Guys as an Aussie all I can say is that there is no need to justify NZ or your way of life to anyone. People from other parts of the world move to your beautiful country looking for something better than where they come from,. If the expectations dont live up to the reality seriously thats their problem not yours. I have been over there 4 times and i will continue crossing the ditch whenever I get the opportunity.
I'm 54 and my wife and I are VERY worried about our future, gas and food prices rising daily. We have had our savings dwindle with the cost of living into the stratosphere, and we are finding it impossible to replace them. We can get by, but can't seem to get ahead. My condolences to anyone retiring in this crisis, 30 years nonstop just for a crooked system to take all you worked for.
I feel your pain mate, as a fellow retiree, I’d suggest you look into passive index fund investing and learn some more. For me, I had my share of ups and downs when I first started looking for a consistent passive income so I hired an expert advisor for aid, and following her advice, I poured $30k in value stocks and digital assets, Up to 200k so far and pretty sure I'm ready for whatever comes.
@@danguRobert The crazy part is that those advisors are probably outperforming the market and raising good returns but some are charging fees over fees that drain your portfolio. Is this the case with yours too?
I've lived in NZ 20 years from the UK and embraced all that it is. I've lived in the far North and South Island, traveled and stayed in much of both islands, and the weather is fine. The landscape is stunning. Lifestyle embraces nature, the land, and the space. It's not about consumerism, but the clean air, open space, wholesome fabulous food, and generous friendly people. Personally, it's the best choice I ever made. I'd recommend NZ to everyone who embraces what is without trying to change it to what you come from.
Lived and worked in NZ twice (Wellington and Auckland), and the biggest issue is, without doubt, the cost of living. Very expensive housing, food, vehicles, etc, coupled with relatively low wages make NZ a very expensive place to live and I would say that most people leave NZ because of this.
and let sikhs take over the newzealand culture and economy , shame on you if youer a born kiwi for abandoning your position just for a few coins and forgetting the struggles of our founding fathers
When I was a kid in the 60's and 70's, everything was made in NZ. That's what made NZers innovative. Very little was imported. It's made NZers dependent on imports and reduced the labour force and skills. I like home made and support it where I can. Buy NZ made!
Most frozen veggies are imported from CHINA , then repackaged and labled " PRODUCT OF NEW ZEALAND" Just a bunch of GERMS... They were caught out in Australia.. Best educated, unemployed and unemployable ARSEHOLES on Earth..
So, last one leaving turn out the lights? ....... Be really nice and very likely enhance your reputation among kiwis if you mentioned Dunedin once in a while! Ask Mr. Google' Have you been here? For some occult reason, Queenstown is the only place ever mentioned below Christchuch. Going to Queenstown? Great! But don't forget arm's and or legs are the required currency, prices there are outrageous! Come to Dunedin and to Oamaru, see what the real country's like 😊😊❤
If the world start using nuclear weapons against each other, living so far away will be a huge bonus. People have moved to New Zealand just for that reason
No good coming down here to run away from nukes. Our neighbours Australia have entered into Aukus alliance which will build nuclear powered submarines with the ability to launch nuclear warheads. We are no longer safe from anyone nowadays 😊
If there is a nuclear war in the northern hemisphere the nuclear winter will finish is off down under within 6 to 12 months. Thinking you could get away from it is an illusion.
That's a one mate. Also people much better than anywhere. Most emigrants starting to follow new zealand culture and traditions. Cus they are the best. I love New Zealand! Aotearoa my second motherland
Yeah right Gangs and drugs are out of control cost of living is skyrocketed and homelessness is horrible it’s slowly but surely becoming a third world country
Good advice. Many Kiwi's go overseas, especially when younger. But when we come back; we are generally happier and appreciate what we have going locally.
As a musician there are only so many places to play ... I left in the 70s but came ' home ' to retire ... I'm loving it . I do feel sorry for any young artist ... you have to leave . Really .
We did our OE, and loved been back in NZ. Regarding food e.g. tomatoes in October definitely not in season so yes you pay more for hot house tomatoes. Buy seasonal food. Quite frankly i think it's a good thing that we are not such a big country, I love the space. I'm not into consumerism, we op shop, sew. Good and bad in whatever country you live in.
Al long as you don't stumble across a drug plantation, when the owner is there attending to his 'garden'. You might become fertilizer for his next crop. Watch out for those booby traps too.
New Zealand tends to focus on services such as healthcare and education. Getting your hair and nails done or buying makeup and magazines are considered luxury items. As for the weather, it's not that extreme except in the mountains. If you don't like your grass being green move somewhere else where it doesn't rain as much. Wellington is not called the windy city for nothing. If you're bored, you must lack an imagination.
Having lived in 3 other countries, I feel your comment on NZ focusing on Healthcare and education is vastly incorrect. Both are well below typical western standards.
@@KIWITALKZwrong. It's why so many of our best students find it so easy to work overseas. It would actually be better off if we had lower standards but that's not the New Zealand way. We don't do things by halves. 😊
*Kia ora (hello) Cost of food. Please take into account that NZ has had a lot of storms cyclones, floods & landslides over the past year, so lots of crops was lost, this in turn puts the cost up, due to lack of produce. Cost of fuel going up is also worldwide. So generally the cost of living is happening all over the world... NOT just in NZ. Back in the day NZ made most of the things... but overseas offered things cheaper... which never lasts long.. plus NZ moved the factories overseas due to cheap workers... so products today last 5 to 7 yrs, compared to back in the day to lasting 25 yrs+.... NZ is a long narrow country, so we do tend to have 4 seasons in a day is certain parts as the weather blows thru fast. But at the end of the day New Zealand is a beautiful country... tourists need to come and tour for 3 months not just 2 weeks to just see what we really have to offer. NZ does NOT do 'tipping' either'. 🙂.*
I can attest to your comment about how long NZ products last. I bought a NZ locally made Fisher & Paykel refrigerator in 1990 (in Australia) and it is still going strong today... that's 34 years, with no sign that it will stop working soon! I've bought Fisher & Paykel white goods, e.g. washing machines (again in Australia) ever since, which although made outside of NZ these days still last many years. But nowhere near the 34 years of my trusty genuine NZ made fridge!
Hello!! I was thinking about moving to NZ. I watched a lot of videos. Everyone have different opinions I am confused. As an student can I move to NZ???
Storms and landslides have nothing to do with why the costs of living there are so high.Just look at your petrol prices today that has nothing to do with natural disasters.Your country only started going downhill when that greedy politics Luxon came into power and decided to have the country focussed on business owners first(That's his moto).became clear to me that NZ's leaders are blatant in their devious agendas .The point about that decision is that it proves that Luxon does not have the everyday people of New Zealands best interest in mind.Thats why we left it was getting ridiculously expensive to live there and fast
@@jhfearon1052 90s was a start of a downhill era. Everything was spotted to lose quality globally, so the newer are the things, the less years of warranty they offer. Present waste_and_recycle politics can make isle life a logistick nightmare... but on the other side, living conditions of the main lands are becoming less and less sensible, and strikes, wars and viruses have nothing to do with it - simply people becoming jerks, and it's getting more and more legal, making an isolated isle a better option, and expensive haulage "just another pain at night" to wear off. I've regretted i sold my old motorcycle, and replaced some of the old furniture, since now i have to replace it once few years per item (and it doesn't hold with bodged repairs, you have to throw it out), but i belive, there would be still decent ammount of stuff i can get, at relatively fair prices, so the best bet is to just pack a wallet, burn the house, and go over the puddle to start fresh, thus, boosting economy a nudge. Third angle is: this starts to look as that video game, about miners rebelion on Mars, who got tricked into flying there as an adventurous experience)) But hell, everything else about it just screams YOLO in my ear..
I left NZ back in the late 80s. Then it was a completely different place to what it is now. Everything was cheap...Food was cheap. Houses were affordable and from our perspective moving to a country like Japan seemed a crazy idea becasue we were told that things there were insanely expensive..But that's were I went...and Yeah, it really was expensive to live in a place like Tokyo after being in Australia and NZ...Fast forward to 2023 and now I still live in Tokyo but things have shifted radically. Now living in Japan is still annoyingly expensive but going back to NZ is out of the question...It was shocking to see how badly the prices of things had been inflated..Everything there was way more expensive than Japan. I couldn't believe how over the top the prices were when I took my kids there for their first trip....It was really depressing to see how far NZ had fallen, and the thing is that for Kiwis who don't get out into the world, they may not even realize how badly they're being shafted by the govt there. It shows just how badly the economy and the financial management has be managed by the globalists....The global economy is tanking and places like NZ are being hit hard...I actaully can't afford to go back to NZ now even if I wanted to...Japan a far more stable and affordable...
I'm feeling ya... the changes in New Zealand having been shocking and bitterly disappointing... the loss of lifestyle is both painful to watch and a challenge to day to day existence.. everyone needs to start planting there own veges and fruit again even in the micro size properties..
I hear that. Rents are through the roof. More and more homeless people. Petrol and food's gotten so expensive. I'm lucky enough to have a large vege garden, 3 chooks and a couple of beehives. I love my country but financially it's a struggle.
@@fishfootface rents and mortgages are insanely high, petrol, power, food keep going up.. and the last government put us in massive debt through total mismanagement of the country.. so rates are climbing too...
You are so right. Rates are costing ridiculous amounts. It's depressing what the govt has done to this country and I don't think it's going to get better anytime soon.
ex pat American here - been here for over 15 years. There's good and bad. The beauty of it is that it IS at the bottom of the world and nobody notices us....a great thing. It's harder for an American because we come from a place with MASSIVE choices and opportunities. Job opportunities are few and far between in rural NZ -- No place is perfect but I'll stay here, thanks very much. I actually like the fact that (living in a farming community) I can go out to the store without worrying about how I look. You can't beat rural NZ.
You are so spot on, cost is a predominant problem, and the lack of variety, although as a Kiwi we adapt. I am flying next week for 2 weeks, in NZ, and yearn to return for good. Love your podcast Tara, you are very up front. We are spending a lot of time in Wellington, may see you. God Bless
@@Kiwiamericans No we live in Australia, our Son/ daughterinlaw & grandchildren, are in the Hutt. we will be in/out of Wellington as well. Looking forward Maori kai & humour. Kia ora.
but missed the worst thing about New Zealand somehow - the hole in ozone layers hence the sun is so strong that you get burned in 20 minutes flat! After living in NZ for the first 25 years of my life this is hands down the worst thing about NZ.
Subscribed. Thankyou for your channel. Fellow Kiwi here. It’s always lovely to have other NZ'ers perspective on our country but I'm with you on most of these topics.
Spot on with most of your comments, I also moved to NZ some years back, and stayed in Auckland for 11 years, but ultimately, I chose to settle in Wellington, and I have been here for 6 years now. The wind can be a factor, especially when trying to maintain a vegetable garden, however, it's not too bad, and the Summer's are really a lot better generally than in Auckland. I guess everyone will have different expectations when they arrive here, but I think the pros definitely outweigh the cons. It's easy to nit-pick things like lack of variety, and cost of living, but if these things are not high on your agenda, then you are in the right place.
@@Imdestinytho we don't have states in New Zealand we have Provinces and they all have the same Law so anywhere is suitable, Except for West Auckland and South Auckland They're really bad areas
You picked out some good reasons and I like the way you acknowledged that some of those things could actually be an advantage rather than a disadvantage. I know a lot of people love the simplicity and quiet here and the fact that it's away from a lot of the crazy stuff going on elsewhere in the world. It's also great that you can do things like book a doctor's appointment for the next day or sometimes even the same day, something impossible in my native Britain. One thing I would add to the list though is the terrible quality of the houses and the lack of proper heating, insulation and decent quality doors and windows that you find in most homes. A lot Europeans and North Americans would struggle with the cold, damp places that are so common here where you wake up to condensation-covered windows every morning throughout the winter. It's also pretty shocking to discover that even a lot of brand new homes don't come with central heating and you'll be very lucky if you have a home with it. Having a heat pump in just one or two rooms and free-standing heaters elsewhere does seem pretty backward in this day and age.
