Complaints about living in New Zealand? (bankrupt, restaurants, homeless)
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When reading the comments to that article, please be aware that I tried posting a comment on the article that was just a little more positive but it was deleted by the admin of that site. So it seems they only accept negative comments to suit whatever they are trying to portray. With that in mind, you have to assume there's a level of anti-NZ or anti-NZ immigration or whatever propaganda going on. I wouldn't worry. You'll be fine in NZ. I know an American family reasonably well. They're awesome people and seem to enjoy their life here.
Auckland is very different from the rest of the country. AKL is similar to any other large city anywhere else in the world (crowded, expensive - relative to NZ of course!). The rest of NZ less so (although rural Canterbury can feel like the American Midwest).
This is pretty much the conclusion I came to after doing some research.
I am planning to spend a few weeks in NZ, probably in Tauranga, in February. As part of my research I looked at real estate prices in different areas of NZ, because that is what I know best, and I am always interested in how real estate is transacted in the countries I visit. The prices in Auckland are very high, not quite NYC high, but per square foot costs are 2-4 times more in Auckland than most anywhere else in NZ. Unless one has a very high paying job, I should think living in Auckland is a very low quality of life.
Aside: I read people complaining about the rise in NZ real estate prices in the past two years, but they seem to unaware that the value of the NZ dollar has dropped significantly over the past two years, down about 30% vs. the US dollar.
Unless one has a very high paying job, I should think living in Auckland is a very low quality of life.
I don't know if I would go that far. It's all relative and depends on your experiences, expectations, and needs.
Yes, Auckland can be more stressful and expensive compared to other places in NZ, but in return, you get certain things that you can't get anywhere else in NZ (or to the same extent). AKL has a huge variety of restaurants, many opportunities for arts and culture, more chances for those with career aspirations (which do not necessarily equal wanting more money), more cultural diversity, more educational opportunities, many social groups and clubs, easier access to international travel, etc.
And while AKL is very urban in NZ terms, if you're coming from a major city anywhere else, it can seem quite small.
After reading the original posters link to E2NZ.org... I would agree with Davenz and Joe90.....very biased and anti NZ blog.
I am a Kiwi, well travelled and living abroad at the moment with my husband in Europe. The Kiwi Rip Off article is one of many over the years pointing out mainly how expensive NZ is. One of the reasons we left - expense of everything. Rent at $1600 NZ you think isn't bad, but you need to put that into perspective with low wages and salaries. Its expensive. We pay 400.00 Euro a month for similar. But its all relative to what you earn, where you live and cost of living. In NZ unfortunately pays are low and COL is high, as is the property market. House prices do not get affected as much in NZ by the downturns overseas IMO. House prices seem to just stay high or get higher - both in cities and towns....unbelievable really. So you have to get a big mortgage or not buy at all.
I agree with Cloudwalkers post. The South Island is beautiful. NZ'ers are no different to any other people.. just different culture. Life is totally different to the U.S. though. (and yes have lived there as well. Husband had 20 years there earlier in life). In NZ life isn't centered around, long hours at work, university degrees, guns, and what religious or political faction you happen to be. I have lived many years in both North and South Island in NZ - they are both beautiful for different reasons - like Canada, Like Scotland, like Desert in Otago Canterbury areas.... but I love the South best....
But as Fuzz posts also, you need to travel there and enjoy different cultures and people. I have only ever heard people mention how loud Americans are when they speak, otherwise, IMHO no person I have come into contact with has ever belittled them or other travellers for where they come from. Quite the opposite, you get drawn to them as most Kiwi's are travellers, being so far from everywhere else, you have to get out and see the World. Most do return, but that was a long time ago, many don't now, because its so expensive. I don't think anyone likes opinionated people anywhere in the world, it is rude to toot ones own horn, but it doesn't make them a bad person. We are all different, its what makes the world go round.
NZ has so much to do, everywhere you go, and it doesn't have to be in the big cities. Nelson, Queenstown, Dunedin, Wanaka, Christchurch, Kaikoura, Blenheim, Hanmer - all places with a lot of fun and things to do.. outside and inside. In the South Island, in the Nelson/Marlborough region, it is like living in an outdoor heaven....lots to do, very sunny (largest sun hours in NZ), cold in winter, not normally snow on the ground at all, but gets really cold into the -minus degrees in the mornings. Nothing like a Wisconsin cold though Brrrrr !!!NZ has everything to do!
There is no lack of ambition either - people have goals and want to achieve, certainly most of our friends in the South and North have their own homes, good jobs, and travel yearly on holiday. They like going out, eating good food, good restaurants, theatre, vineyards, catching up at cafes with friends, going to gyms to work out, Rugby (yes), soccer, sailing, mountain climbing - just like many middle class people love to do.
