Relocating to Queenstown, NZ
 

My youngest son (late twenties) has just accepted a job in NZ.

Anyone with any suggestions to make his relocation transition easier?

Anything in particular he should stock up on & take with him that may be difficult to get there? (Besides lots of hugs & kisses from his folks who will miss him being SO FAR away!)

Just one tip make sure he is very fit and take plenty of adrenlin!!. Queenstown is the most wonderful place with fantastic scenery, great hiking, skiing, jet boating/whitewater rafting. It gets pretty cold in winter but not being sure where you are from that might be normal. Hope you are making plans to visit, you will love it and so will he.

He is very fit & nutrition conscious.
The adrenalin is what's taking him there, as he wants to experience some of those adventures & the relaxed lifestyle he's heard is predominate.

He's been told people work hard, but also take time to play hard, and that appeals to him.

Do you live there?

He is currently in southern Mississippi. Lived most of his life in south Alabama. So, he's only experienced a dusting or two of snow & one vacation to Yellow Stone Park in February (the purpose was to see/experience snow) as a teen.

Our weather is quite warm compared to the northern US.

Is there also snorkeling/diving available in the summer?

I do intend to visit, but not right away. I want to give him time to experience things, & learn the lay of the land first.

Olesouthernbelle -

Your son is in for a treat and he's sure to be a hit with his southern twang!

Queenstown is expensive, so I suggest he do a bit of research before he goes. Is his employer providing his lodging? Gas is high compared to the US and he may find food more expensive as well, but generally of a very high standard. Lots of fresh fruit and veg, fantastic wine and if he likes Indian food, tell him to check out Little India on Shotover Street - fab food. I'm aleady salvating at the thought of going back next month.

As he's a southern boy, he might find Queenstown a wee bit cold, so I suggest he pack accordingly. Most locals (and myself when I visit) seem to get by with a fleece jacket regardless of time of year. I strongly suggest he pack some wet weather gear as well.

I'm not aware of any snorkeling/diving in/around Queenstown, but he can certainly find those activities on the North Island.

Thanks for the encouragement & the tips! :)

I forgot to answer your question. No, his employer is not providing lodging.
So, do you have any suggestion in that regard?

Another question. What is the health care system like in New Zealand for migrants?

No, I don't have any suggestions regarding housing, but I suspect it's expensive in Queenstown. He should definitely do some research before he goes.

Not sure about health care either. I've had to see docs on two trips to NZ and was really pleased with the service and low cost, but I was strictly a visitor.

This site should help though:

http://www.emigratenz.org/healthcare...ewzealand.html

Your son is one very lucky guy! Count me as jealous!
Liz

Thanks, I also googled that last night.

I also found a private ins. co. 'Southern Cross' is used there - but, am unsure how it works with the National Health Ins. plan?

I was in Queenstown at the end of December, and it seems that most of the workers (at least in the bars and restaurants) are from overseas. In fact, I asked my waitress (Czech) if anyone working in the restaurant was from NZ and she told me that everyone was from overseas (our waitress the next evening was from Wyoming). Its apparently very welcoming to overseas workers. If he needs a place to stay just after arrival and prior to securing long-term lodging, he may consider Base, a pretty nice hostel in the city center.

Re: Healthcare in NZ

Accidents - If you or your son has an accident all medical costs will be covered by ACC. Possibly even loss of earnings if your son is working. It is a fabulous system - in return you cannot sue for anything non-criminal.

Medical - Emergency treatment is usually free-ish. If you are resident I suspect you can also access free public health. Visitor will also be treated for emergencies (usually free) but they may try and bill for anything extra required. However, this side of the health is less responsive so a lot of people have health insurance so if they need an operation they can go private.

GPs
It costs about $60-$70 a consultation - less if you are subsidised. A visitor will pay more but as a resident your son may be able to "register" with a GP and then pay less - $30 a visit. or something.

I am not sure if this is all correct - and as always travel insurance is highly recommended!!!!

Just to clarify by Emergency I mean really emergency. After hours clinics will charge a fair bit $25 - $70.
Prescriptions if subsidised are about $20 each.

Rescues - if you do something stupid and require rescuing sometimes they will charge you the $,000s that it costs especially if you were advised not to do what ever you did. i.e. helicopter rescue. I think usually they don't but recently there have been a few rescues that the person was warned not to go and did anyway. One boatie who was rescued 3 times was charged I think.

