People & Places
Harper's NZ blog April 07
The "excited and thrilled" Harpers continue to reflect on the pros and cons of swapping Blighty for the land of the long white cloud
Easter saw us celebrate six months of living in New Zealand, and made us reflect on our experiences and achievements over that time and also consider what the next six months will be like for us in our new home.
Back in December, our children attended their first Christmas concert and sung a well known Kiwi song called 'Six Months in a Leaky Boat', by the Split Enz. Well we are really pleased to say that our first six months have been far from leaky, more like a ride on the shotover jet boat in Queenstown. Exciting, thrilling, unknown, heart racing at times and leaving you wanting more. Since we arrived in Auckland we have done everything necessary to migrate to a new country including new jobs, school, house, car, friends and the obligatory pair of crocs!
We arrived in October and would say that it was a great time of the year to arrive. The start of spring, a hot Christmas and great weather to look forward to, along with school and work holidays. As with any country, good weather makes you feel better and gets you out and about socialising and travelling. We have seen a huge amount of New Zealand already with holidays to the top of the North Island, Bay of Islands, Coromandel, Rotorua and Queenstown. We have also spent lots of weekends visiting areas around Auckland with climbs up Rangitoto, boat rides to Waiheke and mountain biking on the west coast, to name just a few.
Of course, there is the normal day to day life which we all have to encounter and that is where there are challenges. When friends or family in the UK or new people we meet in New Zealand ask, "so, how do you find your new life in New Zealand", we answer "different." And different is the best description of a country which we feel suffers and gains from a small population of just over four million. In our experience the majority of challenges encountered can be put down to the four million - and this is also true for the advantages you will find.
This just isn't enough people to create a market and prices which are found in the UK. Interest rates are higher, bank charges still exist - ask for a 0% balance on your credit card and you may as well have asked to meet Elvis. Food prices are high with the absence of 'Buy One Get One Free' offers and half-price deals. They were tried in one supermarket four years ago, however most Kiwi's didn't trust the offer and thought there was a catch. Schools fees are encouraged to be paid. Broadband and Sky TV are higher. There is no TV licence, however the TV here is really poor so doesn't really merit one. The range of clothing is minimal and below the standard of the UK. House prices are climbing and charges to rent a property are high. Medical and dental fees can be high, with insurance policies required.
When you discuss the above findings with a Kiwi, there is an element of disbelief and then the usual comment of "well what would you prefer, 60 million and cheap food, banking, clothes, housing and great TV or a country with a low population and, well um, um, um, lovely beaches, mountains, great climate, lifestyle and can do attitude for life?" It's a really difficult question to answer having only been hear for six months. All we can say right now is that we have had a great six months and are looking forward to the next six months. We think that the next few months could be the most challenging as winter sets in and we get used to living in a four-bedroom house with the only heater being a fire in the lounge and wooden walls. For some reason, Kiwi's believe they don't need heating!
Our next visitors don't arrive until December, so for the next seven months it's just the four of us; however, we do have a winter holiday planned in Australia to break up the colder months. We love our new life in New Zealand and being around like-minded people with a great can-do attitude to life. Our children are having a great time in school and are now masters of the monkey bars. We have made lots of friends and know we have so much to see and do on this side of the world.
If you are looking at a new life in New Zealand or any other country around the world, our advice would be to understand that it will be different with advantages and disadvantages. What you need to decide is what's important to you.
Until next time
The Wild Harpers
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