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Thread: Why move to NZ from US or UK?

  1. #41
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    United States of America
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    35

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    The USA isn't a free country, .....well it is if you are the 1% ...... I am very willing to give up my citizenship to live in a country like NZ, I have no problem leaving and adopting the traditions they have, and learning to live life the way the Kiwi's do. It's sad, because my family has been in the USA for 400 years, and I am ready to leave it for good.

  2. #42
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Top of the South!
    Posts
    321

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    We have been here over eight years. I love this country, because its beautiful, our lives are so completely different to what I had experienced in the UK, I am my own boss, we have children here now, I make my own award winning wine, my wife gets paid to work with horses (her absolute dream job), we often barter for produce, our kids go bare foot in school, I fish and dive, you can ski a hours drive away, you can have a whole beach to yourself, I get to have a BBQ on Christmas day, teenagers say good morning to me, business is done on a hand shake, we have friends from many different nationalities, my eldest came home and did a haka last week, the stars at night always amaze me, there is always a new playground to explore, we have a world class trout river a kilometer away, our small and modest home is the best I ever owned, I feel like a rich man in everything except money.

  3. #43
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    NZ to US to NZ. Opua
    Posts
    1,470

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    Quote Originally Posted by Beachcombers View Post
    We have been here over eight years. I love this country, because its beautiful, our lives are so completely different to what I had experienced in the UK, I am my own boss, we have children here now, I make my own award winning wine, my wife gets paid to work with horses (her absolute dream job), we often barter for produce, our kids go bare foot in school, I fish and dive, you can ski a hours drive away, you can have a whole beach to yourself, I get to have a BBQ on Christmas day, teenagers say good morning to me, business is done on a hand shake, we have friends from many different nationalities, my eldest came home and did a haka last week, the stars at night always amaze me, there is always a new playground to explore, we have a world class trout river a kilometer away, our small and modest home is the best I ever owned, I feel like a rich man in everything except money.
    Hope you don't mind but I just cut and pasted your post and emailed it to my son in the U.S. My daughter-in-law and eldest granddaughter just left NZ on Sunday after a couple of weeks here. If my DIL loves NZ, my son, DIL and kids will be making the move to NZ. The flat-whites and scones were very influential!

  4. #44
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    uk
    Posts
    202

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    "the stars at night always amaze me,"
    loved your comment and in particular the above, hope to see it again some day myself!

  5. #45
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    UK to USA to Waikato, NZ
    Posts
    1,383

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    We moved after 20 years in the USA, did not like where the country is headed, and the brainwashing of my kids back there!
    We have been here 20 months and really like it. Kids can be kids, better(although less formally structured) school system, more daily physical activities and kids involved in a lot more sports.
    People are really friendly and don't care how big your house is, what car you drive etc. Beautiful scenery, working less hours( more work life balance), more vacation and although pay is less, conditions are better.

  6. #46
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    California to Tasman Bay
    Posts
    1,137

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    Quote Originally Posted by Beachcombers View Post
    We have been here over eight years. I love this country, because its beautiful, our lives are so completely different to what I had experienced in the UK, I am my own boss, we have children here now, I make my own award winning wine, my wife gets paid to work with horses (her absolute dream job), we often barter for produce, our kids go bare foot in school, I fish and dive, you can ski a hours drive away, you can have a whole beach to yourself, I get to have a BBQ on Christmas day, teenagers say good morning to me, business is done on a hand shake, we have friends from many different nationalities, my eldest came home and did a haka last week, the stars at night always amaze me, there is always a new playground to explore, we have a world class trout river a kilometer away, our small and modest home is the best I ever owned, I feel like a rich man in everything except money.
    That is beautifully said. I feel like a rich man in everything except money.



  7. #47
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Colorado ->Richmond
    Posts
    159

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    Quote Originally Posted by Beachcombers View Post
    We have been here over eight years. I love this country, because its beautiful, our lives are so completely different to what I had experienced in the UK, I am my own boss, we have children here now, I make my own award winning wine, my wife gets paid to work with horses (her absolute dream job), we often barter for produce, our kids go bare foot in school, I fish and dive, you can ski a hours drive away, you can have a whole beach to yourself, I get to have a BBQ on Christmas day, teenagers say good morning to me, business is done on a hand shake, we have friends from many different nationalities, my eldest came home and did a haka last week, the stars at night always amaze me, there is always a new playground to explore, we have a world class trout river a kilometer away, our small and modest home is the best I ever owned, I feel like a rich man in everything except money.
    STOP!!!! We are jealous enough! I love it!