Huh. that is so interesting. With the free-standing heaters what types of fuel is typically used? US citizen here, and I grew up in a semi-rural area. Although we had pretty good insulation, we didn't have central heating and that was pretty common in the homes in the area. We had natural gas heaters as my parents didn't want to fuss with chimney cleaning, and didn't trust electric heaters due to the potential for winter power outages. I remember they used to have a couple of backup kerosene heaters in case of a real bad winter stopping the gas lines, but I believe they gave those to some folks who didn't have a heater. Us kids playing with the water on the windows and getting told promptly to cover the window back up so we didnt let the heat out was a pretty common happenstance. lol My granny's past 80 and she only just got central heating put in, as she was getting a bit tired of hauling the wood in for her big woodstove.
@@e.dnorth they're generally electric heaters and every winter all the homeware shops have loads of them piled up for sale. A lot of people also have wood burners like your granny. When I was growing up my family in the north of England didn't have central heating, they had a coal fire because they lived in a pit village and my uncle was a coal miner. Their lounge was always lovely and warm but the rest of the house was freezing. That's what I'm reminded of with some of the houses here.
@@k1ngsol938 ohhh yeah i feel that. our bedrooms were all in the part of the house that didn't have heating. i HATED getting out of bed in the winter. when it got too cold they'd roll out a sleeping bag/cot thing for us in the room with the heater.
Advice base don personal experience is always worth listening too. It comes down to having a good idea why you wish to move - seeking input and experiences from those gone before. One comment - in broad terms you don't need a wide selection of clothes - there is no pressure to keep up with the Jones as it were - but in pre covid days popping over to Sydney or Melbourne was a snip - $200 return! And all the shopping you wanted - made selection of clothes a special treat. Thumbs up for your podcast.
Love your honesty. It’s so refreshing to hear someone tells both sides of the story. Would love to see an updated monthly costs video now the prices are changing. Everyone lives differently and spends differently but it’s so nice to be able gage what is “expensive” to someone. For instance I had Chinese takeout last night. Nothing special. Just plain rice and a small container of food. No drink, egg roll, soup, or dessert. It was $25 and I needed to give a tip on top of that. I felt like that was a lot but someone in California is probably laughing at me. Lol. So I’d love to see a current monthly budget for rent, groceries, gas, phone, electricity…. You know, the typical stuff in most countries. That would really help give a perspective. Thanks
I've been here 14 years and still can't afford a house... so planning to go back to South Africa... I feel like I've done pretty much everything there is to do.
@@nickilover3727 Just Permanent Residence. Have to ask South Africa for permission if you want duel passport, otherwise you might lose your South African one.
I get high speed unlimited 5g mobile data for about $49 per month, which is an absolute bargain compared to the Nickle and dime plans and prepaid accounts. It's all about taking the time to see who has the best deal on at the time when you are setting up your plan. Same with power, insurance or anything. Do your homework. 😊
I am kiwi born where you from cuz? can't be from here, don't come to new zealand are you serious. At the moment honestly this is the safest place on earth, to much shit happening elsewhere🤨🥱🤔😃👍👌✌👈👉
Live in Tauranga and just returned from 7 weeks CA and NC, alot has gone up in price in the usa since i visited last year, and considerably. Very hard to get ahead and survive in small bussness with just 5M people, its always been that way tho. Enjoy your postings.
Having moved to NZ from the UK over 20 years ago, all of these points resonate with me… except the first one about the weather. I guess that depends on which part of the country you live in. Still wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, though. The introvert in me loves the small town vibe and the natural world takes centre stage where I live.
Cost of course would be an issue for housing and fuel cost. Still, living with less stress and not having to worry about affording healthcare would be worth it alone! Very happy that you found a way to do it for you and your family!
I can assure you that you wouldn't prefer the U.S. system! a long term illness can cause a family to loos everything. We pay more than double per capita than any other country.@@DapperDavo
As a New Zealander who has lived overseas for 20 years, you are exactly describing why a lot of kiwis leave and also why it’s hard to go back. I miss family and the lifestyle but all 7 reasons you’ve listed are very valid and true and things I’m taking into consideration about whether to move back!
I really fretted about moving back, then hated it when we did. Now, three years later I love it and appreciate it a lot more And I lived all over the world for more than 30 years - Americas, Asia, Europe- and did a lot of cool stuff. Work has been the hardest. They don’t want to hire old blokes and don’t understand job loyalty - employers all think you’re going to leave after 15 months
Well it's a double edge sword many leave NZ and many foreigners come to live here no country is perfect this is NZ fit in or $#@44-:-77+!'*";+(765&;+754:;+776':+(87&;((8 off it's what U make it just like anywhere you live there are good people and bad here and everywhere
Don't move back Melissa or just move in a simple, temporary fashion to try it. Don't buy a house, don't burn your bridges, don't move all your stuff back. Depending on your current situation and location, I would advise against it, based on personal experience. We're leaving again end of the year.
As a kiwi, I think everything you said is true. It all boils down to preferences I guess. I hope you're going to tell us about how you celebrate Thanksgiving, which is not too far away.
@@mcardnas2984 I'm just always interested in other cultures and what people do I guess lol, plus I know nothing about it, so I'm broadening my mind. Learning is good.
Lack of variety is what inspires Kiwi ingenuity which is the best part about being a kiwi....I was born and lived in Chch, NZ for a long time and then lived in a few other countries and was always amazed at peoples lack of ingenuity, Kiwi's aren't scared to try something that hasn't been done before....haven't got mittens? Use a pair of socks....no TP? Use the phone book...no computer? Just stick a tv to a typewriter....Billy T did it best! As for things to do - nowadays people seem to wanna travel to the other side of the world to go shopping and drink coffee....You just need to befriend some locals and before you know it your off ya tits on cactus getting chased through a construction site in the middle of the night wondering if your other pants would have been faster :)
Food is expensive considering that we grow a lot of our own fruit, vegetables and meat yet we pay top prices for something that was produced right here such as Cheese.
They charge you export prices, buy the stuff here is mainly export reject or seconds charged at the full price. Try eating export beef. The crap that you get sold in the supermarket is not what you get overseas from NZ, and can be cheaper there. More competition drives the price down.The white substance that passes as milk you will find OK until you drink the real, undiluted stuff, with a layer of cream on top.
You are dead right about population . New Zealand is a wonderful place to grow up in , and a great place to retire . It produces interesting , talented people , but it doesn't support them because it simply doesn't have the population . Same with business , kiwis are suspicious of new ideas and fast talking foreigners , so the pool of folks willing to just try something doesn't exist , or is so small ( and spread out ) makes things unviable .
Your comment is pretty accurate. You are provided for by your parents in your youth, of course you do not have to care about money or politics. Majority of kids have hobbies and sports that are accessible and cheap (comparing this to snow sports in Europe as an example) then you work hard all your adult life, and if you live overseas during that time, your money will convert very nicely into NZD propping you up and allowing you the time and money to do the cool things that NZ has to offer. Anyone who is in their prime years and has an appetite for adventure should go out (even if it is just for a short tiem) and explore the huge world that is out there. NZ people are often little backward and tend to be conservative without realising, just a result of society over an extended period of time. It's still a beautiful country but every comment on this section which says the quality of life in NZ has gone downhill over time it's true, so that's saying something. It must have been an amazing place long before my time
If you have migrated to NZ and really like it and regard NZ as your true home then the so called isolation of NZ is not a problem and you will not feel a need to visit your home country on a regular basis. I migrared to NZ a long time ago and love it. I have return to my home country only twice and there was a 40 year gap between visits. My next visit will be in another 38 years time.
Depends on if someone has friends and family that they want to visit back home... doesn't mean they don't like their country or don't feel like it's home. Just means they want to visit loved ones.
I am currently working on making the leap to NZ. I am curious if I can use my electronics there with adapters or if I should get rid of everything and buy new electronics there?
You are fine just using adapters... buy your electronics outside of nz anyway as it is expensive here. Here ya go! 50-min of everything you need to know about moving to nz www.kiwiamericans.com/pl/2147949641
You made a good point about adjusting... I've lived in NZ my whole life, husband is from the US so it's interesting to see the differences between the two countries. I'm always adjusting to the food costs here and also great point about the lack of variety here. My husband noticed that too and I didn't understand what he meant until I went to Walmart lol I LOVED how you can buy things in almost every colour in the US, it's great. But I really value a slower paced, quieter environment and my favourite thing about NZ is the ease of access, most cities are walkable and there's always public transport. I hate driving everywhere so that's why I don't enjoy the US as much. I live in Auckland and bus & train everywhere which works great for me. Also, so true about business and consumerism here... my small business really struggled and I was just eager to go to the US to make some sales since Americans are far more enthusiastic about buying things lol and kiwis have low enthusiasm to be completely honest. It really takes a lot to get people excited about things which is one thing I don't love about my country, people seem a bit miserable sometimes. It's a beautiful country and there's a lot to love and appreciate but the cons you mention are the same things I would mention also.
I have a dream of going to NZ as a high school exchange student next year and find this very interesting! Do you have some advice for me or programs you know of?
I love New Zealand, it's the most beautiful country in the world but I can't bring myself to move there, the reason is the cold weather 😂😅 I live in tropical North Queensland and I thrive in humid, tropical weather. I also grow a lot of fruits and when I'm in New Zealand I really struggle to find good bananas 😂 it's such a small issue but I can't live without my bananas. I love how clean and how much kiwi's love and care about their animals and nature though. I was actually shocked when I saw how much petrol costs in NZ!
Queenslsnd weather sucks. It's way too hot and humid. Hate it. But if that's what you like then you'll hate NZ. I love the NZ climate, especially the deep south where it snows in winter. I lived in Dunedin for 8 years and loved it. Problem was lack of employment opportunities and being generally backward. Beautiful though.
Wait! What? 🍌 bananas? who are you really? 😂 do you also eat your rice with banana like us Somalis? 😝 honestly I can’t live without bananas, let em call it “petty” 😅
@@erinnadia0409 I’m just shocked 😳 it’s my first time hearing this from a non Somali, I thought we were the weirdest humans on earth 😂 such a relief that we aren’t alone in this 🍌
Hey Tara yep NZ is nice but I can't help but think with your business experience and nouse you would probably do well in Aus .. not just because it probably be financially beneficial which is not a bad thing but you would be able to expand your knowledge and expertise to a bigger audience And Aussies are generally not backwards in coming forward 😄 I should know my wife is Aussie ! Anyway love NZ..and Aus has some of the qualities NZ has but different in others which makes each country different and unique 👍
No country is perfect so if you want to live in NZ everyone has a different view of how things are here so you visit to see if u like it or don't like it if not go back home
I'm a kiwi who is born and bred in Hamilton and I still live there. Here are some reasons why you should live here: 1) People are very kind, have good humor and are chatty 2)The beautiful landscapes all around New Zealand 3) Its isolation from other countries 4) High quality healthcare 5) Incredibly good education 6) Beautiful food 7) High employment levels 8) High minimum wage 9) Family friendly 10) Very diverse Plus so many other reasons.
I appreciate this list so much. My wife and I are Americans in New Mexico, looking to possibly immigrate to Christchurch area, and these things are very important to us. We wonder about the cost of living and living in the rain and getting goods to repair our home there or other material items. I would love to hear your take on these things too. Thank you so much.
@@s.w.backcountry3982 Hi, please do your research thoroughly. I lived in CHCH for 28 years and just went back (I live in Australia like a lot of 'Kiwis') 2 months ago. I would never live there. I understand that New Mexico is a dry climate like CHCH, but CHCH is nearly always overcast/cloudy. If you like sunshine, probably not CHCH. Depends on how new/old a home you want. Would not recommend old house in CHCH (NZ), it really is a cold place most of the year. I live in Queensland with 300 days of sunshine a year (hot n humid in summer for 4 months but rest of the year is beautiful). It all depends on the 'you'. Wherever 'you' go, you take yourself!
