Ay up...I've swapped Bri out this week! Just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to this weeks guest, Ryan, who very kindly gave up hours of his time at the weekend to not only talk to me about Auckland but who waited patiently until we got technical stuff sorted! Thank you, Ryan, you are a star! 😁
You don't need to move out of Auckland. I live 10 minutes from the CBD and I have Tui and woodpigeon on my deck, surrounded by trees, lovely friendly neighbourhood and get where I need to in minutes.
Liz. great energy! very interesting. thank you for sharing. I am from the UK but lived in SE Asia for many years and currently in Rwanda, Africa. I am looking to move to NZ so your vids are excellent resource - well done. I work remotely so can be anywhere but I have a 12 year old son so looking for somewhere with good schools and near to where things are happening but prefer to live slightly away from it in easy reach. Looking for value - don't need to be in the City for work so no need to pay the usual high prices in those locations. Any suggestions much appreciated ! Ta very much. P.S. what is New Plymouth like? sorry for all the questions
I lived Epsom,very upper class area,,talking 4 to 6 million dollar houses,and I was paying $220 a week for rent in a converted villa,and I knew where to shop for cheaper deals, it's easily manageable if you bother to take the time to look around. If people don't know something,they tend to try to tear it down .
Great podcast! Ryan looks like a great fit for NZ,I'd be interested to hear his wife's story,does she teach in NZ and her perception of the education system compared to the US?
Thank you 😊 Yes, Ryan's wife teaches at the local primary school - I made another podcast with Ryan (hoping to release it in a couple of weeks) where he talks about the misconceptions American's have when moving to NZ, it was fabulous so please look out for that one! 😊
Overall she likes it better in NZ but as a reading specialist she is happy that they are working towards some solutions for various learning differences, such as dyslexia. :~)
@@DomingoDeSantaClara Yeah, we have been very happy here. Hopefully you are enjoying life there and if you ever make it over this way, we'll see you around. :~)
Great interview,Liz and Ryan. Ryan,Ihave nothing but admiration for you,coming toNew Zealand “blind”,as you did,and seemingly accepting what you found without prejudging and comparing.Having experienced the immigration thing myself 30 years ago,the only word I can think of to describe what you did is “brave” Having visited the U.S. several times,I have to say that you are not a typical American who wants to introduce all foreigners to Uncle Sam. ! Look forward to your next chat. Regards from beautiful uptown TaumRunui. John Walker
Thanks for the lovely words. I think open is a great word. We took a leap of faith and landed nicely, but that was as much a testament to the wonderful people we've met in Aotearoa. Life is a beautiful adventure. :~)
Sometimes it’s quite nice to have time to yourself isn’t it? 😊 Brian said to me yesterday ‘shall we got out to Harvey Normans?’ (Which is literally 10 min across town) and I said, ‘oh no…it’s a bit of a drive…’ 🤪😆
When I was in the Royal New Zealand Navy based in Auckland... wasn't that bad... took me 40 minutes to get to the base from home... however I will admit that was "mumble mumble" years ago... now it takes me 10 minutes to work... lol I haven't been to Auckland for like "mumble mumble" years ... Kiwi's are just layed back... (just don't back us into a corner... ;-) )
Sailing is easy and cheap for kids in NZ is because its club based so parents and local enthusiasts train coach and do the graft. My kids wanted to learn so we joined the club and got involved I taught and cleaned boats and joined in it was so cool for the whole family. It was also social and great for the big family boat. I guess its the same for all of those sort of sports like rugby tennis netball etc etc. Whangaparoa is awesome I am a member at the Weiti yacht club (we live on the north shore) and have a few ties to that area, my Daughter and son in law have a resturant in Orewa. By the way it did snow at Gulf Harbour about 10yrs ago very very briefly I was on my boat at the marina when I saw it.
I live down south at the foot of the Bombay hills right at the border between Auckland/Waikato. It's a farm area where potatoes and veges are grown. It takes 45mins on a good day by car and over an hour by public transport to reach the CBD. Buying a house is expensive and difficult for first home buyers. Average house price now in Auckland is 1.5mil. Auckland is warm and tropical in summer and nice and cool in winter. The Supercity is surrounded by beaches, and culturally diverse same as Toronto, Sydney and other major cities the world over.
Really fun and informative episode again Liz and tealady Bri. This podcast is such a catch-22, so many of us want you to be successful here but don't want too many people to find out about our paradise ;)
Tea lady Bri 😆 We smiled at that! Thanks so much (next week we promise to start saying how fabulous the UK is and how everyone should stay there, that should do it) 😉 Thanks for watching!
I grew up in South Auckland and absolutely love it, 40 minute commute to the city centre, plenty of local services and amazing diversity. Unfortunately with the cost of housing I didn't see the point of spending so much money moving out to live in the same place, so I went to Europe instead. Now I live in a city with half the population and what feels like twice the public transport! I hope one day I'll be able to come back and raise a family but for now Europe is just so (relatively) affordable and convenient, which Auckland feels like it's losing.
Thanks so much for sharing this with us Victoria, it is always fascinating to hear people who have done the opposite to us and left NZ to go overseas! I'd love to know where you live (sorry, nosey Brit) You obviously love it and I wish you all the happiness in the world - thanks for watching and for taking the time to share your story 😊
That would be great if u did one on money. Rent, mortgage, insurance and job. I’m trying to convince my husband we need to move to NZ but he thinks that he’s not gonna earn as much and he’s already tried applying for jobs and had no luck.
Oh Liz, your friend interested in the army training base... Was that specific for in Auckland or were they interested in nz in general. There are a few training places around nz. Waiouru, Linton (North Island) burnham (south Island) probably others that I don't know of... Just FYI! 😁
Thank you Louisa😊I think she is hoping to move to Whangaparāoa and that is why she was interested (I think like we said she probably imagines something huge and intimidating!)
