given by the company no we wont investigate. just turn off the heater!!! no wonder so many kids here are hospitalised with bronchitis and astmha and stuff from the damp, unheated housing. needless to say am now looking a switching.

    We haven't brought a house yet either so let me know asap when the bubble bursts as we too are waiting/hoping, in the area we like people even pay over the odds on rent without seeing properties!

    On the plus side renting here is much easier and less hassle than england, i can work as sort of self-employed which is nice and my wage supports the 3 of us well enough for now meaning hubby gets to stay at home with toddler life is more chilled out but how long we'll stay i'm not sure... was meant to be forever

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