Well I thought I'd give you an update on our plans to relocate to New Zealand. We made an official decision to move to my parents home in New Zealand back in February however with the pandemic and lockdown it's been a slow process. The good news is we are working towards it everyday and I thought I'd share where we are at.
Preparing to Move to New Zealand
Our preparations are going okay. We applied for John to get a visa based on the fact we are married and in a genuine relationship, however the visa's can take up to 13 months and so we had to apply for permission to apply for a critical purpose visa, which would allow John to enter the New Zealand borders during the pandemic.
We applied to the New Zealand Immigration and got permission to lodge a visa. We are now waiting for a decision which I am positive will be a big fat yes because we are genuine and meet all the criteria. We have to wait another 6-8 weeks for a final decision.
In the meantime I have booked flights and booked quarantine so we can quarantine upon arrival when we get to New Zealand. Our flight dates can be changed if we need to reschedule which means if we have issues with the visa or another part of the plan we can delay the dates. That is good to know.
Selling Things During Lock Down
I really wanted to get on with selling things such as toys and bits we do not need to keep before Christmas. The issue is we went into lockdown again and there are no car boot sales, we can't have a yard sale and I'm really quiet unwell with little energy.
The only real solution is to sort through different areas a little at a time and when or if I get well enough, take photos and list things on local facebook groups. I want to sell our cooker and other items but we can't do that until closer to our departure date.
Even with facebook groups I feel so unwell but we do need to earn some money from our belongings to help fund the cargo we will be shipping to my parents home.
Staying in a Hotel for Two Weeks
In New Zealand we will have to stay in a hotel for two weeks. I guess it's a good and bad thing. You see I've never stayed in a hotel for a long time and I quite like hotels. I will use the time to rest and recover from the flight and to do blog work from my laptop.
It will be tough not being able to go see my parents and family straight away but the opportunity to recover from jet lag and from travelling when I am unwell has it's benefits.
I'm not sure how fun it will be for my daughter! She will need to bring her ipad and earphones to keep her busy and occupied I guess.
Goals for New Zealand
When we first arrive we will have a lot to do. We will need to organise bank accounts, get ID cards, transfer John's driving licence and set up a business in New Zealand. That will take some effort but will be the focus for the first month or two. We also need to organise schooling for Sylvia, collect casper from his quarantine and eventually get our cargo once it arrives.
The first goal is to get paperwork sorted and Sylvia's schooling organised.
Second I will need to re-evaluate income and make a budget and plan so we can save for our goal of building an extension on my parents home. That is going to take some time but is a great plan which we have set.
Shipping Household Goods to New Zealand
We are taking our newer items like our sofa, fridge, instant pots, bed and washing machine which are of high value and would ultimately cost a lot more to re-purchase overseas even at second hand prices. We had a quote and will be booking a container. I've not booked yet as I don't want to pay a deposit and then get a big fee if we needed to change the shipping dates.
Once John's visa is approved and we have a solid date 100% I will book the cargo. I was told we can book up to two weeks before the date of shipping so my focus can be on sorting what we don't need, selling it and finish raising the funds for cargo.
Excited and Scared
Moving to New Zealand is exciting and scary. I look forward to being with my family. I am scared of the unknown, the differences, the hidden costs and not knowing how my health will be once I arrive in Auckland. It's scary making big changes but if you don't go for your dreams you will never know what could have been.
I am a little nervous about blogging in New Zealand. I am not sure how it will effect my audience, my opportunities, the networks I've built and our income but again, it's a risk we need to take and I believe in myself.
Even if we have to go backwards to move forwards I am willing and prepared to do so.
So. That's our New Zealand Update. Hopefully when lock down ends and I have more energy we can do a yard sale on the driveway and earn a little money towards cargo. Fingers crossed!
Angela
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