Migrant Tales : Reader Speak (Part 4)
April 10 2014
Every time a relative, friend or an acquaintance is planning to move from your native country to New Zealand, one is plagued by hundreds of queries and a constant need for attention. Indian Weekender has a few solutions to those woes.
For people migrating to New Zealand, just send them the checklist of what not to do. Let them know not to get any ethnic food and spices and 'masalas', they are all easily available here. Definitely tell them to shed their shyness and be willing to ask, as people here are more than happy to help. The cultural amalgamation in NZ might give a few people, a culture shock, but let them know its 'Sweet As Bro...'
The place, the people, the food, the language...nothing is alien as long as you are willing to appreciate what New Zealand has to offer.
While there are a lot many positives that we would want to share, a few warnings are a must, and we decided it is better they come from the horses mouth. We have a mix of students, professionals, young families who have recently moved to New Zealand sharing how their expectations were met or thwarted by NZ's reality. So we let the readers have a say, read on to reminiscence your own experiences.
Here are some more stories from the readers:
Clear night sky, with brilliant full moon, stars as near as clear twinkling at me!!! Gush of spine chilling touching my cheeks playing with my hair my first acquaintance with NZ. I landed with my partner, to start a new journey a new phase, in December 2012. After fighting with month long jet lag, finally I admired the unmatchable beauty around me, I originally belong to the Himalayas, greenery, peaceful, natural things were always my cup of tea. And now here I am enjoying every bit of it. NZ always made me feel home away from home. Whenever I miss the Indian spicy snacks, Sandringham just vanishes that urge. Friendly shop owners with warm welcoming smiles, delicious Indian food. That is the million dollar happiness you get to find it somewhere you least expect. It's difficult to sum up my story but I had d most amazing time here till now and expect it to remain full of excitement adventure n amazement.
- Meghna Baloonie
Moving to a new country can truly be an experience like none other. For most people, it is one of the most important decisions of their lives, perhaps even more important than deciding whether to get married or not. Having spent a few years in the UK, I was not as nervous as someone moving abroad for the first time would be, however fear of the unknown was still visiting my mind every now and then. Trying to be as pro-active as I could be, I started applying for jobs a few weeks prior to my departure to New Zealand. I was then working as an International Marketing Officer in Pakistan for one of UK’s best Universities. After arriving at the very picturesque Auckland, I soon started to realise that life in New Zealand was not as calm and tranquil as the place itself. It took me two months to find a job that I thought was a considerably better start in a new country as compared to the ‘Call Centre’ offers I had been receiving.
- Hassan Tariq
The ‘Kiwi’ people are as good as any other people I have come across in my life. The work place is here is rather casual. I felt a bit odd wearing suits and dress shirts at the office where my bosses were in Jeans and T-shirts. I guess one gets used to everything with time and that is what happened with me as well. For someone working and earning in New Zealand, I think house rents are not too absurd. Apart from the leaky homes, lack of good clothing brands and extremely expensive tomatoes in the winters, New Zealand is a wonderful place to live specially for a couple. However, I am not sure if this is a place your kids would want to grow up.
-Shanzey Shah Hassan
I was given a much better impression of the universities than they actually are. I wasn’t impressed with the education system here. That said, I know that some technical courses are taught really well here. I was told TradeMe will help me find accommodation. Every post in TradeMe mentioned how well connected and close to the bus stop the house was. I wasn’t told that bus frequencies are the worst. I also wasn’t told that the New Zealand definition of ‘close’ differs from the rest of the world. Some people told me there are NO jobs. That is not true. I agree though that the ideal job is very, very hard to come by. I was given an impression that it is not very expensive. Because international education here is cheaper than going to other parts of the world. However, I wasn’t told that the cost of living is extremely high. My friends in the US have a huge slice of pizza with a drink for $2. ;)
- Alisha Iyer
It’s hard to believe that it’s been over three years since I bought a one-way flight to Auckland. I had heard mysterious rumors of the friendliness of the Kiwi people, and when I was backpacking around the world. I met many people from New Zealand, and I was struck by how kind they were. That being said, I was not prepared for just how friendly and sweet everyone is in New Zealand. And I mean EVERYONE! Not even exaggerating. From the shopkeepers to the bartenders to the average person walking down the street, if there is one thing you can always count on in New Zealand is just how lovely and friendly everyone is. Moving abroad is scary. Moving abroad to a new country without knowing a single person is absolutely terrifying. However, picking a place with super friendly people has made all the difference. New Zealand is ridiculously beautiful. No matter where you are in the entire country, you are likely a stone’s throw away from a place that will make your jaw drop open in awe. This is probably my favorite thing about NZ. I need beautiful landscapes and lush natural spots to feel comfortable and at peace. Lucky for me, New Zealand has just that.
- Kunal Haridasani
Every time a relative, friend or an acquaintance is planning to move from your native country to New Zealand, one is plagued by hundreds of queries and a constant need for attention. Indian Weekender has a few solutions to those woes.
