I made it here after a bumpy start in early 2008 to begin life afresh after thirty years of concrete jungle living in the small island city-state of Singapore. I can't believe it's been almost four years since I've moved to Christchurch. Not even travelling by TARDIS can be this quick.
It started really well. Back then the economy was booming and jobs were aplenty. For someone who didn't even had a work visa at that time, I got multiple job offers and had the chance to pick and choose. I owned a sport car. Life is good.
Since then, however, things had changed "a wee bit." The Great Depression, several significant earthquakes both here and overseas, the Eurozone crisis, a change of NZ government, and the upcoming end-of-the-world definitely isn't helping to paint a rosy picture "going forward." I guess the fact that I've been jobless for the last six months doesn't help, either.
I remember reading a statistic that goes something like four out of five immigrants from Asia leave New Zealand within the first five years, and I was sure I would not to be part of this statistic. Now I'm not so sure.
The physical ground movements in Christchurch doesn't leave me shaking as much as the fact that businesses aren't exactly running to set up shop here. Jobs that I do, once in abundance, is now scarce. Some of the few job opportunities that exist currently have been there for much of the last four years. The last job interview I had with a potential employer went well, I thought, only to be told a week later that while I'm a 90% fit for the role, they really wanted someone who is a 100% fit. Why interview me in the first place, then? Last I saw, that job advertisement had been re-advertised so I'm guessing they're still holding out for Neo.
The thought of relocating has crossed my mind several times lately but my partner is dead keen to stay on in Christchurch. Relocating now, even if it's within the country, is going to be much, much more difficult than my move from Singapore to New Zealand.
At the same time, as the Christchurch earthquakes make their ripples through news media around the world, the pressure is on from family back in Singapore for me to "return home." So far, they had played the "your parents are getting old" card, the "filial piety is an Asian virtue" card, and "Singapore is a much more stable country - politically, economically, and seismically" card.
I'm finally starting to feel a little bit depressed.