Valerie
@prettywitty
American expat in New Zealand
Forum
41 posts
Contacts
3
About me
American
Lives in Auckland
Speaks English
Registration: 11 January 2012
Activity
Property prices in New Zealand by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Finding affordable housing in New Zealand is number one priority for newcomers. Tell us more about the estate market in your district/city/region. What are the most desired places to live? What are the most affordable ones? ...
I agree, the housing quality is not of the same standard as Europe and certainly no where near that of the USA. You can find comfortable housing on the North Island where I live, if you look around a bit. It is expensive though. In the USA I paid ... Read More
to work as a doctor by madushika lokuarachchi
Hi I'm planning to migrate to new Zealand with my husband.I would like to work as a doctor.anybody know how to get started?
I agree Kiwis aren't the best drivers in the world but they do use indicators for the most part. At least in the Auckland area they do. They're not the worst drivers I've ever seen but still drive worse than where I'm from. It's ... Read More
Wanting to head out to incredible NZ by Flashgear
Hello all! I'm new to Expat.com and I'm excited to be here! I'm hoping I can get some much needed guidance in moving over to this incredible country, NZ and meet some people along the way :) This is such an awesome resource of a site ...
I already had a job when I came to NZ but didn't have registration with the council in my field so I came on a visitors visa and I visited for 6 weeks until my registration went through and then applied for a work visa. I then was able to start ... Read More
Setting up Business in NZ by schaz
Can anyone guide if one can setup a business, based on the partnership "work visa" ? I have gone through the requirements of setting up the stuff, however, just confused in the visa status permissions.
Best to contact immigration on that issue. Read More
In retrospect, would you move again to New Zealand? by Christine
Hi all, If you had to look back on your expat experience in New Zealand, would you heartily say "lets do it again"? From the preparation stage to your actual everyday life in your new country, what did you enjoy the most? Would you do ...
I love NZ and would move again in a heart beat. Lovely scenery, nice people, no drastic climate changes. an all around lovely place to be. Read More
Essentials to live in New Zealand by Christine
Hi, As an expat living in New Zealand, what would you advise the ones about to pack to bring along? What are the items you can easily find in New Zealand? On the other hand, what is less common or quite expensive? Share with us what you ...
No need to bring a lot of stuff with you to NZ. A lot of apartments and other rental properties can be rented with everything and I do mean everything already supplied. From bedding and towels to cutlery, plates and frying pans. I would only bring ... Read More
Adapting to the climate in New Zealand by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Adjusting to new climatic conditions is key in any expatriation process. Moving to New Zealand is no exception. What are the climate characteristics of New Zealand? How does the local weather impact your daily life, mood or ...
I live on the North Island just North of Auckland so winters are rainy but mild temperatures. It rarely gets down to freezing. It can be quite cool at times with the rain and humidity but nothing like winters in the USA where I came from. Houses ... Read More
to work as a doctor by madushika lokuarachchi
Hi I'm planning to migrate to new Zealand with my husband.I would like to work as a doctor.anybody know how to get started?
I went through an agency called Accent Health Care. They got me the interview and were a great guide as far as how to put together my CV and apply for licensure and such. Read More
Newbie in Auckland by ms joyce
Hi all, I am a Filipina and is currently staying in Auckland for a month or two. Wish to meet some friends around. And will appreciate if you can share some tips and interesting places to visit in Auckland. Thank you!
A good way to meet people and have some fun is thru Meetup groups. Just type in Meet up groups Auckland in your browser and you should be able to find something fun to do and make some new friends as well. Read More
Making phone calls in New Zealand by Maximilien
Hi, When settling in New Zealand, one of the priorities is to be able to make phone calls. How to proceed to get a landline installed in New Zealand? What are the mobile operators? What is your average monthly budget? Thank you in ...
If you are moving here from overseas the cheapest way to call over seas family is via skype. To call the USA from here it is 10 cents to connect and 2 to 3 cents a minute there after. The price of a decent cell phone plan is around $49 a month. You ... Read More
Driving in New Zealand by Maximilien
Hi, What do you think of the way people drive in New Zealand? How different is it from your home country? Respecting the road safety rules, driving etiquette such as general courtesy, speed excess what are the characteristics of the driving ...
I find the traffic is much slower in New Zealand than in big cities in the USA. Fewer speeders in New Zealand also. Motorcycles are quite scary here. They weave in and out of traffic, pull up on your left side and pass you by driving in between the ... Read More
Safety in New Zealand by Christine
Hi, We would like to talk about a sensitive but important topic: do you feel safe in New Zealand? How would you define the level of safety in the country? Can you walk safely during the day and at night without any fear? Do you think ...
I have lived here for 3 years and find NZ to be much safer than the USA. Yes there is crime in NZ and in some areas there seems to be quite a lot. I think most crime is related to drinking and drugging. I feel pretty safe since I don't engage in ... Read More
Accommodation and transport in Christchurch by Jgamba
I secured employment in Christchurch from 3 August 2015. My wife and I need accommodation for about 6 - 9 months. What is the best way to source and secure a rental apartment/ house (preferably furnished)? How easy is it to do everything from ...
Also look at www.realestate.co.nz. They usually have rental listings Read More
Help/Advice Needed about relocation to NZ by lmclmf2009
Hello Everyone, I was hoping you could offer some advice to us. My husband, myself and our 7 year old daughter are considering a move to NZ in the next year or so. We are from the U.S. but currently reside in the Dominican Republic. We had a few ...
I moved here from the USA about 3 years ago. I live in the Auckland area as that is where most of the jobs seem to be. If your husband is a labourer he could most likely find work in Christ Church which is a little cheaper to live in than the ... Read More
Healthcare Jobs by Dhooy7
I am considering getting my Bachelor's degree and then traveling to New Zealand to see how I like it. If I like it I will probably get a work visa for 2 years and then get residency and go onto school to get reduced education costs, such as ...
I work at Auckland City hospital on the mental health unit and we have around 19 vacancies at the moment for nurses and allied health. Read More