Great to hear different view points! Ah yes Whangaparaoa is a beautiful place to live, not far from the orewa beach! I now live in helensville which I love coz it's a small country town, but only an hour away from Auckland city! Ideal.
I lived there for 11 years,as well as going up to Auckland for the school holidays every year, I know the city like the back of my hand,best city in NZ. The people that bag it,have either not been there,or only went for a very short time,not really giving it any chance.
@@ItsaDrama Yup,I'll let you know when I move home,so when,or if you decide to drive up for a visit,I'll be your guide,I know where all the best pubs and eating places are.😉😊
We live on the North Shore now but my four children grew up on the Coast and are still coasters at heart. Kids that grow up on the coast are either born with or grow fins - the water is their playground.
@@ItsaDrama It is not only one of the most beautiful parts of Auckland or New Zealand but the world. My daughter is a travel blogger and she wrote this about Whangaparaoa. gettinglost.co.nz/going-back-whangaparaoa-peninsula/
Yeehaa, found it, looking forward to watching this and just realized that Ryan lives in the same town as myself, Liz, this is not the only vid I watched of yours where you say because your a *nosy Parker* *Oh ye of little faith* so are the rest of us that watch your vids/pods, that's how we humans learn things from being nosy, and because you call yourself nosy, it's helped a lot of people come to a lot of understanding, so keep being nosy Liz especially for the rest of us lol. (btw, that was a compliment), not anything malicious...
Thank you Dawna, I am glad that you are enjoying the show, if you see Ryan be sure to go and say hi to him! 🥰From one nosy parker to the tuther! Nui te aroha, Liz
Aw i looove your channel. I also live in Nashville Tn, USA and are considering moving to NZ. Did your guess mean houses average price in Auckland area cost $1.1 million…? Is is New Zealand Dollars? Or USD? Thank you for your reply;)
Hi there. I enjoy all your videos. I'm from SA and I'm trying to decide whether to immigrate to the UK or NZ. Ancestral visa process to the UK will be so much easier but the NZ life looks more familiar and stress free? I would love to get your take on why you left the UK? Bath looks beautiful? My grandad was from Penzance. You mentioned you lived in Cornwall, which looks amazing. Beaches look similar to NZ? I would love to understand why you chose to leave the UK. Maybe you can do a video? Thanks for all the great information. All the best.
Thanks so much for your kind words about the channel Chad! We would love to make a podcast about why we left. In the meantime, I wrote a lighthearted blog post back in 2018, when we were backpacking the world with the kids for a year. It is about why I left the UK. Here it is if you would like to read it 😊 itsadrama.com/reasons-for-emigrating-from-the-uk-blog/
I moved from the north shore to Whangaparaoa, gulf harbour about 5 years ago..its like a holiday resort…the people are so friendly and there is a great community up here…….Neighbours are , South African,Polish, English,Korean and a couple of token kiwis….
Great vid. Your guest is just like most of the other friendly Americans I've met over the years. I'm glad he's enjoying NZ too. I lived on the North Shore of Auckland from 1999 until 2020, after moving up from Hamilton, where I was living at the time. Yes, Auckland has it's problems; the traffic is a pain and house prices/rents are crazy high. But, there's no place I'd rather be and I can't wait to get back there. Like your guest said, there's always something going on. The beaches, bush, and public facilities are great, the people are friendly, and you can't beat the buzz of living in a big, diverse city. Kinda makes me sad I'm not there right now! :-(
It was interesting to me when I visited a friend in Birmingham, he would take 2 buses, and a train to get to his job and it took nearly 2 hrs. I was stunned. I am a 10 min walk to a train, then a 40 min trip into the center of the city. Sure traffic can be hectic but when outside of rush hour, I can drive to the city in less than 30 mins. Rather than rely on the stores to send things to another store, go for the direct approach, ring the shop in Auckland and get them to send it directly to you. Much faster :)
I use to live in a suburb that was only 15 minutes to the city and I hear from so many saying oh you are so far away from town which made me smile and at times laugh because having lived and holiday in huge cities overseas that takes hours to get anywhere🤣 That suburb was once a green belt area meaning the surrounding farms cannot be intensified. I guess there was a perception rather than reality. That changed immediately after the christchurch earthquake. One would be amazed with all the new housing. Now we have a lot more converted into the area🤣🤣
Thanks Mattie, it is so interesting to hear other people’s perceptions on what classes as a ‘commute’! Lovely to hear from you and thanks as always for watching 😊
Love to live in Auckland for 40 years since I arrived,people are friendly n I find it expensive but it depends how to spent or budget your monie n shops around what to buy.
I grew up in Auckland, spent 40 years of my there and then moved to a smallish town in the South Island.. I've never looked back or regretted it, in an odd sort of way I've had more opportunities to do the things I want to do down here.. For instance many years back a few of us got together and said what this town needs is it's own TV station so we did it.. Not one of us had any experience in the industry but we cobbled it together on a shoe string budget and got it up and running while having a truck load of fun along the way.. It's still going strong but I've moved on to other things.. I'd never have been able to do that in Auckland, it's that sort of freedom you just can't get in a city..
That's such a cool story Eric! It's the kind of thing we were talking about in one of our last podcasts: New Zealand opportunity. That just proves that opportunity is there if you are willing to stick your neck out and go for it! Thanks so much for watching and for sharing a bit of NZ inspiration! ☺️
@@ItsaDrama No worries, it's been interesting watching your videos.. Nice to see the perspective of the country through an immigrants eyes.. I guess my advice to anyone coming is if you want to work go to the cities, if you want a lifestyle go to the regions... If you ever find yourselves down in Oamaru give me a shout and I'll show you the sights..
