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Thread: One month in, finally back online properly.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Christchurch, New Zealand
    Posts
    69

    Default One month in, finally back online properly.

    So, we've been here in Christchurch just over 1 month and i thought you guys might like to know how things have been going.
    Well.......We've found a small place to rent, supposedly a flat but it's more like a small semi detached bungalow, old, cold but clean and tidy and well kept, we've our own garage and drive and a nice wee garden that requires little maintenence it will do until we start looking to buy.
    We've had some ups and downs since leaving Switzerland but funnily enough all the downs have been problems with leaving Switzerland plus the fact that my dad in the UK was diagnosed with terminal cancer during the 2 week stopover we had there, that made it so much harder to come here and be excited about it!! And of course there was the earthquake which put us back a bit, fortunately we were visiting my husbands father over on the westcoast when it hit, although we still felt it we were glad not to have had the full force!
    So what have we achieved?? My husband has managed to bag himself a full time job as a butcher which was really our turning point, he started yesterday and so far so good I've managed to get work too as a relief preschool teacher, i've had 2 days work last week and 3 days this week, plus 2 other preschools have me on their books too which is very positive.
    Our daughter started preschool and LOVES it to the point where she woke me up in the night just to check she was still going the next day lol
    We've sorted out Internet/phone and mobiles (treated ourselves to a new iphone) and basically set up our home from scratch, we do have 5cbm coming at some point from Switzerland, although we've had some problems with that some when it's going to arrive is anyone's guess
    We picked up a couple of cars, hubbie a Subaru Forrester and i got a little 306 last week when hubbie got his job.
    So how do we like it?? Of course hubbie being a Kiwi is loving being 'Home' i'm also really enjoying being here, people are so friendly and can't do enough to help, compared to life in Switzerland things are just so easy.
    As far as cost of living goes i can't compare so much to the UK as i've not lived there for nearly 9 years now but it's certainly pricy in some respects, cheaper in others, we pay less rent than we did in Switzerland but more for our phone/internet plus the internet is not unlimited like it was there, wages are low but we expected that, food is pretty expensive, meat very cheap and very good!! Cheese rubbish and expensive as is most dairy which i found strange considering the amount of cows here!! Fruit and veg is expensive if out of season although there are places (farmers markets etc) where you can pick things up cheaper, fruit and veg in season is reasonable and very yummy!!
    Thats all i can think of right now, i'm sure i'll be back with more updates but so far so good............

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    37,824

    Default

    Thanks for the update, and all the best.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Christchurch from Scotland
    Posts
    2,226

    Default

    Glad to hear that you made it safely Laura. Well done to both you and your OH for securing positions so quickly. Glad that you missed the main thrust of the EQ though. I think if that had been a little earlier in my stay I might have not been so relaxed about everything. Hopefully catch up one day soon.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Poole, UK to Chch, NZ
    Posts
    2,064

    Default

    Glad it's all going nicely!! Other than your dad's diagnosis that is *hug* never nice..

    Did you find it easy enough getting a childcare place when you arrived? I'd love to get DD settled into something fairly soon after arrival, but I heard rumours of waiting lists from my SiL..

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Celaya, Mexico
    Posts
    368

    Default

    Hi Laura, glad to hear it's going so well for you with the exception of the awful news about your dad. Do you mind me asking which suburb you've settled in and whether you found your house through Trade Me or an Estate Agent?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    North Canterbury to UK
    Posts
    2,755

    Default

    Sorry to hear about your Dad but good work on settling in and getting so much done in such a short time

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Asheville, NC
    Posts
    450

    Default

    So sad about your father. Glad you had time with him before the move. Hope you are enjoying your new homeland. Sounds as if so many positive things in NZ are happening. I wish you only the best.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Christchurch, New Zealand
    Posts
    69

    Default

    Hi All
    Thanks for your comments and support, Sophie i personally found the Kindergartens (free) had waiting lists, there were a few private preschools who still offered the 20 hours free) that had places and we just pay the extra if we need it :-) So far we're very happy with where Alanah is and she loves it!
    Shones, we're in Sockburn/Upper Riccarton and found our place thought the paper 'free press-weekend)

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