I have just started panicking about my move, help me!

[beansmum]

I have 8 months until we (me and ds) are moving back to NZ, I have nothing organised except flights. I don't even know where we are going as it depends which university I decide to go to. I think I must be slightly mad.

I am really stressing about finding somewhere to live, the plan at the moment is to turn up with enough money to stay in a b&b for a fortnight and hope I find a flat before my money runs out. Doesn't sound too good does it?! But how can I find a flat before leaving?

[claricebeansmum]

Can't give you much help but although not moving so far away we are in a similiar situation - locating from one end of the country to another by September and have no idea where we will be living. Am trying to sort schools now and then need to sell house fairly quickly.

Are there no flats for rent on the net? How long will it be before you sort out your Uni - that seems to be the key thing to sort.

Exciting but daunting.

Make lots and lots of lists!

[beansmum]

I have narrowed it down to two unis, at opposite ends of the country, I have given myself until September to decide, which seems like a long time but I want to be sure, find out everything about the towns, schools etc. I don't really want to have to move ever again after this!

There are a lot of flats online, but I wouldn't want to commit to something without seeing it, I suppose I could line up a few to view as soon as we arrived though, would that work?

[beansmum]

Trying to work out a budget. What, if anything, is missing from this list?

uni fees
power
phone - reconnection + monthly bills
broadband
doctor, dentist and optician bills
rent
letting fees
deposit
food/shopping
clothes
textbooks
childcare
travel - bus pass, plus occasional bus/plane trip

[dizzydixies]

beansmum, more to the point what happened with the hunky marine or did I miss all that

[beansmum]

nothing has happened. I haven't seen him again yet, although we have been emailing. I will see him again soon, with some other friends from school. I am going to tell him how I feel and then probably not see him again before I leave. He goes back to work in June and is probably going back to afganistan. I don't think anything is going to happen TBH but I need to tell him so that I can get over it!

[dizzydixies]

good for you! sorry to have hi-jacked your emmigration thread

[beansmum]

nobody going to help me with my list then?

[dizzydixies]

rather than a B&B would there not be a self accomodation flat you could hire for a fortnight?

I think your list pretty much covers everything tbh

[dizzydixies]

ownersdirect do self catering

[beansmum]

eek! $3400 for 14 nights! The YHA would be $900, I think I'll go for that.

[dizzydixies]

sorry, I didn't look at prices, thats just the site we use for holidays, then again we only go to spain lol

[beansmum]

I'm going to take my list (below... or above) to show my mum tomorrow (to prove that I have actually thought this through!) so have I missed anything?

And what might I need to buy to furnish an unfurnished flat? I will be shipping over a few bits, my sofa, dining table and beds but that's it. I have thought of the main things, washing machine, cooker, fridge, but are there some little things that I might have forgotten?

I am beyond stressed now, and I still have 8 months to go! I don't want to think about how stressed I will be by the end of the year!

[beansmum]

I have decided on Christchurch, look how beautiful it is! Good uni, good schools, nice houses, good public transport (including trams whcih ds is very excited about!), lots of parks and gardens and shops, bars, cafes. I want to go now! I don't want to wait 8 months!

[beansmum]

(still stressed though)

[MrsTittleMouse]

It's lovely.
Just remember that loads of people move countries all the time, and a lot of them are complete idiots (like me and DH ). 8 months isn't a bad time frame either. You will be fine.
Could you go online and find an estate agent to help you find somewhere to live? Do you know the area so that you don't end up somewhere inconvenient/dodgy? Could you get a 6 month lease so that even if you don't like the place you have an "out"?

[beansmum]

look at all the green

I will find a letting agent and get them to line up a few flats for me to look at as soon as I get off the plane. I know which general areas to look in, it has to be near uni and close to the city center so that narrows it down a bit, but for some reason I have chosen the only bit of NZ where I don't know anybody. It'll be fine though, I'll book us into a hostel/b&b for the first 2 weeks but hopefully it wont take that long.

[ViolentFemme]

MrsJohnCusack is in Christchurch I'm sure. So you'll have a readymade MN buddy!

