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Question:

I suppose that I will apply for a Visitor's Visa to stay for 6 months. I suppose this because I don't know how hard it would be to get a Work Visa and secondly, I don't know if a Work Visa would be worth it for only 6 months. I absolutely must find a job there, nothing to demanding, but enough to take care of minor expenses, and to supplement my savings.

Do you feel that is the best route? I hope that I will be able to find a job "of the books" and therefore it will not require a work visa. Do you feel this is realistic? Are there many jobs in Dunedin that don't require Work Visas?

If I did make an attempt to obtain a work visa:
I have read on the Internet that it is hard to obtain a work visa unless one already has an "offer of employment" from a NZ employer. I don't know how I would go about that and most importantly whether I will be offered a job (fresh out of school, with no experience, and for only 6 months).

Lastly, I do not wish to work more then I have to while I am there. I want to have as much freedom as possible to travel and relish in that magnificent environment. We have always traveled on a shoestring and value our time, natural beauty, and togetherness more than anything that costs money. Therefore, I wish to only work enough to sufficiently take of accrued expenses.

Answer:

Since you're only going to be there for about six months, your best bet (as you've stated) is not to go for a work visa. Plus, it would be very difficult to get one without a job offer in advance, which, as you mentioned, is quite difficult to attain. From experience and friends, it should not be too hard to score an 'under-the-table' job in Dunedin. Foreigners pass through there all the time--especially students and backpackers--and we're pretty confident that you'll find plenty of work. Granted, it may not be glamorous, but it will pay for you and your girlfriend to travel the country. In the end, that's all that really matters. Coffee Houses, Hostels, Farms, are all good bets. You can probably find a lot of 'Help Wanted' ads in the Information Center in the Octagon (in Dunedin). Your girlfriend, with her connections on campus, will more than likely hear of some opportunities as well.

People in NZ are incredibly helpful. More helpful than you can imagine. Simple talking to people will lead to amazing things. More than once, individuals went out of their way to help us out--even when they did not know us. So, honestly, network as much as you can. I'm pretty confident that you won't have a problem.
 

Question:

I was wondering how easy or hard is it to actually find a job in
New Zealand? Do they really want to employ a foreigner, and do they pay for relocation expenses?
I am an IT guy. What is a good average salary in NZ?

Answer:

To quickly answer your questions, finding a job in New Zealand is akin to searching for one anywhere in the world. They have a very modern infrastructure and there are several job sites online that can help you. I found my job through monster.com's international section.

In terms of foreigners, they're so used to people from overseas that they don't think twice about your nationality--just if you can do the job. Some companies do pay for relocation expenses. My wife, for instance, received full compensation from the hospital she worked at for making the move.

The salary averages are on par with what you would find throughout most places in the world--except in NZ dollars. For instance, if someone makes $35,000 in IT in the US, you can pretty much expect to make the equivalent in NZ dollars. They don't compensate you for the fact that their currency is slightly weak in the world market. Luckily, you can make a good living on just a little money in the country.

Hope that answers your questions. The hot spots for IT in the country right now are in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.

Question and Answer:

So, anyways, yes, living somewhere else in the world is an amazing eye-opening experience. Not just for what you see and experience in your new adopted home; but for how the world perceives and interprets where you're from. You gain new insight into what you love about the U.S., dislike, and what other people think as well. I have never been that serious into politics--but after living abroad, I'm absolutely rapt with attention at what is going on in government and foreign policy. Living somewhere else just changes that in you. You suddenly become more interested and proactive in decisions affecting the rest of the world.

Anyways, as you mentioned below, yes, it is also an amazing break from the daily routine of 'life' in the good ole US. I love this place, but it's fun to shake things up every now and then. Plus, I honestly believe there are few experiences as rewarding as throwing away one life only to fly to another where you know nobody and have no fucking idea what you're going to do upon arriving. Good times. There are hidden lessons in there that can't be replicated by, say, moving across the US to a new state. Living in an entirely different country is something that few experience and, believe me, it's worth it for than just the 'getting away' aspect. Alright, on to your questions....

" The more I started thinking about it, maybe a permanent move to NZ isn't really what is necessary, but definitely a LIVE-in experience is what I need."