Anybody correct me if I am wrong about this.

thit cho: Thanks! I will check it out online & let him know as well!

I know what you mean about varied nationalities in the 'service' line of work in restaurants & hotels. That is frequently the case here in the US as well.

wilees: Thank you for all the info!
What does ACC stand for?

What exactly do you mean "register with a doctor"? Do you mean prior to any real need - just to have one on stand by?

The info about rescue is a bit scary . I kind of agree with the practice, esp. if someone has been warned against what they are doing.

ACC = Accident Compensation Corporation - basically an insurance company that is funded by the government and by taxes. For instance, all medical costs for motor vehicle accidents are funded through a levy on car registrations and petrol.

"Register with a doctor" means go into the surgery fill in the form to enrol. Some doctors want this in advance and others will enrol you immediately - it is their choice as the government pays them a quarterly subsidy for registered patients.

Hoepfully, no one will need rescuing. (BTW ACC does cover air transport for accidents as well - it is the search and rescue that is poss extra).

wilees: Thank you!

Hi olesouthernbelle~

My husband and I, late twenties, just moved back to the US after spending 2007 working in New Zealand. Regarding transitioning to NZ, I think it will make a difference on what size town your son is used to living in. We came from a town of 70,000 in Arkansas to a town of the same size in New Zealand, so our transition was very easy.

New Zealand business hours are way more limited than in the states i.e. no 24/7 Supercenter. However, I suspect that Queenstown will have hours that are slightly more accomodating due to its tourist nature.

Something that we felt about Queenstown is that it is not the "real" New Zealand in the sense that you aren't dealing with many lifelong Kiwi residents and it is much more touristy than a lot of other towns.

As mentioned, Queenstown is a very international place. While this is good for exposure to various cultures and making new friends, I'd encourage your son to travel to, and if possible, work in, other New Zealand towns if he has the opportunity. I think this would be beneficial just to note the contrasts.

As far as stocking up on items, if he wears contact lenses be sure to buy lots of contact solution. I think I paid $20 NZD for two bottles at a pharmacy. Yikes!

Also, over-the-counter cold medicines and the like because they are very pricey. Unlike in the states, it's hard to find any OTC drugs other than asprin sold in megastores (NZ has K-mart and something called The Warehouse) and grocery stores. You must go to the pharmacy to buy drugs. Throat spray ran me $40 NZD.

If he can afford it, I'd recommend purchasing an older car. We spent $2500 NZD for ours and you can find them for less on trademe.co.nz. It's great to be able to get out and explore the country. If a car is out for awhile, the NZ bus system is top quality and very reliable and affordable.

Please let me know if you have further questions or feel free to check out our blog at mynewzealandlife.blogspot.com. It's pretty long but maybe you'll find some of it useful.

Best wishes to your son...he's going to have a great time in a great place!

stragic: He does not wear contacts, nor glasses as of yet, but the cold remedy tip is a good one!

He just bought a used truck last year, which he will need to sell before he goes. I think he sees himself riding a bike around town, but I think he will end up buying a used car, as you suggest. I have forwarded him a link to this thread.

I'll check out your blog. Thanks for the link.

Was your intention to stay only a year when you moved to NZ or was your visit cut short for some reason?

We planned to stay for a year because my husband was awarded a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship to conduct post-doctoral research in New Zealand. We lived in Palmerston North on the North Island. Another American couple who came to New Zealand on the Rotary Scholarship decided to continue to live in the country after the scholarship ended.

We enjoyed our time living in New Zealand, but really felt our time there was temporary. We felt as though we would have more career opportunities by returning to the states. Of course, there is a lifestyle trade off by being back here i.e. no morning and afternoon tea breaks, increased safety concerns, higher stress levels. For now, we're happy with our decision, and we are confident in our ability to move across the world again should we ever choose to do so.

I took quite a long look at your blog last night & found it very informative & enjoyable. Thank you for sharing.

Yes, the description of the lifestyle is appealing to DS right now. I guess he will just have to go & see if it's a good 'fit' for him.

Hi stragic -

I've skimmed your blog and have added it to my favorites for a more indepth read later. I had to laugh at your comment about the lack of central heating in NZ, as we've spent many a cold night in NZ completely mystified as to why central heating is so hard to come by (expensive perhaps?). I really enoyed your photo of the paua toilet seat and noticed that you picked up the word "whilst" whilst in NZ.

It's a great read - thanks for sharing your adventures.