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Thread: Four years in... and starting to feel a little depressed!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Christchurch, New Zealand
    Posts
    531

    Unhappy Four years in... and starting to feel a little depressed!

    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.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    San Francisco to Auckland
    Posts
    626

    Default

    I am so sorry to hear that you are feeling depressed. I sure hope things start to look up for you and your decision to either relocate within NZ or back to Singapore works out for you. Best of luck with whatever you choose to do.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    S'pore-2-AKL again
    Posts
    877

    Default

    Hi

    So sorry things haven't quite worked out well for you. I hope you won't consider leaving NZ for Singapore since you spent such a considerable time building roots and creating a home for yourself here. You may wish to take a little time to consider this - for whether you are staying or making a move; it's a big step. If your partner is not keen on leaving Christchurch I am not so sure that leaving the country altogether would be welcomed. But it is't my place to comment about it. I know jobs are hard to be found in Christchurch - we hear of people leaving to other parts of the country or across the ditch and no ones thinks the lesser of them for doing so. In the end, you need to do what's right for yourself and your loved ones.

    We are also leaving NZ but in contrast we are sad to go. We love NZ and things have been going very well lately so much to the point we intend to cash out of our Singapore flat and use the proceeds to fully pay for our home here. So unfortunately we will be adding to the statistics but it is pretty much a long term view for a better financial future in NZ.

    I have to add that Singapore may soon face economic hardships as pretty much the government is talking about gloom. So maybe you might get a job or maybe not...but I do know when things in Singapore are bad; companies do not bother to hire and can pretty much be ruthless in cutting their staff numbers especially in the manufacturing, IT and banking sectors. If you like - you can put out feelers to the companies in Singapore but I won't be making the move until I am sure I can secure a job first.

    Best of luck and chin up. Things may get better. I don't believe in the end-of-the-world prognosis given the ancient Mayans are extinct so perhaps they didn't have time to update their calendar before they perished.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    37,824

    Default

    Sorry to hear about your feelings of depression. As with all feelings, there's no quick and easy cure to apply from the outside. However, the fact that you can analyse your situation and pinpoint reasons for feeling as you do is a positive sign. All good wishes for some better news and prospects in the very near future. +++++++++++

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    SG > Wellington, Raumati Beach
    Posts
    398

    Default

    Sorry to hear that you are feeling down.
    I'm from Singapore and will be leaving for Wellington with my husband in 2 months time.

    I can't say much about NZ job market but my guess will be that it is no good. Economy is bad already on a global scale so I don't think NZ can escape it.
    But I think I van say that there are definitely more jobs in SG as compared to NZ. Though for the IT industry, it is very saturated. I have a friend who just return to SG after 7 years in Wellngton and she will be starting on her new job in a week's time.

    Maybe you can list down the pros and cons of moving back to SG?

    SG is very different now as compared to 4 years ago. Many things have changed (except for the ruling party) of course. But personally, I cannot be happier to be leaving SG.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Christchurch from Scotland
    Posts
    2,226

    Default

    Sorry to hear that you are having a tough time of it at the moment. It is hard in Christchurch and I am aware that there are many businesses relocating admin functions especially out of here. Speaking from a disaster recovery point of view I think it is short sighted as although you may make savings it could cost more in the long run, given that no where here is immune from natural disaster.
    The world economy is a strange place at the moment and I can well understand the pressure that you feel you are under from your parents as well. My OH suffers from this too, although recently for the first time his Dad admitted that he did not think the UK Economy would be better anytime soon and we were in a place with opportunities, though they would rather we were not living on the shakes!
    Good luck with whatever you decide to do...just make sure you make your decisions for the right reasons, and not because you are feeling low due to the job situation at the moment.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    193

    Default

    It's a world economic crisis. Jobs are much harder to get in NZ (took me a while), as employers also tend to be very careful, employment law is different in NZ, so the old probation or get rid of someone in year one options which you have in the UK don't exist - so once in a job, unless you're very poor and they follow a set performance review (rare as most places do HR badly) then you have a job for a good while.

    Incidentally, without knowing what your initial skills are in, I work for the CDHB in ChCh, and I know there's plenty of vacancies in back office (where I am) - what do you do?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    73

    Default

    I have good friends who left SG and their parents and myself were sad too see them go. For our parent's generation, it's not easy to understand why their children migrate, I empathize with you. Singapore is overpopulated now and the recent SMRT breakdowns shows it. Everywhere is overcrowded now and it's hard to get space, peace and silence when you need it. Of course, the family warmth is irreplaceable but when you are overseas, family time will be more precious and valuable. With Skype and internet chatting, it's not hard to keep in touch everyday. Anyway, LKY will not be alive for very long, who knows what will happen politically? These days, it's very hard to predict the future. You'll better off following your gut feeling and heart.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    SG > Wellington, Raumati Beach
    Posts
    398

    Default

    Hear hear!

    Singapore already has a bigger population than NZ and the country is only the size of lake Taupo.
    It's not easy being away from family...Kelvin, you mentioned having a partner with you. maybe the two of you can try and work things out and decide in your next move.

    Like Singapura_cat mentioned. LKY is very old and frail now and his son is already making ALOT of decisions that does not appease the people.

    The most recent saga is the exhumation Of Bukit brown cemetery for a road with 8 lanes.

    Anyway, for those who are interested : http://www.facebook.com/groups/bukitbrown/

    Quote Originally Posted by Singapura Cat View Post
    I have good friends who left SG and their parents and myself were sad too see them go. For our parent's generation, it's not easy to understand why their children migrate, I empathize with you. Singapore is overpopulated now and the recent SMRT breakdowns shows it. Everywhere is overcrowded now and it's hard to get space, peace and silence when you need it. Of course, the family warmth is irreplaceable but when you are overseas, family time will be more precious and valuable. With Skype and internet chatting, it's not hard to keep in touch everyday. Anyway, LKY will not be alive for very long, who knows what will happen politically? These days, it's very hard to predict the future. You'll better off following your gut feeling and heart.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    73

    Default

    I have good friends who left SG and their parents and myself were sad too see them go. For our parent's generation, it's not easy to understand why their children migrate, I empathize with you. Singapore is overpopulated now and the recent SMRT breakdowns shows it. Everywhere is overcrowded now and it's hard to get space, peace and silence when you need it. Of course, the family warmth is irreplaceable but when you are overseas, family time will be more precious and valuable. With Skype and internet chatting, it's not hard to keep in touch everyday. Anyway, LKY will not be alive for very long, who knows what will happen politically? These days, it's very hard to predict the future. You'll better off following your gut feeling and heart.

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