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Living overseas

Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

Original poster

just moved to NZ with DP and DS

223 replies

Kjaysmum · 06/07/2006 23:08

Hi there, I have just moved to New Zealand with my Kiwi partner and DS 2.1 yrs. We are on the Kapiti coast and just thought I
d see if there are any other Mumsnetters out there. ?

OP posts:
arfishymeau · 07/07/2006 01:29

Hi Kjaysmum!

Welcome to the board. I'm in Oz but there are a couple of NZ posters, and another due to fly out soon I think.

This will keep your post bumped up so the Oz/Nz lot see it.

How are you finding NZ?

ghosty · 07/07/2006 01:37

Hi Kjaysmum ....
I live in Auckland (moved here 4 years ago) ... how are you settling in?

Original poster
Kjaysmum · 07/07/2006 02:50

thanks arfishymeau, appreciated, hi ghosty,....well when the sun shines it's glorious, but having come from a dutch winter to the worst NZ winter in how ever many years we're struggling with that one a little. Accomodation and kids stuff i.e plygroups and family here 100 percent improvement. Pretty quiet here on the coast though, look forward to summer when sociallizing should be easier.

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arfishymeau · 07/07/2006 03:45

Did you just come from Holland? I used to live there too . Where were you living? Dutch winters are very chilly that's for sure.

Did you move for your DP's work? Is it a permanent thing?

I'm sure Ghosty can help with some tips for meeting people & groups etc. Otherwise you'll just have to put up with us virtual friends for a while.

ghosty · 07/07/2006 05:14

I grew up in Holland ...
I remember people skating to school on the canals one winter ... brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Yes, it is the coldest winter most people remember here ... we have even been having frosts in Auckland which is unheard of. I think the biggest problem for me is the lack of heating in houses because kiwis seem to think they live in a tropical climate

My NZ geography is crap ... where is the kapiti coast again? I know that they make good cheese there

DS was 2.4 when we moved here and I got straight into playgroups (most churches run them - or some plunkets run them too), swimming lessons, Mainly Music etc, just to meet people. The first people I met were at a Plunket playgroup ... I put myself out there and chatted away to anybody and anyone that would listen . Kiwis are dead friendly and my biggest tip for starting a conversation is to ask how old their child is and tell them how cute you think he/she is and people will always be ready to chat back to you .

arfishymeau · 07/07/2006 05:30

Hmm, so three of us posting all having lived in Holland eh?

Are you Dutch ghosty or were you an expat there?

I've found it much easier to meet people here, they are much more friendly than in London.

ghosty · 07/07/2006 05:39

No not dutch, born in South Africa of British parents ...
We first lived in Arnhem where I went to kleuterschool from 4 - 6. Then moved to the UK but moved back to Holland (living near Leiden)when I was 10 and ended up at the BSN until I finished school.

Love Holland ... top top top place ...

Papillon · 07/07/2006 07:07

kapiti coast is on west coast up from Wellington - about 45 minutes north.

I know afew people in that area but no mumnetters. Am a kiwi Kjaysmum don´t live in NZ.

All the best to you

Hi Ghosty!

Original poster
Kjaysmum · 07/07/2006 10:41

hey thanks for all your words, just managed to get back on. I was living in Amsterdam where my partners work was but we had enough of apartment life after we had DS. Came for a visit when Ds was a baby and loved here so we're back to stay, Kiwi grandparents over the moon! interesting you two lived there too. My brother and his dutch wife live in Arnhem, they have two girls the youngest the same age as mine, miss them soooo much . Have been to play groups but just moved from south Kapiti to north was just starting again when the school hols hit so no go for a couple of weeks. NZ's friendly for sure, just takes time, nice to have you folks to talk to

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Original poster
Kjaysmum · 07/07/2006 10:59

where do you live in O? Afm ( hope thats not bad etiquette?!) You left NZ for where Papillon? I could hazard a guess at France)

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arfishymeau · 07/07/2006 15:18

Hi KJM, I live in Sydney. In Holland I lived in Amsterdam (on a houseboat on Prinsengracht) and in Hilversum. We loved Holland, my best friend still lives in Utrecht after they followed us out.

Oddly enough, after posting on this thread I popped into the supermarket, a tiny little thing in Coogee, our beach town. I bumped into a Dutch couple there.

We still say 'lekker' a lot, and use loempia and a few dutch favourites when we talk as a family.

Papillon · 07/07/2006 17:07

Kjaysmum I think we know each other actually! From your post about partner living in Amsterdam... I am Switzerland but we meet in NZ in Tauranga.

Am I right?

