BS: New Zealand - what's it like?

Subject: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: KingBrilliant
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 05:44 AM

Hi all.
Mark & Hammerite & I are thinking of emigrating to New Zealand. Mark has an uncle there - and his gran has been over a few times & really likes it.
I've visited a number of emigration websites & it looks as though we'd have the right number of points - so I'd really like to know what its like to live there... what are the good points & the bad? And what is the folk scene like over there?
Can anyone offer any advice please?
Cheers'm'dears

Kris

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: GUEST,Paul
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 07:44 AM

You've probably seen it already, but for general information, Moving to New Zealand has a pile of links.

For music, KiwiFolk looks like a good starting point.

Paul

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: Terry K
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 08:08 AM

Kris

I was there in 1968 but they hadn't quite got it finished then.

I have friends who have lived/holidayed there recently and they say fantastic things. I'm thinking of including NZ into my next holiday in Oz which will possibly happen in January.

If you go, go with COMPLETELY open minds and don't EVER be tempted to say "when we were in England....."!!

Cheers, Terry

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: GUEST,John Gray / Australia
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 08:17 AM

I wouldn't migrate there if you need jobs to survive. The unemployment rate is very high, that's why half the NZ population is living and working in Oz. Well, nearly that many.

JG/FME

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: KingBrilliant
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 08:41 AM

Paul - cheers for the links - they have added an inch or two to my collection of printed stuff to take home for Mark & Hamm.....
TerryK - Open mind? - creak....groan.. - oops hinges rusted solid... :>) John Gray - Oh no!! I thought there were plenty jobs in NZ - there are lists of skills shortages & such on the govt web site. How come the high unemployment rate?

Kris

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: Maxine
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 08:53 AM

My mum and dad have just come back to the UK after being in NZ for a month touring the North and South Islands in a camper van. Yesterday, I watched 3 1/2hrs of holiday video (lucky me) and I have to say it looked amazing. Scenery was out of this world - but then you probably already know that....just thought I'd let you know anyway!

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: GUEST,Paul
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 08:59 AM

kingBrilliant,

Well according to emigratenz.com (Another useful site for you, if you don't know it):

Statistics New Zealand has released figures showing that unemployment in New Zeleand has fallen to 5.2%, a thirteen year low. This compares favourably with the average rate of unemployment in other developed countries (OECD) which is 6.3%. Unemployment has fallen in all of NZ's ethnic groups. White/European unemployment is the lowest at 4%.

Paul

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: GUEST,John Gray/Australia
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 09:24 AM

KB, I guess the best shot is to get on to some NZ mudcatters who can give you the good oil from the horses mouth. Maybe if you've got a particular skill they're short of then, well and good, but generally I think the picture is pretty dismal.
Very few Australians go to NZ for work but thousands of Kiwis come and settle here. They have very little medium to heavy industry ( now that could be a good thing! )and their small/medium export activity revolves around dairy & meat products.
Several years ago, in the run up to the NZ national election, a candidate for an urban seat there realised that a good portion of the voters, eligible to vote in his electorate, actually lived in the Bondi region of Sydney. So he flew there and campaigned for votes. The postal votes they sent back got him over the line.
Tourism is a big income earner for NZ, as it is for us in Oz, but with both of us being islands, and the only way to get to us is by plane, then you can understand the recent downturn in tourists flying has impacted significantly on both of us. The downturn is something like 30% and our airline / tourism / hospitality industries are really suffering. Mass layoffs are underway. If you are thinking of holidaying in OZ or NZ then the cut price deals at the moment are very favourable to the traveller. Especially with our currencies so low against the Pound & US dollar.

JG / FME

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: Abby Sale
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 09:27 AM

Whenever this comes up I fondly recall a mass US emigration to NZ at the height of the Cold War - mid 50's. Well, not so massey but a dozen or so Mid-West families decided they'd had enough of living in fear of The Bomb and moved out.

The big news was that they all came back about six months later...seems they'd all rather live in fear of The Bomb than be bored to death. Them's the true facts.

That was a while ago and perhaps things have changed some. But I haven't particularly heard that they have.

Folk music's pretty good, though, I hear.

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: GUEST,Paul
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 10:39 AM

You might want to PM jacko@nz, though he's not posted for a couple of weeks

There are a couple of other NZ catters, can't remember names off hand, hopefully they'll see this

Paul

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: KingBrilliant
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 11:20 AM

All food for thought, cheers.

Kris

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: Hollowfox
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 11:29 AM

Abby, you mean NZ is more boring than the Midwest? Impossible! There's this guy who goes to the doctor, see, and the doctor tells him he has six months to live. The guy asks "What'll I do, Doc?" And the doctor tells him to move to Bucyrus, Ohio. "Will that cure me?" "No, but it will feel twice as long." (This joke was adapted from one that was stolen, fair and square, from Sandy Paton.)

