Yep, time flies when your having, errrrm, when you've emmigrated.
So it's been 6 months since I left a chilly Manchester and arrived in NZ. Straight into work and a few weeks before the winter arrived. Well Summer's now here, so a chance to reflect on what's happened.
Have a car.
Still have a job.
Have 2 bikes.
Have a (rental) place of my own.
Haven't managed to get my wife over yet.
Not done much touristy stuff.
Have started to make some friends through work and the cycling club.
Overall then it still feels temporary, partly as my flat is actually in a complex that has part hotel and part long term flats. And without Jane then it doesn't seem like 'home' yet.
For those that are about to make the move, then I'm eating pretty well on $100 a week which includes sarnie stuff. This equates to the £100 a week we used to spend in the UK for the 2 of us. Simmilar standard of food, and all just bought from the countdown, no trekking around the markets.
Housing - spent some time renting a room until I was settled, and then in the end found a place through someone at work. Deposits are a lot lower than in the Uk, and regulated. Bills work out at $110 a month which includes $50 for the phone and sky.
Work - I can only speak about where I am, but the tales of woe that others have experienced and written about hasn't been something that's been an issue for me. I've found people supportive and interested in new ideas, keen to share knowledge and very hard working. Yes there's down time, such as some morning tea breaks, or Friday PM beers in the fridge, but teh rest of the time then we work hard. Not daft hours, but hard.
Social. That was a bit tricky to start with, and in some ways still is, but that's due to being on my own. But it's improving.
Overall. Glad I made the move? I think so, especially hearing how the UK and my industry has continued to decline since I left. But I'd definately have wanted to do it differerntly. The 3 month visit by Jane was good, but stressful when she had to fly back as you can imagine. In most ways then life in NZ is pretty simmilar to life in the UK. Some things cost a lot, some things don't. It's just they can be in differernt orders. There's idiots and people that annoy me, the boy racers running me off the road when I cycle - same as in teh Uk, just over here they are normally in older cars. Same music, same baseball cap, same plastic body kits, just on a 15 year old nissan and not a 4 year old Saxo. So I don't think that moving over here is the answer to all life's problems. But I think that the less materialistic nature of the place works for me. I find myself yearning for goods less , or being self conscious about my car, clothes, etc. And I'm much more relaxed in day to day life. Not sure exactly why, but it's the truth.