We have had a productive past few weeks in preparation for our move. A lot of people are wondering exactly where we are at with things so I thought I would write. Moving countries is a HUGE undertaking with a ton of logistics. I feel excited about our move, but most of the time I just feel pretty numb about it because it doesn't feel quite real yet.
Completed items on the list:
- Noah to apply for New Zealand residency
- Amy to apply for NZ nursing license
- research and book international moving company to ship household goods
- enroll at the University of Otago
- research housing options in Dunedin
- figure out temporary accommodation for when we arrive in Dunedin
- decide whether to fly into Dunedin or Auckland
- apply to Studylink NZ
- mail certified copies of marriage license, passports, birth certificates, transcripts, bank slips, employment letters to all respective organizations
- book plane tickets/resort for Caribbean vacation (yay!!!!!!)
To Do:
-Pack for our move
- buy plane tickets for NZ
- organize our road trip to Arizona, where we will fly to NZ
- Find somewhere to live/rent/buy in Dunedin
- apply for jobs once NZ nursing license and Noah's visa come through
- Sell car and large furniture items
- hold garage sale for small furniture items that are not coming
....I feel like I am forgetting something. I always feel like that now. I am learning to try to not think about it all too much, because it just becomes so overwhelming with so many unknowns. The scary part is not knowing where we are going to live, not having family in our new city (well, we've done that before) and not knowing how long it will take to find jobs. We have a little bit of savings, but still - we wanted to save that towards our house deposit vs eat through it all in our move. It gives me a much greater appreciations for my parents who had to do this - as missionaries and with two very young children nonetheless! They are my heroes!
Finding a shipping company was a crazy business! I had to think about so many things - how much do we want to ship? what can we buy in New Zealand and what can't we? what is much cheaper here and worth taking? do we want door to door service or do we want to pick it up at the port? is the company reputable? will they pay port charges/customs fees? What things can we bring that we won't get taxed on? What will happen if our shipment gets a customs inspection and fumigation from the MAF? There are so many horror stories on the web - people whose stuff was lost. or got hit with terrible fees that they had to pay - AFTER having paid the company thousands of dollars and when their belongings were at sea. What choice did they have?
Actual friends of ours had their shipping company go bankrupt while their container was at sea, so when it arrived at the port Customs wouldn't release the goods until they were paid. NIGHTMARE!!! When you are paying over 5k for this ordeal, its no small thing if complications occur!
I have scoured through expat forums and hope to golly goodness that our company turns out to be ok. If you ever have to do an international shipment - contact me!!!!
My mum warned me two months ago to create an 'emotional buffer' during this time because there are many things that will drain me that I might not expect. I am discovering this. On top of working full time in a very draining profession, and having to manage all the logistics at home, we are trying to figure out a way to visit family, say goodbye to friends and enjoy our favorite American things before our move. Trader Jo's, the spaghetti factory, GAP, $5 movies at the theater, Doritos, Jimmy Johns, T.J. Maxx, authentic mexican food and much more.
I have to keep reminding myself that being willing to make hard, uncomfortable decisions is the person that I want to be. Some days I just so want to stop this craziness, enjoy our wonderful double income, go to Europe next year, buy a house and try to have a baby!!! That would be the easy, comfortable choice. But I know God has so much more planned for us right now. I also know that making a decision based on money is not the family we want to be. I know I would look back when I was 40 and probably think, 'darn it Amy why didn't you just go for it and not worry about the money stuff so much? That will work out in the end'. So that's what I am doing!!! Again, so so grateful for such an amazing husband who is always so optimistic and reminds me that everything is going to be OK. God has us in our hands!
(Beautiful New Zealand)
