Making the decision to move to another country will probably be one of the biggest decisions of your life. Apart from moving miles away from friends and family, the chances are you are also moving to a country quite different to your own. You'll need to get used to a new way of life, with new people, new formalities and new surroundings. While this can be daunting, it also contributes to the whole excitement and appeal of moving in the first place. At least it's not the other side of the world right? Well actually, for those moving to New Zealand, that's exactly where you will be. However, with a little forward planning, you can help make the transition a little less scary and a lot more exciting. While some people like to fly by the seat of their pants and live spontaneously, it's still advisable to research the country you are moving to. Walking in to the unknown is fine if you are going on a week's holiday, but moving your entire life to the other side of the world is very different and shouldn't be taken lightly or entered in to blindly. It's actually quite amazing how many people move to another country without even visiting first. Perhaps this is less risky if you are moving somewhere that is a few hours from home however New Zealand is a 26 hour flight from the UK, costing anywhere from about 800 pounds to fifteen hundred. This makes it much harder to simply pop home when you feel home-sick, therefore it certainly pays to visit before you make your decision. The longer you can spend in the country before you move, the more realistic picture you will get of what life will be like to live there and not just holiday there. Discover the local TV programmes and newspapers, how much a week's shopping costs and how cold kiwi homes can be in the winter with no central heating! The purpose of these discoveries isn't to put you off the country; it's to give you the greatest understanding of what life will really be like and not what all the tourism commercials tell you it will be like. As well as paying a visit, make sure you do plenty of research before moving to New Zealand, including salary expectations, locations to live and the kiwi lifestyle. This will all help you settle quicker and reduce the chances of any nasty surprises once you arrive. There is so much to organise prior to moving to New Zealand, including finding the most competitive flight prices, visas, accommodation, money transfers, insurance and shipping your goods overseas. Planning all this carefully will help make your transition much smoother. Once you arrive in the country, there are a few things you can do to help settle quickly. If you haven't already organised buying or renting a house before you arrive, you may choose to rent an apartment or check in to a hotel for the first few weeks while you get yourself sorted. Hiring a car for the first few weeks is also advisable, as the mobility will help you to become familiar with your surroundings until you can find the right car to buy. Make sure you buy yourself a kiwi mobile phone and as soon as you are settled in your new home, get a phone line connected so you can start keeping in touch with home as soon as possible. Webcams for your computer are also a great way to help with home-sickness that is inevitable in the first few months. If you have a specific hobby, such as sport, photography, cooking or yoga, find out where the local clubs are and get yourself signed up, to help you meet new people. The best advice is to throw yourself in to your new life and keep as busy as possible, making every effort to meet others. You are bound to miss home in the early days but surrounding yourself with others will help. The biggest mistake people make when moving to New Zealand is to expect to continue the same lives they led back home. Your new life in New Zealand will not be the same as your old life in the UK, but if it was, why go in the first place? Embrace the differences, make the most of them and enjoy them. Moving to New Zealand is a massive move to make but one that will hopefully lead to your enjoyment of completely new experiences. The breathtaking scenery, the outdoors lifestyle, the laid back kiwi attitude, the hot summers on the beach and the cold winters on the ski-slopes, the low crime rates and cheap housing are all likely to add to the attraction of your new life. So get reading, ask advice of those who have already made the move and jump on that plane feeling excited and prepared.
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