As someone who grew up on the north shore of auckland, 4 years ago moved to the hibiscus coast (the name for a bunch of suburbs including the whangaparaora peninsula), the hibiscus coast is a very different lifestyle and people to those in other areas of Auckland. Each segment of auckland is very different and if one area doesn't fit, there will always be another that will, each area has a mix of financial backgrounds, but each area has a different feel to it, from Bogan to Snobby to areas with bigger cultural melting pots then other areas. We LOVE the hibiscus coast its fit is perfect for us with two young teens..... soooooo many beautiful beaches to choose from ❤ Ultimately auckland is where the jobs are, and that's what personally keeps us here, but made the choice to have a larger commute for out lifestyle. Oh and 1.1m for a house is all over auckland, the rich areas are well over 2m for a nice but not flash house
That is so funny I did my sailor certified at Milford primary near taka puna normal ....I was 8-9 yrs old at the time ....lol there are 3 major rules...don't pull ur bom in to hard that u capsize
If you can't get your product in time for a birthday, do up your own gift certificate for the present you had on order, to give to your daughter on the day. Personalize it.
Love this…you and me think alike…I put a phat it note inside her card saying ‘ go to the record shop in about a months time…there’s something there for you ❤️’ ☺️
Liz. great energy! very interesting. thank you for sharing. I am from the UK but lived in SE Asia for many years and currently in Rwanda, Africa. I am looking to move to NZ so your vids are excellent resource - well done. I work remotely so can be anywhere but I have a 12 year old son so looking for somewhere with good schools and near to where things are happening but prefer to live slightly away from it in easy reach. any suggestions much appreciated !
Lovely podcast! Fellow North Aucklander here - have lived here many years and absolutely love it. I work as a celebrant so know many areas of Auckland really well - but I seldom need to go into the CBD. The city traffic is problematic, especially rush hour of course. And the motorways congest badly on long weekends with Aucklanders leaving/returning. If only we had a decent subway system! But Auckland has everything for me - green belt, ocean on all sides, strong art & cultural scene, events, universities, diversity. I have to say - one thing I've observed in all my years in NZ... non Aucklanders can be so dark on Auckland (and us "JAFAs"!), so much criticism which probably wouldn't be tolerated in the reverse! Not unlike 'London vs England' I bet. But I've only ever experienced Aucklanders to be kind, generous and friendly. Absolutely love this pretty city. That said... I do fancy living in rural NZ someday soon. :-) Would love to hear/see more of Taranaki life!
Thanks so much Hayley, as soon as we are out of lockdown we will get onto making videos about Taranaki ❤️ It is a gorgeous region we absolutely love it. Thanks so much for all of your lovely comments, you don't know how much it means to us 🥰
I loved listening to this interview, not least because I love the way both you couples have embraced our way of life here. Tell your friend we go walking through Shakespeare park and have never come across any adverse effects from the army training centre. What I love about Auckland is it’s like one of those confident, old ladies who strut their stuff in the most outrageous ways and doesn’t give a toss what the rest of the country thinks. You never hear Aucklanders bagging the rest of the country with their silly names, eg Dorklanders. I’m from Dunedin and we’re a very parochial crowd down there, and I’m the last person you’d expect to be defending Auckland, but having lived here for more than 20 years now, there’s no going back for me. I agree with Ryan, the food culture, sun, beaches etc.etc more than make up for a bit of traffic congestion 😬 That’s easy for me to say as I mostly work from home and can choose when I have to endure the traffic. Keep up these lovely/funny vlogs.
You are gorgeous Sharon. Thank you so very much. Comments like this make the lost hours that Ryan and I wasted due to technical difficulties worth every single minute. Thank you so very much 🥰 PS: Love the old lady analogy...I hope she's wearing a string of pearls and a pink fluffy hat 😁 😘
I'm glad that you pointed that out Ryan. We are so lucky to have such a friendly, positive community here on this channel. I have no idea how we managed to find these lovely people or what we did right, but every day Brian and I feel so grateful to have them supporting us. It really does give you faith in the internet doesn't it? I'm glad that you got to experience that too. 🥰
For a while we had a summer home in Papakora (South end) till we fell in love with the Hutt Valley and Wellington. Always take the train into both cities
I did a little research and found the New Plymouth to Wellington train ran between 1885 and 1955. The only connection now is an early bus from NP to Palmerston North and catch the Capital Connection at 6:15am and it returns at 5:15pm. Its 2 hours by train then the bus. You would not get home before 9pm
What a neat guy. Don't know how he can live in Auckland though. I'm in Wellington and it can take an hour from my place to the city if ideas having to commute there for work. I don't though I drive 6.5k and it takes me 8 minutes
Thanks for the lovely words. Don't get me wrong, if I had to drive every day to work it might wear on me quicker. The boat/public transport makes it much easier. :~)
Kia ora, I hear ya bro. I guess its just the nz and Auckland thing. Like you said every big city has the same issues. Nice to see you've settled into our laid back culture. I've always thought one of the best things for Americans coming here is their kids grow up truly free and virtually no fear of guns while they are at school. The mental health of the young ones here must be at a much higher level of wellness than the young ones in the states. Arohanui bro.
@@rollyrolly7729 I think we talk about stress a bit in the next video. But yeah, that is a major difference. The gun culture isn't the same here as the states. :~) I occasionally joke that I'm a kiwi born in the wrong country. I love it here.
Hi Ryan, welcome to NZ 🇳🇿 Fantastic you and your fams took the leap of faith 👍🏽 and your daughter's words touched my heart 💖,I like nice human beings and Ryan is in there 👍🏽 my son is on the North Shore, country kid gone city kid and he loves it, 👍🏽 me & husband get our son to be our chauffeur 😂 👍🏽 great interview Liz Ryan's lovely 😁
Thank you Meg, so glad that you liked it. I couldn't agree more...this is the first time I had met Ryan and immediately I knew that we would be friends 🥰 such a lovely guy. Thanks for watching Meg!