Our lack of variety and high costs are reflective of our isolation and relatively small population. There are significant freight costs for imported and locally grown goods. There are also significant barriers to encourage competition due to these factors. I still love and appreciate my home country.
We are at the consideration stage of moving to New Zealand. You mentioned some resources to learn more and get the ball rolling. Where could I find those and/or do you have another communication medium?
Sure- start with my free course as that will guide you as to you first steps and will answer most of your questions. www.kiwiamericans.com/opt-in-6a4c73b5-dab8-4dcc-af10-fbb2114f8af0
I have been living in nz for a few years previously. What thr host said is all true. Everything is expensive. The weather can change very fast within one day. The only good thing is the air is fresh with a lot of open space.
Real World Problems 1. One World Government and their satanic think tank groups ruling the world 2. Financial slave system that has usury and fractional reserve banking 3. Indoctronation system, media, schools, colleges, phones, laptops 4. Pharmaceutical cartel that poisons you and sells you the cure 5. Supressed free energy technology and on and on and on, welcome to life gal
I'm sure a lot of us Kiwis, as do I appreciate your posts about us. They are very helpful for tourist specially immigrant's learning when you explain a lot about out culture, mannerisms' and habits. Keep up the good work.
When I was young, my auntie who was working in Uganda airlines used to bring us things and most importantly powdered milk made in Nz, and it was so tasty. And also very many other items made in nz. that was in the 80s
Remote. Narrow minded societal norms. Expensive. Insane housing market. No central heating in winter. Best looking men in the world, and some of the nicest people I have ever met. Also the chocolate, wine and sandwiches...so good. I only stayed a year, amazing place but its tough to make it there.
The full lock down didn't stop people going to the supermarket. All it did was stop non essential travel to try and stop the spreading of covid. People could also go out for a walk etc it was just traveling distance unless essential was prohibited
2 short lockdowns completely wiped out covid in NZ, twice. Proved it was easy. Unfortunately even the few efforts by govts overseas were destroyed by social media messages aimed at spreading it. So we got reinfected.
I left in 1988, came back in 2019 and really didn’t want to Now, I am very happy. Weathers great, even winter, bought a great house in a small town, got an adventure bike and a little car so my costs are low. I miss some things about Asia and Europe, especially Spain and France, Malaysia and Indonesia and India, but I save a lot of money and travel isn’t that expensive. Lack of choice - meh. I make all my food from scratch, make my furniture and am slowly working on my house. Your take on data is weird. I have unlimited on mobile for very little, compared to other countries But, I’m in comms and take the time to research
Hey, I live in USA and would like to hang out in NZ for 6-12 months, but can’t afford to stop working that long. My company will let me work anywhere-just need a laptop and internet connection. Is it OK to do that, or are there restrictions on remote working that prevent it?
@@TransTracSystems you can visit New Zealand for three months with an American passport at one time. But you won't be allowed to work New Zealand immigration is set up to get jobs in New Zealand not bringing work from overseas.
I'm a Kiwi who lived overseas for 20 years. Our education system is rubbish, but you can homeschool. I get internet for $10 a month through jump- skinny, and $15 pm unlimited calls. More and more people are retiring to Cambodia and other places in South East Asia, for an affordable lifestyle and Healthcare.
This was WAY super helpful. I've been thinking about the move, but now thinking it might not be right for me. This video is really well done & worth the watch for ANYONE. Some was new info, some was "oh, I didn't really think about that, but yeah. that would $uck."
@@charlie-obrien It's not America! They are called 'Farms' as in farming. And @jwall70 Canada is not too much different weather wise depending on where you live, (curious! Sheep are good for curries not curies, ha ha)🙃40 acres for doing what? Depends where (if the iwi of Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngai tahu, Ngāti Tūwharetoa haven't claimed it!). Give you something to research! I lived in NZ for 28 years (1974 to 2002) I did not know any difference until I got to go overseas and realized sometimes it's not the grass that's greener on the other side but the weather! NZ weather is '4 seasons' in 1 day a lot. Winters are cold, summers are fickle and short maybe 2 months of okay weather. I moved to Australia, Queensland, Sunshine Coast (been here for 21 years now, it was good, now getting too busy here also). Expense wise, yes NZ is, it used to be okay. I do miss the scenery and open spaces. mountains etc. But NOT the cold. I have been back regularly, family etc. Last trip 2 months ago in Feb, weather average. Food prices, eek, petrol expensive, cost of housing ridiculous, state of towns and cities very dumpy. Thought about going back, but every time I now visit the worse the country is. I have travelled too, places in Europe much more attractive depending (Spain, Portugal, some parts of France and Italy. (Switzerland, Norway beautiful but cost is soooooooo beyond anything). So, is the grass greener? It all depends on where you're at, no matter where you go, you always take yourself with you!
@@CrystalClearConsciousness When I visited NZ in February of 2014 the weather was beautiful and I stayed the entire month. I went there originally thinking I would be happy if I just got to watch some rugby matches and I did. Instead, I fell in love with the people. To my mind they are the most generous and gracious people I have met anywhere in my travels. Generous with their time and their caring spirit. I had some great experiences like when I found and isolated black sand beach and when I stayed in a lonely hotel on top of a hill alone for 3 days and walked the nearby trails. It's true that no matter where you go, there you are...I am from a cold and snowy town in the northeast of the USA and it is easy to be lured away. My heart, no matter how restless will always draw me back for at least a few years. I also spent some lovely time in Queensland Australia on that trip. I am sorry that we did not meet then (or maybe we did), but I wish you the best now and say "Cheers mate" to my new friend.
The reason the market is hard to sell in is because no body's got any expendable income. People would love to buy but after rent and utilities there's simply nothing left
That’s what is do wrong with NZ. As soon as anyone expresses any feedback it is met with this passive aggressive response. It is the single biggest reason why this society is going backwards at such a fast pace. It is delusional in its ‘clean green be kind’ propaganda
I am planning a 2 week solo motorcycle trip to New Zealand in October to see the vibes. I live in Tasmania , so weather is going to be really similar, so it's ok. I am thinking about moving there by myself, see what happens.
@@cerico76 To be honest I could tell you. Mainly stay at camp grounds or with people I knew. Is there a motorcycle group you are involved with? If so you can contact them and let them know what you up to. They love to share. You know how bikers are.
We moved back here 20 years ago. I don't quite agree with one little bit - that's there's not much to do. What we have heard over the years is things like there is no Disneyland, or no big malls. For those people yup, there's not much to do here. For us, we live in Plimmerton and there's heaps to do - hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, riding bikes and motorbikes... if the outdoors is your bag and you love hanging out with your mates, you'll find plenty to do. If you really need a large mall, its probably time for some self-reflection. And probably the same if you need to visit Disneyland more than a couple of times in your life (the odd visit from NZ isn't out of reach for many people).
I've been in and out of NZ for several years since the company I work for is based there. I think it really depends on the personality, but for me, NZ is not the place I would move to. It's nice to stay there for a couple of weeks, but the cost of living is so high, it's far from everything, and after a month, boredom sets in (at least for me). I remember in Christchurch, after 6 pm, everything is closed, and you feel like you are in those horror movies where there was an apocalypse; you simply don't see anyone.
I was born in NZ and if I still lived there I would not be liking your reasons. BUT since I left NZ 20+ years ago, I do have to agree with SOME of your reasons. NZ is isolated in terms ot travel access but not in terms of communications. I still have weekly chats with my family in NZ over skype. I do have to agree with the lack of unlimited data plans. NZ has unlimited local phone calls and unlimited texts but still NO Unlimited data? Since I left NZ, my family has been on an unlimited data plan for the last 15 years. I could NEVER go back to any bandwidth limitations now. The weather - Kiwis dont really have any control and its really only extreme mostly in the south. I lived in both Dunedin and Auckland. It seldom snowed in Dunedin and it never snowed in Auckland. Where I live now, it snows every winter. Way too cold for my liking!! High cost of living - well thats related to having to import everything plus covid inflation (gouging). You cant really complain about that. You either live with it or you leave NZ like I did. I was never fashion conscious so the lack of variety in clothes never bothered me. I prefer to buy comfortable clothes, not fashionable clothes. But MY biggest reason for leaving NZ was mostly the last reason. The small town feel. The parochial feel of NZ. Even in Auckland. It was just too small for me so I left.
I actually live New Zealand right now, I like living here very much I live in Auckland New Zealand and I like living there more then anywhere else in nz
Definitely some good advice I think. I’m currently visiting in Wellington rn and it’s so beautiful. it’s definitely weird being in one of the bigger cities and it feels like a US suburb haha.
New Zealand like any place has its struggles. Nowheres perfect. Coming from North America would definitely be a huge adjustment. Having lived there for a year coming from Canada in some ways it definitely felt like a step backwards in life. If you're someone shooting for that big house / property along with a fancy vehicle and top end materialistic items I would highly suggest against New Zealand. Where New Zealand excelled for me was definitely the beautiful year round weather and slow pace to life. Noone cared about your status or belongings as long as you were a kind person you'd fit in well. Also you could hit postcard worthy destinations within a couple hours literally in any direction no matter where you were at. Really awesome spot for someone who enjoys the outdoors. The location / isolation may be a problem for some people but honestly unless you're living in Europe most places are kinda blocked off from experiencing something different quite easily. In Canada I travel 1-2 times a year to somewhere like cuba or mexico etc. New Zealand has so many awesome vacation spots within itself and Australia isn't too far away.
Aucklander here and yes ill admit its too cold in many parts of the country. Then again thst basically rules out more than 90% of the United States as well. There is a reason why California is so expensive
Chuckled when you said 4 seasons in a day. I live in central otago and we were 0 degrees with frost this morning then it was sunny and really hot by 3pm, then rained a bit, then crazy winds. A roller coaster now. 😅
New Zealand is a society renowned for its warm and kind-hearted people, who prioritize a strong sense of community and interpersonal relationships. However, it's important to note that the emphasis on kindness and cooperation sometimes leads to a trade-off in terms of high standards and advanced skills in various sectors like management, healthcare, engineering, and services. This phenomenon can be attributed, in part, to certain educational challenges. The laid-back attitude pervasive in New Zealand can permeate different levels of society, including the professional arena, which occasionally manifests as a lack of professionalism and perceived incompetence. While New Zealand offers many wonderful aspects of life, if your needs necessitate a high degree of competence, discipline, and advanced skills, you might encounter some difficulties. It's essential to remember that each place has its unique strengths and areas of focus, and New Zealand's strength lies in its kindness and community spirit. However, it may require some adjustments when looking for specific professional competencies and standards in certain fields.
Those reasons are pretty on point. I moved from NZ to Australia in 1996 as a 23yo and never looked back. I'm a mortgage free millionaire now in Australia living a blessed lifestyle, in a country that has been EXTREMELY good to me. Am aiming to retire at 55. 100% I wouldn't have got to where I am now if I'd stayed in NZ. I absolutely LOVE the lifestyle and climate here (QLD) and there is many more choice. My family and friends back in NZ are suffering, a higher cost of living, lower wages and crap weather. in the 1950s New Zealanders were the 'third wealthiest people in the world" - ranked 3rd in the world for GDP per capita and it's only gone downhill since. Economically NZ is screwed and the environment not far off. intense dairy farming has destroyed the water quality and the many dairy industry jobs created by Fonterra has come at a HUGE cost. It is no longer safe to swim in nature in many places in NZ. It's no longer the 'Clean and Green' it used to be. I'd never move back there. That said, its best asset is its people (politicians excluded).
