I adore travelling and especially with my boys. They are big city boys, and no, Auckland is not a big city to them. I want them to see the world when young and to leave New Zealand and go and live somewhere else too. They loved Brisbane. I guess there are good things and bad things about both NZ and Australia, but lately, after 4 trips to Australia in 15 months, Australia is doing more for me than NZ...
We have lived there before and still have a family business in Melbourne. I am not sure if I could actually make the real move back there - at least not until the oldest had finished high school in 3 years. The other two I could haul out now. But the thing that holds me back is my school. (Not my family as most live overseas too). Crazy for a school huh?
Australia - we like public transport. We like fairly reasonable house prices. We like $2 for 2 L of milk and $2 boxes of nutrigrain. We like cosmopolitan cities. We like much cheaper books. We like all the walking and biking and family friendly cities. The endless places to go for little trips. The sensible driving. The wildlife. The cheaper power and petrol.
I guess life is what you make of it. All I see in NZ is the ordinary people struggling with high prices for everything and low wages. No-one going anywhere. A lot of stressed people. People living way beyond their means and trying to keep up with the Joneses. A broken education system which is failing every child under National Standards. And not enough money to give children below or above anything much.Schools that are killing themselves over images and children arriving at other schools well below where they should be starting. And the government not really giving a toss about the average kiwi.
But I will keep on trucking on in a country which I think is struggling. Keep on doing my best for my family and school and my education.And fully realising that we lucky with what we can do as a family and appreciating what we do have.
Thought provoking post. Bell is a big city girl, she spent a good number of her years in London, and has travelled all over the world. She too loves Brisbane. I however was keen to bring the boys up in a small coastal town which is why when we moved back we didn't goto Auckland. We are lucky with Mr H's job and that we don't struggle but I see it everywhere, every day. We have thought about Australia, my sister lives there. I'm just uncomfortable with a couple of things one of them being the way some races are treated. And it seems to be a growing and often very public issue. I've seen it with my sisters husband who is part Aborigine and their beautiful children. Every country has it's problems but for now NZ is good for us. We nearly ended up in India at one stage for work..........imagine that!!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this - at 6 months in and feeling some homesickness for NZ I can't imagine permanently settling here (esp as all the grandparents are in NZ). There is a lot to love here but I think the school the boys were at in NZ has made it much harder for me to make the transition (they have! me not so much). As an optimist I tend to see the best of things but I think if someone told me this was to be a permanent move at the moment it might break my heart. I think I love the NZ geography, the richness and value for our imperfect cultural heritage (and particularly value for the language) but what we were truly spoilt by in our last home was the depth and richness of family and friendship and you don't have that in 6 months in a place! It's so nice to read this today because Aus is a lovely place, with good people and a lot to offer! :o) (even though it is way too hot and I'm not sure I'll ever get past that!!) thanks for your perspective colliding with mine today - in all the best ways xx
ReplyDeleteInteresting post, & yes life is very much what you make of it. I can see my eldest son moving to a city once he graduates he certainly isn't an rural lad at all, we shall see! Thanks for being a lovely swap partner, your gifts were very sweet & generous. xx
ReplyDelete