# Christchurch or Wellington?



## Siku (Jan 14, 2016)

Hi everyone, 

I am Priyanka, a home baker from India. My husband is starting his post graduate studies next month. Me and my DD would be joining a month after. I have couple of queries regarding country move with a child.

Which one of the cities would suite a baker and a photographer to move in, Christchurch or Wellington? Do we need to pay for the early education for our daughter? I've tried going through the website but nowhere any sort of fees is mentioned. 

Also, I've have kitchen appliances that I'd like to bring along. I don't suppose a kitchen aid mixer can be checked in with our luggage because of the weight issue but what are my best and safest options?

Any help would really be appreciated.

Thanks in advance


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

Siku said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I am Priyanka, a home baker from India. My husband is starting his post graduate studies next month. Me and my DD would be joining a month after. I have couple of queries regarding country move with a child.
> 
> ...


Hi and welcome to the forum.

Couldn't really help you with the question about which city ? 
The ones you have mentioned are like chalk and cheese. I'd say either would suit a baker and a photographer. We really need more to go on.

Early education - how old is your child ?
Generally when a child turns 5 years old in NZ they start school either on or just after their birthday. The law states a child must be in school before they turn 6 years old. Majority of schools are zoned so if there's a school you wish your child to attend the only way to guarantee entry is to live within the school zone. You can apply for out of zone but your chances are slim.
Prior to a child starting school they can of course attend a private nursery, kindergarten or pre-school and yes you will have to pay the cost of this and the prices do differ a lot from city to city. 
For example, we enrolled our boy in a kindergarten in Wellington and the cost was $180 per week for 4 full days 07:30-17:30 and we didn't have to provide any food or drink, just a change of clothes and sunscreen/sun hat. Pretty expensive.
Now we are in Tauranga and for the same days and times we are paying half the cost of Wellington $90 per week and the only difference is we have to provide a packed lunch. Those costs are the subsidised rates after the kindy has taken off the 20 free hours. The daily rates were higher prior to this and we only had him there 2 days per week and then 3 days per week just before he turned 3.
Depending on a child's visa status (they must be a resident or above), when a child turns 3 years old and until they start school they can have 20hrs per week of free ECE (Early Childhood Education) from the government. You can either take your child to a non-private nursery/kindy/pre-school for 4 hrs per day free or you can pass the free hours to your chosen private nursery/kindy/pre-school to subsidise your fees so in other words the management of the nursery/kindy/pre-school apply for your free hours and pass the saving on to you so you pay reduced fees.
In Wellington you are looking at $40-$55 per day for a private nursery/kindy/pre-school. If you want all singing all dancing and of course top dollar fees then look at Kindercare which is a chain of private kindy's in the lower North Island. Very good with proper teaching staff not older teenagers looking after younger kids getting work experience. The younger the child the higher the cost as they need more care until they reach 3 years old when you may get reduced fees until 5 years old.
Don't know the cost in Christchurch.
Majority of establishments will not post their fees as they change often and they want you to get in contact, maybe have a look around and convince you it's the right place for your child before they hit you with the fees.

You can check in a kitchen aid mixer with your checked luggage if you like (may have to explain what it is) but what a waste of your baggage allowance. You'll only have like 23KG's each and that may take up 3 or 4 kg's on it's own. Chuck it in a box and post it via seafreight or airfreight so you can take more essential things with you.


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## Siku (Jan 14, 2016)

Thank you escapedtonz for your reply.

My daughter is turning four in April. She is currently studying pre nursery in India. The prices you stated for Wellington are crazy. I think I'll have to email few schools before locking the city. Since my husband is going to Invercargill for his studies, I didn't want to lock on it because of the lack of baking job opportunities I've gone through online job sites. 

I guess we'll have to rework on our plan. Thanks for your help though!


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## Siku (Jan 14, 2016)

I just read about customs not allowing wood or animal product. I have wood pulp sourdough bannetons (bread baskets) and rolling pin that I bought from UK and goosedown feather jacket that I use for trekking. 

Is there any chance of customs letting me take them with me? I don't have a heart to discard them at the airport. what could be my options? :confused2:


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

Siku said:


> I just read about customs not allowing wood or animal product. I have wood pulp sourdough bannetons (bread baskets) and rolling pin that I bought from UK and goosedown feather jacket that I use for trekking.
> 
> Is there any chance of customs letting me take them with me? I don't have a heart to discard them at the airport. what could be my options? :confused2:


It isn't customs. It is MPI or Ministry of Primary Industries. I'd recommend you check out their website and see the do's and do not's for yourself.
Generally if anything is mass produced or it is seen to have been produced in a factory environment then it shouldn't be an issue so the rolling pin and jacket should be fine (not that you'll ever need a goose down jacket in NZ).
You will of course have to declare everything on your shipping itinerary and MPI will check what they wanna check and charge you for the privilege. If there's anything in there they don't like the look of they'll tell you what is needed to get it approved - maybe just a wash all the way to radiation treatment. This would also be at your cost. Can get expensive but most things can be treated to allow it through. We brought a load of wicker stuff etc through and wasn't really an issue. It was all checked by MPI and it cost another $440 for the examination of all items and then another $70 to have a tent washed.


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## Siku (Jan 14, 2016)

I guess that should work for now. I've checked the website and they have very broad category and almost everything is in the list. 

I'm more concerned about my bread proving baskets because they are new and very dear to me. I think since they are also mass produced, we'll have to see what is the procedure to get them to the country.

I'll be in Invercargill and I read that last years temperature went down to minus fifteen. Will I still not need my goosedown jacket? Internet research can only tell me so much...


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

Siku said:


> I guess that should work for now. I've checked the website and they have very broad category and almost everything is in the list.
> 
> I'm more concerned about my bread proving baskets because they are new and very dear to me. I think since they are also mass produced, we'll have to see what is the procedure to get them to the country.
> 
> I'll be in Invercargill and I read that last years temperature went down to minus fifteen. Will I still not need my goosedown jacket? Internet research can only tell me so much...


Aha my mistake assuming you'd be migrating to the warmer climes of New Zealand. Yes you will need a jacket down there during the winter and most probably good thermals, boots, hats, scarves etc. I remember looking at the South Island when we intended to move over and looking across the world and the lines of latitude for the Southernmost tip of NZ and thinking Brrrrrr Invercargill is only a few degrees further North than The Falklands and we all know how cold it gets there


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