I lived in New Zealand (Auckland and Tauranga) for roughly 3 years and it's safe to say I didn't really like it at all. People have this weird picture that NZ is a paradise utopia but NZ does a great job at hiding the problems while projecting to the world this "100% Pure" myth. Disclaimer - I left NZ just before Covid so I don't know if some of my points have changed or gotten worse. - Housing quality is horrendous, Kiwis pay astronomical amounts of $$ for glorified shacks with little to no heating that gets damp and mouldy very easily. For a country that knows it's mild, windy and rainy for a lot of the year this is unfathomable. - This is connected to the first point. Quite often people take the easy way out and use band aid solutions for issues that need proper maintenance. When I told my Kiwi coworkers and friends about how cold the houses are a lot of them say "just rug up, use more blankets, wear thick clothing etc." You'd think they'd say build better homes but no. - Public transport is unreliable. Trains to and from Britomart were often extremely late and infrequent. Coverage is also not extensive. - Kiwis while overall friendly I found to be very small minded and take any criticism of their country as a personal attack. - Food in NZ is good, but I missed the sheer variety of ethnic cuisines. There's plenty of Asian food but NZ really lacks in Continental European, Middle Eastern, Latin American and African food. - NZ was a lot more racist than I was expecting, the casual racism towards Asian people in particular was shocking. - I found there to be quite a toxic attitude towards Australia (where I'm now living), almost bordering an obsessive inferiority complex. I'm in Australia now and nobody here seems to say anything bad about NZ or most people don't really care at all. It's very one sided. - New Zealand is not an ideal place if you want to go far in life. Career opportunities are limited. - There is zero in the way of nightlife even in Auckland. It feels like one massive retirement village, whenever I mention this to Kiwis they say it's because they have a small population but similar sized and smaller cities in Asia and Europe have more going on than Auckland. It's dead when the sun goes down. I'm currently in Australia now and it's definitely not perfect but I'm happier here than I was in NZ. I have two coworkers from Brazil and Thailand who like me moved to New Zealand first and didn't like it before moving on to Australia.
dude you need to go to napier or some niece beachs and then nz is amazing also highly recomend red woods zip lining raindow land there pies the l and p drink hockey pockey ice cream are all nz only and nz made pavloava and bungy jumping and sky diving nz and down hill zorbing my fav also meat is so good
Bit naive for anyone to think that a country doesn't have problems. Plus Auckland and Tauranga aren't particularly representative of the rest of the country.
I spent several years in New Zealand and came to the same conclusions. NZ is a great place to live/retire, but make your fortune BEFORE you settle in NZ.
Myself and the friend are traveling to new Zealand in January. We are going to stay for 2 months and we would like to tour the country in a van down by the river. We could definitely use a contact who sees things from our point of view.
We are moving to NZ in January for about 3 months while I am on sabbatical. Finding somewhere to live has been challenging. Realtors won't return my emails. Rental property owners either won't rent for longer than two weeks or less than six months.
I agree with everything you say. Initially it seems amazing, chilled, easy and more simple. I hear you about not finding great things to buy and people don't care enough about stuff to support mindless consumerism - again a good thing for people, but bad for business. All grocery stores sell the same thing. Private label is finally showing up to create some variety. We have - and work with - many small businesses and it's a struggle. You run ads and people don't just buy buy buy - again a good thing for humankind, but not if you need to make money off a small business. The chilled quiet life is great but I really miss a crazy hustle and bustle sometimes, so we try and go to events in the city to feel a buzz - which are always well attended. I have a lot to say about work culture, but I will stop there :) - also the schools are a concern for many - there's a very different style of schooling here - non-competitive and laid back - great for kids who stress. Maybe not great for kids who will venture off into the "real world".
I love it. I don't think NZ is a perfect fit for Americans necessarily. Probably a question of attitude. But if you can bend, give up some of your closely held beliefs and consider yourself , then yes, it could be a blast.
Hi Steve, I am an American looking to move to Christchurch possibly, and would love to hear more about what your take is on living in Christchurch in particular. My wife and I are very outdoor oriented skiers paragliders mountain bikers and don't really do city cultural stuff ever. But I'm wondering about the weather and the cost of living mostly. I think after looking at the housing online we can probably afford purchasing a house, but wonder maybe what it's like to maintain a house there. Thank you so much for any information you can give me. I'm also willing to take this conversation off UA-cam and email as well thank you.
If you hang out in a large city (London/New York) there are certainly many more people but that doesn't give you more social interaction because people are overwhelmed by the crowd and suspicious of your intent. In NZ it is the inverse situation - fewer people and more social interaction..take your pick? NZ is also the 13th wealthiest country in the world (Australia is the 4th) so everything is going to be more expensive but inflation (the increase in cost) is a universal problem. We are not a consumer but a DIY society - so fixing or enhancing products is the preferred activity to the "throw away" model of shopping...and I guess it may take people some time to adjust to that idea.
Bloody bunch of whiners, try living in Palestine or Yemen for a real taste of what living in a horrible country is like. So grateful for what I have here in NZ! ❤
I watch a load of videos on different countries to live in and it's only videos about NZ where the natives are so impervious and reactive to constructive feedback. It's like you live in a cult.
You are pretty spot on in your comments :) With regard to shopping, I love the smaller market here in NZ. Shopping in the little bits of Europe and Australia that I have I found completely over whelming. As far as I am concerned Bayfair at the Mt is the perfect size for a mall :) The only thing I hate is the lack of gluten free foods. If an American wants to come here and import all the interesting gluten free stuff they have every coeliac in the country would be grateful ;)
As a kiwi, I watched this out of curiosity and would say you're absolutely right about all the topics you covered. Another point about a small businesses is that there are endless roadworks blocking access to small strip malls (in Christchurch anyway). NZ wouldn't suit ppl who like to live in the huge cities. Agree with lack of variety, I've been to the same places over & over. Most of my family moved to Aussie for better opportunities. Will recommend your channel to anyone wanting to move here. Cheers 😊
Lived here for 20 years, married a kiwi in London and she wanted to come home. In retrospect, it's one of the worst decisions I have ever made. Kiwis are not very inviting, the cost of living is terrible, customer service is appalling, the price of housing is through the roof...heading to Aus first chance I can get.
People enjoy their lives in New Zealand and nature, and a very good at the environment! It sounds amazing. Wisconsin weather is crazy so I’m used to it! We went from 70s to 16 degrees “F” in one day! Such a great country, but so expensive!
I found out living in Newzealand is much cheaper if you make and grow your own food...no eating on fancy restaurant, no drinking, no smoking, no travelling to far places anyhow, buy clothes and furnitures on second hand shops, dont buy data, use free network vailable, try go and live in rural place away from the city life, enjoy nature and work and run a small business.
It's not that safe here anymore unfortunately. That's a thing of the past as we've found out the last several years. Always lock your doors when driving & keep your personal security bubble in check when walking around at night team.
@rottweileruvnz It wasn't safe for me and a lot of other people while growing up in New Plymouth in the 60s and 70s though due to gangs and violence, among other issues! Mind you, I'm aware that it was safe for many others back in the "good old days," as the older ones, except me, call them and the situation does seem to be much worse nowadays. I've lived in Brisbane for many years now, which used to be a relatively safe city compared to others. I recall sitting in the Queen Street Mall with friends at night and hardly anything happened, except for drunk people giving the Christian groups a hard time. Lol. It gradually changed before the pandemic hit when groups of young ones began causing havoc while chroming, not to mention people of all ages on ice, or P, as they call it in NZ, which is extremely sad. I don't judge them at all because it's mainly the result of unresolved trauma; however, they can become violent and steal bags etc. I've been told by police officers to stay out of the city at night, yet home isn't always a safe place in regard to partners, or dangerous neighbours. 🙁
I was raised in Australia but the racism at the time was BRUTAL. I can live in NZ as an Australian Citizen, so moving there seems like healing to me. Its like Australia but with much friendlier people.
Guys as an Aussie all I can say is that there is no need to justify NZ or your way of life to anyone. People from other parts of the world move to your beautiful country looking for something better than where they come from,. If the expectations dont live up to the reality seriously thats their problem not yours. I have been over there 4 times and i will continue crossing the ditch whenever I get the opportunity.
Thank you
I am from Mauritius and thinking of moving to NZ
@@wonder3336 I am from Botswana and considering moving there too but I want to visit first
☝️
Respect from NZ
What a cool comment! Thanks Australian brother! 🌿🦘🌿🌞
I'm 54 and my wife and I are VERY worried about our future, gas and food prices rising daily. We have had our savings dwindle with the cost of living into the stratosphere, and we are finding it impossible to replace them. We can get by, but can't seem to get ahead. My condolences to anyone retiring in this crisis, 30 years nonstop just for a crooked system to take all you worked for.
I feel your pain mate, as a fellow retiree, I’d suggest you look into passive index fund investing and learn some more. For me, I had my share of ups and downs when I first started looking for a consistent passive income so I hired an expert advisor for aid, and following her advice, I poured $30k in value stocks and digital assets, Up to 200k so far and pretty sure I'm ready for whatever comes.
@@danguRobert That's actually quite impressive, I could use some Info on your FA, I am looking to make a change on my finances this year as well
@@VivekLuna My advisor is VICTORIA CARMEN SANTAELLA;
You can look her up online
@@danguRobert The crazy part is that those advisors are probably outperforming the market and raising good returns but some are charging fees over fees that drain your portfolio. Is this the case with yours too?
I've lived in NZ 20 years from the UK and embraced all that it is. I've lived in the far North and South Island, traveled and stayed in much of both islands, and the weather is fine. The landscape is stunning.
Lifestyle embraces nature, the land, and the space. It's not about consumerism, but the clean air, open space, wholesome fabulous food, and generous friendly people. Personally, it's the best choice I ever made. I'd recommend NZ to everyone who embraces what is without trying to change it to what you come from.
Right now I'm doing a degree in the UK and was thinking of moving there for my PhD so what's your experience so far in terms of living , weather, work
Lived and worked in NZ twice (Wellington and Auckland), and the biggest issue is, without doubt, the cost of living. Very expensive housing, food, vehicles, etc, coupled with relatively low wages make NZ a very expensive place to live and I would say that most people leave NZ because of this.
There are good reasons why 10% of New Zealands population has fled to Australia as economic refugees.
and let sikhs take over the newzealand culture and economy , shame on you if youer a born kiwi for abandoning your position just for a few coins and forgetting the struggles of our founding fathers
When I was a kid in the 60's and 70's, everything was made in NZ. That's what made NZers innovative. Very little was imported. It's made NZers dependent on imports and reduced the labour force and skills. I like home made and support it where I can. Buy NZ made!
💯💯💯💯💯💯💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿
Yes
100% pure
Most frozen veggies are imported from CHINA , then repackaged and labled " PRODUCT OF NEW ZEALAND" Just a bunch of GERMS... They were caught out in Australia.. Best educated, unemployed and unemployable ARSEHOLES on Earth..
So, last one leaving turn out the lights? ....... Be really nice and very likely enhance your reputation among kiwis if you mentioned Dunedin once in a while! Ask Mr. Google' Have you been here? For some occult reason, Queenstown is the only place ever mentioned below Christchuch. Going to Queenstown? Great! But don't forget arm's and or legs are the required currency, prices there are outrageous!
Come to Dunedin and to Oamaru, see what the real country's like 😊😊❤
If the world start using nuclear weapons against each other, living so far away will be a huge bonus. People have moved to New Zealand just for that reason
No good coming down here to run away from nukes. Our neighbours Australia have entered into Aukus alliance which will build nuclear powered submarines with the ability to launch nuclear warheads. We are no longer safe from anyone nowadays 😊
And we loath and despise you
If there is a nuclear war in the northern hemisphere the nuclear winter will finish is off down under within 6 to 12 months.
Thinking you could get away from it is an illusion.
That's a one mate. Also people much better than anywhere. Most emigrants starting to follow new zealand culture and traditions. Cus they are the best. I love New Zealand! Aotearoa my second motherland
Yeah right Gangs and drugs are out of control cost of living is skyrocketed and homelessness is horrible it’s slowly but surely becoming a third world country
Good advice. Many Kiwi's go overseas, especially when younger. But when we come back; we are generally happier and appreciate what we have going locally.
absolutely spent 40 years overseas
once hated coming back
preferring to stay in global capital cities
now I am relaxed
Come back loaded and paid no tax.
Not me the older I get the more I realise how limited it is here
As a musician there are only so many places to play ... I left in the 70s but came ' home ' to retire ... I'm loving it . I do feel sorry for any young artist ... you have to leave . Really .
