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NZ PM refused pay rise but Ho Ching defends Ah Loong high pay
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Migrants' experiences of New Zealand: Expectation versus reality
Lorna Thornber05:00, Aug 31 2019
Share
Play Video
RNZ
The Detail: New figures show the government has slashed resident visa numbers to the lowest seen in the last two decades.
When Sunil Kaushal first moved to Tauranga from India in the mid nineties, he says most locals' view of his homeland was shaped by what they'd seen on TV shows such as A Thousand Apologies and Allo Allo.
Some tried to "connect" through mocking the Indian accent but Kaushal, secretary general of the India Trade Alliance and a company director, says he couldn't understand what they found so funny.
"I had no clue what they were talking about. It was subtle racism but being in the minority in '95, you dare not raise it. But all in all people were very good, warm and wanting to learn more about Indian culture."
While he had never eaten butter chicken in India, he took its prevalence on New Zealand menus as a sign Kiwis were willing to embrace other cultures.
What is your experience of moving to New Zealand? Email [email protected]
READ MORE:
* Asian migrants rising as British flee New Zealand in face of cliques, traffic
* New Zealand or the United Kingdom: Who's got it better?
* The truth about living in London according to Kiwis who live there
SUNIL KAUSHAL
Indian migrant Sunil Kaushal says he was pleasantly surprised by the Kiwi tendency to greet strangers when out and about, saying it makes new arrivals feel more welcome.
That said, he counts his first days in New Zealand as the toughest of his life. With no family or friends in the country and unsure how to connect with others in his local community (these were the days before social media), he felt very much alone.
The Kiwi way of life often left him puzzled. Among his thoughts at the time: "Geesh, where are the people and why is everything shutting down at 5pm? Don't people want to shop or socialise during the week? Tea at 6pm? And not a cup of tea either but actually dinner. And it's 7pm, why is the sun not setting? This must be heaven."
While "a shock to the system", Kaushal found that first summer in the Bay of Plenty "just glorious. It did look and feel like the postcards and photos we had seen of New Zealand. And of course, cricket on the beach was an experience…"
Nearly 25 years down the track, Kaushal, who now lives in Auckland and is also president of the Waitakere Indian Association, is still glad he chose New Zealand over Australia, the UK and the US to emigrate to.
"I think New Zealand is one of the best places in the world to live, work and study… We are one of the happiest countries in the world and that is why we are also one of the most resilient countries. There are systems and opportunities to ensure citizens are looked after in the best way possible. Certainly, when you compare to other countries, we should be grateful."
MARIE EDGE/SUPPLIED
Hereford couple Marie Edge and Tim Griffiths said costly rent and terrible transport networks made living in New Zealand too hard.
But not all migrants, it seems, would agree. As recently reported, official statistics show the number of British departures from New Zealand is on the rise, with UK migrants citing "abnormal" rents, "terrible" public transport and unfriendly Kiwi "cliques" among their reasons for leaving. The number of British arrivals, meanwhile, has fallen, the numbers show.
Migrant figures from China and India, however, continue to increase, suggesting New Zealand is still attractive to some.
While some of the migrants Stuff consulted for this story shared the above-mentioned - and other - gripes, the vast majority said they are still happy to be here. For many it's a lifestyle choice - the cost of living, especially housing, being a concern for a lot of people.
British migrant Karl Corney returned from a 2003 holiday in New Zealand "with so many lovely stories of random kindness and altruism that it was always top of my list [of countries] to come back to".
While wary that pastures often seem greener elsewhere, Corney says he has never had such a strong connection with a country and continued to feel more homesick for New Zealand than he ever had for the UK.
Deciding to migrate, Corney says it took he and his wife the better part of 14 year to make it happen, during which time he completed a degree that would boost his chances.
MORE FROM
LORNA THORNBER • TRAVEL REPORTER
[email protected]
He is still "very" glad they made the effort, even if things haven't always worked out as planned.
"Like with all things, nothing and nowhere is perfect and the hardest elements were the bits we didn't expect - making close friends, settling in and having very little in the way of a support network to lean on when you are stressed or just having a tough day."
Living in Wellington, Corney feels he has a better work-life balance than he did in the UK and has found that New Zealand employers tend to invest more in their staff.
"Our quality of life has certainly improved, and with that our own outlook and perspectives are more positive too. For me, that's worth its weight in gold!
Warren Lightfoot, by contrast, says settling into New Zealand has proved a "huge challenge", in large part because he left a senior position in the UK and has taken a "huge hit" to his salary.
