Can't believe its been almost 2 years since I arrived in New Zealand from the Philippines. I came here at end of April 2009. It was a cold day. Maybe I just felt cold because it rarely went below 20 degrees where I came from.
I remember the immigration officer checking my work visa and asking me if I had ever been in NZ before. I said no. She said " That's interesting." Interesting is not the word that I will describe my first few months here.
I'd say it was challenging. I had a hard time finding a job (took me 3.5months to find one). It is only after 9 months, when I got my residency that I felt settled. I thank God that I got through that difficult time.
People here are nice and friendly. I've made a lot of friends specially in church. My wife and kids also feels happy here. I'd ask them repeatedly if they like it here and they would said yes.
NZ is a beautiful country. The best thing about NZ is the outdoors. You can reach the beach after a 25 minute drive. For me, it is the best place to raise a family. The streets are relatively safe. Crime rate is lower compared to other countries. I was surprised that there were no armed guards in banks!
My only concern is about the primary and secondary educational system. I believe there should be a higher standard. I support getting a national standard for schools to improve student performance. I feel the educational system should improve so our kids can compete with other countries.
I'm still not used to the cold. But I sure love it here. NZ is a great place to be. I even like watching rugby now. Hope NZ wins the rugby world cup.