Be lesz crowded than Britan, US. Europe!
We did our OE, and loved been back in NZ. Regarding food e.g. tomatoes in October definitely not in season so yes you pay more for hot house tomatoes. Buy seasonal food. Quite frankly i think it's a good thing that we are not such a big country, I love the space. I'm not into consumerism, we op shop, sew.
Good and bad in whatever country you live in.
did OE match the hype?
Nz is the best place to live I'll give you one good reason no animals, insects, reptiles will kill you. You can go on a bush walk and come back alive
😂
😂😂😂
Just watch out for the Onga Onga
Al long as you don't stumble across a drug plantation, when the owner is there attending to his 'garden'. You might become fertilizer for his next crop. Watch out for those booby traps too.
Fr
New Zealand tends to focus on services such as healthcare and education. Getting your hair and nails done or buying makeup and magazines are considered luxury items. As for the weather, it's not that extreme except in the mountains. If you don't like your grass being green move somewhere else where it doesn't rain as much. Wellington is not called the windy city for nothing. If you're bored, you must lack an imagination.
Having lived in 3 other countries, I feel your comment on NZ focusing on Healthcare and education is vastly incorrect. Both are well below typical western standards.
wtf? Education and Health are bloody terrible here, what are you on about?
Really ?
Heaps of new drugs funded in Australia that aren't in NZ.
NZ people travelling to Australia for cancer treatments.
@@JJMLJ Could not agree more, healthcare and education is appalling in NZ.
@@KIWITALKZwrong. It's why so many of our best students find it so easy to work overseas. It would actually be better off if we had lower standards but that's not the New Zealand way. We don't do things by halves. 😊
*Kia ora (hello) Cost of food. Please take into account that NZ has had a lot of storms cyclones, floods & landslides over the past year, so lots of crops was lost, this in turn puts the cost up, due to lack of produce. Cost of fuel going up is also worldwide. So generally the cost of living is happening all over the world... NOT just in NZ. Back in the day NZ made most of the things... but overseas offered things cheaper... which never lasts long.. plus NZ moved the factories overseas due to cheap workers... so products today last 5 to 7 yrs, compared to back in the day to lasting 25 yrs+.... NZ is a long narrow country, so we do tend to have 4 seasons in a day is certain parts as the weather blows thru fast. But at the end of the day New Zealand is a beautiful country... tourists need to come and tour for 3 months not just 2 weeks to just see what we really have to offer. NZ does NOT do 'tipping' either'. 🙂.*
I wish you hadn't stopped commenting. To be a kiwi is to have a passion for the good things about this country and it's people.
I can attest to your comment about how long NZ products last. I bought a NZ locally made Fisher & Paykel refrigerator in 1990 (in Australia) and it is still going strong today... that's 34 years, with no sign that it will stop working soon! I've bought Fisher & Paykel white goods, e.g. washing machines (again in Australia) ever since, which although made outside of NZ these days still last many years. But nowhere near the 34 years of my trusty genuine NZ made fridge!
Hello!! I was thinking about moving to NZ. I watched a lot of videos. Everyone have different opinions I am confused. As an student can I move to NZ???
Storms and landslides have nothing to do with why the costs of living there are so high.Just look at your petrol prices today that has nothing to do with natural disasters.Your country only started going downhill when that greedy politics Luxon came into power and decided to have the country focussed on business owners first(That's his moto).became clear to me that NZ's leaders are blatant in their devious agendas .The point about that decision is that it proves that Luxon does not have the everyday people of New Zealands best interest in mind.Thats why we left it was getting ridiculously expensive to live there and fast
@@jhfearon1052 90s was a start of a downhill era. Everything was spotted to lose quality globally, so the newer are the things, the less years of warranty they offer. Present waste_and_recycle politics can make isle life a logistick nightmare... but on the other side, living conditions of the main lands are becoming less and less sensible, and strikes, wars and viruses have nothing to do with it - simply people becoming jerks, and it's getting more and more legal, making an isolated isle a better option, and expensive haulage "just another pain at night" to wear off.
I've regretted i sold my old motorcycle, and replaced some of the old furniture, since now i have to replace it once few years per item (and it doesn't hold with bodged repairs, you have to throw it out), but i belive, there would be still decent ammount of stuff i can get, at relatively fair prices, so the best bet is to just pack a wallet, burn the house, and go over the puddle to start fresh, thus, boosting economy a nudge.
Third angle is: this starts to look as that video game, about miners rebelion on Mars, who got tricked into flying there as an adventurous experience)) But hell, everything else about it just screams YOLO in my ear..
I left NZ back in the late 80s. Then it was a completely different place to what it is now. Everything was cheap...Food was cheap. Houses were affordable and from our perspective moving to a country like Japan seemed a crazy idea becasue we were told that things there were insanely expensive..But that's were I went...and Yeah, it really was expensive to live in a place like Tokyo after being in Australia and NZ...Fast forward to 2023 and now I still live in Tokyo but things have shifted radically. Now living in Japan is still annoyingly expensive but going back to NZ is out of the question...It was shocking to see how badly the prices of things had been inflated..Everything there was way more expensive than Japan. I couldn't believe how over the top the prices were when I took my kids there for their first trip....It was really depressing to see how far NZ had fallen, and the thing is that for Kiwis who don't get out into the world, they may not even realize how badly they're being shafted by the govt there. It shows just how badly the economy and the financial management has be managed by the globalists....The global economy is tanking and places like NZ are being hit hard...I actaully can't afford to go back to NZ now even if I wanted to...Japan a far more stable and affordable...
I'm feeling ya... the changes in New Zealand having been shocking and bitterly disappointing... the loss of lifestyle is both painful to watch and a challenge to day to day existence.. everyone needs to start planting there own veges and fruit again even in the micro size properties..
It’s quite horrible now
I hear that. Rents are through the roof. More and more homeless people. Petrol and food's gotten so expensive. I'm lucky enough to have a large vege garden, 3 chooks and a couple of beehives. I love my country but financially it's a struggle.
@@fishfootface rents and mortgages are insanely high, petrol, power, food keep going up.. and the last government put us in massive debt through total mismanagement of the country.. so rates are climbing too...
You are so right. Rates are costing ridiculous amounts. It's depressing what the govt has done to this country and I don't think it's going to get better anytime soon.
ex pat American here - been here for over 15 years. There's good and bad. The beauty of it is that it IS at the bottom of the world and nobody notices us....a great thing. It's harder for an American because we come from a place with MASSIVE choices and opportunities. Job opportunities are few and far between in rural NZ -- No place is perfect but I'll stay here, thanks very much. I actually like the fact that (living in a farming community) I can go out to the store without worrying about how I look. You can't beat rural NZ.
You are so spot on, cost is a predominant problem, and the lack of variety, although as a Kiwi we adapt. I am flying next week for 2 weeks, in NZ, and yearn to return for good. Love your podcast Tara, you are very up front. We are spending a lot of time in Wellington, may see you. God Bless
So are you living in New Zealand?
@@Kiwiamericans No we live in Australia, our Son/ daughterinlaw & grandchildren, are in the Hutt. we will be in/out of Wellington as well. Looking forward Maori kai & humour. Kia ora.
but missed the worst thing about New Zealand somehow - the hole in ozone layers hence the sun is so strong that you get burned in 20 minutes flat! After living in NZ for the first 25 years of my life this is hands down the worst thing about NZ.
Subscribed. Thankyou for your channel. Fellow Kiwi here. It’s always lovely to have other NZ'ers perspective on our country but I'm with you on most of these topics.
Spot on with most of your comments, I also moved to NZ some years back, and stayed in Auckland for 11 years, but ultimately, I chose to settle in Wellington, and I have been here for 6 years now. The wind can be a factor, especially when trying to maintain a vegetable garden, however, it's not too bad, and the Summer's are really a lot better generally than in Auckland. I guess everyone will have different expectations when they arrive here, but I think the pros definitely outweigh the cons. It's easy to nit-pick things like lack of variety, and cost of living, but if these things are not high on your agenda, then you are in the right place.
Well said ... I like that last line :)
@@Kiwiamericansplease which state is suitable for a mother with underage kids.
Lol are you for real the place is in turmoil people are leaving in droves for a better quality of life.
@@Imdestinytho we don't have states in New Zealand we have Provinces and they all have the same Law so anywhere is suitable, Except for West Auckland and South Auckland They're really bad areas
You picked out some good reasons and I like the way you acknowledged that some of those things could actually be an advantage rather than a disadvantage. I know a lot of people love the simplicity and quiet here and the fact that it's away from a lot of the crazy stuff going on elsewhere in the world. It's also great that you can do things like book a doctor's appointment for the next day or sometimes even the same day, something impossible in my native Britain.
One thing I would add to the list though is the terrible quality of the houses and the lack of proper heating, insulation and decent quality doors and windows that you find in most homes. A lot Europeans and North Americans would struggle with the cold, damp places that are so common here where you wake up to condensation-covered windows every morning throughout the winter. It's also pretty shocking to discover that even a lot of brand new homes don't come with central heating and you'll be very lucky if you have a home with it. Having a heat pump in just one or two rooms and free-standing heaters elsewhere does seem pretty backward in this day and age.
Nah I disagree there mate
@@darrentinonzii340 what do you disagree with?
Huh. that is so interesting. With the free-standing heaters what types of fuel is typically used?
US citizen here, and I grew up in a semi-rural area. Although we had pretty good insulation, we didn't have central heating and that was pretty common in the homes in the area. We had natural gas heaters as my parents didn't want to fuss with chimney cleaning, and didn't trust electric heaters due to the potential for winter power outages. I remember they used to have a couple of backup kerosene heaters in case of a real bad winter stopping the gas lines, but I believe they gave those to some folks who didn't have a heater. Us kids playing with the water on the windows and getting told promptly to cover the window back up so we didnt let the heat out was a pretty common happenstance.
lol My granny's past 80 and she only just got central heating put in, as she was getting a bit tired of hauling the wood in for her big woodstove.
@@e.dnorth they're generally electric heaters and every winter all the homeware shops have loads of them piled up for sale. A lot of people also have wood burners like your granny.
When I was growing up my family in the north of England didn't have central heating, they had a coal fire because they lived in a pit village and my uncle was a coal miner. Their lounge was always lovely and warm but the rest of the house was freezing. That's what I'm reminded of with some of the houses here.
@@k1ngsol938 ohhh yeah i feel that. our bedrooms were all in the part of the house that didn't have heating. i HATED getting out of bed in the winter. when it got too cold they'd roll out a sleeping bag/cot thing for us in the room with the heater.
Advice base don personal experience is always worth listening too. It comes down to having a good idea why you wish to move - seeking input and experiences from those gone before. One comment - in broad terms you don't need a wide selection of clothes - there is no pressure to keep up with the Jones as it were - but in pre covid days popping over to Sydney or Melbourne was a snip - $200 return! And all the shopping you wanted - made selection of clothes a special treat. Thumbs up for your podcast.
Great point! Thanks for watching
Personal experience or personal bias
Love your honesty. It’s so refreshing to hear someone tells both sides of the story. Would love to see an updated monthly costs video now the prices are changing. Everyone lives differently and spends differently but it’s so nice to be able gage what is “expensive” to someone. For instance I had Chinese takeout last night. Nothing special. Just plain rice and a small container of food. No drink, egg roll, soup, or dessert. It was $25 and I needed to give a tip on top of that. I felt like that was a lot but someone in California is probably laughing at me. Lol. So I’d love to see a current monthly budget for rent, groceries, gas, phone, electricity…. You know, the typical stuff in most countries. That would really help give a perspective. Thanks
Hey girl - good to hear from you! Happy to do that :)
I think a lot of cali would be with you on that now. The number of homeless people has skyrocketed on the west coast due to the housing crisis.
I've been here 14 years and still can't afford a house... so planning to go back to South Africa... I feel like I've done pretty much everything there is to do.
never give up. the problem is you.
