# CYPRUS or NZ ?



## tackle (Mar 9, 2010)

hi all, first post on the nz forum, we're in the uk & have been very seriously considering a permanent move abroad for the last two years.
the main part of our consideration for the move is our sons health, he has a low immune system & is very susceptible to respiritory infections, we have seen slight improvement in this but realise this could continue to be a problem for a few more years yet.
more recently we have made "recce" trips to cyprus (where we have friends) & the usa (where we have family), the cyprus trip was superb, loved the island & the warm & more importantly dry climate really agreed with our son, the change in him was unbelieveable.
the trip to the usa was mixed, while we had a lot of fun & it was great to catch up with family, the high humidity levels caused problems for our son so we have ruled out the usa as a final destination.
so we thought we had made up our minds then "WHAM", an old friend of my wifes calls up out of the blue, say's we should consider NZ, he's in raglan/waikaito, which sounds like an amazing place.
a buddy of mine travels out to Tauranga/Bay Of Plenty nearly every year to see his mum, so i thought i'd pick his brains, he pretty much said he'd never considered a move there himself BUT this year was harder to come home, a mix of crap lifestyle in the uk & a great trip to NZ is really making him reconsider.
obviously this has thrown a spanner in the works for us, we're heading out to cyprus later in the year for 3 weeks to have another look but our friend wants us to take an extended trip to NZ as well, he's offered the use of an apartment annexe on his property & even a loan car which is really good of him.
dunno what to do next:confused2:
what would you guys reccomend ?


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## anski (Aug 17, 2008)

We lived in Auckland NZ for 8 years until Sept 2009 then moved to Paphos, Cyprus for 1 year.
So I feel qualified to comment on both.
If you need to earn a living then NZ is better. Work opportunities are limited in Cyprus and the recession has hit harder than NZ.
Cyprus does have high humidity both in winter & summer. We found last winter very cold & damp because of the way homes are built without insulation and the houses are like igloos in winter & hot boxes in summer. Lots of houses have problems with mould in winter & dehumidifiers are required.
Last summer was the hottest for 100 years & some days the temperature got to mid 40's with high humidity!
Cyprus also has appalling roads, dangerous drivers, no pride in keeping the place tidy, fly tipping is common.
If your child needs schooling then to go to a local school he will have to learn Greek, although the language spoken there is not understood by people from Greece as the Cypriots speak an old form of Greek.
The other option is private school which is expensive but lessons are in English.
Also serious problem if buying property as many homes do not have Title Deeds issued.
We intended to live there in our retirement but after a year we had to leave.

New Zealand on the other hand-Some places has humidity especially North Island -Auckland but if you have a well built ventilated house & keep it warm should not be a problem.

For a dry climate Central Otago (South Island) would be a better choice.
We are returning to Auckland in September but will continue to escape to Europe during winter in NZ.


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## topcat83 (Apr 16, 2009)

anski said:


> We lived in Auckland NZ for 8 years until Sept 2009 then moved to Paphos, Cyprus for 1 year.
> So I feel qualified to comment on both.
> If you need to earn a living then NZ is better. Work opportunities are limited in Cyprus and the recession has hit harder than NZ.
> Cyprus does have high humidity both in winter & summer. We found last winter very cold & damp because of the way homes are built without insulation and the houses are like igloos in winter & hot boxes in summer. Lots of houses have problems with mould in winter & dehumidifiers are required.
> ...


I can't commenty on Cyprus, but agree with Ann on NZ. Auckland can be humid, and you'll see some comments on damp housing. BUT if you make sure the house you get has good ventilation, insulation and heating these don't need to be problems. The only problem with Central Otago can be the swings in temperature - very hot in summer, and very cold in winter. Having said that, we love Lake Tekapo. And it's even better if you like skiing!


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## tackle (Mar 9, 2010)

thanks guys, gonna keep researching prob right up to the last minute lol, will try to make the trip over at the end of the year to try & get a feel for the place.
also big thanks to darla for the helpful pm's.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

I can't comment on NZ but have to agree with anski on every they say about Cyprus. Having said that, I love it here, but I have always said this island is not ideal for families with children as wages are low and most British kids dont settle well in the local schools and private schools cost the earth.


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