Thanks for the kind words Meg. Being in NZ has been some of the best years of my life so far. I wouldn't change it for the world. (Literally at this point. ;~)
@@ryanbevens7397 Your welcome Ryan, I love, that you love being here 🇳🇿 your home, free to run... Barefoot 😉 free to do whatever you & yours love doing and thanks so much for your reply 😁
Thanks so much, Joanna, we are so glad that you enjoyed it. And great idea about the education chat! I'll let Ryan get over this one and then I'll pester him! 😉😁
I grew up in Auckland, I wouldnt call living in Whangaparoa living in Auckland. After living overseas many years and returning to what I remember Auckland to be when I left , it wasnt the same, it was now a busy congested city which I didnt want anymore, I wasnt attracted to anymore., I didnt NEED anymore. In Gisborne I am however still considered a JAFA can’t get away from it.. Most disappointing to me was the Arcade shops on Queen Street were not full of charming old shops anymore, many are now Asian owned with nothing I wanted to buy. The charm of the old Auckland has gone. Asking people what they do for a living is considered rude as if you only want to know how much money someone makes, one of the first things I noticed on moving to the US people always asked what I did for a living, I couldn’t believe it
It was great to find someone like Ryan who commuted to Auckland CBD every day and could shed some light on what life was like living there 😊 In the UK we tend to ask people what they do for a living as soon as we meet them. For me, it's not so much a money thing - rather a nosey parker thing!! 🤣
Aucklanders, many born and bred, happy as poultry hens, blissfully unaware of the outside, they get used to their world, traffic, work, coffee, city life, travel to the bach, repeat
I was about to drop a negative comment! BUT Ryan said Whangaparoa pretty dam good!!! Better than people born & bred here....So Thank-you Ryan for showing respect & pushing the boat out.PLUS it sounds so much better than the BUTCHERED lazy pronunciations. RYAN gets a thumb up.
Hey Zack, Ryan from the above video. :~) Short answer: When you live overseas the US gives you a tax deduction. I can't remember the exact amount (my mother in law does them for us) but it is something like $150k USD. As long as you don't make more than that, you don't pay US taxes. But you do still have to file in your current 'state of residence' so I don't know what your local taxes would look like.
@@ryanbevens7397 so it gets messy if you make more :) its just a day dream not serious thanks for the reply. There is a photographer I watch called trey ratclif he seems to think its an annoyance.
@@reliev33 It is an annoyance but not much more than that. I know every year I say, 'How is the US the only industrialized country that thinks overseas workers should fill out tax forms?' But that is the price to pay for US citizenship. :~)
@@ryanbevens7397 well lets say you made I dunno 200k I'm assuming NZ wants a rate and the us does? this is my question maybe I'm in the weeds here but this is where my mind goes.
@@reliev33 NZ taxes are super easy, so yes they would take their cut. For the US, everything over whatever that credit is, is taxed. But remember that the US thinks in USD so if you made 200k NZD, you'd need to do the conversion for US taxes. It works in our favor right now. You example above would be 140k USD, so you probably wouldn't have any taxes after the credit, or it would be smaller than you think.
Ay up...I've swapped Bri out this week!
Just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to this weeks guest, Ryan, who very kindly gave up hours of his time at the weekend to not only talk to me about Auckland but who waited patiently until we got technical stuff sorted!
Thank you, Ryan, you are a star! 😁
You don't need to move out of Auckland. I live 10 minutes from the CBD and I have Tui and woodpigeon on my deck, surrounded by trees, lovely friendly neighbourhood and get where I need to in minutes.
Thank you Anne, that's great to hear! 😁
I live in the CBD and have everything you mention except the woodpigeon. Although sometimes I hear a Morepork
There are areas in the CBD where tui live
Liz. great energy! very interesting. thank you for sharing. I am from the UK but lived in SE Asia for many years and currently in Rwanda, Africa. I am looking to move to NZ so your vids are excellent resource - well done. I work remotely so can be anywhere but I have a 12 year old son so looking for somewhere with good schools and near to where things are happening but prefer to live slightly away from it in easy reach. Looking for value - don't need to be in the City for work so no need to pay the usual high prices in those locations. Any suggestions much appreciated ! Ta very much. P.S. what is New Plymouth like? sorry for all the questions
There is water on two sides of Auckland. Manukau Harbour and Waitemata harbour.
What an awesome episode I loved this!😊
I lived Epsom,very upper class area,,talking 4 to 6 million dollar houses,and I was paying $220 a week for rent in a converted villa,and I knew where to shop for cheaper deals, it's easily manageable if you bother to take the time to look around. If people don't know something,they tend to try to tear it down .
Love both of your guys energies, which makes for such an entertaining podcast 😊
Thanks Mel! I just couldn't help but smile when talking to Ryan! Thanks as always for the support 🥰
I don't know who this Mel is but I like the cut of your jib. :~)
Great podcast! Ryan looks like a great fit for NZ,I'd be interested to hear his wife's story,does she teach in NZ and her perception of the education system compared to the US?
Thank you 😊 Yes, Ryan's wife teaches at the local primary school - I made another podcast with Ryan (hoping to release it in a couple of weeks) where he talks about the misconceptions American's have when moving to NZ, it was fabulous so please look out for that one! 😊
Overall she likes it better in NZ but as a reading specialist she is happy that they are working towards some solutions for various learning differences, such as dyslexia. :~)
@@ryanbevens7397 thanks for the reply Ryan,great to see you're enjoying living in NZ,I'd love to get back there one day myself (currently in England).
@@DomingoDeSantaClara Yeah, we have been very happy here. Hopefully you are enjoying life there and if you ever make it over this way, we'll see you around. :~)
Great interview,Liz and Ryan.