@@MinglingWithTheDutch lol
Did you get the passport?
@@nickilover3727 Just Permanent Residence. Have to ask South Africa for permission if you want duel passport, otherwise you might lose your South African one.
I wish you well and happy… Take care ❤
Ah ive got unlimited data. Its costs me $25.00/mnth. How cheap do you want it?
I get high speed unlimited 5g mobile data for about $49 per month, which is an absolute bargain compared to the Nickle and dime plans and prepaid accounts.
It's all about taking the time to see who has the best deal on at the time when you are setting up your plan.
Same with power, insurance or anything. Do your homework. 😊
I'm a kiwi. I can give you hundreds of reasons not to come here. Too many to list, so just trust me, don't come here.
Plzz give me some reasons
What reasons ross?
😂 yup I'm with you bro lived here all my life and I say don't come here too many reasons to list🎉
I am kiwi born where you from cuz? can't be from here, don't come to new zealand are you serious. At the moment honestly this is the safest place on earth, to much shit happening elsewhere🤨🥱🤔😃👍👌✌👈👉
Live in Tauranga and just returned from 7 weeks CA and NC, alot has gone up in price in the usa since i visited last year, and considerably. Very hard to get ahead and survive in small bussness with just 5M people, its always been that way tho. Enjoy your postings.
but not hard enough to preclude international travel right
Having moved to NZ from the UK over 20 years ago, all of these points resonate with me… except the first one about the weather. I guess that depends on which part of the country you live in.
Still wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, though. The introvert in me loves the small town vibe and the natural world takes centre stage where I live.
This is exactly why I’m looking at videos of moving to NZ
Regarding the weather, have you looked at the weather in the US of A over the last couple of years?
@@eddieedmondson7698 👋 ua-cam.com/video/mJjS5WSXBtg/v-deo.htmlsi=GvKbdAJGeVS4ld86
Cost of course would be an issue for housing and fuel cost. Still, living with less stress and not having to worry about affording healthcare would be worth it alone! Very happy that you found a way to do it for you and your family!
NZ's healthcare has plummeted since covid and ardern's handling of the plandemic was disgraceful
I can assure you that you wouldn't prefer the U.S. system! a long term illness can cause a family to loos everything. We pay more than double per capita than any other country.@@DapperDavo
Yup! Education and healthcare alone is better! In NZ.
As a New Zealander who has lived overseas for 20 years, you are exactly describing why a lot of kiwis leave and also why it’s hard to go back. I miss family and the lifestyle but all 7 reasons you’ve listed are very valid and true and things I’m taking into consideration about whether to move back!
I really fretted about moving back, then hated it when we did. Now, three years later I love it and appreciate it a lot more
And I lived all over the world for more than 30 years - Americas, Asia, Europe- and did a lot of cool stuff. Work has been the hardest. They don’t want to hire old blokes and don’t understand job loyalty - employers all think you’re going to leave after 15 months
Soccer is growing big. This is big stuff.
Well it's a double edge sword many leave NZ and many foreigners come to live here no country is perfect this is NZ fit in or $#@44-:-77+!'*";+(765&;+754:;+776':+(87&;((8 off it's what U make it just like anywhere you live there are good people and bad here and everywhere
She has her own personal bias just like udo
Don't move back Melissa or just move in a simple, temporary fashion to try it. Don't buy a house, don't burn your bridges, don't move all your stuff back. Depending on your current situation and location, I would advise against it, based on personal experience. We're leaving again end of the year.
As a kiwi, I think everything you said is true. It all boils down to preferences I guess. I hope you're going to tell us about how you celebrate Thanksgiving, which is not too far away.
Yes we have a massive party every year! We have a very traditional thanksgiving with all the trimmings...last year we had 70 come!
@@Kiwiamericans Well, we don't really know what a tradtional thanksgiving looks like! Let us in on it! 😁😁
Why? It's NOT our history or something we celebrate.
@@mcardnas2984 I'm just always interested in other cultures and what people do I guess lol, plus I know nothing about it, so I'm broadening my mind. Learning is good.
@martinemartin4779 ask the first nation's people if they celebrate the invasion of their land and the slaughtering of their people
Lack of variety is what inspires Kiwi ingenuity which is the best part about being a kiwi....I was born and lived in Chch, NZ for a long time and then lived in a few other countries and was always amazed at peoples lack of ingenuity, Kiwi's aren't scared to try something that hasn't been done before....haven't got mittens? Use a pair of socks....no TP? Use the phone book...no computer? Just stick a tv to a typewriter....Billy T did it best! As for things to do - nowadays people seem to wanna travel to the other side of the world to go shopping and drink coffee....You just need to befriend some locals and before you know it your off ya tits on cactus getting chased through a construction site in the middle of the night wondering if your other pants would have been faster :)
Food is expensive considering that we grow a lot of our own fruit, vegetables and meat yet we pay top prices for something that was produced right here such as Cheese.
Go to European countries and pay five times more for Beef.
People like you need a reality check to see how lucky they are in NZ.
Reason?
@@MAte925 inflation
They charge you export prices, buy the stuff here is mainly export reject or seconds charged at the full price. Try eating export beef. The crap that you get sold in the supermarket is not what you get overseas from NZ, and can be cheaper there. More competition drives the price down.The white substance that passes as milk you will find OK until you drink the real, undiluted stuff, with a layer of cream on top.
You are dead right about population . New Zealand is a wonderful place to grow up in , and a great place to retire . It produces interesting , talented people , but it doesn't support them because it simply doesn't have the population . Same with business , kiwis are suspicious of new ideas and fast talking foreigners , so the pool of folks willing to just try something doesn't exist , or is so small ( and spread out ) makes things unviable .
We don't want more people here
Your comment is pretty accurate. You are provided for by your parents in your youth, of course you do not have to care about money or politics. Majority of kids have hobbies and sports that are accessible and cheap (comparing this to snow sports in Europe as an example) then you work hard all your adult life, and if you live overseas during that time, your money will convert very nicely into NZD propping you up and allowing you the time and money to do the cool things that NZ has to offer. Anyone who is in their prime years and has an appetite for adventure should go out (even if it is just for a short tiem) and explore the huge world that is out there. NZ people are often little backward and tend to be conservative without realising, just a result of society over an extended period of time. It's still a beautiful country but every comment on this section which says the quality of life in NZ has gone downhill over time it's true, so that's saying something. It must have been an amazing place long before my time
If you have migrated to NZ and really like it and regard NZ as your true home then the so called isolation of NZ is not a problem and you will not feel a need to visit your home country on a regular basis. I migrared to NZ a long time ago and love it. I have return to my home country only twice and there was a 40 year gap between visits. My next visit will be in another 38 years time.
Depends on if someone has friends and family that they want to visit back home... doesn't mean they don't like their country or don't feel like it's home. Just means they want to visit loved ones.
I am currently working on making the leap to NZ. I am curious if I can use my electronics there with adapters or if I should get rid of everything and buy new electronics there?
You are fine just using adapters... buy your electronics outside of nz anyway as it is expensive here. Here ya go! 50-min of everything you need to know about moving to nz www.kiwiamericans.com/pl/2147949641
be wary about 50Hz vs 60Hz! Otherwise you'll experience smoke...
What is in your mouth?
@@davidconsumerofmath what is recommended to use there?
@@edithhardy5759 teeth
You made a good point about adjusting... I've lived in NZ my whole life, husband is from the US so it's interesting to see the differences between the two countries. I'm always adjusting to the food costs here and also great point about the lack of variety here. My husband noticed that too and I didn't understand what he meant until I went to Walmart lol I LOVED how you can buy things in almost every colour in the US, it's great. But I really value a slower paced, quieter environment and my favourite thing about NZ is the ease of access, most cities are walkable and there's always public transport. I hate driving everywhere so that's why I don't enjoy the US as much. I live in Auckland and bus & train everywhere which works great for me.
Also, so true about business and consumerism here... my small business really struggled and I was just eager to go to the US to make some sales since Americans are far more enthusiastic about buying things lol and kiwis have low enthusiasm to be completely honest. It really takes a lot to get people excited about things which is one thing I don't love about my country, people seem a bit miserable sometimes. It's a beautiful country and there's a lot to love and appreciate but the cons you mention are the same things I would mention also.
Awesome.. thanks for watching and sharing your experience
I have a dream of going to NZ as a high school exchange student next year and find this very interesting! Do you have some advice for me or programs you know of?
yo, get hip to talking half Maori and half English. taint nothing you heard before. kia ora good health to you LSD
Rotary I think
Funny i regularly buy stuff on amazon its delivered via australia in about a week
New Zealand has a supermarket duopoly which causes high grocery prices over there.
it's a shocker here. dairy prices are through the roof - NZ$20 a kilo for cheese.
I love New Zealand, it's the most beautiful country in the world but I can't bring myself to move there, the reason is the cold weather 😂😅 I live in tropical North Queensland and I thrive in humid, tropical weather. I also grow a lot of fruits and when I'm in New Zealand I really struggle to find good bananas 😂 it's such a small issue but I can't live without my bananas. I love how clean and how much kiwi's love and care about their animals and nature though.
I was actually shocked when I saw how much petrol costs in NZ!
Queenslsnd weather sucks. It's way too hot and humid. Hate it. But if that's what you like then you'll hate NZ. I love the NZ climate, especially the deep south where it snows in winter. I lived in Dunedin for 8 years and loved it. Problem was lack of employment opportunities and being generally backward. Beautiful though.
Wait! What? 🍌 bananas? who are you really? 😂 do you also eat your rice with banana like us Somalis? 😝 honestly I can’t live without bananas, let em call it “petty” 😅
@@fathiacabdi I eat bananas with everything honestly 😂
@@erinnadia0409 I’m just shocked 😳 it’s my first time hearing this from a non Somali, I thought we were the weirdest humans on earth 😂 such a relief that we aren’t alone in this 🍌
Bananas is all i need . For gym, morning food and snacks. Bananas with peanut butter is daily needs
Hey Tara yep NZ is nice but I can't help but think with your business experience and nouse you would probably do well in Aus .. not just because it probably be financially beneficial which is not a bad thing but you would be able to expand your knowledge and expertise to a bigger audience
And Aussies are generally not backwards in coming forward 😄 I should know my wife is Aussie !
Anyway love NZ..and Aus has some of the qualities NZ has but different in others which makes each country different and unique 👍
Take her. We don't want her
Well she can go whenever she wants but it seems she is quite happy there ..
I live in New Zealand and l don’t think that ppl would not move to New Zealand so l disagree it’s a beautiful place
I could think of a few not to move to the usa
I live in the US and I can think of so many reasons not to live here. 😢
I can think of a few for any country including NZ.
No country is perfect so if you want to live in NZ everyone has a different view of how things are here so you visit to see if u like it or don't like it if not go back home
@@davidlaw233 yeah man true still a better place to be than most countries.everyones laid back here
So glad you have left 👈
I'm a kiwi who is born and bred in Hamilton and I still live there. Here are some reasons why you should live here:
1) People are very kind, have good humor and are chatty
2)The beautiful landscapes all around New Zealand
3) Its isolation from other countries
4) High quality healthcare
5) Incredibly good education
6) Beautiful food
7) High employment levels
8) High minimum wage
9) Family friendly
10) Very diverse
Plus so many other reasons.
I appreciate this list so much. My wife and I are Americans in New Mexico, looking to possibly immigrate to Christchurch area, and these things are very important to us. We wonder about the cost of living and living in the rain and getting goods to repair our home there or other material items. I would love to hear your take on these things too. Thank you so much.
@@s.w.backcountry3982 Hi, please do your research thoroughly. I lived in CHCH for 28 years and just went back (I live in Australia like a lot of 'Kiwis') 2 months ago. I would never live there. I understand that New Mexico is a dry climate like CHCH, but CHCH is nearly always overcast/cloudy. If you like sunshine, probably not CHCH. Depends on how new/old a home you want. Would not recommend old house in CHCH (NZ), it really is a cold place most of the year. I live in Queensland with 300 days of sunshine a year (hot n humid in summer for 4 months but rest of the year is beautiful). It all depends on the 'you'. Wherever 'you' go, you take yourself!
