Back In The UK
Many people who emigrate to New Zealand only manage to stay for a few years before moving on, either back to their places of origin or to other countries.
Despite the data given in the misleading ‘satisfaction’ surveys a high proportion of immigrants do leave New Zealand after a few years.
To complement our migrant tales about the immigration experience in New Zealand we thought it would be useful to have some first hand stories of what it’s like to leave New Zealand, taken from locations around the net.
This one was found on ExpatExposed.com, the only not-for-profit and uncensored NZ immigration forum, where people are free to talk about what it’s really like to live and work in New Zealand.
The poster tells of his return to the UK, his astonishment at how cheap things are relative to NZ, how satisfying it is to be working again for an employer that truly values his service and how the family is getting a fair shot at life again:
Been back a week now and all I can say is we are BLOWN away by the cost of things here!!!!! Food and Furniture OMG!!!. You are all SERIOUSLY being robbed out there!!!! (we all know this anyway!) **** went to town the other day and came back with some serious food shopping and being in NZ mode I panicked!!! 65quid!!!!! I couldn’t believe it. You are paying at least 2-5 times more over there for a lot of stuff (and im taking into account the exchange rate obviously) We cant believe we put up with it over there for so long. We went and got a load of furniture yesterday its all so cheap here and people are willing to do you a bit of a deal if you are spending a bit, I remember shops in NZ letting me walk out the shop and lose a sale for the sake of chucking in a few bucks worth of stuff to go with what you were buying.
Get home guys dont think you will regret it. Have heaps more to tell you, will put some more on later…
Just been offered a good position back at my old company, factory team leader in an international company, finally feel worth something again after years of bull***t and rejection by kiwis. Remember guys they are threatened by you plain and simple. Least here you will get a fair shot and your skills and background will generally be embraced. More later…
Back on now guys, just had cable put on (another thing NZ is years behind with!). Have noticed customer service over here as slipped quite a lot since we left the UK 7 1/2 years ago, senior schools are an absolute PAIN IN THE AR*E to get your kids into but did go to the dentist the other day…………16.50!!!!!!! Both my kids have been referred for braces FREE of course (just like mine were 20 something years ago, we were talking about REMORTGAGING in NZ to get the kids braces so already saved ourselves $10000!. Still cant get over how cheap food is but would say electrical items are on an even par but GAS BBQ’s over here are an absolute RIPOFF but hey you cant have everything!!! My job is going well (Manufacturing team leader for an international conpany (my old employer of 17 years)) a roll that none of my old bosses in NZ would have been capable of doing, they were far far to incompetent. Its quite high pressure but am loving it, mainly because I actually feel worth something instead of feeling like cr*p due to arrogant kiwis who refused POINT BLANK to recognise my background, more fool them. Still very glad to be back and am AMAZED how quick the kids have made friends here. We hardly see them as they are always out. They were pretty lonely over there thanks to the kiwi kids arrogant redneck parents who are passing it all on to the next generation. My eldest (13) had to sit some tests today to see where she will be placed in school and it has really dawned on us how very very poor the NZ education system really is, no wonder they are like they are.
Had a great weekend guys, weather hit 30!!! Took the kids to Portsmouth, round some of the Museums and Southsea Castle, the kids were well impressed at how old it was and we told them “this isn’t an old castle”!!! It made them realise there was nothing like it in NZ, great places to visit with kids truly are few and far between over there (compared to here) and you generally travel for miles to get to them. Have to admit, I do miss parts of NZ, our old house for one, but we did live there for 7 years and I am making the mistake of calling it home to people i talk to over here. One thing you will get a lot of over here from the “uneducated” is “what the hell did you come back here for, from a country like New Zealand!!!” Have had heaps of it. I keep telling people that after nearly 8 years away it really is not that bad here and that NZ truly does start to wear off after enough years and that they would have to live over there to understand. Be warned you will get a lot of it! One thing OH just said is before you move to an area check local school admissions, apparently catchment areas dont mean anything anymore!!!!”
Wow good to hear those things, i cant wait to get back how did you manage eight years here i have not even made a year yet and im leaving! Sick to death of arrogant Kiwis! Cant wait to get back to good old Guildford!
Nice place is Guildford. Used to work there a lot while I was in the UK. Go for it.
After spending my teenage years followed by ten years of my professional working life here in NZ, I finally got sick to death of constantly being told by my bosses “Go away and get some overseas experience and bring it back in a few years time.”
I did go away, not just the three year OE we keep hearing about, but for nearly ten years.
And what happened when I got back? I was completely shunned by those I had previously worked with. The overseas experience was worth zilch. It made no difference. I may as well have never gone away. What a mistake ever coming back here. As the poster above says, the locals seem threatened by those with experience. I guess they see those with experience as tall poppies.
We can’t afford braces for our children, and we need them. My ex is one of those dakhead Kiwi parents who went through Family Court to prevent me from returning to my parents in western Canada, where life was affordable. But going abroad to Thailand this year for dental tourism to buy some dental work, because her teeth fell to bits for lack of hygiene, lack of money and years of smoking. She is not old, just lazy. She can’t afford to have dental work for herself performed in her own country, but will not permit us to leave so I can secure a better standard of living for our children. Braces are for foreigners with too much money and appearance consciousness. Kiwis let teeth rot in their skulls, then have them pulled or travel to a country they would not permit their children to live in (the horror! moving to Thailand! Floods! Snakes! Political unrest!) for good afforable dental care. What is wrong with this picture. Family friendly place, New Zealand.