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New Zealand is the world's second most desirable place for families, according to HSBC's 2015 Expat Explorer survey. One family-critical topic of the survey covered was 'healthcare', where our system was rated as the best in the world.

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New Zealand's family friendly lifestyle for migrants

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Recent migrants talk about their experience with New Zealand's family friendly lifestyle. The positive sense of community, outdoors experiences, safe environment and quality schooling are some of the reasons they choose to move their families to New Zealand. Read more about New Zealand https://www.newzealandnow.govt.nz/why-choose-nz/family-friendly

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Here is a selection of living in New Zealand experiences submitted by our readers. No glossy brochures here. These are real stories, warts and all, written by real people.

Mike: Newport Beach, California to Napier (2,400 words)
I get asked a lot why we decided to move to NZ. I don't have a great answer... or rather, I don't have a short answer. Nobody here can believe that I don't have a Kiwi partner or some other family already here. We are not the only Americans in Hawke's Bay. There are something like 300 of us, but I have yet to meet...

Leanne: From Warner Beach, South Africa to Auckland (931 words)
One has an experience-rich lifestyle here, we feel like we are actually LIVING, as we have so much freedom due to not being so restricted by what, where and how we spend our recreational time, as we did back in SA due to the constant concern for safety. This is a great country for families with young children...

Mish: From Cape Town, South Africa to Newton, Auckland (1500 words)
I don't own a home yet, still renting. Compared to South Africa, rental and house prices are extremely expensive - especially coming over with South African Rands. Houses are not as spacious and are built close to one another. It takes a bit of adjusting (mainly privacy) when a plot is split into 3 so you have 3 houses in one section...

Alison and Matt: From Lincoln, UK to Auckland's Franklin District (1347 words)
We live a very healthy life style here! Fresh fruit and veggies are in abundance and there seems so much more to choose from! We have all joined the local Yacht club, the two older children are learning to sail and the younger children crew the patrol boats. The children do far more sports at school and the school has its own outdoor pool which is used to its limits!..

Richard and Olivia: From Colchester, UK to Wellington (2241 words)
We just bought a one-bedroom flat in need of some doing up for the equivalent of about 90,000 pounds. Obviously, considering it's 20 minutes' walk from parliament, that's fantastic compared to London, but I think the days of buying a six-bed mansion with the equity from your UK property are behind us now...

More Stories
More Experiences of Living in New Zealand
A selection of more living in New Zealand experiences submitted by our readers.

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Living in New Zealand - newcomers tell it like it is - what's it really like?

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Here is a selection of living in New Zealand experiences submitted by our readers. No glossy brochures here. These are real stories, warts and all, written by real people. Mike: Newport Beach, California to Napier (2,400 words) I get asked a lot why we decided to move to NZ.

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We lived in Wellington for a while when we first arrived, and it reminds me of a smaller version of San Francisco. In general, New Zealand has a lot in common with the laid back, liberal West Coast vibe that I experienced when I lived in Portland, Oregon. But we have much more sun here…

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Is New Zealand a good place to raise children?

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Is New Zealand a good place to raise Children? The short answer is, yes. New Zealand is a very safe place to raise children. Your child has a higher chance of drowning or dying in a car accident than they do of being shot or kidnapped (though that is technically still possible).

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The school system is pretty good. Kids get a broad education with lots of opportunities for vocational training, travel, cultural activities, sports and academic competitions in addition to standard academic classes. Unfortunately, New Zealand schools are starting to follow America’s example of valuing standardized testing over true education. All I can say is that I hope that failed experiment gets shut down sooner rather than later. In the meantime…you’ve been warned, that plague has already spread to New Zealand, but it’s not as crippling as it is in America…yet.

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I can type what i want in this box and it will stay here where i put it until i delete it.