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January 2004 - August 2005 (14
messages)
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Promo Producer, London, UK, 33 Why, as returning Kiwis, do we presume to possess more skills and experience than our friends and colleagues who have remained at home? Perhaps it's our condescension that stops that phone from ringing... While we complain about NZers' insular attitudes, should we not also examine
our own prejudices against those who choose not to travel? What's so wrong
with being happy with what you have, and where you are?
Director, Canterbury, NZ, 50
Director, Canterbury, NZ, 50
You may even continue being paid in Pounds, Dollars or Euros! What a great
boost for NZ, and huge benefit for the returning champion as well. Email me
if you think this may apply to you, and there is anything I can do to
facilitate it for you - office space, technology, search for compatible
businesses, whatever. E-mail: tim.deans@xtra.co.nz |
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Journalist, London, UK, 46 |
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Events Organiser, London, UK I'm homesick. I'm homesick for the infallible attitude, atmosphere and environment I used to take for granted. It is near impossible to describe... it's that uniqueness that can primarily only be gauged once you've experienced other, varying cultures and patriotism. I admit that I have had to learn that New Zealand is my favourite place... I know others are yet to discover the same and it's a shame most have to leave the country to do so. It's taken me three years of living in the UK. I often, speak of home to my foreign friends, which brings a smile to my face and a myriad of tales to the fore. I think I'm going to head home next year. Maybe. Is New Zealand the amazing place that I remember? Goddam hope so.
Consultant, Chicago, USA, 33 Of interest is that the only reason that we can now consider a return to NZ is that we have through our success in our careers been able to amas sufficient wealth to be financially independent in NZ. This is important as the value placed on an hour of our time in NZ is worth a fraction of what that some amount of effort is worth overseas, essentially cancelling out the possiblilty of returning to a job. As a result the only way that we can consider returning to NZ is to develop our own businesses in NZ to ensure that we are able to get returns based on our time and investment. In evaluating our options a number of issues have sprung up. My question is whether there a source of information that will assist us in determining the pros and cons of returning to NZ. Some example of questions are: |
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Project Manager to Artist/ Entrepreneur, Greytown, NZ, 34 My partner and I have just returned after living in Sydney for four years and prior to that I spent a few years living and working around Europe. We CHOSE to come home. WHY! Sit and close your eye's, smell, touch, taste, hear, now open your eyes and see! There's no place like HOME! We now live in Greytown where we have bought an old villa and converted it
into a Interactive Contemporary Art Gallery / Bookshop. Yep it's small, it
doesnt feel plastic and it's all ours. The local yokels are delightful. I
can smell cow shit from the middle of town. And guess what I am taking my
business Interactive Art Events and Personal Art Facilitation to the world
from little old Greytown. Thanks NZ for bringing us home! If you want to
talk e-mail me. trilogynz@yahoo.com Well, I hate to be a party-pooper for NZ Edge and New Zealand but I did not bring my family (from Thailand) to NZ as originally planned up to 1998. Instead in 1999 we settled in Sydney. I believe that after years in New York or London or another place, well-educated ex-pat Kiwis can no longer truly fit in (in NZ). And as some people have commented, once your sojourn away has been a long time your networks have ceased to be, family maybe dispersed and in my case parents dead. So we wanted to be near family and friends (in NZ) so Sydney it was after an exploratory visit in 1998. My wife is Asian and could find her ethnic suburbs (to shop in at least), she had relatives here and so did I. Although I had never lived in Sydney before it was a familiar environment, not really foreign at all. On a flight to Bangkok in 1998 from Sydney we were thinking the same thing independantly: next home Sydney. I am glad we came, we are thriving, have made new friends and kept some old, we have had another baby! Kiwis cannot make this move so easily now if they have a non-NZ or Australian spouse like me because as of March 2001 we are no longer automatic permanent residents on arrival. I could sponsor my wife easily for permanent residency, now the NZ person would have to apply for PR themselves first (even though Kiwis can work straightaway and do not need a work permit). The process would take much longer but maybe would still be worth it. Nevertheless, I would encourage ex-pat Kiwis to look beyond the sentimental dream of NZ and consider Australia (meaning really Sydney or Melbourne - maybe Brisbane or Perth). It is a more realistic option than Auckland, a "budget smaller Sydney" and no extensive suburban train network; the rest of NZ's cities are too small and offer poor work opportunities. For those with an Asian spouse, well I have no doubt WE are in the right place! So, sorry to be a party-pooper but for us, NZ was quickly eliminated for
a better "return home" option. The main problem moving to Sydney
is the housing cost, but that would be no problem for cashed-up ex-pats in
the USA or the UK (or Western Europe). So is New Zealand really the place
for you after a long time away? email: jprenouf@bigpond.com |
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Click here to have your say.
See below for further Re-entry/Coming home missives:
December 2003 - August 2005 (14
messages) |
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PageThree
of
Re-entry: comment, angst, expectation, and homesickness from abroad and
affirmation from those on-island reaping the Aotearoa soil on return. REAP
(Re-Entry Action Plan) is the NZEDGE kit-set in the making for the
returning. This forum is a first step in its formulation. To read the tales of
home and away (August 2002 - March 2003) click on the links
below. 