Gemma - Registered Nurse, Auckland
"Hi – my name is Gemma and I am a Registered Nurse. I came to NZ in January 2015 from the UK.
The whole process from start to finish took me approx. 12 months. The easiest part was getting the job and the visa. The most challenging and time consuming part was getting the NZ nursing registration.
I arrived in NZ in summer- it had been about to snow when I left the UK, so the heat was the first thing that hit me! When I started at my job the team were very friendly and helpful, and everyone was a lot more relaxed then my old work place in the UK.
The best parts of NZ are -the general accessibility to places, you can just pop to the beach after work and you do not have to drive far to be in beautiful countryside. We have made the most of this in the last year - camping and spending most weekends when the weather has been nice in the outdoors.
What I miss the most are my family and friends, although Skype and Whatsapp are great and really help with keeping in contact, however it is still hard not to have them nearby. I also miss British fish and chips (sssh don’t tell the kiwis) and a good takeaway curry.
My advice if you are planning to come to NZ is: if you want a new adventure do not be afraid of the paper work and red tape - there is a lot, but it is worth it!"