  8. #48
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    NZ (Auckland; via Canada)
    Posts
    1,350

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dell View Post
    Hope you don't mind but I just cut and pasted your post and emailed it to my son in the U.S. My daughter-in-law and eldest granddaughter just left NZ on Sunday after a couple of weeks here. If my DIL loves NZ, my son, DIL and kids will be making the move to NZ. The flat-whites and scones were very influential!
    NZ had me at my first flat white in 1992. It just took me 20 years to make the permanent move. But my Oirish soda bread kicks the arse of any scones. REPRESENT, yo!

  9. #49
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    NZ (Auckland; via Canada)
    Posts
    1,350

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    Time to come out of the closet.

    I am, by birth, American. In fact, I lived in the US until I was 25 years old. I moved to Canada on impulse; I stayed in Canada--fortunately--because as a social democrat and gay man I had little "freedom" in the US. I benefited, however, from many aspects of growing up in New York: most of all it is the persistent encourage of achievement--even if arguably naive or specious, in actual terms of opportunity--that helped me develop a nascent work ethic that continues to serve me well today.

    What didn't serve me well was the inequity of opportunity--which is much worse now than in the 1980s. I gained admittance to an elite university, but the fees were prohibitive--and I could not, in good conscience, ask my parents to remortgage their home. So I went to an affordable university, not understanding the importance of social networks and social capital. Like many I graduated with a BA and a lot of cynicism. And struggled to find a decent standard/quality of life. My (then) partner was legally only a roommate: my family could have kept him out of my hospital room, and I could not put him on my expensive and stoopidly complex to access health insurance from my employer. I could be fired for being gay and would have had zero recourse. As an individual and as a family we were second class citizens.

    In Canada my taxation increased by 5% on income taxes and 5% on consumption taxes, but I got access to my own GP, specialists, and hospitalisation covered 100% upfront with no "pre-existing conditions". My employers always either paid or subsidized supplemental insurance to cover 80-100% of prescription drugs and core dental care. The quality of care was excellent too. Water was plentiful, building standards were high, and people were civil to one another. I gained access to one of the best universities in the world. I paid less than $6000CAD (on par with the US, about 20% ahead of NZ) for a research masters degree. I paid nothing for my PhD, though it nominally would've cost me about $8000CAD without fellowships. And as a person with a pragmatic leftish political bent (don't call me a "liberal"; it's a term that demonstrates ignorance of what the word means with respect to politics), I had a choice of political parties to support. And living in a country that isn't a "two party system" is a massive improvement over the US model. So is one where there are limits on election spending and advertising by political parties during elections. I was protected from being fired for being gay, was able to adopt kids (didn't, but could've) and eventually to marry. In Canada I had complete equality, as did my family.

    So why NZ? Well, my husband came to live with me in Canada and Vancouver wasn't the awesome city it had been. More expensive, more deckheads, dirtier and the rich/poor divide was leading to tears in the social fabric of what was once a pretty diverse and friendlier place. Plus moving at 40 is difficult for anyone. We met in Australia, and I insisted leaving a culture I loathed--which he graciously agreed to. A job came up in Auckland and I quietly applied. Were I single I'd still be in Vancouver probably--but I am happily here. I have a great job, in a great (and improving) city, in a marvellous country that is as breathtakingly beautiful as British Columbia. Taxes are lower, but I'd rather pay a bit more and eliminate the out of pocket expenses for visiting a GP. Kiwis are friendly and relaxed, but also quietly industrious. It's marvellous to just get on with things.

    There is no paradise. All countries have challenges and assets; within countries things can vary significantly. Governments can change and so can policy as a result. I've been very fortunate to live in 4 very good countries: US, Canada, Australia and now NZ. For me 2 have been awesome (Canada and NZ); for others they suck.

    Your kilometrage may vary

  10. #50
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Slovenia
    Posts
    68

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    Just a silly question, if I read right, you graduated with bachelor of art - BA? What does abbreviation BA stands for?

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