I've read some by eassae. But I'd like to hear other people's complaints as well. Its good to get a well rounded view of a place before you move. Thanks :)
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I've read some by eassae. But I'd like to hear other people's complaints as well. Its good to get a well rounded view of a place before you move. Thanks :)
It won't be all complaints, because people leave NZ for reasons that are personal to them, not only for things they don't like about the country, but you could have a look on the 'Leaving New Zealand' forum of the site. http://www.enz.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=25
Thanks, I looked through there a bit. Didn't find much but i'll keep looking. I've got a lot of time.
expatexposed.com
Many of the people there have really been burned in someway, and I would say that the things they have experienced don't necessarily have to do with NZ, but there are many post that do bring up real issues that are specific to living in NZ.
Hi Rasa,
You won't get a balanced view on expatexposed. It is basically a complaint forum for those that have a real axe to grind about New Zealand for a variety of reasons. It is so diametrically opposed to what you read on this forum that libya will seem desirable in comparison.;)
No offense meant to any forumites from Libya:uhoh
It's about as balanced as the view you get on ENZ. On both you have to decide for yourself what sounds reasonable to you, which means both are equally as helpful when trying to decide whether or not to move to NZ. By equally, I mean not helpful at all, because most people have already made their decision, and are looking for information that validates that decision. It's something you just have to experience.
So how about if you are a recent immigrant to New Zealand and you are going through tough times and contemplating packing it in and returning to your country of origin. I think it is pretty safe to say that you would get some useful and balanced opinions on your predicament from ENZ members and likewise completely negative and partisan feedback from expatexposed.
It seems a wild assumption that most people are just after validation and are not affected by the extreme negativity of expatexposed.
Just received an email from a Brit who has been living in NZ for 7 years:
"Yes, the weather is cooling down but it's still lovely when the suns out, but then New Zealand is lovely whatever the weather"
He's never had a negative thing to say about life in NZ.
I agree that most of what is on expatexposed.com is from people that have had such bad experiences that they have lost touch with reality, so you get a lot of blind ranting. On the other hand much of what you find on ENZ seems to be from people with blinders on as well, just on the other end of the spectrum. Both sites have snippets of truth that come out now and then.
Hey,
Thanks for the suggestion eassae. I've heard about expatexposed but I haven't been there. I had only heard negative things about people being overly negative about NZ on there. Still I've been told many times you can learn something from everyone. Sometimes you just have to pick and choose.
Thanks Dell,
I'm not worried about the weather. I lived in Western Oregon for 15 years with weather like Southern England. Then NE Washington State for 11 years with weather like Antarctica half the year and the other half like the Sahara desert. That is an exaggeration of course but you get the idea. Now I'm in Florida visiting my brother and dying from the heat and humidity. My favorite weather was Oregon so I think if a Brit likes NZ I will too. At least as far as weather is concerned.
I just think it is a question of degree. I have no beef with persuading people to remove their rose tinted specs with well reasoned arguments. However as you admit expatexposed has a lot of blind ranting, where any attempt at balance is soon shouted down. It is as if a lot of the people should really be in therapy but populate the forum instead.
Just been over to expatexposed out of curiosity. Those people are REALLY angry! There doesn't seem to be a vast amount of balance and I wonder that if being an imigrant has maybe made it easier to make the mistake of thinking that a part stands for the whole, if you know what I mean, so that a bad experience of a school seems to make the whole education system rubbish where as back home they would most probably just conclude that it was a local thing to be solved or another school found?
Hope this helps - what's not good in NZ:
- Salaries are lower -you can earn a lot more in other countries
- The sun is powerful you have a higher risk of skin cancer
- It's really not that good for shopping - the choice is not that good
- There is an under current of issues arising from the Treaty which took sovereignty of NZ from the Maori when it was never that clear that was happening.
- It's miles away from anywhere
- It's in serious debt
- It has a la higher proportion of poor housing than most advanced countries - damp and cold living in winter is a problem for quite a few folk
- Gas central heating is rare to find
- You have to pay to see your GP
- They lock up very high proportions of people
- The suicide rate amongst children is high
- The road system and train system needs improving and upgrading
- The country constantly has minor earth tremours everyday with the risk of a major earthquake lurking.
So there you go lots of genuine negatives!
But we moved in Jan and we really like it a lot - we think it's a great country to live in - if you want to know why it suits us check out:
http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=32309
But remember good and bad are not fixed variables - it depends upon what we value and what is important to us.
