Why choose New Zealand?
If you’ve grown tired of a life in the UK, the prospect of emigrating can be incredibly exciting. Moving to another country offers the chance to begin a new life in a refreshing culture, and can sometimes offer better job opportunities, healthcare and education.
That said, moving across the world to a country vastly different to what you’re used to can be daunting and enough to keep people plodding along at home.
You might be ready to leave Britain behind, but there’s going to be a few you thing you’ll always miss about good old Blighty. If this sounds like a sentiment you’re experiencing, find out why New Zealand could be the place for you.
The language
One of the most daunting prospects of moving abroad is the difficulty of overcoming the language barrier. Shouldn’t be a problem in English speaking New Zealand!
That said, if you’ve got a passion for learning new languages, why not have a go at learning Māori? The language of the indigenous Māori people almost disappeared following the Second World War, although it was declared one of the country’s official languages in 1987 and continues to be spoken by a small proportion of the population.
The weather
When it comes to choosing a new country to call home, a lot of people have just one priority; sunshine!
It’s understandable. We’re not exactly blessed in the UK when it comes to weather, so it’s easy to see why a lot of people head off in search of sunnier climes. That said, there’s a big difference between spending a fortnight lying by the pool and actually living in the heat of a tropical climate.
New Zealand’s climate is not that dissimilar to Great Britain, and the average temperatures is around 15 degree Celsius – although it’s generally a lot sunnier. However, conditions vary across the nation, so it’s a good idea to choose the region which has weather to suit you.
Housing
Unlike some countries popular with expats, such as Thailand, foreigners can own property in New Zealand. It’s even possible to secure a mortgage (a difficult process if you plan on moving to the US) although you will need a bigger deposit than New Zealand nationals.
Anyone who has already made the plunge and emigrated to another country, will tell you that selling your house right away is a bad idea. Emigrating isn’t for everyone and you’ll only know whether you’ve made the right decision after a good few months of living the New Zealand lifestyle.
It means that you won’t be able to free the capital in your UK property right away, but holding the sale until you’re well and truly settled will save you huge problems should you decide to head home. Paying a mortgage from abroad is relatively simple if you use international payments services from companies like Travelex; it’s a fast and secure way of making payments, and is designed for people moving abroad.
Travelex are also a great place to turn to if you need to transfer money abroad – this is useful if you need to send money home to relatives, or vice versa.
Culture
Of course, no one is saying that New Zealand is another version of the UK – just on the other side of the world. If it was, what would be the point moving there?
You will find similarities between New Zealand and the UK. Natives are usually a little shy and forthcoming at first, but will make you feel welcome into the country. Furthermore, the nation combines both tradition and innovation, much in the way that Britain does.
One thing Brits will find different is the pace of life. New Zealanders are a lot like their Australian neighbours; people work hard at their jobs, but there is a definite emphasis on enjoying yourself and staying active to relax. The country boasts amazing scenery – hence why it was chosen as the filming location for the Lord of the Rings film – and sport is popular throughout the nation.
To find out more information about life in New Zealand, including job opportunities, take a look at Working in New Zealand. You can also check if your eligible for a New Zealand visa by taking a test on the website.