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: okthen
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 01:14 PM

Billy the Bus, is from N.Z. Also I think Lothlorien are a kiwi band that has posted here. What impressed me most was the fact that N.Z. is the same size as UK but less people than London, on the downside is friends description of it being like the UK in the 50's and that the pubs open at 6pm, everyone throws as much down their neck as possible until 8pm then home to sleep and wake up at 5am to milk the sheep, but I could be wrong.

I'd still like to go and see for myself.

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From:
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 02:34 PM

Yes Okthen, you're wrong, seems more like the pubs never shut these days.

But that's probably not a good reason for coming here.

King Brilliant, I'd be very happy to take anything up with you by pm

Jack

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: Mr Red
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 03:35 PM

Well if you like scenery & sheep you will be well pleased.
Godzone is the closest you can get to a UK culture but don't be fooled, it is more like OZ than they want to believe. (a slight rivalry can be detected in Kiwis)
one problem I had was the word no. You & I know it to be in the negative but time after time I would accept the answer to my question as NO. I could never get my head round the implied inferiority of the person not knowing the answer and having to hear (instead of "I don't know") "NO". It didn't happen every time so I could never predict it. You can see this anywhere in the world but I never got the clues in NZ and it happened too often for comfort.

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: Dead Horse
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 05:26 PM

What's New Zealand like? Australia-only without the attitude........(runs away to avoid boomerangs and diggiridonts).

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 05:50 PM

Some of the best peopel in the world live there, at least according to my now-deceased uncle. He was wounded so badly at Guadacanal and stuck in a foxhole for so long, he had to stay in New Zealand ofr over a year, before they would let him fly home. The Kiwis took him in and treated him as one of their own. He never had anything but good to say of them all and he would nt have survived were it not for them.

Years later, in tehe 70's, I think it was, he and my aunt went back for a visit, exp. to the one specific family who'd become such good friends of the "Yank." It was although he'd never left. They had a wonderful time and came back with loads of gorgeous pictures.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

kat

Lothlorien has posted here and they are a fantastic Celtic band. I have their mp3 CD and listen to it all of the time. If you search that name, you should be able to find contact info. If not, let me know and i'll find it for you.

Jack, sorry to hear that about the tourism. It is happening here, too, but probably not with as much effect. Maybe people will have to go back to taking the time for a slow boat?*g*

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 06:02 PM

I liked it when I was there in '86, but it has my sister and my mother there in the same city, so I'd stay out of Auckland....

They prefer it if you can a) support yourself until you get a job, or b) have a job already lined up. There was a shortage of nurses (they were all doing agency work over here) when my sister moved, so her husband walked straight into a top nursing job, and she kept having babies. Then the lucky cow won a bundle on the lottery.

Don't drive in Auckland - that's where my sister lives and she's written off more cars than I've had bars of chocolate. Attention span of a dead gnat, and road rage that makes the worst PMT frenzy look like a mild annoyance.

My mum's nice, but she doesn't drive. Only her wheelchair. The climate is good for helping with arthritis and rheumatism. The telly was crap, the radio even worse and the night life was watching possums get turned to pizzas by the boy racers.

Bingo (Housey) was the most popular entertainment there.

And there doesn't appear to be any folk scene at all.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: DougR
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 07:15 PM

Gee Liz, you could have been describing the desert 100 miles in any direction from Phoenix, Arizona.

You're funny. :>)

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: John Routledge
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 08:03 PM

Had 10 week holiday there 3 yrs ago. Lovely people amazing scenery great weather particularly North island and Northern part of south Island.

Jobs difficult to get at anything other than low salaries although cost of living reflects this.

There must be many worse places to live. Cheers John

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: John Routledge
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 08:04 PM

Had 10 week holiday there 3 yrs ago. Lovely people amazing scenery great weather particularly North island and Northern part of south Island.

Jobs difficult to get at anything other than low salaries although cost of living reflects this.

There must be many worse places to live. Cheers John

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: Sorcha
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 08:09 PM

Looks like perhaps you should emigrate to Oz and holiday in NZ.........

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: JennieG
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 12:19 AM

I spent 3 weeks in NZ last year and loved it - but then I was brought up in a country town (although I now live in Sydney) and it reminded me of being back there. But all those little towns we drove through have cake shops and all the cake shops have cakes to die for - I swear I came back heavier than when I left! We found the Kiwis to be friendly, warm, and hospitable people. It helped too that I had contacts before we arrived, it was great to arrive somewhere like Invercargill and to have someone's phone number. But I want to go back, I didn't get to see my nanna's birthplace on the North Island, we ran out of time.
Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: GUEST,chrisj
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 12:53 AM

I'm a bit surprised that nobody mentioned the Maori of NZ. The Anglo-Celtic folk scene might be weak (though I doubt it) but the resurgence of Maori culture is fascinating to observe. They constitute about 17% of the population and have treaty rights as the first owners of the land.

