Opinions on New Zealand?

Question

So, I originally posted a question asking which of three countries:Ireland, Australia and Spain would better suit me, but someone answered me asking if I had considered New Zealand as well... I am currently living in Virginia, U.S.A and have recently graduated from Virginia Tech University with a degree in Hospitality and tourism management and would like to manage a hotel or small restraunt in another country. I am wondering if people from New Zealand could let me know more about life in New Zealand and if a liberal American would be welcomed there. I am also wondering, if New Zealand has an affordable cost of living, because I've heard that in Europe it can become difficult to manage all of the expenses. Lastly, I would like to know if there are a lot of vegeterian options in New Zealand. Thanks for helping me out, in advance!

Answer 1

Australia is great!!!!

Answer 2

NZ is a fantastic place to live and work.  We are very tourist orientated.  What I mean is that there are so many tourist areas which equals a lot of jobs.  Queenstown would be a great place for you.  It is more of a winter town because it is close to the skifields and fiordland. There are new hotels e.t.c going up all the time.  As for Vegeterian options, there is a lot of choice.  I have noticed over the past 5yrs or so that more and more local takeaway shops and cafes have at least one vegeterian options.  If in the cities there are tons of choices for where to eat.  I am vegeterian and very rarely have problems finding something to eat when traveling around the country.

Answer 3

Read the answers you've just being given here and then locate some NZ'ers who have attended and are attending Virginia Tech currently. Post it on your college bulletin board or ask your international students office on campus. They will likely know where to locate the "kiwis".

I had a friend there several years ago and he thoroughly enjoyed his time.

Good luck.

PS: yes there are lot of organic foods in NZ and several vegetarian/vegan restaurants. There is plenty in NZ on offer for you even as a liberal American...lol. NZers are quite liberal. They have a rastafarian, a trans-sexual and an indigenous Maori party in its Govt. Do you have that in the USA? ;-)

Answer 4

I can only add to the answerers above: If Ireland, Australia, and Spain were your initial choices, you will find NZ to be a really good mix of those.

I have lived in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, India, and Paraguay, and I had always been looking for a place that somehow was a combination of France and Britain (you know, with cute architecture and good humour, but also with an overtly hedonistic attitude and good wine and relaxed thinking).

NZ is that place.

And it's where all the liberal Americans seem to be - I know a few, we hang out on my deck every now and then, and they are considered perfectly normal people here. You cannot actually be too liberal for NZ. This place is like the Holland of the South Pacific, you know.

Answer 5

Here's the New Zealand Vegetarian Society:

http://www.vegetarian.org.nz/

Here's a nice site with NZ cost of living info:

http://www.emigratenz.org/LivingInNewZea...

The party currently in power is center-left.

Answer 6

There are heaps of hotels and resteraunts here in kiwiland, as tourism would be one of our biggest incomes!!!

I would say in some ways NZ is more liberal than some countries and more conservative in others....I guess its your standpoint that you have to compare it to, but we are pretty easygoing people in general ( BUT there are always rotton apples).

THe cost of living in more expesive than some places, not as much as the UK I have to say....and there is less choice in things in general ( but for most of us we are used to it)

There are quite a few vegetarians here too and there are vegetatarian resteraunts eg in Christchurch Mainstreet Cafe is and I would say they are catered for ok.

You may feel we are more out of the way, but we have most of the mod cons and things that other people around the world enjoy. I love it here for the most part ( after living in the UK I find the lack of choice and some companies have monopolies here so prices can be a bit pricey in some areas) but hey interenet is here and you can get what you want from that!

Answer 7

Kia Ora Hippygurl,

Congrats on graduating from Va Tech.  

There was a strange, sad tragedy there last year...

You were probably in a totally different side of campus, but do you know Prof. Scott Geller?

As far as working in NZ - in my local paper, I don't see a lot of job ads for managers for hotels or restaurants, but there is always need for cooks, servers, other service industry workers.  

Every once in a while I see something along the lines of hotel/motel manager. There was an opening a few months ago for someone to run a place at Franz Josef. There are always adverts for workers in the tourism fields in Q-town (I don't know why they can't keep people).  

I wonder if you realize that there are some differences between what you have learned at Va Tech and how they do things in NZ?  Maybe hospitality and tourism training is the same worldwide, but NZ is totally different than the US.

I can say that because I am also a liberal American, living in NZ.

I think life here is wonderful, but I am a student and as of yet, don't have to work for a living.  However, compared to the US,   things here are more expensive  (at least as far as I can remember).  Not only that, but the NZ dollar is only worth about 77 US cents - get your mind around that first.  

Next, gas here is on average $1.70/litre (there's just less than 4 litres in a gallon).  A 2 litre jug of milk is $3, a flat white coffee is $3.50, a Big Mac is $7 (sorry, I forgot you are vegetarian).

Where I live, rent is paid by the week, and a studio apartment with ensuite (private bathroom) costs $265/wk without a kitchen (shared kitchen and lounge).  Houses on the block are selling for $400,000 and up.  I don't know how people with families manage.

Being a vegetarian is the least of your worries.  Almost every restaurant here has Vege option, and especially the Asian restaurants.We have health food stores,  farmers markets, and organic gardens and vinyards.  You'll be spoiled for choice when it comes to that.

Americans can visit NZ for 3 months but if you want to stay and work you will need a work visa and permit.  

You can check out the ex-pats group on Yahoo (link below).

Check out the hospitality jobs link below,

and the NZ immigration site, also.

I'd be glad to be of help if I can.

Good luck!

Answer 8

Wow, did I start something here?

There is very little that I could add to all of the responses above. If you are prepared to work, enjoy good food, enjoy the outdoors in God's own country then you are welcome.

You have been given some excellent information so go get it.

Answer 9

Australia and NZ are great - but if you are wanting to manager a more boutique hotel if restaurant NZ is your better option.  There are many Americans living in NZ - mainly investing in property and hotels.

There is SO many Boutique Luxury Lodgings spread out in NZ everywhere. You would love the lifestyle.  Search online for management jobs.

see some at http://www.lodgings.co.nz and http://www.friars.co.nz for a list of them in NZ

There is an Expo for NZ coming up (if it's in your area?) - "Change your life and move to New Zealand!  Find your job at the Opportunities New Zealand Expo." see details http://www.expo-newzealand.com

Other website of interest to you:

http://www.workingin-newzealand.com

http://www.nz-immigration.co.nz/cost-of-...

Free Advice (Forum) http://www.movetonz.org

and a great step-by-step-guide on how to live and work in NZ - http://www.justlanded.com/english/new_ze... is a great guide that explains things in plain English, applying for visas, working or as an international student etc…

Answer 10

yes there is