Hey fellow future New Zealand adventure seekers! I’m Lucy, an ODP, now Anaesthetic Tech (AT) originally from Leeds in the UK now living and working in Wellington NZ. I arrived in NZ September 2nd 2019. I first contacted Prue and Hayley from ACCENT HR back in January with the plan to arrive in early September, this time frame was rather generous to get things sorted but it meant nothing was done in a rush or panic.
I felt the whole experience was pretty easy. I got a working holiday visa, which was a short application form. Hayley was always an email away to give advice and help on the move. Hayley got me an interview more or less straight away when the time was right to start applying for jobs, she took the time to understand why I was moving to NZ and found me a job using her contacts that fit my needs.
The work of what was expected of me as an ODP does differ to that of an AT in that the AT works solely in anaesthetics. I’ve spoken to a few ODPs now in NZ who find the transition quite frustrating as they would like to work to their full potential. My job back in the UK was mostly anaesthetics so it’s not been an issue for me and I’m enjoying my work.
I’m loving life in NZ. I live in a capital city. I live near the sea. I live surrounded by mountains and trees. I could sit and listen to the Tui’s crazy bird song all day. The people are friendly, I’d say the friendliest country of folk I’ve ever met! Strangers, who are now friends, have been generous, kind and helpful in getting me to find my feet in a new country. Yes NZ is a different country to the UK, but there’s lots of similarities that the transition of cultures isn’t so hard. Of course there are people and things I miss about the UK, but most of the time I am busy working, exploring, making new friends and memories that I don’t regret being in NZ.
My advice is to just do it. I’ve spoken to nobody who regrets the move.
