British Immigrant Stories
Escaping the cold and the crowds? Hear how your fellow brits have successfully established themselves in our piece of paradise.
Kirsty Lang
Resides in: Whakatane
Moved From: United Kingdom
Job Title: Legal Administrator
The opportunities are here, it is up to you what you make of them.
My kiwi husband [from Kawerau] and I had just been married and he was made redundant. We had planned to stay in the UK to build up funds but decided that this was an opportunity to return and begin a different way of life away from the hustle and bustle of the UK, the problems that we were faced with the merging of Eastern Europe into the EU and the potential for terrorist action.
Kirsty works as a legal administrator at the local council. Adjusting to a new social, friendly and relaxed lifestyle has not been easy for her. Making new friends, finding a job and "being aware that there are different ways that other people may do things" are all challenges she has had to overcome.
She is now enjoying life in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, especially the weather, living near the sea and the relaxed atmosphere.
Kirsty's advice to those considering moving to the Eastern Bay of Plenty:
Come and live here, the weather is good, the people are friendly and welcoming, There is plenty to do, bush walks, the beaches are not far away.
The possibilities are endless.
Richard Hamer
Resides in: Whakatane
Moved From: Wales
Job Title: Community Coordinator
"The best place on earth to bring up children."
Living in another part of the world which was not so populated and stressful but somewhere that English was the main language were important factors for Richard, along with a warmer climate - there needed to be more sunshine than the UK!
Our dream was to settle in a smallish town, with access to the sea, bush and with a nice climate. The fact that we had never even visited [New Zealand] before made the idea much more like an adventure . . .
The only friend we knew in NZ was in Gore, so we first visited there and then moved up and across NZ, staying for several months in Napier until we visited what we believed was our ideal spot (Whakatane). We moved here 7 years ago and have never looked back.
Richard is employed as an Adult and Community Education and Sponsorship Coordinator, a similar position to previous work in the UK.
As long as you are flexible, willing and able, work opportunities will show themselves and the community is extremely open to assisting new people and families to move here and settle in.
The main challenges for Richard and his family included "money and the amount of time and uncertainty waiting for visas" as well as "leaving all friends and family in [the] UK". He also wished he had researched the comparisons between qualifications before moving to NZ to assist in his job search.
Richard's advice for those considering moving to the area:
- Go for it
- You have nothing to lose
- It's a piece of paradise
I wish we had moved here a lot earlier . . . it's an awesome place to live.
Cashy Ball
Resides in: Whakatane
Moved From: United Kingdom
Job Title: Policy Analyst
I would say that it was the climate, activities, environment and house prices that brought me here, but the people that have kept me here.
Cashy escaped the "rat race" of the UK as a graduate and is enjoying a more relaxed life and financial security. She is a Policy Analyst at a local council.
[New Zealand] is not so different to England, but sunnier, more beautiful, more things to do and really nice people. Oh and bringing pounds over made New Zealand much more affordable than England. It was also a country that would accept us as migrants.
Whakatane is a small town, with a very friendly atmosphere, a relaxed pace of life and masses to do. But it is also only an hour away from 2 large cities and is close enough to the mountains for skiing, [it has] many beautiful lakes to play [in], and Auckland isn't even that far away.
The immigration process was very long winded and ended up costing a huge amount of time and money. Leaving family is never easy, but I still get to see my family and friends pretty regularly, we have a constant flow of visitors and SKYPE really helps. Once we'd settled in to our new lives, with new friends and such nice people it has been really easy.
It seems to be hard for couples to both get good jobs in the area. There are not a huge number of quality employers in the area and while most people find something, it would be hard to cope financially if two people had to rely on both finding high paying jobs.
I had been led to believe, by local recruitment agencies, that you could only get minimum wage jobs here - that is definitely not true. It has definitely exceeded my expectations.
Cashy’s advice to others considering the same move:
Definitely do it, it will be the best decision you'll ever make - as long as:
You don't expect it to be like where ever you've come from - embrace it for what it is.
If you make the decision to move here - don't keep looking back, get on with your new life.
If you hate the outdoors and love shopping then you might want to look elsewhere.
Whakatane is a great place to be. There is so much to do and see. The people are really friendly and welcoming. But, house prices aren't cheap on a national scale and work opportunities aren't endless. If you can bring some money with you, or you've got good earning potential then you'll do well.
Dan Wonacott
Resides in: Whakatane
Moved From: England
Job Title: Managing Director
Climate, pace of life, fishing, friendliness.
Dan wanted to escape the UK lifestyle and was looking for an English speaking country with a similar political setup and a good climate.
I wanted a reasonably large town, of which there are not many in NZ. Chose Tauranga for climate and location. Got to Tauranga, didn't like it - too big, too much industry, not the picture of NZ in my mind. Journeyed down the coast and hit Whakatane which had everything we wanted.
Dan runs his own software development business and loves the fact that he can code all day, and head to the beach to put out the long line in the evening. His three bits of advice for you...
Make sure you don't want to live in a 'city'.
Do it.
Do it!