As for crime - unfortunately there is a lot of crime in NZ per capita, mainly in Auckland, and mainly, correct me if I'm wrong, but alot is Domestic crime. Amazingly you don't really see it, but its there, wherever you live. After looking at crime statistics around the World, I know its not something I would be concerned with in NZ. You just have to be aware if you are out late at night, early morning - as you would anywhere in the world.
Life is what you make it. If you are bored, then its your problem, not the country. NZers have everything at their fingers tips, and as long as you can afford it, you will have a ball. Unfortunately many people live from pay to pay and can't save for retirement, but they still enjoy life on what they do have. Exchange rate for some is an issue if you have pay coming into NZ as the dollar has been terrible, although the NZ dollar went down recently, it has gone back up since. So for some, will always be an issue.
For others though, the cost of living overall is exhorbitant and being able to save means leaving to do it elsewhere and then maybe return later in life !
It's a bit sad if you're choosing how many people are in McDonalds as your example of whether American culture is popular with non-Americans. Have either of you actually been to New Zealand or Australia?
I think for many New Zealanders and Australians their feelings about the US are complicated. They find it fascinating to visit but don't necessarily want to live there or have their country be like it. Generally they like Americans, not "America". Many find Americans to be extremely friendly, polite, and outgoing, love the regional differences in music and food, enjoy the cars and roadtrips, are very fond of the great cable tv shows, but are baffled by the attachment to handguns, the flag, and for-profit healthcare, struggle to understand the indifference to homelessness, having the highest rate of incarceration in the world and unbridled police power, terrified of the political chaos and instability of the last five years and the potential consequences for the rest of the world, and insulted and disbelieving of the whole "America is the greatest country on earth" exceptionalism bs. Let's not even get started on Covid and the resistance to vaccination and wearing masks.
The US has much to be proud of, I live here and love this place in spite of all that, but it is seriously broken at the moment. Thinking that non-Americans, especially NZers and Australians, don't see all those things and shake their heads is delusional.
It's a bit sad if you're choosing how many people are in McDonalds as your example of whether American culture is popular with non-Americans. Have either of you actually been to New Zealand or Australia?
On the contrary, that’s one as to measure popularity, though by no means the only one. American culture (aka products) are widely used all over the world.
Quote:
I think for many New Zealanders and Australians their feelings about the US are complicated. They find it fascinating to visit but don't necessarily want to live there or have their country be like it. Generally they like Americans, not "America". Many find Americans to be extremely friendly, polite, and outgoing, love the regional differences in music and food, enjoy the cars and roadtrips, are very fond of the great cable tv shows, but are baffled by the attachment to handguns, the flag, and for-profit healthcare, struggle to understand the indifference to homelessness, having the highest rate of incarceration in the world and unbridled police power, terrified of the political chaos and instability of the last five years and the potential consequences for the rest of the world, and insulted and disbelieving of the whole "America is the greatest country on earth" exceptionalism bs. Let's not even get started on Covid and the resistance to vaccination and wearing masks.
The US has much to be proud of, I live here and love this place in spite of all that, but it is seriously broken at the moment. Thinking that non-Americans, especially NZers and Australians, don't see all those things and shake their heads is delusional.
A lot of those are true. Most Aussies find the American for-profit healthcare repulsive as well as the prevalence of firearms...
When it comes to the attitude towards wearing masks and vaccination, it’s a lot more complicated. On a whole, there’s less pushback, but there’s certainly a lot of visible opposition as well. Melbourne just had a major anti-lockdown protest yesterday, where inbound public transport was temporarily suspended. Granted, anti lockdown and mask/vaccine aren’t the same thing, but there are a lot who fall into both camps.
Australia has many of the same problems that the United States has, though they’re on a smaller scale.
Go to any McDonalds outside the U. S. A. you will generally find it busy, crowded, etc.. So much for dislike of American culture around the world.
In our LGA of Sydney, population of around 230,000, there are several hundred restaurants, including 8 McDonalds. Actually the one at the busiest suburb, at the beach, closed and was replaced by a kebab restaurant.
McDonalds are popular when people are travelling as they have clean toilets. Also can be good with preschoolers as many have decent playgrounds.
In other words, there are certainly aspects of American culture that are popular, but it is not ubiquitous.
Our parliamentary system is a hybrid of the British Westminster system and the American system. Our current opposition party is actually called the Labor Party, with American spelling rather than using the Australian spelling of labour. There was some historical reason that I cannot recall. Our capital city of a Canberra was designed by an American but the Sydney Opera house was designed by a Dane.
But this thread was started to share information about living in New Zealand, not Australia.
It is actually quite relevant as at the moment, there is a lot of admiration for NZ in many places and it is common to see people on forums being interested in living there. It is good for people to be aware that it is not just a transplanted bit of the US, UK or Australia, for that matter. It is also worth keeping in mind that about 500,000 Kiwis live in Australia whereas about 60,000 Aussies live over there. Generally because NZ has lower pay and higher costs.
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