He and his wife Carol moved from the UK in January 2017 so she could pursue her passion for working with marine mammals. A hairdresser, Carol had completed a diploma in marine biology in the UK but the couple could not afford for her to do a degree there.
WARREN LIGHTFOOT
Warren Lightfoot says that while he has taken a big drop in earnings, his family is happy in New Zealand.
"[T]his would have cost close to £30,000 (NZ$58,000) in the UK and there wasn't much in the way of job opportunities once she achieved it," Warren says.
New Zealand's accessibility to marine life including whales and dolphins was a major drawcard but as Warren is earning less here than they had anticipated, Carol's study plans are still on hold.
"Things haven't panned out exactly as we'd hoped but the kids are happy, Carol is happy and - work aside - I am happy. So no regrets. Joining a Civil Defence Response Team was the best thing I have done since being here."
Similarly, while Tiffany Withers, who moved to New Zealand from the UK with her husband and two children in 2017, finds life in Auckland expensive, she feels the environment and lifestyle make it worth it.
"[W]e love city life combined with living by the beach," she says.
The thing that has impressed her most about New Zealand is the schooling, partly because she feels children are not under as much pressure.
"Here, [my son and] daughter are free to be children - something we wouldn't change for the world."
BROOK SABIN
Sunil Kaushal wondered whether he had landed in heaven after moving to the Bay of Plenty.
The relatively laidback lifestyle in New Zealand was also the biggest drawcard for most of the American migrants Stuff spoke with - together with the universal healthcare system, politics and the relative lack of violent crime.
Aaron Carlino says he was spending more on healthcare than his mortgage in the US and, with childcare costs also weighing on them, he and his wife realised they were just "spinning our wheels, not living the life we wanted".
"I had some connections out here, and one day, we just said, screw it, let's go."
Six months later they were in Wellington. Carlino considers the move the best decision they have ever made - although it didn't feel that way at first.
"I encourage people thinking about making the move to think of it in terms of a different life more than a better one. There are many things that are better. There are many things that we miss. We've had a lot of ups and downs and moments of doubt. Overall though, it really suits us."
One of the best things about New Zealand for Carlino is that people appear to be less materialistic than in America.
"No one cares what kind of car you drive or how big your house is or what clothes you wear. It's just a more humanistic culture, and people take you at face value with no pretences."
SUPPLIED
British migrant Tiffany Withers feels that being able to combine city and beach life makes the expense of living in Auckland worth it.
Fellow American migrant Maggie Riley moved to New Zealand to locum as a GP for a year "for fun and a change of pace". But it gave her such a different perspective on her homeland that she ultimately decided she couldn't live there anymore.
Moving back to the US felt "terrible", she says.
"The healthcare system, politics, capitalism culture, constant hustle bustle, volume of homework for the kids… Pretty quickly we realised the US wasn't for us anymore and now we've moved back to New Zealand permanently."
Samantha Higginbotham had also only planned to stay in New Zealand for a short while. She moved here to be with her Kiwi partner, planning to stay for a year or two before returning to the US, but the couple have just bought their first home in Auckland.
"I don't ever see myself returning," Higginbotham, a teacher, says.
While she describes teaching as a difficult profession to be in in both New Zealand and the US, she feels "New Zealand makes it easy" in comparison.
The healthcare system here is another major plus for her, along with her sense that it "just feels safer… When I go back to visit, I'm worried about gun violence almost everywhere I go."
Politics also influenced her decision to stay, she says, along with the diversity of people in Auckland.
"I come from Georgia where I only grew up around and knew white people. Here, I've learned so much about just being a human that I don't want to go back to a stifled environment."
Share
Play Video
MORNING REPORT/RNZ
Are immigration authorities putting up bureaucratic barriers to keep residence numbers low?
Gary Kumar moved to New Zealand three years ago in pursuit of a better lifestyle and healthcare after working in a "toxic" corporate environment in San Francisco.
Despite his experience as a regional sales manager for a multi-billion dollar wine and beverage distributor in California, Kumar struggled to find work in New Zealand, saying he was "classified as overqualified".
Starting up his own property portfolio business, Kumar say he is now "way better off" in Wellington than he was in the States and has a much bigger and better house.
Feeling much more relaxed since his move, Kumar also appreciates being in a "better", more diverse environment where people "are humble with a much better work attitude".