Ryan,Ihave nothing but admiration for you,coming toNew Zealand “blind”,as you did,and seemingly accepting what you found without prejudging and comparing.Having experienced the immigration thing myself 30 years ago,the only word I can think of to describe what you did is “brave”
Having visited the U.S. several times,I have to say that you are not a typical American who wants to introduce all foreigners to Uncle Sam. !
Look forward to your next chat.
Regards from beautiful uptown TaumRunui.
John Walker
What a beautiful comment John. Thank you. Thank you so much ☺️
Thanks for the lovely words. I think open is a great word. We took a leap of faith and landed nicely, but that was as much a testament to the wonderful people we've met in Aotearoa. Life is a beautiful adventure. :~)
I moved from Hamilton to Morrinsville while working in Hamilton, my commute became 20 minutes but lots of people thought 5hat was a huge commute lol
Sometimes it’s quite nice to have time to yourself isn’t it? 😊 Brian said to me yesterday ‘shall we got out to Harvey Normans?’ (Which is literally 10 min across town) and I said, ‘oh no…it’s a bit of a drive…’ 🤪😆
When I was in the Royal New Zealand Navy based in Auckland... wasn't that bad... took me 40 minutes to get to the base from home... however I will admit that was "mumble mumble" years ago... now it takes me 10 minutes to work... lol
I haven't been to Auckland for like "mumble mumble" years ...
Kiwi's are just layed back... (just don't back us into a corner... ;-) )
Got it. I'll remember that 😊 (10 minutes commute sounds like a lot easier). Hope you are having a great week my friend 😁
Sailing is easy and cheap for kids in NZ is because its club based so parents and local enthusiasts train coach and do the graft. My kids wanted to learn so we joined the club and got involved I taught and cleaned boats and joined in it was so cool for the whole family. It was also social and great for the big family boat. I guess its the same for all of those sort of sports like rugby tennis netball etc etc.
Whangaparoa is awesome I am a member at the Weiti yacht club (we live on the north shore) and have a few ties to that area, my Daughter and son in law have a resturant in Orewa.
By the way it did snow at Gulf Harbour about 10yrs ago very very briefly I was on my boat at the marina when I saw it.
Thanks so much for this information John, we really appreciate you watching and taking the time to share with us! 😊
I live down south at the foot of the Bombay hills right at the border between Auckland/Waikato. It's a farm area where potatoes and veges are grown. It takes 45mins on a good day by car and over an hour by public transport to reach the CBD. Buying a house is expensive and difficult for first home buyers. Average house price now in Auckland is 1.5mil. Auckland is warm and tropical in summer and nice and cool in winter. The Supercity is surrounded by beaches, and culturally diverse same as Toronto, Sydney and other major cities the world over.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to say hi! ☺️
BTW we have 3 proper ski fields on the North Island. Whakapapa, Turoa and Tukino.
Thanks Barry!
Really fun and informative episode again Liz and tealady Bri. This podcast is such a catch-22, so many of us want you to be successful here but don't want too many people to find out about our paradise ;)
Tea lady Bri 😆 We smiled at that! Thanks so much (next week we promise to start saying how fabulous the UK is and how everyone should stay there, that should do it) 😉 Thanks for watching!
Yeah, that was my struggle. The Hibiscus coast is already starting to fill up, I don't want people to know about it. ;~)
I grew up in South Auckland and absolutely love it, 40 minute commute to the city centre, plenty of local services and amazing diversity. Unfortunately with the cost of housing I didn't see the point of spending so much money moving out to live in the same place, so I went to Europe instead. Now I live in a city with half the population and what feels like twice the public transport! I hope one day I'll be able to come back and raise a family but for now Europe is just so (relatively) affordable and convenient, which Auckland feels like it's losing.
Thanks so much for sharing this with us Victoria, it is always fascinating to hear people who have done the opposite to us and left NZ to go overseas! I'd love to know where you live (sorry, nosey Brit) You obviously love it and I wish you all the happiness in the world - thanks for watching and for taking the time to share your story 😊
@@ItsaDrama I'm in Bordeaux, France
It was hazy for me too, like being in an exciting dream with Lammingtons
That would be great if u did one on money. Rent, mortgage, insurance and job. I’m trying to convince my husband we need to move to NZ but he thinks that he’s not gonna earn as much and he’s already tried applying for jobs and had no luck.
You will love the next podcast with Ryan! That's exactly what we talked about so look out for that one! 😊
To echo Liz, we do touch on that later. :~)
Oh Liz, your friend interested in the army training base... Was that specific for in Auckland or were they interested in nz in general. There are a few training places around nz. Waiouru, Linton (North Island) burnham (south Island) probably others that I don't know of... Just FYI! 😁
Thank you Louisa😊I think she is hoping to move to Whangaparāoa and that is why she was interested (I think like we said she probably imagines something huge and intimidating!)
Great to hear different view points! Ah yes Whangaparaoa is a beautiful place to live, not far from the orewa beach!
I now live in helensville which I love coz it's a small country town, but only an hour away from Auckland city! Ideal.
We considered Helensville, it is also a beautiful area. :~)
@@ryanbevens7397 you can come and visit! 😁
I lived there for 11 years,as well as going up to Auckland for the school holidays every year, I know the city like the back of my hand,best city in NZ. The people that bag it,have either not been there,or only went for a very short time,not really giving it any chance.
The best way to see a city is with a local…you know all of the hidden gems 🥰
@@ItsaDrama Yup,I'll let you know when I move home,so when,or if you decide to drive up for a visit,I'll be your guide,I know where all the best pubs and eating places are.😉😊
We live on the North Shore now but my four children grew up on the Coast and are still coasters at heart. Kids that grow up on the coast are either born with or grow fins - the water is their playground.
I love that saying 'coasters!' 🥰Thanks Anne!
