Why is New Zealand better than the U.S.?

Question

I've been researching New Zealand for several weeks now, and it sounds like the best place in the world. Especially since my interests are: outdoor activities, adventure, surfing, snowboarding, etc. I enjoy socializing, but I also LOVE my peace and tranquility. I feel like in the U.S. I can't escape this concrete jungle that surrounds me day in and day out. I would love some Kiwi input on the pro's and con's of living in New Zealand. For example; government, health care, climate, opportunity, etc. For a reference point, I live in Virginia. Thank you so much, I hope to hear some good answers that will help me make up a decision on whether or not to move there.

Answer 1

The people are pretty friendly and theres heaps of healthy outdoor activities to particapate in.

I'ts a cool place

Answer 2

I agree...we've been researching New Zealand too...considering moving there in the near future.

Answer 3

its a great place ta get away from that stuff its convenient for everything because its not really that big i just moved ta oz and i really miss nz because its a place of its own it doesnt have tornatos or spiders or snakes or any fing like that

Answer 4

you must live in northern VA (near the bush administration) no wonder you wanr to leave. virginia is not a concrete jungle but a peacefl tranquil place with lot of outdoor activites. But if you go to new zealand  good luck it's a pretty place.

Answer 5

New Zealand is very boring, laid back....seriously

Anyways which America don't have is ...how clean this country is, cheap/price education (cheaper than community college in price but the school is good)...

and the bad things...

TAX will kill you..really its so crazy and to your better/wonderful life progress is soooo slow cause everything over here is expensive (internet, food..etc) alot of nz people tell me this and move to Australia.

Overall America is better if you aim to be more happier if you are not a nature loving person.

Am just here for college cause its cheap.

Answer 6

Good things: Scenery, Peope, out doors

Bad things: earthquakes

Answer 7

Thanks for noticing, weve always thought its a great country too. you asked a lot of questions, but Im just gonna wing it.........we have a democracy style socialist type of government, the prime minister is a woman called Helen Clark, she seems to be always under attack  from the main opposition party, but we have the MMP type of government, which apparently we voted in about 10 years ago, it differs from the 2 party election thing you guys have over there. Climate wise we get tons of sunshine in the summers and the usual coldness and rain in the winters. This summer has been balmy with anything from 22C - 30C (centigrade) Why do you Yanks insist on measuring in Farenheight?......

Anyhoo.....being such a small set of islands, everyone lives about 50 - 100 miles from a beach, so surf casting, fishing, diving, surfing and boating are real popular in NZ.

We have all kinds of terrain from snow fields to desert areas, high mounitain peaks, tons of green hills and about 40 million sheep. Also there is adventure tourism (bungy and gravity rides) national parks, lots of leafy wilderness, some exotic parrot like birds, dinosaur like lizards (Tuatara), rare penguins and rare dolphins, giant crabs, big fat oysters so big you only need 7 to make a dozen. Not only all that but the people are down to earth, generous, friendly, and technology savvy, but we are hampered by c**p telecom infrastructure which means a lot of our websites take too long to load and businesses lose money. Currently our wages are not keeping up with Australia, (theyve got millions more people so can afford to pay more) over 50,000 kiwis have moved to Australia in the last year because of the relatively low wages that are paid here.

A good job wage here is about $700 a week after tax, the minimum wage is about $12.oo an hour which is chump change in anyones language. Of course the professionals make loads more than that, youll find all sorts of cool stuff in NZ, the thing I like most is that we are a very independant nation, the early pioneers had to make do with what they had on the islands, so we are a very practical people, most of us have camped out in the wild, or been eeling in the streams and creeks when we were kids, were an outdoorsey lot us Kiwis......so if you ever want to fly out for a visit hit me up again and Ill recommend some must see places ok?

Answer 8

Good luck in your move! I've always thought of New Zealand as a great place to visit, but I shall definitely have to look into it more deeply for possible emigration from the Police States of America in the future.

Answer 9

cos we rock.

Answer 10

North Island sounds like your kind of place, Id personally recommend Tauranga if you're a beach kind of person, its got an incredible summer atmosphere (go to Mt. Maunganui for New Years eve!!) and everyone is really friendly, winters are mild, high humidity. It's also lot less windy than Auckland/Northland in general.

But you cant really go wrong with Auckland, namely the North Shore, although property prices have risen a lot these days. Auckland is comparable to a small version of Sydney: very cosmopolitan, endless suburbs and mild winters. Summer temperatures are usually in the mid 20's. (75ish degrees F)

Winter temperatures arent very cold with an average of about 15 degrees, (60 degrees F) the coldest it gets is around 6-7 degrees. (45 degrees F).

Answer 11

New Zealand is truely amazing! I wouldnt have even reliased this if i hadnt of been overseas just recently! Its so welcoming!

If you like to surf i would recommend living in Raglan, its the most popular surfing places in New Zealand and has a scholl specially for surfers!

For snowboarding, it would be best to live in the South Island, as the mountains recieve alot of snow during winter!  Also the west coast, because most of it is untouched land - is a great place to go tramping, hiking, rock climbing, kayaking etc!

This is right by my hometown :

http://www.nzine.co.nz/Links/images/Fran...

Government health care is very cheap, i generally have to pay about $15 for a visit and the goverment subsides your medication if its need, bringing a $25 prescription down to $3.

The climate in New Zealand is resonable, just like all towns, we have rain! And our cold days, But at the same time when the sun is out it can be a very beautiful day!

Take a visit to New Zealand before you make your choice, you will truely love what you see!!  :):):)