Much like Riley, Nic Heynekemp moved from the US "after so many things stopped making sense.
"I wanted a country where people trumped corporations, where sustainability was ingrained into the success of the country, where profit wasn't the underlying motive yet you can be successful, and where education isn't focused on university prep but rather life skills. I have found that in New Zealand and do not regret a moment of it."
Several American migrants mentioned the high cost of living in New Zealand too, however, while others said they had struggled to make friends with Kiwis.
"I find that Kiwis are friendly, so the staffroom isn't awkward, but are private so definitely hard to get an "in"," Higginbotham said.
PAMELA WADE
Many migrants live in New Zealand for lifestyle rather than financial reasons.
Kaushal says he has found salaries in finance to be fairly similar in New Zealand and India, but feels job opportunities and gender equality are better here. He also feels people have a better work-life balance in New Zealand and appreciates the opportunities available to children both in and outside the classroom.
New Zealand has changed a lot, he says, since he first arrived in Tauranga all those years ago.
"With more and more people travelling out of New Zealand, their world view of other cultures is changing and they are becoming more accepting and welcoming of other cultures... People from your politicians to sporting personalities and business leaders are all down-to-earth and happy to meet with you share a joke and take selfies."
Which isn't to say he still thinks he's landed in heaven. He wonders why a developed nation such as New Zealand tends to plan about a decade, rather than 40 years or more, in advance, failing to consider how decisions will impact upon future generations.
"We allow development without thinking about schooling, transportation, amenities…"
He also worries that New Zealand isn't doing enough to preserve the natural environment.
"We need to take pride and preserve this natural beauty or, with climate change and [rising tourism], we will lose what we have and then what?"
Still, asked whether he's still glad he made the move to New Zealand, Kaushal references Mastercard's old "Priceless" campaign, saying Kiwi life is among those things that money just can't buy.
Raising "proud Kiwi Indians" with the wife he met in his adopted homeland, Kaushal says he would make the same decision today.
"And I am sure it would be much easier now than years ago."
Are you a migrant in NZ? Has it lived up to your expectations? Let us know in the comments.
Stuff
Lorna Thornber05:00, Aug 31 2019
Share
Play Video
RNZ
The Detail: New figures show the government has slashed resident visa numbers to the lowest seen in the last two decades.
When Sunil Kaushal first moved to Tauranga from India in the mid nineties, he says most locals' view of his homeland was shaped by what they'd seen on TV shows such as A Thousand Apologies and Allo Allo.
Some tried to "connect" through mocking the Indian accent but Kaushal, secretary general of the India Trade Alliance and a company director, says he couldn't understand what they found so funny.
"I had no clue what they were talking about. It was subtle racism but being in the minority in '95, you dare not raise it. But all in all people were very good, warm and wanting to learn more about Indian culture."
While he had never eaten butter chicken in India, he took its prevalence on New Zealand menus as a sign Kiwis were willing to embrace other cultures.
What is your experience of moving to New Zealand? Email [email protected]
READ MORE:
* Asian migrants rising as British flee New Zealand in face of cliques, traffic
* New Zealand or the United Kingdom: Who's got it better?
* The truth about living in London according to Kiwis who live there
SUNIL KAUSHAL
Indian migrant Sunil Kaushal says he was pleasantly surprised by the Kiwi tendency to greet strangers when out and about, saying it makes new arrivals feel more welcome.
That said, he counts his first days in New Zealand as the toughest of his life. With no family or friends in the country and unsure how to connect with others in his local community (these were the days before social media), he felt very much alone.
The Kiwi way of life often left him puzzled. Among his thoughts at the time: "Geesh, where are the people and why is everything shutting down at 5pm? Don't people want to shop or socialise during the week? Tea at 6pm? And not a cup of tea either but actually dinner. And it's 7pm, why is the sun not setting? This must be heaven."
While "a shock to the system", Kaushal found that first summer in the Bay of Plenty "just glorious. It did look and feel like the postcards and photos we had seen of New Zealand. And of course, cricket on the beach was an experience…"
Nearly 25 years down the track, Kaushal, who now lives in Auckland and is also president of the Waitakere Indian Association, is still glad he chose New Zealand over Australia, the UK and the US to emigrate to.
"I think New Zealand is one of the best places in the world to live, work and study… We are one of the happiest countries in the world and that is why we are also one of the most resilient countries. There are systems and opportunities to ensure citizens are looked after in the best way possible. Certainly, when you compare to other countries, we should be grateful."