@@ItsaDrama It is not only one of the most beautiful parts of Auckland or New Zealand but the world. My daughter is a travel blogger and she wrote this about Whangaparaoa. gettinglost.co.nz/going-back-whangaparaoa-peninsula/
Yeehaa, found it, looking forward to watching this and just realized that Ryan lives in the same town as myself, Liz, this is not the only vid I watched of yours where you say because your a *nosy Parker* *Oh ye of little faith* so are the rest of us that watch your vids/pods, that's how we humans learn things from being nosy, and because you call yourself nosy, it's helped a lot of people come to a lot of understanding, so keep being nosy Liz especially for the rest of us lol. (btw, that was a compliment), not anything malicious...
Thank you Dawna, I am glad that you are enjoying the show, if you see Ryan be sure to go and say hi to him! 🥰From one nosy parker to the tuther! Nui te aroha, Liz
Where else in the world you can you travel 3 hours North in Summer and catch Marlin, and in Winter travel 3 hours South and ski?
Very true Sam! 😊
Aw i looove your channel. I also live in Nashville Tn, USA and are considering moving to NZ.
Did your guess mean houses average price in Auckland area cost $1.1 million…? Is is New Zealand Dollars? Or USD? Thank you for your reply;)
Thanks for watching Tatiana! Ryan was referring to NZD 😁
Hi there. I enjoy all your videos. I'm from SA and I'm trying to decide whether to immigrate to the UK or NZ. Ancestral visa process to the UK will be so much easier but the NZ life looks more familiar and stress free? I would love to get your take on why you left the UK? Bath looks beautiful? My grandad was from Penzance. You mentioned you lived in Cornwall, which looks amazing. Beaches look similar to NZ? I would love to understand why you chose to leave the UK. Maybe you can do a video? Thanks for all the great information. All the best.
NZ!!! My Fiance is from Jo'Burg 💗💗💗
Thanks so much for your kind words about the channel Chad! We would love to make a podcast about why we left.
In the meantime, I wrote a lighthearted blog post back in 2018, when we were backpacking the world with the kids for a year. It is about why I left the UK. Here it is if you would like to read it 😊
itsadrama.com/reasons-for-emigrating-from-the-uk-blog/
Great thank you. I will go read your blog. All best.
I'm going to share this, coz it would be good for home grown nzers to watch this and realise how lucky we are! 😍
Thanks so much Louisa, that's really kind. Sometimes it takes seeing it through other eyes to remember how lucky we are! 😊
I moved from the north shore to Whangaparaoa, gulf harbour about 5 years ago..its like a holiday resort…the people are so friendly and there is a great community up here…….Neighbours are , South African,Polish, English,Korean and a couple of token kiwis….
Thanks so much for watching we really appreciate you being here! 😊
Wow brother has the pronunciation down pat, awesome video guys 🙌🏾
Thanks! Really glad that you enjoyed it😃
Great vid. Your guest is just like most of the other friendly Americans I've met over the years. I'm glad he's enjoying NZ too. I lived on the North Shore of Auckland from 1999 until 2020, after moving up from Hamilton, where I was living at the time. Yes, Auckland has it's problems; the traffic is a pain and house prices/rents are crazy high. But, there's no place I'd rather be and I can't wait to get back there. Like your guest said, there's always something going on. The beaches, bush, and public facilities are great, the people are friendly, and you can't beat the buzz of living in a big, diverse city. Kinda makes me sad I'm not there right now! :-(
Thanks so much for this comment Trascy, sounds as though Auckland was a great fit for you! hopefully you will get back soon 😊
It was interesting to me when I visited a friend in Birmingham, he would take 2 buses, and a train to get to his job and it took nearly 2 hrs. I was stunned. I am a 10 min walk to a train, then a 40 min trip into the center of the city. Sure traffic can be hectic but when outside of rush hour, I can drive to the city in less than 30 mins.
Rather than rely on the stores to send things to another store, go for the direct approach, ring the shop in Auckland and get them to send it directly to you. Much faster :)
Two hours is a LOT! Good tip about shopping Anna! Thank you 😊
I use to live in a suburb that was only 15 minutes to the city and I hear from so many saying oh you are so far away from town which made me smile and at times laugh because having lived and holiday in huge cities overseas that takes hours to get anywhere🤣
That suburb was once a green belt area meaning the surrounding farms cannot be intensified. I guess there was a perception rather than reality. That changed immediately after the christchurch earthquake. One would be amazed with all the new housing. Now we have a lot more converted into the area🤣🤣
Thanks Mattie, it is so interesting to hear other people’s perceptions on what classes as a ‘commute’! Lovely to hear from you and thanks as always for watching 😊
Love to live in Auckland for 40 years since I arrived,people are friendly n I find it expensive but it depends how to spent or budget your monie n shops around what to buy.
Very true Victoria! Thanks so much for watching 😊
I grew up in Auckland, spent 40 years of my there and then moved to a smallish town in the South Island.. I've never looked back or regretted it, in an odd sort of way I've had more opportunities to do the things I want to do down here.. For instance many years back a few of us got together and said what this town needs is it's own TV station so we did it.. Not one of us had any experience in the industry but we cobbled it together on a shoe string budget and got it up and running while having a truck load of fun along the way.. It's still going strong but I've moved on to other things.. I'd never have been able to do that in Auckland, it's that sort of freedom you just can't get in a city..
That's such a cool story Eric! It's the kind of thing we were talking about in one of our last podcasts: New Zealand opportunity.
That just proves that opportunity is there if you are willing to stick your neck out and go for it! Thanks so much for watching and for sharing a bit of NZ inspiration! ☺️
@@ItsaDrama No worries, it's been interesting watching your videos.. Nice to see the perspective of the country through an immigrants eyes.. I guess my advice to anyone coming is if you want to work go to the cities, if you want a lifestyle go to the regions... If you ever find yourselves down in Oamaru give me a shout and I'll show you the sights..