We spent a week in Christchurch in 2004. Loved it. Saw posh types punting and picnicking in the gardens, wearing straw boaters and striped blazers too! Was very Brideshead Revisited.

And there's a pub that sells alcoholic ginger ale. Yummy!

And a very nice watch repairer tried to convert dh to Christianity "I have Jesus in my life, do you?". Very surreal.

[SSSandy2]

I liked Christchurch too, stayed with some distant relatives of ours who had the river Avon flowing along past the bottom of their garden. We all canoed into the city centre from there - to the university in fact. They seemed very happy there having moved from the UK. The dc are grown up and have all moved away now. Don't know how the job market is but university there should be nice. Struck me as a nice place to live but htink I have read they get a lot of smog there. Didn't notice it myself but I was just 11 at the time.

Wonder if the university accommodation officer (or some such name) can help with temporary furnished accommodation. Wouldn't be surprised.

[MrsJohnCusack]

hello, yes I am in Christchurch. It's very nice

I can help you out on areas (I know the place pretty well now) and what they're like, and could even look at flats for you to give you the real story if you end up in a panic. any specific advice, ask away! Look at trademe.co.nz, it's like ebay but also has property and new stuff and gives you an idea of costs of lots of stuff. also ferrit.co.nz, a price comparer site.

the smog is so much better now, it wasn't noticeable at all last winter. And we ahve just had the most amazing summer

it's a great place for children, honestly, we are so happy we made the move.

i would def ask the university for advice; I know quite a few people who work there and they all seem very friendly and helpful.

there are some forums and info here and here which have lots of useful discussions about moving to NZ

[SSSandy2]

beansmum are you originally from NZ but your family moved to the UK? Shame you wouldn't have folk around to help you out in Christchurch. I could imagine with studying and having a small dc it could be difficult at times without having someone around to take him off your hands now and then. Just wondered if you'd considered doing your PGCE in the UK and moving back with the certificate because you could apply for a teaching job in NZ from the UK and would have a different financial basis to move etc.

However I hear pretty clearly that you're fired up with enthusiasm for a move very soon. Good luck with it.

MrsJ, do you feel at home there now? Do you think it's easy to get decent second-hand furniture ? Wonder if that would be an option beansmum?

[MrsJohnCusack]

I really do feel at home! (helps that mty parents are here as well obviously)

yes I think it is easy to get decent 2nd hand furniture - loads of garage sales and 2nd hand shops as well as trade me (I just bought a load myself at a big shop nearby). Plus, even though we don't have Ikea, there are increasing numbers of reasonably priced new furniture shops too.

NZers are obessed with qualifications and whilst doing a PGCE in the UK sounds good I am wondering if you'd need to pay extra or faff about to make yourself registered in NZ. Twentypence (also in ChCH) might know more about that

[beansmum]

I haven't got a first degree yet, so would have another 4/5 years with the OU here, and then a PGCE before I could move, and I really want ds to start school over there. I went to 7 different primary schools before I was 9, which wasn't much fun, I want ds to just go to 1!

MrsJC - I might have to get back to you once I have had a look at what kind of flats are available, it would be good to know exactly what each area is like. I will probably have tons of other questions for you as well! You will be sorry you admitted where you live!

My dad has offered to fly over with me and look after ds while I search for flats, which might be a good idea. I will contact the uni accomodation people as well.

[SSSandy2]

look

They have a flier on acccomodation you can download (pdf), a database for flat hunters and I don't know about the halls of residence if they cater for families with dc at all. They do have apartments though - 2-6 bedroom to share so depending on the price you could possibly rent a 2-bed one, at least initially and have it for yourselves.

[MrsJohnCusack]

oh do get back to me I am happy to help

[beansmum]

major panic today! I have just realised that I have no way of finding childcare for ds before I get there and no chance of finding a place once I get there as I start uni 3 wks after I arrive. What am I going to do!!!!!

I have emailed a few preschools but they all have waiting lists and you have to go into the place to enrol, the UC place has a long waiting list and doesn't do the 20hrs free thing which I really need.

I can't believe I hadn't thought of this before. What am I going to do!!!!!! AAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Am I going to have to go over there? How on earth am I going to afford that? Am I the most stupid person ever?