All the best with your assessment and decision:nice1
Thanks themilkybarkid,
Your reasons for going to NZ are basically the same as ours. That was a great list of negatives. :)
Re the above - #1 is probably right in general, but not for all, and for those that are on the LTSS list then market forces mean that in some areas there will be parity or even higher wages.
#6 - compared to where? It's not good, but it's not bad either on a world scale.
#12 - #13 means that investment in rail is risky.
And in addition -
young drivers in old unsafe vehicles leads to a way too high death rate on the roads.
internet shopping is very rare, and the way that the main comparative retailers work s on a barter system, so buying anything at all other than basic groceries turns into a game of poker and takes way longer than it should. Just advertise a price and be done with it, don't put a price label on a TV of $4000 then have a permanent 50% sale and then negotiate down to an actal transaction price of $800.
Just my 2 cents worth.;
1. I'm not here for the money, but I do earn more here than did in UK.
2. Slip Slap Slop Wrap (think thats the right way round.)
3. Hate shopping.
4. No comment, don't know enough about it.
5. Big plus for me being miles away.
6. So is most of the world
7. True, put another log on the fire.
8. See 7
9. No biggy.
10. So they should.
11. See 4
12. The roads are OK, its the drivers that are crap. Don't use trains, only freight trains around here.
13. Again, no biggy, but when it happens, sit down, put your head between your legs and kiss your a** goodbye.
:) :D :laugh
Nick.:cheers
UPDATED
- Salaries are lower -you can earn a lot more in other countries
- The sun is powerful you have a higher risk of skin cancer
- It's really not that good for shopping - the choice is not that good
- There is an under current of issues arising from the Treaty which took sovereignty of NZ from the Maori when it was never that clear that was happening.
- It's miles away from anywhere
- It's in serious debt, but so are most western countries
- It has a la higher proportion of poor housing than most advanced countries - damp and cold living in winter is a problem for quite a few folk
- Gas central heating is rare to find
- You have to pay to see your GP
- They lock up very high proportions of people
- The suicide rate amongst children is high
- The road system and train system needs improving and upgrading but the latter is difficult because of point 13
- The country constantly has minor earth tremours everyday with the risk of a major earthquake lurking.
- Internet shopping is limited
- The risk of death on the roads is high - too many reckless drivers
- Their are warmer countries to live in - the climate here can be cold, windy and damp in certain times/places.
I'm with you Nick!
Everything depends upon your perspective and values. For me most of these things listed above are not a major issue/concern. They need to put put into perspective with the many positives here in NZ, as well as seen relative to the negatives in other countries. I have made deliberately made no attempt to do on this thread -but just present negatives on their own - and in that sense out of context
And in addition:
TV and NZ newspapers are c***
Cost of flights is prohibitively expensive (and as discussed in another thread, not solely due to geographical distance as the prices 'the other way round' are much lower)
Job finding is unduly influenced by 'WHO you know' rather than by 'WHAT you know'
In my own opinion, from personal experience, I feel there are negatives everywhere you live, and one person may have negatives that others may not have..you really need to live somewhere to know it...
Geez I just confused myself, hope you understand it! :cheers
1, 2, 3, Not a problem for us
4, Thought the fall out from the treaty was pretty much in the open
5, Thankfully
6, But who isn't
7,maybe but there some pretty rough housing in the UK too
8, rare but findable
9,No problem,
10, Not enough too light sentences here
11,Agree
12, Roads are fine here it's the drivers that are the problem
13, Still more chance of dying in a car accident than from an earthquake
:exit
No post, but one point.
In my personal opinion the by far most negative point about NZ is that it is a monarchy!
When I want to become a NZ citizen I not only have to declare my allegiance to NZ (no issues here!) but also to 'Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of New Zealand, Her heirs and successors'.
http://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.ns...s?OpenDocument
Expatexposed.com positives get shouted down. ENZ negatives get shouted down.
Good list MBK.
We've talked about this before, but I really don't think that all negatives do get shouted down (shouted up?). I really do think that on this forum anyone that posts an opinion either positive or negative and either generalises it or does so without supporting evidence, does open themselves up for subsequent 'discussion'.
I think generally the forumites are inquisative and we like to make our own minds up, so prefer to see evidence and then tke a view ourselves.
However, back into the spirit of this thread.
#35 Sandflies.
#36 The incredible and varied range of giant multilegged creatures that have evolved with the sole purpose of living in my house. Which beggars belief given how it's colder and damper than outside.......
'gay' and 'retard' are common derogatory comments, particularly amongst young people. This may now be the case in the UK, but it wasn't when I left, but I hate it , anyway.