@@CrystalClearConsciousness thanks
Our lack of variety and high costs are reflective of our isolation and relatively small population. There are significant freight costs for imported and locally grown goods. There are also significant barriers to encourage competition due to these factors. I still love and appreciate my home country.
I can't stop looking at that displaced lateral incisor. It's like the mole from Austin Powers
We are at the consideration stage of moving to New Zealand. You mentioned some resources to learn more and get the ball rolling. Where could I find those and/or do you have another communication medium?
Sure- start with my free course as that will guide you as to you first steps and will answer most of your questions. www.kiwiamericans.com/opt-in-6a4c73b5-dab8-4dcc-af10-fbb2114f8af0
Move to Aus instead, much better in the long run.
Please am from Nigeria am planning to come over there Please i need ur advice @Kiwiamericans
I don't know why you chose to drown your voice with background music
I have been living in nz for a few years previously. What thr host said is all true. Everything is expensive. The weather can change very fast within one day. The only good thing is the air is fresh with a lot of open space.
Kiwi's problems:
1. Weather
2. Cost of Living
3. Remote
Real World Problems:
1. Terror Attacks
2. Islam
3. Crime rate
You guys live in a woderland
Real World Problems
1. One World Government and their satanic think tank groups ruling the world
2. Financial slave system that has usury and fractional reserve banking
3. Indoctronation system, media, schools, colleges, phones, laptops
4. Pharmaceutical cartel that poisons you and sells you the cure
5. Supressed free energy technology
and on and on and on, welcome to life gal
@@asscrackistanStop with the conspiratorial bs. Wearing a tinfoil is not healthy.
True, welcome from Ukraine!
The only people who complain about the weather are the farmers
why tf is islam a real world problem?
I'm sure a lot of us Kiwis, as do I appreciate your posts about us. They are very helpful for tourist specially immigrant's learning when you explain a lot about out culture, mannerisms' and habits. Keep up the good work.
Have u seen Deliverence?
I support the people of New Zealand and their long struggle against the white colonizers
Say what you like, I’d rather live in a shed in NZ than a palace in the UK and I come from the uk !
Of you trot then lol
I'm from nz but live in the uk, Manchester. The cost of living in nz is high but it's worth it.i hope I xan move back one day
Lol I think NZ is definitely not the place for you if you're a social butterfly, I'm not so it works for me😊
Love the videos been watching for over a year. Are you guys following the Rugby World Cup currently going on in France?
Aotearoa’s best kept secret is how crap the weather is! I was born here and it still bugs me.
Then u would also know it's called New Zealand
lol why i left
@@regnorse good riddance
@@bkitch5755 cope harder bro lol
@@Matowixbro doesnt even know one of our languages
When I was young, my auntie who was working in Uganda airlines used to bring us things and most importantly powdered milk made in Nz, and it was so tasty. And also very many other items made in nz. that was in the 80s
Remote. Narrow minded societal norms. Expensive. Insane housing market. No central heating in winter. Best looking men in the world, and some of the nicest people I have ever met. Also the chocolate, wine and sandwiches...so good. I only stayed a year, amazing place but its tough to make it there.
First two are good. Housing market is caused by too many foreigners. Yes we are good looking
And not to forget the natives that arent treated right
Can you speak about how the restrictions were during Covid in New Zealand? I heard it was full lockdown. How did you get necessities?
The full lock down didn't stop people going to the supermarket. All it did was stop non essential travel to try and stop the spreading of covid. People could also go out for a walk etc it was just traveling distance unless essential was prohibited
Like a prison island.
With tyrannical enforcers happy to do evils bidding.
@@asscrackistanNo. The governnent did what was right and necessary to save lives, unlike a lot of incompetent governments such as in the US and UK.
@@asscrackistanman you sound like a douche
2 short lockdowns completely wiped out covid in NZ, twice. Proved it was easy. Unfortunately even the few efforts by govts overseas were destroyed by social media messages aimed at spreading it. So we got reinfected.
I think a small international business while living in NZ would be awesome. We hope to move asap!
I left in 1988, came back in 2019 and really didn’t want to
Now, I am very happy. Weathers great, even winter, bought a great house in a small town, got an adventure bike and a little car so my costs are low.
I miss some things about Asia and Europe, especially Spain and France, Malaysia and Indonesia and India, but I save a lot of money and travel isn’t that expensive.
Lack of choice - meh. I make all my food from scratch, make my furniture and am slowly working on my house.
Your take on data is weird. I have unlimited on mobile for very little, compared to other countries
But, I’m in comms and take the time to research
Loving New Zealand!
Awesome - how long have you been here?
I am so glad you are enjoying NZ it's a great country not perfect but nowhere u go will be people are pople
New Zealanders dont love you . Go home
Hey, I live in USA and would like to hang out in NZ for 6-12 months, but can’t afford to stop working that long. My company will let me work anywhere-just need a laptop and internet connection. Is it OK to do that, or are there restrictions on remote working that prevent it?
@@TransTracSystems you can visit New Zealand for three months with an American passport at one time. But you won't be allowed to work New Zealand immigration is set up to get jobs in New Zealand not bringing work from overseas.
Does that tooth annoy you ?
😂
I'm a Kiwi who lived overseas for 20 years. Our education system is rubbish, but you can homeschool. I get internet for $10 a month through jump- skinny, and $15 pm unlimited calls.
More and more people are retiring to Cambodia and other places in South East Asia, for an affordable lifestyle and Healthcare.
I’m a New Zealander and I think you are spot on.
as someone who was born in new zealand and never leaved I don't get this
i agree
@@Crimson-z6fI want to immigrate from Morocco.. is it easy to get a job as a graduate?
This was WAY super helpful. I've been thinking about the move, but now thinking it might not be right for me. This video is really well done & worth the watch for ANYONE. Some was new info, some was "oh, I didn't really think about that, but yeah. that would $uck."
You are so welcome!
Im from Canada, curies about NZ 😊 what about acreage? I would love to live on 40 acres
If you know how to tend sheep, you could probably get work on a large ranch. Seriously.
@@charlie-obrien It's not America! They are called 'Farms' as in farming. And @jwall70 Canada is not too much different weather wise depending on where you live, (curious! Sheep are good for curries not curies, ha ha)🙃40 acres for doing what? Depends where (if the iwi of Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngai tahu, Ngāti Tūwharetoa haven't claimed it!). Give you something to research! I lived in NZ for 28 years (1974 to 2002) I did not know any difference until I got to go overseas and realized sometimes it's not the grass that's greener on the other side but the weather! NZ weather is '4 seasons' in 1 day a lot. Winters are cold, summers are fickle and short maybe 2 months of okay weather. I moved to Australia, Queensland, Sunshine Coast (been here for 21 years now, it was good, now getting too busy here also). Expense wise, yes NZ is, it used to be okay. I do miss the scenery and open spaces. mountains etc. But NOT the cold. I have been back regularly, family etc. Last trip 2 months ago in Feb, weather average. Food prices, eek, petrol expensive, cost of housing ridiculous, state of towns and cities very dumpy. Thought about going back, but every time I now visit the worse the country is. I have travelled too, places in Europe much more attractive depending (Spain, Portugal, some parts of France and Italy. (Switzerland, Norway beautiful but cost is soooooooo beyond anything). So, is the grass greener? It all depends on where you're at, no matter where you go, you always take yourself with you!
@@CrystalClearConsciousness
When I visited NZ in February of 2014 the weather was beautiful and I stayed the entire month.
I went there originally thinking I would be happy if I just got to watch some rugby matches and I did. Instead, I fell in love with the people. To my mind they are the most generous and gracious people I have met anywhere in my travels. Generous with their time and their caring spirit.
I had some great experiences like when I found and isolated black sand beach and when I stayed in a lonely hotel on top of a hill alone for 3 days and walked the nearby trails.
It's true that no matter where you go, there you are...I am from a cold and snowy town in the northeast of the USA and it is easy to be lured away. My heart, no matter how restless will always draw me back for at least a few years.
I also spent some lovely time in Queensland Australia on that trip. I am sorry that we did not meet then (or maybe we did), but I wish you the best now and say "Cheers mate" to my new friend.
The reason the market is hard to sell in is because no body's got any expendable income.
People would love to buy but after rent and utilities there's simply nothing left
It is what it is , love it or love it not your choice I’m afraid
That’s what is do wrong with NZ. As soon as anyone expresses any feedback it is met with this passive aggressive response. It is the single biggest reason why this society is going backwards at such a fast pace. It is delusional in its ‘clean green be kind’ propaganda
I am planning a 2 week solo motorcycle trip to New Zealand in October to see the vibes. I live in Tasmania , so weather is going to be really similar, so it's ok. I am thinking about moving there by myself, see what happens.
@@cerico76 awesome sounds like a great trip!!!!
@@Kiwiamericans It does!
The South Island is a dream to ride. Just throttle back around country corners. Never know what you will encounter. From experience.
@@Lifecombing I will! I am not going there to rush, but to enjoy every bits of it. how about free camping there? Any problems with it?
@@cerico76 To be honest I could tell you. Mainly stay at camp grounds or with people I knew.
Is there a motorcycle group you are involved with? If so you can contact them and let them know what you up to. They love to share. You know how bikers are.
We moved back here 20 years ago. I don't quite agree with one little bit - that's there's not much to do. What we have heard over the years is things like there is no Disneyland, or no big malls. For those people yup, there's not much to do here. For us, we live in Plimmerton and there's heaps to do - hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, riding bikes and motorbikes... if the outdoors is your bag and you love hanging out with your mates, you'll find plenty to do. If you really need a large mall, its probably time for some self-reflection. And probably the same if you need to visit Disneyland more than a couple of times in your life (the odd visit from NZ isn't out of reach for many people).
to be fair NZ 20 years ago was an opportune time. could someone move to Plimmerton now and buy or rent affordable dwellings?
I've been in and out of NZ for several years since the company I work for is based there. I think it really depends on the personality, but for me, NZ is not the place I would move to. It's nice to stay there for a couple of weeks, but the cost of living is so high, it's far from everything, and after a month, boredom sets in (at least for me). I remember in Christchurch, after 6 pm, everything is closed, and you feel like you are in those horror movies where there was an apocalypse; you simply don't see anyone.
Yeah christchurch is boring
I was born in NZ and if I still lived there I would not be liking your reasons. BUT since I left NZ 20+ years ago, I do have to agree with SOME of your reasons.
NZ is isolated in terms ot travel access but not in terms of communications. I still have weekly chats with my family in NZ over skype. I do have to agree with the lack of unlimited data plans. NZ has unlimited local phone calls and unlimited texts but still NO Unlimited data? Since I left NZ, my family has been on an unlimited data plan for the last 15 years. I could NEVER go back to any bandwidth limitations now.
The weather - Kiwis dont really have any control and its really only extreme mostly in the south. I lived in both Dunedin and Auckland. It seldom snowed in Dunedin and it never snowed in Auckland. Where I live now, it snows every winter. Way too cold for my liking!!
High cost of living - well thats related to having to import everything plus covid inflation (gouging). You cant really complain about that. You either live with it or you leave NZ like I did.
I was never fashion conscious so the lack of variety in clothes never bothered me. I prefer to buy comfortable clothes, not fashionable clothes.
But MY biggest reason for leaving NZ was mostly the last reason. The small town feel. The parochial feel of NZ. Even in Auckland. It was just too small for me so I left.
I actually live New Zealand right now, I like living here very much I live in Auckland New Zealand and I like living there more then anywhere else in nz
I prefer New Zealand
Definitely some good advice I think. I’m currently visiting in Wellington rn and it’s so beautiful. it’s definitely weird being in one of the bigger cities and it feels like a US suburb haha.
New Zealand like any place has its struggles. Nowheres perfect. Coming from North America would definitely be a huge adjustment. Having lived there for a year coming from Canada in some ways it definitely felt like a step backwards in life. If you're someone shooting for that big house / property along with a fancy vehicle and top end materialistic items I would highly suggest against New Zealand.