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: Quincy
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 05:50 AM

Went for three weeks in '96, a great aunt of mine went over from Belfast in the 1920's so I had ninety something decendents of her to visit (and she wasn't even a Catholic!!!)
Had a wonderful time....stayed in the South Island, Dunedin...hope to go back one day!

best wishes, Yvonne

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: Dead Horse
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 04:12 PM

copied from Chrisj "I'm a bit surprised that nobody mentioned the Maori of NZ. The Anglo-Celtic folk scene might be weak but the resurgence of Maori culture is fascinating to observe. They constitute about 17% of the population and have treaty rights as the first owners of the land."

Yeah. But is it folk ???

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: JennieG
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 06:26 PM

Forgot to mention - while we were in Christchurch we went to the local folk club, it meets in a pub on Sunday nights. A fun night, some very good singers, and it is run by Russell Gillies (I think that's the right name). Unfortunately though because of timing we could only get to the one folk club. A Maori friend of a friend was filling us in on some of the politics between Maori and Pakeha; it was interesting to get a non-anglo view. He is studying Maori language and culture at university, it's his 2nd career, he was in the army for about 20 years.
Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From:
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 08:23 PM

Dead Horse, mostly, no. But that's a personal opinion

Jack

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: GUEST,PoohBear
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 11:10 PM

Spent a year in NZ after college. worked at a fabric store on K Rd. in Auckland. Couldn't have asked for nicer people. Found the Maori history and culture facinating and met the greatest bunch of SCA folks in Christchurch. Also worked in Taupo - yummy fish from that lake, and great skiing! Unemployemnt was a problem then too. Guess I was really lucky. Practically adopted by people everywhere I went. Oh, and if you like white wines, tour the wine country outside of Picton - top end of the south island. Goes w/o saying that the rugby is top notch. If I couldn't go to a game or watch it on telly I listened on the radio. . . Cheers PB

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: GUEST,bella
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 12:45 AM

splutter splutter

unemployment very high...bored to death... pubs open at 6, close at 8 ..milk sheep...no folk scene at all...

come on guys!!!! how about talking about what you know?

Yes, the pay for jobs isn't great, and I agree - costs reflect this. If you enter the country with funds you'll find that you can set yourself up very nicely - a good freehold house goes for under $200,00)nz (about $100,000US).

If you are thinking of emigrating (and because so many people want to there are hoops to jump - we can afford to be fussy!) you have to think about what quality of life you are after. The outdoors - rivers/sea/mountains/rivers - is what attracts most.

Of course the music scene will be smaller than you are use to, but for a village we aren't too bad - Crowded House, SplitEnz, Kiri Te Kanawa, Russell Crowe (yes he is a muso too) are just a few who have been spawned from these shores.

Most of the bigger cities (and several of the towns) have a Folk Festival during long weekends, and there are many folk clubs around.

But then what do I know - I'm inbred and intellectually challenged. Just as well I'm friendly :-)

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: GUEST,SlowAlan
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 06:20 AM

I am from Oz, but went to University of Otago in Dunedin, South Island for four years in mid seventies. Actually I prefer the south, nice and cold, good skiing with a couple of glaciers and fiords etc...magnificent walking scenery.

Plenty of good folk music when I was there, and I doubt it has changed..New Edinburgh Folk Club Dunedin, Phil Garland et al in Christchurch, great stuff. Also, was incredibly inexpensive - like eight dollars a week for a room in a shared student house, and the cheapest scotch whiskey in the world..yes, cheaper than Scotland! We made our own entertainment,the best kind eh? The kiwis, especially maoris, generally magnificent musos and singers at parties.

And the best of all..very left wing politics..no capitalist trash culture in those days..could not buy Japanese or Yank stuff, mostly British..most cars were like Humbers, Vauxhalls, Austins and for some reason, plenty of drop head Citroens..kept going by loving bush mechanics. Now with the loathsome gloabalisation, a lot of Kiwis have fallen for the sucker bait...but it is still one of the most adventurous and left wing developed countries. And generous...they take the reugees Australia refuses.

More power to the Kiwis, one of the best places on earth for sure. Just don't tell too many people about a place with great friendly and unsophisiticated people, with superb educational facilities (much better than OZ, and I went to three unis in Oz as well), no pollution, magnificent country, and decent politics!

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: Guessed
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 06:40 AM

There is an excellent site devoted to NZ music with plenty of FC's listed but they are often monthly. Wellington does not fair too well for sessions and singarounds.
BTW in the South Island they prefer the term Mainland for their bit.

Subject: RE: BS: New Zealand - what's it like?
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 05:09 PM

Looks to be an extended process at the least to gain citizenship.

Steve