As someone who grew up on the north shore of auckland, 4 years ago moved to the hibiscus coast (the name for a bunch of suburbs including the whangaparaora peninsula), the hibiscus coast is a very different lifestyle and people to those in other areas of Auckland. Each segment of auckland is very different and if one area doesn't fit, there will always be another that will, each area has a mix of financial backgrounds, but each area has a different feel to it, from Bogan to Snobby to areas with bigger cultural melting pots then other areas. We LOVE the hibiscus coast its fit is perfect for us with two young teens..... soooooo many beautiful beaches to choose from ❤
Ultimately auckland is where the jobs are, and that's what personally keeps us here, but made the choice to have a larger commute for out lifestyle. Oh and 1.1m for a house is all over auckland, the rich areas are well over 2m for a nice but not flash house
Thanks so much for this insight Kate! We really appreciate you for taking the time to share! 🥰
That is so funny I did my sailor certified at Milford primary near taka puna normal ....I was 8-9 yrs old at the time ....lol there are 3 major rules...don't pull ur bom in to hard that u capsize
If you can't get your product in time for a birthday, do up your own gift certificate for the present you had on order, to give to your daughter on the day. Personalize it.
Love this…you and me think alike…I put a phat it note inside her card saying ‘ go to the record shop in about a months time…there’s something there for you ❤️’ ☺️
I've done this a couple of times
Liz. great energy! very interesting. thank you for sharing. I am from the UK but lived in SE Asia for many years and currently in Rwanda, Africa. I am looking to move to NZ so your vids are excellent resource - well done. I work remotely so can be anywhere but I have a 12 year old son so looking for somewhere with good schools and near to where things are happening but prefer to live slightly away from it in easy reach. any suggestions much appreciated !
Lovely podcast! Fellow North Aucklander here - have lived here many years and absolutely love it. I work as a celebrant so know many areas of Auckland really well - but I seldom need to go into the CBD. The city traffic is problematic, especially rush hour of course. And the motorways congest badly on long weekends with Aucklanders leaving/returning. If only we had a decent subway system! But Auckland has everything for me - green belt, ocean on all sides, strong art & cultural scene, events, universities, diversity. I have to say - one thing I've observed in all my years in NZ... non Aucklanders can be so dark on Auckland (and us "JAFAs"!), so much criticism which probably wouldn't be tolerated in the reverse! Not unlike 'London vs England' I bet. But I've only ever experienced Aucklanders to be kind, generous and friendly. Absolutely love this pretty city. That said... I do fancy living in rural NZ someday soon. :-) Would love to hear/see more of Taranaki life!
Thanks so much Hayley, as soon as we are out of lockdown we will get onto making videos about Taranaki ❤️ It is a gorgeous region we absolutely love it. Thanks so much for all of your lovely comments, you don't know how much it means to us 🥰
I loved listening to this interview, not least because I love the way both you couples have embraced our way of life here. Tell your friend we go walking through Shakespeare park and have never come across any adverse effects from the army training centre.
What I love about Auckland is it’s like one of those confident, old ladies who strut their stuff in the most outrageous ways and doesn’t give a toss what the rest of the country thinks. You never hear Aucklanders bagging the rest of the country with their silly names, eg Dorklanders. I’m from Dunedin and we’re a very parochial crowd down there, and I’m the last person you’d expect to be defending Auckland, but having lived here for more than 20 years now, there’s no going back for me. I agree with Ryan, the food culture, sun, beaches etc.etc more than make up for a bit of traffic congestion 😬 That’s easy for me to say as I mostly work from home and can choose when I have to endure the traffic.
Keep up these lovely/funny vlogs.
You are gorgeous Sharon. Thank you so very much. Comments like this make the lost hours that Ryan and I wasted due to technical difficulties worth every single minute. Thank you so very much 🥰
PS: Love the old lady analogy...I hope she's wearing a string of pearls and a pink fluffy hat 😁 😘
When the exchange rates were 1 pound equals 27 cents back in the early ninetys, coming from UK, made starting off a lot easier, great video.
Was it 27p to the dollar? Oh my...I'd have never had to moan about the price of limes ever again...🤣Thanks for watching Michael!
Ryan killed it awesome interview
Thanks, it is nice to hear strangers say positive things about others. We don't always see that on the internet. :~)
I'm glad that you pointed that out Ryan. We are so lucky to have such a friendly, positive community here on this channel. I have no idea how we managed to find these lovely people or what we did right, but every day Brian and I feel so grateful to have them supporting us. It really does give you faith in the internet doesn't it? I'm glad that you got to experience that too. 🥰
Thanks so much Joshua, Ryan is such a genuine guy. Glad that you enjoyed it! ☺️
Oh my goodness ur in Albany.....that's out there I went to Kristen high school
For a while we had a summer home in Papakora (South end) till we fell in love with the Hutt Valley and Wellington. Always take the train into both cities
Trains are such an easy way to travel 😊 I wish we had one in Taranaki! Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment 😊
@@ItsaDrama Not to make you cry but at one time there was a train to New Plymouth.
I did a little research and found the New Plymouth to Wellington train ran between 1885 and 1955. The only connection now is an early bus from NP to Palmerston North and catch the Capital Connection at 6:15am and it returns at 5:15pm. Its 2 hours by train then the bus. You would not get home before 9pm
Great podcast! What a lovely man!
Thank you 😊He is just gorgeous and is now a new friend!
My work give us one day a week to work from home.
