Hello from the Token Paddy

[Guest TokenPaddy]

Hiya

 

Like all the other newbies I have been reading this site for months, found it by accident when I was looking for an Expat/Irish site which I found but it was all irish dancing costumes and stew recipes an' I'd look real stupid in an dancing costume with my arms stuck to my sides when I'm making the dinner!!! so I figured I could be the token Paddy on this site if you'll have me.

 

We originally tried for Oz but didn't make the points and our agent suggested NZ which at first we wern't interested in but decided it was fate and we should give it a go. We all agreed (kids and' all) we would give it 3 years anything less would'nt be giving it a fair

crack.

 

The story so far is this: Dysfunctional family that we are we arrived one by one in New Zealand in March, June, July and October of 2003.

 

OH and me in our 40's I'm being diplomatic okay, Daughters were 20 and 18. Number two daughter who arrived last took one look at the place said "You're having a laugh" and headed home on Christmas Day - well she had to have her presents and her dinner first!!! Number one daughter really missed her sister and trust me that was a first so she high-tailed it back to Erin's green isle and left Ma an' Da in NZ.

 

Sticking to the plan we have now been here 4 years and to say it's been hard yakka is an understatement. The NZ dream is over and the possibility of work for the OH in Oz is beckoning, we haven't given up totally on the idea that the girls will find Oz more appealing but at this stage we are considering giving it a go for a year.

 

So if being a Paddy doesn't rule us out (we're from Belfast N Ireland so we are British) I'd love to be part of a great family who really care about each other.

 

Cheers

 

Anne

[Guest afiyafifi]

Hi Anne , welcome to pio and the family, you will love this site and be addicted in no time , hope all goes well with move to oz and i hope your girls decide to move over ... take care karen

[Guest afiyafifi]

Thought i would send you this karen

[Guest billy braveheart]

Hi Anne

 

to Poms In Oz.

 

Good luck with moving to Oz & I also hope your daughters come over & settle with you both.

 

Janette

[alcocainmel]

Hi Anne

 

to PIO. Good luck with your move to Oz and hope the girls come too!!

 

Deb xx

[Life on easy street]

The Impression I get is that New Zealand is a great country

To live in if you move over there well cashed up.

If not it can be a long hard struggle.

 

The only drawback it is even more isolated from the rest of the western world

Than Australia.

 

Consequently the wages and job opportunities are not a good as Australia.

 

you certainly gave it a good try 4 years .

 

I have heard a few Irish accents here in melbourne so it should not be a problem.

[Guest TokenPaddy]

Thanks Karen, Janette and Deb for the BIG WELCOME it's made me feel all warm and fuzzy.

 

I suspect that life in Oz is a lot like NZ - 70,000 Kiwis can't be wrong with 30,000 of them in Queensland so if we get there is shouldn't be too much of a shock to the system but I'll keep you posted on that score.

 

I can't do any of that fancy stuff yet but I'll get there in the end.

 

Cheers

 

Anne

[Guest TokenPaddy]

Yes yes and yes you're quite right but in hindsight I would have done at least two things:

 

1. Get the kids in to the country before age 11 so that they started Intermediate School on a level pegging with the other kids which would have made intergration much easier. If your kid is not sporty they're in for a hard time.

 

2. Have brought everything including the "kitchen sink" with me as affordable quality is hard to find. Everything here is made in China to a much more inferior standard than basic UK standard.

 

Job wise we have been lucky as we are both paid pretty good wages by NZ standards but the cost of living is high relative to wages for staple groceries. Job opportunities for my OH are non-existant and he is completely bored out of his tree in the job he's doing now so something's got to give.

 

Oz, if we get there will be a "last stand" for us so this Christmas there'll be a big pow wow to work out the next move.

 

Cheers

 

Anne

[Guest mutikonka]

Hi Anne,

 

We did the same - rejected by Oz, we migrated to NZ and stayed there four years until children came along and we decided to hop over the ditch to Oz to bring them up - this time possible thanks to our NZ Passports.

We didn't find NZ a struggle - in fact the lifestyle in Auckland was probably more pleasant than our hectic urban existence in inner city Sydney. I can imageine regional NZ would be different, but depends what line of work you're in, I guess.