MARIE EDGE/SUPPLIED
Hereford couple Marie Edge and Tim Griffiths said costly rent and terrible transport networks made living in New Zealand too hard.
But not all migrants, it seems, would agree. As recently reported, official statistics show the number of British departures from New Zealand is on the rise, with UK migrants citing "abnormal" rents, "terrible" public transport and unfriendly Kiwi "cliques" among their reasons for leaving. The number of British arrivals, meanwhile, has fallen, the numbers show.
Migrant figures from China and India, however, continue to increase, suggesting New Zealand is still attractive to some.
While some of the migrants Stuff consulted for this story shared the above-mentioned - and other - gripes, the vast majority said they are still happy to be here. For many it's a lifestyle choice - the cost of living, especially housing, being a concern for a lot of people.
British migrant Karl Corney returned from a 2003 holiday in New Zealand "with so many lovely stories of random kindness and altruism that it was always top of my list [of countries] to come back to".
While wary that pastures often seem greener elsewhere, Corney says he has never had such a strong connection with a country and continued to feel more homesick for New Zealand than he ever had for the UK.
Deciding to migrate, Corney says it took he and his wife the better part of 14 year to make it happen, during which time he completed a degree that would boost his chances.
MORE FROM
LORNA THORNBER • TRAVEL REPORTER
[email protected]
He is still "very" glad they made the effort, even if things haven't always worked out as planned.
"Like with all things, nothing and nowhere is perfect and the hardest elements were the bits we didn't expect - making close friends, settling in and having very little in the way of a support network to lean on when you are stressed or just having a tough day."
Living in Wellington, Corney feels he has a better work-life balance than he did in the UK and has found that New Zealand employers tend to invest more in their staff.
"Our quality of life has certainly improved, and with that our own outlook and perspectives are more positive too. For me, that's worth its weight in gold!
Warren Lightfoot, by contrast, says settling into New Zealand has proved a "huge challenge", in large part because he left a senior position in the UK and has taken a "huge hit" to his salary.
He and his wife Carol moved from the UK in January 2017 so she could pursue her passion for working with marine mammals. A hairdresser, Carol had completed a diploma in marine biology in the UK but the couple could not afford for her to do a degree there.
WARREN LIGHTFOOT
Warren Lightfoot says that while he has taken a big drop in earnings, his family is happy in New Zealand.
"[T]his would have cost close to £30,000 (NZ$58,000) in the UK and there wasn't much in the way of job opportunities once she achieved it," Warren says.
New Zealand's accessibility to marine life including whales and dolphins was a major drawcard but as Warren is earning less here than they had anticipated, Carol's study plans are still on hold.
"Things haven't panned out exactly as we'd hoped but the kids are happy, Carol is happy and - work aside - I am happy. So no regrets. Joining a Civil Defence Response Team was the best thing I have done since being here."
Similarly, while Tiffany Withers, who moved to New Zealand from the UK with her husband and two children in 2017, finds life in Auckland expensive, she feels the environment and lifestyle make it worth it.
"[W]e love city life combined with living by the beach," she says.
The thing that has impressed her most about New Zealand is the schooling, partly because she feels children are not under as much pressure.
"Here, [my son and] daughter are free to be children - something we wouldn't change for the world."
BROOK SABIN
Sunil Kaushal wondered whether he had landed in heaven after moving to the Bay of Plenty.
The relatively laidback lifestyle in New Zealand was also the biggest drawcard for most of the American migrants Stuff spoke with - together with the universal healthcare system, politics and the relative lack of violent crime.
Aaron Carlino says he was spending more on healthcare than his mortgage in the US and, with childcare costs also weighing on them, he and his wife realised they were just "spinning our wheels, not living the life we wanted".
"I had some connections out here, and one day, we just said, screw it, let's go."
Six months later they were in Wellington. Carlino considers the move the best decision they have ever made - although it didn't feel that way at first.
"I encourage people thinking about making the move to think of it in terms of a different life more than a better one. There are many things that are better. There are many things that we miss. We've had a lot of ups and downs and moments of doubt. Overall though, it really suits us."
One of the best things about New Zealand for Carlino is that people appear to be less materialistic than in America.
"No one cares what kind of car you drive or how big your house is or what clothes you wear. It's just a more humanistic culture, and people take you at face value with no pretences."
SUPPLIED
British migrant Tiffany Withers feels that being able to combine city and beach life makes the expense of living in Auckland worth it.