Its less a time saver for me, big saving for others. :)
What a neat guy. Don't know how he can live in Auckland though. I'm in Wellington and it can take an hour from my place to the city if ideas having to commute there for work. I don't though I drive 6.5k and it takes me 8 minutes
So glad that you enjoyed Ryan, he's such a lovely man! 😊
Thanks for the lovely words. Don't get me wrong, if I had to drive every day to work it might wear on me quicker. The boat/public transport makes it much easier. :~)
Kia ora, I hear ya bro. I guess its just the nz and Auckland thing. Like you said every big city has the same issues. Nice to see you've settled into our laid back culture. I've always thought one of the best things for Americans coming here is their kids grow up truly free and virtually no fear of guns while they are at school. The mental health of the young ones here must be at a much higher level of wellness than the young ones in the states. Arohanui bro.
@@rollyrolly7729 I think we talk about stress a bit in the next video. But yeah, that is a major difference. The gun culture isn't the same here as the states. :~)
I occasionally joke that I'm a kiwi born in the wrong country. I love it here.
Nice mate. I'm looking forward to the next episode
Hi Ryan, welcome to NZ 🇳🇿 Fantastic you and your fams took the leap of faith 👍🏽 and your daughter's words touched my heart 💖,I like nice human beings and Ryan is in there 👍🏽 my son is on the North Shore, country kid gone city kid and he loves it, 👍🏽 me & husband get our son to be our chauffeur 😂 👍🏽 great interview Liz Ryan's lovely 😁
Thank you Meg, so glad that you liked it. I couldn't agree more...this is the first time I had met Ryan and immediately I knew that we would be friends 🥰 such a lovely guy. Thanks for watching Meg!
Thanks for the kind words Meg. Being in NZ has been some of the best years of my life so far. I wouldn't change it for the world. (Literally at this point. ;~)
@@ryanbevens7397 Your welcome Ryan, I love, that you love being here 🇳🇿 your home, free to run... Barefoot 😉 free to do whatever you & yours love doing and thanks so much for your reply 😁
I seem to have some stuff in common with Ryan, age range, industry, etc is he available to take questions about the move and more?
What part of Taranaki are you living
Great, great, great. , Liz, why dont you now make a video with Ryan's wife about education in NZ ? :-)
We've had more than a couple of conversations about the differences in the US and NZ educational systems. ;~)
Thanks so much, Joanna, we are so glad that you enjoyed it. And great idea about the education chat! I'll let Ryan get over this one and then I'll pester him! 😉😁
@@ryanbevens7397 but I didnt mean the differences, but all about getting a job etc.
@@joannabialek2864 Ah, no worries. I'm sure we could do that.
Excellent!
Glad you liked it Tom, thanks so much for watching! 😊
I grew up in Auckland, I wouldnt call living in Whangaparoa living in Auckland. After living overseas many years and returning to what I remember Auckland to be when I left , it wasnt the same, it was now a busy congested city which I didnt want anymore, I wasnt attracted to anymore., I didnt NEED anymore. In Gisborne I am however still considered a JAFA can’t get away from it.. Most disappointing to me was the Arcade shops on Queen Street were not full of charming old shops anymore, many are now Asian owned with nothing I wanted to buy. The charm of the old Auckland has gone. Asking people what they do for a living is considered rude as if you only want to know how much money someone makes, one of the first things I noticed on moving to the US people always asked what I did for a living, I couldn’t believe it
It was great to find someone like Ryan who commuted to Auckland CBD every day and could shed some light on what life was like living there 😊
In the UK we tend to ask people what they do for a living as soon as we meet them. For me, it's not so much a money thing - rather a nosey parker thing!! 🤣
The best thing about NZ is there no Condos at the beach.
Aucklanders, many born and bred, happy as poultry hens, blissfully unaware of the outside, they get used to their world, traffic, work, coffee, city life, travel to the bach, repeat
True,and we don't give a toss what others think of us,we just get on with our lives,better things to do.
Sending tons of love up to Auckland! 🥰
Totally agree! Many aucklanders, born and bred, generally know very little about the rest of nz... Sadly!
I was about to drop a negative comment! BUT Ryan said Whangaparoa pretty dam good!!!
Better than people born & bred here....So Thank-you Ryan for showing respect & pushing the boat out.PLUS it sounds so much better than the BUTCHERED lazy pronunciations. RYAN gets a thumb up.
Btw you guys keep yourselves safe.
And you too ☺️
Right on the Money There Houses Are Expensive.
I'm a JAFA
I was raised in maragangi Bay
I went to Murrays Bay intermediate
Much love to people working with Maori pronounciation.
🥰
They start with exaggerated Maori, but eventually will copy the locals perhaps?
really enjoyed this one. It's nice to hear comments how you love our country!
Thanks so much, we are really glad that you liked it 🥰
Denvenport!?!?!
As an Aucklander , whangaparoa is not Auckland!
Ummm
Mount
RuApaui
would be interesting to hear how an American pays taxes while living in nz
Hey Zack, Ryan from the above video. :~) Short answer: When you live overseas the US gives you a tax deduction. I can't remember the exact amount (my mother in law does them for us) but it is something like $150k USD. As long as you don't make more than that, you don't pay US taxes. But you do still have to file in your current 'state of residence' so I don't know what your local taxes would look like.
@@ryanbevens7397 so it gets messy if you make more :) its just a day dream not serious thanks for the reply. There is a photographer I watch called trey ratclif he seems to think its an annoyance.
@@reliev33 It is an annoyance but not much more than that. I know every year I say, 'How is the US the only industrialized country that thinks overseas workers should fill out tax forms?' But that is the price to pay for US citizenship. :~)
@@ryanbevens7397 well lets say you made I dunno 200k I'm assuming NZ wants a rate and the us does? this is my question maybe I'm in the weeds here but this is where my mind goes.
@@reliev33 NZ taxes are super easy, so yes they would take their cut. For the US, everything over whatever that credit is, is taxed. But remember that the US thinks in USD so if you made 200k NZD, you'd need to do the conversion for US taxes. It works in our favor right now. You example above would be 140k USD, so you probably wouldn't have any taxes after the credit, or it would be smaller than you think.
Love Tennesse
I'm a shore boy