 

BTW plenty of Paddies in Australia, of course

[Guest Spinderella]

Hi Anne

 

We're in NZ too - Taupo, which I think is a couple of hours from PN - been here just over a year and totally agree that cost of living in NZ is ridiculous ! Winter blooming cold too... Our dream is to get to OZ - we're in our 40s too and as we haven't been here long enough to get our NZ Passports we are having to go down the 457 Sponsored route (if we can ever find an employer to sponsor my OH !). Whilst we have loved living here, we feel that Oz is where we want to settle - climate, lifestyle, etc seem great to us.

 

Good luck with your plans - I hope your daughters get the taste for Oz when you get there and you all live happily ever after in the sun !!!

[calNgary]

Welcome to poms in oz and to our big happy family, you seem pretty determind to get to Oz so i hope everything goes to plan for you,

Cal x

[Life on easy street]

Australian Irish Newspaper

 

http://www.irishecho.com.au/

[Kabroom]

Hi Anne,

 

Welcome to PIO and good luck with your plans for oz.

 

Wendy

[Guest Mrs C]

Hi Anne,

 

Just wanted to say WELCOME to the site. I hope all your plans come together and your two girl's join you in OZ. Isn't it funny - this Sibling thing? Can't live with em - can't live without em! My two girls are 16 & 18 and argue most of the time!

 

Let's just hope that you being on this site brings us The Luck of The Irish, especially those waiting for their visa.

 

Good Luck April x

[Guest Serenity]

Hi

 

No need to worry you aren't the only Irish person on here. I am Irish born and breed in the republic of Ireland on the west coast, and have been living and working in the UK for 10 years (mostly in Northern Ireland before moving to England). Everyone is in the same boat here really just trying to get to Oz and willing to help eachother out with a shoulder to cry on, a friendly comment and advice when needed.

I tried to find some Irish sites but since I was applying from the UK they really weren't as much help as this one which is great.

Good luck with your migration.

 

:daydreaming: The Irish smilie dreaming of a new life in Australia!

[Guest Gollywobbler]

Hi Anne

 

Welcome to Poms in Oz.

 

I hope you will succeed in getting into Oz because your daughters might change their minds if that happens.

 

Noel Coward went to New Zealand briefly in th 1920s. For ever afterwards, he told everyone, "I went to New Zealand once. I found it shut."

 

Cheers

 

Gill

[keily]

 

HI ANNE AND WELCOME .... WE HAD THE OPPOTUNITY TO GO TO NZ A FEW YEARS BACK [sO GLAD WE DIDNT THOUGH ] LOL HOPE YOU SUCCEED IN GETTING TO OZ AND PERSUADING "THOSE GIRLS " LOL . ALL THE BEST

MRS KEILY ...

 

LETS HOPE HAVING YOU ON BOARD BRINGS US SOME !!!!

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest TokenPaddy]

Thanks guys for all the positive feedback it's really is nice to talk to people who really understand what it's like to be an immigrant or wanting to be one!!! I'll keep everything crossed for the ones still waiting.

 

For Spinderella I have to admit that I don't "do" cold so had central heating put into our house shortly after we bought it. I'll never understand how double glazing and central heating are considered so foregin in NZ because the climate really warrants it and when I stayed in Melbourne in September a few years back I thought it was really cold there too. The irony is all the die hards who say we should "get over it" tend to congregate in our house over the winter!!

 

If I'm honest there are a lot of things about NZ that really frustrate me and I don't delude myself that it would be all sweetness and light in OZ but I could settle here if our girls were with us - I don't want them tied to my apron strings but living on the same continent would be nice.

 

Once again thanks for all the kind thoughts and everything is now crossed for the folks waiting.

 

Cheers

 

Anne

[Guest haze,n,mart]

hi

just wanted to wish you all the luck in the world and so hope your daughters decide to join you in oz .

 

haze x

[Guest TokenPaddy]

Hi Gill

 

Thanks for the welcome and it's still closed!! I'm amazed I'm not a raving alcoholic by now.

 

Cheers

 

Anne

[Guest TokenPaddy]

Hey Mrs Keily

 

What did you know that I didn't? Although to be fair I wouldn't be getting into Oz if I didn't come to NZ first and it ain't that bad when I have my Bicardi goggles on.

 

We said 3 years, we've done that and then some so it's time for plan B (more Bicardi)!!!

 

Cheers

 

Anne