For people migrating to New Zealand, just send them the...
Every time a relative, friend or an acquaintance is planning to move from your native country to New Zealand, one is plagued by hundreds of queries and a constant need for attention. Indian Weekender has a few solutions to those woes.
For people migrating to New Zealand, just send them the checklist of what not to do. Let them know not to get any ethnic food and spices and 'masalas', they are all easily available here. Definitely tell them to shed their shyness and be willing to ask, as people here are more than happy to help. The cultural amalgamation in NZ might give a few people, a culture shock, but let them know its 'Sweet As Bro...'
The place, the people, the food, the language...nothing is alien as long as you are willing to appreciate what New Zealand has to offer.
While there are a lot many positives that we would want to share, a few warnings are a must, and we decided it is better they come from the horses mouth. We have a mix of students, professionals, young families who have recently moved to New Zealand sharing how their expectations were met or thwarted by NZ's reality. So we let the readers have a say, read on to reminiscence your own experiences.
Here are some more stories from the readers:
Clear night sky, with brilliant full moon, stars as near as clear twinkling at me!!! Gush of spine chilling touching my cheeks playing with my hair my first acquaintance with NZ. I landed with my partner, to start a new journey a new phase, in December 2012. After fighting with month long jet lag, finally I admired the unmatchable beauty around me, I originally belong to the Himalayas, greenery, peaceful, natural things were always my cup of tea. And now here I am enjoying every bit of it. NZ always made me feel home away from home. Whenever I miss the Indian spicy snacks, Sandringham just vanishes that urge. Friendly shop owners with warm welcoming smiles, delicious Indian food. That is the million dollar happiness you get to find it somewhere you least expect. It's difficult to sum up my story but I had d most amazing time here till now and expect it to remain full of excitement adventure n amazement.
- Meghna Baloonie
Moving to a new country can truly be an experience like none other. For most people, it is one of the most important decisions of their lives, perhaps even more important than deciding whether to get married or not. Having spent a few years in the UK, I was not as nervous as someone moving abroad for the first time would be, however fear of the unknown was still visiting my mind every now and then. Trying to be as pro-active as I could be, I started applying for jobs a few weeks prior to my departure to New Zealand. I was then working as an International Marketing Officer in Pakistan for one of UK’s best Universities. After arriving at the very picturesque Auckland, I soon started to realise that life in New Zealand was not as calm and tranquil as the place itself. It took me two months to find a job that I thought was a considerably better start in a new country as compared to the ‘Call Centre’ offers I had been receiving.
- Hassan Tariq
The ‘Kiwi’ people are as good as any other people I have come across in my life. The work place is here is rather casual. I felt a bit odd wearing suits and dress shirts at the office where my bosses were in Jeans and T-shirts. I guess one gets used to everything with time and that is what happened with me as well. For someone working and earning in New Zealand, I think house rents are not too absurd. Apart from the leaky homes, lack of good clothing brands and extremely expensive tomatoes in the winters, New Zealand is a wonderful place to live specially for a couple. However, I am not sure if this is a place your kids would want to grow up.
-Shanzey Shah Hassan
I was given a much better impression of the universities than they actually are. I wasn’t impressed with the education system here. That said, I know that some technical courses are taught really well here. I was told TradeMe will help me find accommodation. Every post in TradeMe mentioned how well connected and close to the bus stop the house was. I wasn’t told that bus frequencies are the worst. I also wasn’t told that the New Zealand definition of ‘close’ differs from the rest of the world. Some people told me there are NO jobs. That is not true. I agree though that the ideal job is very, very hard to come by. I was given an impression that it is not very expensive. Because international education here is cheaper than going to other parts of the world. However, I wasn’t told that the cost of living is extremely high. My friends in the US have a huge slice of pizza with a drink for $2. ;)
- Alisha Iyer
It’s hard to believe that it’s been over three years since I bought a one-way flight to Auckland. I had heard mysterious rumors of the friendliness of the Kiwi people, and when I was backpacking around the world. I met many people from New Zealand, and I was struck by how kind they were. That being said, I was not prepared for just how friendly and sweet everyone is in New Zealand. And I mean EVERYONE! Not even exaggerating. From the shopkeepers to the bartenders to the average person walking down the street, if there is one thing you can always count on in New Zealand is just how lovely and friendly everyone is. Moving abroad is scary. Moving abroad to a new country without knowing a single person is absolutely terrifying. However, picking a place with super friendly people has made all the difference. New Zealand is ridiculously beautiful. No matter where you are in the entire country, you are likely a stone’s throw away from a place that will make your jaw drop open in awe. This is probably my favorite thing about NZ. I need beautiful landscapes and lush natural spots to feel comfortable and at peace. Lucky for me, New Zealand has just that.
- Kunal Haridasani
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