FAQs

I’m writing out these FAQs because 1. We’ve been asked these questions a million times (Well, not quite. But close.) and 2. We’re sick of answering them. This is the place where you should find most (I hope all) of the answers to your questions. Of course, if you have a question and it’s not answered here, you’re more than welcome to ask me.

Q: When are you leaving?

A: Shortly after our temporary visas are approved and our stuff is all sold, especially our Jeep. So we are expecting to leave between mid to end July.

Q: How long do you plan to stay in New Zealand?

A: As of right now? Indefinitely. We’ll see what happens, of course. You just never know what life is going to throw your way or where God will lead you. But we want to raise the kids there and for them to raise their kids there, etc. Also, it’s been a lot of work trying to immigrate. I kind of refuse to ever do this again LOL.

Q: What’s the weather like in New Zealand?

A: Well, it depends where you go. North and South are switched there (temperature-wise) because of Antarctica. So the North Island is warmer and the South Island is cooler. On the South Island, the more inland you go, the more likely it is to snow during the winter. On the shores, it tends to be more temperate. On the North Island, its pretty temperate year-round from what I’ve read. From what I’ve heard about the area we’re moving to, it’s supposed to be windy and rainy. In the winter the lows can get into the 30s (Fahrenheit, I point that out because they go by Celsius) and in the summer, the high tends to fall in the 70s.

Q: What language do they speak in New Zealand?

A: English is the primary official language of New Zealand. Maori is their official native language. It’s a dying language that they are trying to bring back. I’m currently learning it (slowly) and the kids will be taught it in school. New Zealand sign language is the third official language in New Zealand. The thing about New Zealand English is they have a LOT of slang. So basically, we will have to learn a new language. It’s just going to be comprised of words we know and a lot of slang and phrases that we’re unfamiliar with. It’ll take some getting used to. I think Matt will get the hang of it quicker than I will. I tend to not understand accents as well as he does. Oh boy.

Q: What part of New Zealand are you moving to?

A: Palmerston North, it’s towards the South on the North Island. We’ll be 30 minutes from the beaches and 2.5 hours from skiing. We’re pretty excited about that!

Q: What will you do for accommodations when you arrive? Will you rent or buy?

A: We plan to Airbnb for a week or so while we find a place to rent. We plan on renting for a long time, at least until we know for sure where we want to settle down. New Zealand just passed a law that only NZ residents or citizens can buy houses or land, so buying won’t be an option for us anyway, not for the first few months at least.

Q: How long is the flight to New Zealand?

A: About 23 hours in total, broken up of course. We will fly from Tampa to Texas to Auckland to Palmerston North. Our new town has its own international airport and we are pretty stoked about it.

Q: Why New Zealand?

A: Read the story, parts 1-8

Q: Will you work?

A: My goal is to remain a stay-at-home-mom, if finances will allow for it (we’re thinking they should). If for some reason I must go back to work, I will probably find a part-time job. I’m not sure if it will be related to my degree (MBA) or not. I’m just going to go with the flow.

Q: You say you’re going for missions. What kind of mission work will you do? Are you with a missions organization?

A: Check out my post: My Calling to Missions

Q: What’s the currency exchange rate?

A: The New Zealand Dollar (NZD) is $1.40 for every $1.00 US Dollar (USD) as of now, June 2019.

Q: What’s the time difference between the US and New Zealand?

A: Right now New Zealand is +16 hours from the US. As I type this it is 9:30 pm on Thursday here and 1:30 pm on Friday there. They have time changes just like we have them, so this number varies. I believe they can be up to +18 hours ahead of us certain times of the year.

Q: Are you going to get a New Zealand telephone number?

A. Of course. And no, I don’t plan on keeping my US number. We’re probably going to buy some international time with our new phone carriers in New Zealand that will allow us a certain number of minutes and texts per month internationally. Both me and Matt will be available via Skype, FaceTime (for iPhone users), Facebook Messenger, Instagram direct messages, Marco Polo, Snap Chat, etc. Those are all free ways to contact us.

Q: What side of the road will you drive on?

A: The left. And cars are right-side drivers (steering wheel where the passenger usually sits). Yes, this will take some getting used to. I’ve been told to go with the flow and take it slow.

Q: Will you take your car? What about your other stuff?

A: We were discouraged from bringing our car because left-hand drivers (steering wheel where the driver usually sits in the US) aren’t permitted on New Zealand roads. We would have had to pay to have our car converted on top of the cost of shipping it. It’s just not worth it. We will miss our Jeep dearly. About all our stuff, we are going to send some boxes to Matt’s new place of employment for storage until we arrive. We are going to pack our clothes and such. But overall, we are going to have to sell/donate the majority of what we currently own and start over there.

Q: What position is Matt going to be in?

A. He is going to be an Electrician to start. The plan is for him to work his way to Senior Electrician.

Q: When you flush the toilet, will the water flow in the opposite direction?

A. LOL. Yes. And same with bathtubs, sinks, etc. And yes, I’ll post a video for proof.

Q: Are the seasons in New Zealand the same as Australia?

A: Yes. Their seasons are the opposite of ours here in the US. December is their summer and July is their winter. It’s going to take some getting used to. And yes, we will be arriving during their winter season.

Q. What do your families think of all this?

A. Well, I don’t want to stick words in their mouths. If you want to know what they think, you are more than welcome to ask them. All I can say is it’s never easy on anyone when you decide to move far away. It’s just hard being away from those you love. There’s the fact that you can’t see each other as much. I think they’ll miss us like crazy, and we will miss them too. It’s especially hard on them that they won’t get to see the kids as much, with them being so young and all. This goes for both mine and Matt’s families. And for our close friends too, who are also taking it hard. Understandably so!

Q: What do you call a New Zealander?

A. They are called Kiwis. I think its adorable.

Q. What’s the New Zealand accent like? Will the kids pick them up?

A. I would say that its closer to the Australian accent than the British accent. I can tell a huge difference between the New Zealand accent vs. the Australian accent, while some people can’t as much. The New Zealand accent definitely has its own, unique sound. They talk pretty fast, too. And yes, the kids will grow to sound like New Zealand locals. Actually, I can’t wait to hear their accents. It’s gonna be so darn cute.

Q: Is the voltage different in New Zealand?

A: Yes. The US operates on 120/240V for residential and 277/480V, 120/208V for commercial and New Zealand operates on 230V for residential and 230/400V for commercial.

Q: Do they use the Metric system there?

A. Yes. That is something that will take some getting used to.

Q: How are you feeling about the big move?

A. Well, we are experiencing a mix of emotions. We’re nervous/excited/adventurous. All the normal feels that anyone else would probably experience. Honestly, it’s scary. But it’s also exciting for us. It’s also bittersweet because we’re leaving behind everything we know. But you know what, God’s got us. And knowing that fact means we don’t have to worry.

Q: What happened to Lemongram?

A: Honestly, I spent a LOT of time and money trying to get it up and running. I hit some crucial walls and finally ran out of funds to devote to it. Both Matt and I felt like it wasn’t Lemongram’s timing. The Lemongram idea came up close to the same time that the New Zealand idea came up. After a lot of consideration, I really didn’t think it would be feasible to run a US company from NZ. That being said, the logo is mine and has been copyrighted for 50 years. I’m not opposed to trying it again in New Zealand. It just really depends on where life takes us and if Lemongram fits into our lifestyle. I did learn a lot from the experience and it’s a cute idea, that’s for sure. As for the LLC, the website, the physical address, and everything else: I shut everything down and I made the Facebook page invisible (I’m keeping it should I decide to start it back up – New Zealand has the lowest barrier to entry, so that’s pretty cool).