Fellow American migrant Maggie Riley moved to New Zealand to locum as a GP for a year "for fun and a change of pace". But it gave her such a different perspective on her homeland that she ultimately decided she couldn't live there anymore.
Moving back to the US felt "terrible", she says.
"The healthcare system, politics, capitalism culture, constant hustle bustle, volume of homework for the kids… Pretty quickly we realised the US wasn't for us anymore and now we've moved back to New Zealand permanently."
Samantha Higginbotham had also only planned to stay in New Zealand for a short while. She moved here to be with her Kiwi partner, planning to stay for a year or two before returning to the US, but the couple have just bought their first home in Auckland.
"I don't ever see myself returning," Higginbotham, a teacher, says.
While she describes teaching as a difficult profession to be in in both New Zealand and the US, she feels "New Zealand makes it easy" in comparison.
The healthcare system here is another major plus for her, along with her sense that it "just feels safer… When I go back to visit, I'm worried about gun violence almost everywhere I go."
Politics also influenced her decision to stay, she says, along with the diversity of people in Auckland.
"I come from Georgia where I only grew up around and knew white people. Here, I've learned so much about just being a human that I don't want to go back to a stifled environment."
Share
Play Video
MORNING REPORT/RNZ
Are immigration authorities putting up bureaucratic barriers to keep residence numbers low?
Gary Kumar moved to New Zealand three years ago in pursuit of a better lifestyle and healthcare after working in a "toxic" corporate environment in San Francisco.
Despite his experience as a regional sales manager for a multi-billion dollar wine and beverage distributor in California, Kumar struggled to find work in New Zealand, saying he was "classified as overqualified".
Starting up his own property portfolio business, Kumar say he is now "way better off" in Wellington than he was in the States and has a much bigger and better house.
Feeling much more relaxed since his move, Kumar also appreciates being in a "better", more diverse environment where people "are humble with a much better work attitude".
Much like Riley, Nic Heynekemp moved from the US "after so many things stopped making sense.
"I wanted a country where people trumped corporations, where sustainability was ingrained into the success of the country, where profit wasn't the underlying motive yet you can be successful, and where education isn't focused on university prep but rather life skills. I have found that in New Zealand and do not regret a moment of it."
Several American migrants mentioned the high cost of living in New Zealand too, however, while others said they had struggled to make friends with Kiwis.
"I find that Kiwis are friendly, so the staffroom isn't awkward, but are private so definitely hard to get an "in"," Higginbotham said.
PAMELA WADE
Many migrants live in New Zealand for lifestyle rather than financial reasons.
Kaushal says he has found salaries in finance to be fairly similar in New Zealand and India, but feels job opportunities and gender equality are better here. He also feels people have a better work-life balance in New Zealand and appreciates the opportunities available to children both in and outside the classroom.
New Zealand has changed a lot, he says, since he first arrived in Tauranga all those years ago.
"With more and more people travelling out of New Zealand, their world view of other cultures is changing and they are becoming more accepting and welcoming of other cultures... People from your politicians to sporting personalities and business leaders are all down-to-earth and happy to meet with you share a joke and take selfies."
Which isn't to say he still thinks he's landed in heaven. He wonders why a developed nation such as New Zealand tends to plan about a decade, rather than 40 years or more, in advance, failing to consider how decisions will impact upon future generations.
"We allow development without thinking about schooling, transportation, amenities…"
He also worries that New Zealand isn't doing enough to preserve the natural environment.
"We need to take pride and preserve this natural beauty or, with climate change and [rising tourism], we will lose what we have and then what?"
Still, asked whether he's still glad he made the move to New Zealand, Kaushal references Mastercard's old "Priceless" campaign, saying Kiwi life is among those things that money just can't buy.
Raising "proud Kiwi Indians" with the wife he met in his adopted homeland, Kaushal says he would make the same decision today.
"And I am sure it would be much easier now than years ago."
Are you a migrant in NZ? Has it lived up to your expectations? Let us know in the comments.
Stuff
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Wanking yourself or tiewing JohnTan will be much more enjoyable.
Unless you a masochist and want to fuck with old bones while legions of ghouls and demons down down below in 9th level of hell tiewing and kanning and fucking Gecko and that smear of shit on sole of shoe LKY in all their orifices, and new orifices the ghouls and demons made
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Use axe if her CB is tough. Whole piece hack out.
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The most incredible part is that 70% voted for this
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70% voted for their own gains. Not for this $60 m&d.
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