“Expensive, Isolation and Slow Health Services”: Disappointment of Indian Emigrant with Life in New Zealand

Migration in another country is a life -changing decision that comes with opportunities and challenges. While some find a new beginning, others are struggling to fit. A Reddit user recently shared his New Zealand living experience, revealing why they eventually decided to return to India.

In a long post, the user, who grew up in New Zealand but was not born there, painted a strict image of life in the island nation. They have warned potential immigrants that the country’s geographical isolation has resulted in high costs, limited business opportunities and a “small city” feeling. “It is a geographically isolated country, which means that goods are generally more expensive due to delivery costs. It also doesn’t mean neighbors – which can actually be good for India, but it makes it feel like a small city where you are simply not connected to the rest of the world, “they wrote.

According to the user, New Zealand’s small population of five million makes it an unattractive market for many international businesses. “Many international businesses do not see the point of investing in NZ or just leaving. For example, about a year ago, Nike closed its NZ online store – so you will now have to send Nike products from abroad if you buy online. ”

They also described the country as “extremely boring”, having no lifestyle and social energy of India. “The largest shopping malls are all near at 7 pm. Most stores close at 5-6 pm. Take a walk through the city center after 20:30, and there is hardly someone out and around. People are at home because things are expensive. There is really not much to do except eating and drinking. ”

Quoting a survey in which expatriates ranked New Zealand as the second worst country in the world to move, the user noted that high costs make life difficult. “You are taking a bus/taxi from one city to another, and that is most of your available revenue for this week. So people all end up staying home and doing nothing after work. ”

Health problems and social challenges

One of the biggest complaints was New Zealand’s health system. The user has criticized the long waiting times for specialists, the high cost of private consultations and what they considered a lack of experienced doctors. “My friend had to see a cardiologist for chest pain. Only for initial consultation, it cost about 1 bow. ” They also shared an incident when their father had to fly back to India to remove kidney stones due to a six -month waiting for New Zealand surgery.

The post also referred to racial bias in healthcare. “The government is prioritizing health care for the indigenous populations of Mori and Pacific Island, which means that other breeds are depressed for any guilt.”

Out of health care, the user was difficult to form social connections. “It’s hard to hang out here. People are friendly but isolar. The culture here is that you make your friends while you are young – at school or uni – and stick with them for life. They don’t want to bring new people into their circles. ”

Finding a life partner was another struggle, especially for Indian immigrants. “With right or wrong, Indians unfortunately have a negative reputation in the NZ. You can go to any Subreddit NZ and look for “Indian” to see the kind of comments that appear. And, of course, beauty standards here are Eurocentric. “

“Not worth it”

While the user has recognized the positives of New Zealand – a peaceful environment, a high minimum wage and the benefits of social security – they thought they were not enough to justify staying. “Maybe NZ is good if you are quite old and you have already lived most of your life. But none of this is worth the negative of living in NZ. ”

The post sparked a debate, with some agreeing, while others defended the country. One commentator wrote: “It depends on the person. My brother loved it – hiking, camping and being outdoors. He returned to India now and miserable. ” Another claims: “The OP just grew in a typical Desi bubble that prevented him from building real social capital. If there is ever a society with great confidence with an egalitarian and equitable culture, it’s New Zealand. ”

The discussion emphasizes the deeply personal nature of migration – what works for one person may not work for another. However, for this Redditor, the decision was clear: New Zealand was not at home.