Original poster
Kjaysmum · 07/07/2006 21:53

well what do you know Papillon, it was you who put me onto mumsnet in the first place. Hello, how's you and yours? Your brother and family were here the other day. I often have wondered if I'd bump into you online, nice one

ooh Afm you where very lucky to live on a houseboat I think I always used to look at them from my apartment and wish!! Our house here is better still, only rented so far, but I am much in love with it and section is amazing and I have to say the beach here is somewhat better than Wijk on Zee!

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Original poster
Kjaysmum · 07/07/2006 21:55

off to a garage sale now, catch you's later

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ghosty · 07/07/2006 22:43

He he ... can't really compare NZ beaches and coastline with the North Sea can you?

What makes me laugh is that you can get loads of Dutch food here in NZ that you can't get in the UK which is so close to there! I regularly send my brother in the UK parcels with Drop and Droste chocolates! Speculaas is a staple in my pantry as is Appelmoes!

Freaky that you and Papillon know eachother ... Mumsnet is a small small world

Papillon · 08/07/2006 08:11

Hey Kjaysmum, so of you seeing my bro and family. Have not meet my new niece yet, have to wait till January for that. I come over for 1 month with the kids. Have a ds now who is 7.5months old and dd is almost 3! We are enjoying the summer and swimming loads at the free pools here in Bern.

HOw was the garage sale? Must be fab to have all that space and a garden after city life. Say hi to dp from us

Ghosty all the dutch who moved to NZ in the 50´s set up shop huh! my parents neighbours are dutch. Now that lots of south african´s have also moved to NZ means maybe more dutch food a.k.a african style!

Original poster
Kjaysmum · 08/07/2006 08:26

Sad thing is I never got to meet them as DS had a bad cold at the time and as they were travelling in a car I didn't want to pass it on, been there, not fun! but your mate my DP saw them for half and hour at his work and apparently your niece is gorgeous.
Garage sale was quite funny, very small at the local church and very quaint, but I find everything a little old fasioned and quant here is standing joke between me and DP. We bought some Jam
know what you mean about dutch/south african poducts, ghosty, I was very chuffed to find Rooibos tea here as my ds has a taste for it with soya milk and honey.

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Papillon · 08/07/2006 08:41

dh came home with jam last night complete with the cloth ruffle cover on the lid! Like Rooibos too - get a really good chai one here that Mum always wants to take home with her. Love church sales, shopping 2nd hand here is not the same! I used to go to red cross dollar sales - look out for them every for yup $1.

Tell me more about quaint NZ... I am missing it this week with all hte family being together and me over here. My sister lives up north near Auckland and has two kids - she is good fun.

Original poster
Kjaysmum · 08/07/2006 09:08

ds just said we should to go up and see your sister one day, last time they met she was 16! Know what you mean about the family being together my Brother and dutch wife and their two girls are in Portugal where my dad lives at the moment, they've bought a house there , I do feel a long way away, but luckily I have the NZ family here who are salt of the earth . Would love to meet up when you come over in the summer if you have time, one month is not so long, but would be great to meet you again and the hubby and kids.

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Original poster
Kjaysmum · 08/07/2006 09:09

I meant DP of course DS has a pretty big vocab now at 2.2 but not that big!

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Original poster
Kjaysmum · 08/07/2006 09:14

So ghosty, you're of brit parents, born south afrika, grew up Nederlands, what brought you to NZ?

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Papillon · 08/07/2006 09:40

he would have seen my sis when dh and I were in NZ in 2003/4. He came up for our marriage celebration my mother insisted on having in NZ (married in CH). She (sis) has just told me that she will be in Wellington in September so you could get to meet her then. Rung them all up before the Rugby match.

So have you a job with the family business yet? Love their shop!

Original poster
Kjaysmum · 08/07/2006 10:15

he ses....oh yes he remembers now.....we'd love to catch up with sis, will make contact through your mum, dp has their number.
No job at Pinnacle but check out the families new business at (never done a link before so hope this works)

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Original poster
Kjaysmum · 08/07/2006 10:17

nope didn't get it right so it's www.akasha.co.nz

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Papillon · 08/07/2006 11:04

Cheers for link. I am a spiritual junkie

For links I usually copy the bold text Mumsnet supplies... this and then put in the website I want. You can change this to other words which is what shows up as the link. Hope that makes any sense!

Unfortunately it will just be me coming to NZ with the kids. DH doesn´t want to use up all his hols in one whack. His mum arrives next week to visit. Sadly alone as FIL died last Xmas 10 days after I had a C-S (ds was transverse/sideways). So I was left home alone holding the baby. After a homebirth with dd that was a whole different experience!

Would love to get down to Wellington... just have to convince dh that I need more than a month. Have his family in Tauranga, mine in the Bay and bro in SF and everything else inbetween... phew!

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