--Absolutely. Who knows? Once you get there, you might never want to leave. But, initially, I would recommend simply gunning for an easy two year VISA (they're pretty easy to land.) and enjoying your time there as a trial period. You could always renew after two years for another two years. One professor that I met in NZ from the US had been living there for the past 17 year--simply by renewing each time. He finally gave in and became a citizen simply because he wanted the benefits of retirement. BUT, and here's the best part, the US still does not recognize NZ as an independent country. It still perceives it as a protectorate of Great Britain. So, if you do ever become a citizen, you're allowed dual-citizenship under international law. This way, you can always go back and forth without any issues and still have the benefits of both countries.

The best part about taking off for somewhere is that it doesn't have to be forever. For us, 16 months was enough to experience the culture, cruise around the Southern Hemisphere, and learn some important lessons. We came back to the U.S. not refreshed from a vacation but excited to pursue a life here (or possibly somewhere else down the road) with the experiences we had learned overseas.

" Maybe something more in the way
of 400-500 US dollars would get me a decent place out there... What do you think?"

--Try 300-400 US dollars. We had a home in Dunedin that was fully furnished--including satellite tv, leather couches, huge backyard, hot tub--with three bedrooms, two bath for only 400 US per month. It was nuts. We went into NZ with about $5K and purchased outright a great car, insurance (only $125 for the whole year! Car insurance!) and health care benefits--not to mention a couple months rent, food, etc. Once you start making NZ money, however, you'll come back down to normal. Clothes, electronics, and--depending on the season--food are all a little pricey. Beyond that though, you'll find you can get by with much less than what you're spending now. (Which is great b/c you'll blow the extras on touring the country, snowboarding, bungee jumping, kayaking, glacier-climbing, etc.)

" This is also something I'm doing on my own... I'm moving away to a place where I don't know a single person. Do you think there will be any special circumstances involved with that... extreme differences than if I went with someone? What do you think it would have been like if it was just you?
What would you do... the same or different? How would you handle the whole thing if you were going solo?"

I'll admit that the move was made a little easier by having Jeannine coming along with me. Obviously, the support structure would be that much greater with a partner in crime along for the ride. However, even if I wasn't married, I still would have made the trip out there--and most likely, found similar results.

The people are incredibly helpful and accommodating. In my travels all over the world, I would say that they take the number one spot as the nicest for personality and humor. You'll simply meet someone on the street and they'll invite you over for dinner or ask you to tag along on a rafting trip w/o even knowing you for more than ten minutes. Living in Dunedin put us right in the middle of a college town so the place immediately an easy place to meet people 35 and under. You won't have a problem wherever you go. It's just too easy to meet people.

" What's a good one? What's a decent one? What's the market like?"

Here’s the thing--the country is pretty much like any other in the world. They have all types of jobs looking for anyone with experience to willing to learn. I found an IT job online and landed it before coming over--however, I would say that I was pretty lucky to have found that. I was fully prepared to simply hit NZ and see what was available once I got there. You would have absolutely no problem nailing a bartender position. They love to drink in NZ--great fucking beer too. If you're serious about the bartender side of things, I would say pick a hot spot like Queenstown, Nelson, or Dunedin. That way, you're in the thick of all the action--and in the middle of the most beautiful locations and vineyards in the world. OR, you could simply try something you've never done before. If I was single, I probably would have tried applying at one of the Glacier Guide places or outdoor adventure shit. Those people look like they have a blast. It might not be amazing pay, but talk about a dream job. I'm not sure if you're into that type of thing, but it might be something to check out. Look at the job sites available online by typing in "jobs in new Zealand" in google. That should return some good results. You won't have a problem finding a job, just be prepared to hit the ground running when you get there and apply all around.

 The first place to start is by checking out the web for tips on immigrating to the country. There are tons of sites spouting off info besides our own. Also, get a passport and then check out the portion on VISAs that Jeannine and I put together on our site.

Once more tip--while the North Island of New Zealand is beautiful--it simply does not offer the variety of activities and locations as the South Island. If we had lived on the North Island, we would have spent most of our tip ferrying back and forth to the South. Remember that when you're looking for a place to relocate to. You won't be disappointed.

Anyways, I'll let you digest these above ramblings. Get back to me if you have any more questions. I enjoy helping out a fellow future traveler and hope you get a chance to 'get out' of the country.