Where New Zealand excelled for me was definitely the beautiful year round weather and slow pace to life. Noone cared about your status or belongings as long as you were a kind person you'd fit in well. Also you could hit postcard worthy destinations within a couple hours literally in any direction no matter where you were at. Really awesome spot for someone who enjoys the outdoors.
The location / isolation may be a problem for some people but honestly unless you're living in Europe most places are kinda blocked off from experiencing something different quite easily. In Canada I travel 1-2 times a year to somewhere like cuba or mexico etc. New Zealand has so many awesome vacation spots within itself and Australia isn't too far away.
Excellent points... thanks for sharing
I am not American, and i want to move to NZ. Where can i search for real life advice? I have many questions, like about school, heating system???
You have come to the right place! My online community is where all your questions are answered!www.kiwiamericans.com/new-zealand-training-hub
Aucklander here and yes ill admit its too cold in many parts of the country. Then again thst basically rules out more than 90% of the United States as well. There is a reason why California is so expensive
I lived in Dunedin for 8 years. The weather was fine. I liked it better than up north where it gets hot and sticky.
@@toby9999 Much nicer climate than muggy auckland
This chick needs to learn how to garden and how to go second hand shops 😊
Chuckled when you said 4 seasons in a day. I live in central otago and we were 0 degrees with frost this morning then it was sunny and really hot by 3pm, then rained a bit, then crazy winds. A roller coaster now. 😅
New Zealand is a society renowned for its warm and kind-hearted people, who prioritize a strong sense of community and interpersonal relationships. However, it's important to note that the emphasis on kindness and cooperation sometimes leads to a trade-off in terms of high standards and advanced skills in various sectors like management, healthcare, engineering, and services. This phenomenon can be attributed, in part, to certain educational challenges.
The laid-back attitude pervasive in New Zealand can permeate different levels of society, including the professional arena, which occasionally manifests as a lack of professionalism and perceived incompetence. While New Zealand offers many wonderful aspects of life, if your needs necessitate a high degree of competence, discipline, and advanced skills, you might encounter some difficulties.
It's essential to remember that each place has its unique strengths and areas of focus, and New Zealand's strength lies in its kindness and community spirit. However, it may require some adjustments when looking for specific professional competencies and standards in certain fields.
lol
Those reasons are pretty on point. I moved from NZ to Australia in 1996 as a 23yo and never looked back. I'm a mortgage free millionaire now in Australia living a blessed lifestyle, in a country that has been EXTREMELY good to me. Am aiming to retire at 55. 100% I wouldn't have got to where I am now if I'd stayed in NZ. I absolutely LOVE the lifestyle and climate here (QLD) and there is many more choice. My family and friends back in NZ are suffering, a higher cost of living, lower wages and crap weather. in the 1950s New Zealanders were the 'third wealthiest people in the world" - ranked 3rd in the world for GDP per capita and it's only gone downhill since. Economically NZ is screwed and the environment not far off. intense dairy farming has destroyed the water quality and the many dairy industry jobs created by Fonterra has come at a HUGE cost. It is no longer safe to swim in nature in many places in NZ. It's no longer the 'Clean and Green' it used to be. I'd never move back there. That said, its best asset is its people (politicians excluded).
I lived in New Zealand (Auckland and Tauranga) for roughly 3 years and it's safe to say I didn't really like it at all. People have this weird picture that NZ is a paradise utopia but NZ does a great job at hiding the problems while projecting to the world this "100% Pure" myth. Disclaimer - I left NZ just before Covid so I don't know if some of my points have changed or gotten worse.
- Housing quality is horrendous, Kiwis pay astronomical amounts of $$ for glorified shacks with little to no heating that gets damp and mouldy very easily. For a country that knows it's mild, windy and rainy for a lot of the year this is unfathomable.
- This is connected to the first point. Quite often people take the easy way out and use band aid solutions for issues that need proper maintenance. When I told my Kiwi coworkers and friends about how cold the houses are a lot of them say "just rug up, use more blankets, wear thick clothing etc." You'd think they'd say build better homes but no.
- Public transport is unreliable. Trains to and from Britomart were often extremely late and infrequent. Coverage is also not extensive.
- Kiwis while overall friendly I found to be very small minded and take any criticism of their country as a personal attack.
- Food in NZ is good, but I missed the sheer variety of ethnic cuisines. There's plenty of Asian food but NZ really lacks in Continental European, Middle Eastern, Latin American and African food.
- NZ was a lot more racist than I was expecting, the casual racism towards Asian people in particular was shocking.
- I found there to be quite a toxic attitude towards Australia (where I'm now living), almost bordering an obsessive inferiority complex. I'm in Australia now and nobody here seems to say anything bad about NZ or most people don't really care at all. It's very one sided.
- New Zealand is not an ideal place if you want to go far in life. Career opportunities are limited.
- There is zero in the way of nightlife even in Auckland. It feels like one massive retirement village, whenever I mention this to Kiwis they say it's because they have a small population but similar sized and smaller cities in Asia and Europe have more going on than Auckland. It's dead when the sun goes down.
I'm currently in Australia now and it's definitely not perfect but I'm happier here than I was in NZ. I have two coworkers from Brazil and Thailand who like me moved to New Zealand first and didn't like it before moving on to Australia.
dude you need to go to napier or some niece beachs and then nz is amazing also highly recomend red woods zip lining raindow land there pies the l and p drink hockey pockey ice cream are all nz only and nz made pavloava and bungy jumping and sky diving nz and down hill zorbing my fav also meat is so good
Bit naive for anyone to think that a country doesn't have problems. Plus Auckland and Tauranga aren't particularly representative of the rest of the country.
xdxdxd the best comment so far
I moved from nz to Australia. I agree aus is way better . Nz is so expensive considering what they get paid . Easier life here and better weather
I spent several years in New Zealand and came to the same conclusions. NZ is a great place to live/retire, but make your fortune BEFORE you settle in NZ.
Myself and the friend are traveling to new Zealand in January. We are going to stay for 2 months and we would like to tour the country in a van down by the river. We could definitely use a contact who sees things from our point of view.
Sure... happy to help!
Enjoy your time in NZ mate! It’s an amazing country, few similarities to the USA too.
How about earthquakes? I heard this country is very seismically active !!!! You are not afraid of it?
We are moving to NZ in January for about 3 months while I am on sabbatical. Finding somewhere to live has been challenging. Realtors won't return my emails. Rental property owners either won't rent for longer than two weeks or less than six months.
You may struggle to find a rental for 3 months. Might be best using Air BnB during that time? Where are you looking to stay?
I agree with everything you say. Initially it seems amazing, chilled, easy and more simple. I hear you about not finding great things to buy and people don't care enough about stuff to support mindless consumerism - again a good thing for people, but bad for business. All grocery stores sell the same thing. Private label is finally showing up to create some variety. We have - and work with - many small businesses and it's a struggle. You run ads and people don't just buy buy buy - again a good thing for humankind, but not if you need to make money off a small business. The chilled quiet life is great but I really miss a crazy hustle and bustle sometimes, so we try and go to events in the city to feel a buzz - which are always well attended. I have a lot to say about work culture, but I will stop there :) - also the schools are a concern for many - there's a very different style of schooling here - non-competitive and laid back - great for kids who stress. Maybe not great for kids who will venture off into the "real world".
I love it. I don't think NZ is a perfect fit for Americans necessarily. Probably a question of attitude. But if you can bend, give up some of your closely held beliefs and consider yourself , then yes, it could be a blast.
Hi Steve, I am an American looking to move to Christchurch possibly, and would love to hear more about what your take is on living in Christchurch in particular. My wife and I are very outdoor oriented skiers paragliders mountain bikers and don't really do city cultural stuff ever. But I'm wondering about the weather and the cost of living mostly. I think after looking at the housing online we can probably afford purchasing a house, but wonder maybe what it's like to maintain a house there. Thank you so much for any information you can give me. I'm also willing to take this conversation off UA-cam and email as well thank you.
If you hang out in a large city (London/New York) there are certainly many more people but that doesn't give you more social interaction because people are overwhelmed by the crowd and suspicious of your intent. In NZ it is the inverse situation - fewer people and more social interaction..take your pick? NZ is also the 13th wealthiest country in the world (Australia is the 4th) so everything is going to be more expensive but inflation (the increase in cost) is a universal problem. We are not a consumer but a DIY society - so fixing or enhancing products is the preferred activity to the "throw away" model of shopping...and I guess it may take people some time to adjust to that idea.
Bloody bunch of whiners, try living in Palestine or Yemen for a real taste of what living in a horrible country is like. So grateful for what I have here in NZ! ❤
I watch a load of videos on different countries to live in and it's only videos about NZ where the natives are so impervious and reactive to constructive feedback. It's like you live in a cult.
No snakes good scenery thats something
You are pretty spot on in your comments :) With regard to shopping, I love the smaller market here in NZ. Shopping in the little bits of Europe and Australia that I have I found completely over whelming. As far as I am concerned Bayfair at the Mt is the perfect size for a mall :) The only thing I hate is the lack of gluten free foods. If an American wants to come here and import all the interesting gluten free stuff they have every coeliac in the country would be grateful ;)
Where about in nz are you? Don't they carry the aussie Orgran brand stuff and if so, how pricey?
As a kiwi, I watched this out of curiosity and would say you're absolutely right about all the topics you covered. Another point about a small businesses is that there are endless roadworks blocking access to small strip malls (in Christchurch anyway). NZ wouldn't suit ppl who like to live in the huge cities. Agree with lack of variety, I've been to the same places over & over. Most of my family moved to Aussie for better opportunities. Will recommend your channel to anyone wanting to move here. Cheers 😊
Awesome thanks
Lived here for 20 years, married a kiwi in London and she wanted to come home. In retrospect, it's one of the worst decisions I have ever made. Kiwis are not very inviting, the cost of living is terrible, customer service is appalling, the price of housing is through the roof...heading to Aus first chance I can get.
People enjoy their lives in New Zealand and nature, and a very good at the environment! It sounds amazing.
Wisconsin weather is crazy so I’m used to it! We went from 70s to 16 degrees “F” in one day!
Such a great country, but so expensive!
"It's not a consumer society" That's gotta be a bonus surely, unless your a retailer lol.
I found out living in Newzealand is much cheaper if you make and grow your own food...no eating on fancy restaurant, no drinking, no smoking, no travelling to far places anyhow, buy clothes and furnitures on second hand shops, dont buy data, use free network vailable, try go and live in rural place away from the city life, enjoy nature and work and run a small business.
It's not that safe here anymore unfortunately. That's a thing of the past as we've found out the last several years. Always lock your doors when driving & keep your personal security bubble in check when walking around at night team.
Agreed that crime is on the rise but nothing compared to many areas of the states
@rottweileruvnz It wasn't safe for me and a lot of other people while growing up in New Plymouth in the 60s and 70s though due to gangs and violence, among other issues!
Mind you, I'm aware that it was safe for many others back in the "good old days," as the older ones, except me, call them and the situation does seem to be much worse nowadays.
I've lived in Brisbane for many years now, which used to be a relatively safe city compared to others. I recall sitting in the Queen Street Mall with friends at night and hardly anything happened, except for drunk people giving the Christian groups a hard time. Lol.
It gradually changed before the pandemic hit when groups of young ones began causing havoc while chroming, not to mention people of all ages on ice, or P, as they call it in NZ, which is extremely sad.
I don't judge them at all because it's mainly the result of unresolved trauma; however, they can become violent and steal bags etc. I've been told by police officers to stay out of the city at night, yet home isn't always a safe place in regard to partners, or dangerous neighbours. 🙁
Good afternoon from PAPUA NEW GUINEA. I enjoyed watching your contents
Awe thanks!!!
@@Kiwiamericans
I was raised in Australia but the racism at the time was BRUTAL. I can live in NZ as an Australian Citizen, so moving there seems like healing to me. Its like Australia but with much friendlier people.