Beer and Football improves life for expats

Wellington has a reputation for, how should you put this... er... wind. So when Nigel and Eileen Charman sat down on the waterfront in a howling gale and tipping rain, the last thing you might have expected was a decision to forsake their homeland and stay forever.

"We didn't like Auckland," says Nigel, and though people recommended Christchurch as being just like England, "It was flat and a bit boring, not really much like England at all," he explains.

"We were on a big OE [Overseas Experience] and didn't intend to come to New Zealand, but we said, 'Actually we really like it here'. It was despite the wind and the rain, it felt like it really had something. There was a lot going on and the way the city is compact, next to the water, we really liked it.

"You've got all the advantages of a big city, the Arts and everything else, but you're really close to the countryside and the beaches," he adds.

But like most people who arrive and end up staying, the Charmans had a loft full of possessions back in the UK and strong links to home. So at the end of 1994, after two and a half years away, they donned their backpacks once more. It could only be temporary. Even as they boarded the plane for Blighty they knew they'd be back, and after tying up loose ends and planning an escape (a process that can always take some time as you come to terms with the decision) they came back to Wellington and bought a house. All be it with a few surprises.

"The houses are higher maintenance, you have to wash your houses! Wash your windows, sure, but keeping the paint clean is a bit of a shock."

You also have to be very careful what you rent or buy. Landlords have less compulsion to keep a rental property in order than in the UK, and houses tend to be colder and damper.

"They are getting better, but your typical builder didn't think about insulation. The climate is mostly better than the UK, but if you get a damp flat it can be a bit scungy," says Nigel.

It's a mild criticism and after nearly 15 years in the country Nigel can think of only a few annoyances that he'd like to change. "The let-the-cars-turn-right in front of you rule is an irritant, and the two things I missed when we got here were soccer and beer. The beer's got a lot better. And there is at least a professional football team in Wellington now. They're probably mid to bottom championship standard, but it's about the atmosphere and having the kids excited and playing soccer."

He's also keen on the legendary Kiwi attitude, "The people have a much brighter outlook. Not just brighter but more adaptable. There are lot of people here that just go and try things," he says alluding to a popular Kiwi legend, "It's probably carried over from the settlers."

Compared to the UK it's a happy place. "People in England tend to walk around with their heads down. Here they are more likely to be smiling and acknowledging other people," he says.

And the longer the Charmans stay the more comfortable the become with their choice, particularly after the odd visit to the UK. "Every time we go back it feels more and more alien. On the last trip we felt that we didn't know which shops to go in. Woolies isn't even there anymore. Everything's sprung up into the big out of town stuff. It made me feel as if I didn't fit. I feel more Kiwi than English now," he says.

And as for the whistling gales, Nigel has the impression that the wind in Wellington is dropping. "It's not as bad as it used to be," he says.