Emigrating to New Zealand and Back Again

Great Service

2011-06-27T02:22:00.000+01:00

Hi, If you are living abroad you will need to transfer money from one account to another at some point. Many Banks operate foreign currency accounts. Many use the iban swif numbered account service. All this can take a while and it can be expensive. If you couple that with the inflexible systems of having to set up nominated accounts, the time it can take, it can all turn into a giant headache. I recommend this company, I've been using them for 5 years, they are australian but they have offices in other countries. It is fast flexible and I bet cheaper than your bank. Do follow the link and read there material. It doesn't cost anything to sign up and it is all very professional. If you need to make regular payments from one county and currency to the next, perhaps into one of a number of accounts. If your children are study abroad or have gone back to the UK to university, perhaps they are just on an OE, this is a great way to get money to them. JG
Follow this link

Click here to go the web Site

2011-06-23T19:04:00.002+01:00

And we give thanks that our city doesn't suffer from earthquakes and we pray for the people of Christchurch and their continued battle.

New Directions

2011-05-14T01:55:00.002+01:00

I recently lead a session at the Entertainment Master Class, the module was in Berlin. I love to teach, I hope the candidates learned something. I hope to have some exciting news soon about the EMC as it evolves and develops to meet the changing needs of our industry. I sit on the advisory board for the EMC and although we don't meet that often as one body, John and Christoph seek out our opinions on a regular basis, there are some interesting developments coming up!
I am hoping to increase some of my consulting on international formats, I enjoy the role very much. I also think that there are many opportunities in Cambridge that I shall explore, the Creative Front Launch was great and the video we made well received. I have had the go ahead to supply Love Cambridge with video content. Both the Videos I am just about to post.
So Pepper Rafferty continues to grow all these initiatives have their foundations in Pepper Rafferty, Marcus and I are really keen to expand. Several of the contracts we've been working on are coming to a successful conclusion and the enquiries for future work are coming in. The Economy is still an issue, people are being very cautious. We know we have great experience to offer and work to a high standard but at realistic costs. This feels like a board report, but it shows that even in a depressed economy if you stay up late and get up early, you can make start ups work!

The Big Idea

2011-02-12T00:37:00.000Z

Well NZ Chatter is a big idea! I was amazed to get the domaine name! Trouble is I'm not sure many other people share my enthusiasm. I've only had one sign up so far. the idea is for people to share there experience of New Zealand, either living there or the emigration process for the benefit of the whole!!

Its a micro blog so you don't have to write a lot of words or go into much detail. It's a snippet of life! It is easy to sign on and a great way of keeping in touch. I don't have any dark motives behind this. I am not creating a list for direct marketing!

NO on a personal note! The recession isn't doing us many favours! I am really optimistic about Pepper Rafferty our Web video business. We have lots of pending deals, getting them over the line in this climate is another matter. Becca is going to go back to work, she wants to and it will help with the finances.

We watched Phil Spenser in his Down Under show, relocating Brits to Australia. It maked me want to take a walk along Takapuna beach! We had the series of Americas Next Top Model shat in NZ recently, I think that mad both of us pang for some sand between our toes!

NZ Chatter Goes Live

2011-02-09T03:05:00.000Z

Micro blogging is the next big thing, well that's not earth shattering news, twitter is almost old hat now. But try this NZ Chatter it my new micro blog. The idea is that I will post thoughts but best of all if you are thinking of emigrating to New Zealand and have a question someone who's done it will answer you.

You will also see chat between me and the group of people we new and loved (we still do) in NZ. the great think everything is twitter sized. So its not a hard read!

You do have to log on but one you have its eazy.

Hankering after New Zealand

2011-01-28T00:20:00.000Z

Today I find myself hankering after my life in New Zealand! Last night I stood in Cambridge in the freezing cold waiting for an hour for a bus, by car it would have taken me 15 minutes to get home. Tonight I left London tonight at 6:30 and walked into the house at 9:05! The trains were suspended between Bishop's Stortford and Cambridge due to a total signal failure. It is hard because our standard of living is dropping like a stone in the UK, it wasn't a much better state of affairs in the New Zealand, the wages are lower and some things cost a lot of money. But the quality of life was probably better.
Becca commented yesterday that it was the sort weather she didn't miss, a dull grey cold wet day. We had dull grey days in Auckland but it wasn't cold.
So even 3 years back in the UK we still have days when we question everything. The New Zealand experience was very costly, we new it would be and we wouldn't change anything. It can be unsettling be prepared! Reading my lovely friends Facebook posts and blogs is lovely but it doesn't always help!

I'm Not Stupid Either - Dyslexia Kara Tointon

2011-01-23T10:49:00.000Z

This documentary has the best visualisation of what dyslexics see when looking at a page that I have seen. The programme was great, although slightly unbalanced in my view. Not enough people included who can inspire from quiet success and not from overcoming huge adversity in hitting skid row first. Dyslexia does have a PR problem, we don't tend to have two heads but we do say we have a condition that means we cant read, but we can, it may just sound a bit backward. If we couldn't read or write full stop people may be kinder and more understanding. As it stands most of us will be written off as unable to spell and slow at reading ie. thick.
I do feel for any one who is bullied or singled out or who suffers economically from the effects of dyslexia. There are also many people who have simply and quietly overcome there issues to fulfil their potential. Its important a balanced view of the spectrum is put across. Other wise we risk demonising the condition again. Yes my desk is a tip, I have to write down messages and details because my short term memory is challenged. However, I speed read because I don't see every word on the page. I was in a meeting at the BBC and a young researcher accused me of not really reading his 3 page treatment of an idea he was passionate. I'd "read" it in less than a couple of minutes. I asked him to test me on his idea, which he did and I passed rather spectacularly. Luckily the room was full of our development team and I was championed as some sort of memory freak after that! There is always an upside to everything!

This is the 200th Post!

2011-01-11T23:32:00.000Z

Below is a duplicate from my jonathanglazier blog and I also wanted to say we are thinking of everyone in Queensland and pray Brisbane survives without any more loss of life.

The Mumper or “Weighed in, the story of the Mumper.” Is Talent Films first feature and is well into production. The list of Actors involved is very impressive, Bob Hoskins, Jenny Agutter, Phil Davis, Emily Atack. The best selling book was written by Mark Baxter and Paolo Hewitt is actually out of stock on Amazon!. This is the official sell from the films’ website…

It is 1985. Thatcher is in power, Sade is on the radio and the print workers have gone on strike. But nothing, not even a size eight earthquake will ever put a dampener on seven close friends – Thimble, Gudger, Osh, Fred the Shoe, Dave, Alfie and Bax – meeting every Sunday in their regular South London pub for alcohol and free flowing banter of the highest order. It is at one of these sessions that a man approaches their table and asks the most intriguing question – does anyone here want to buy a racehorse? From that simple but surreal question unfolds the story of “THE MUMPER”, the tale of seven firm friends who embark on a unique journey.

The news has broken in Los Angeles and you can read the report here in the Hollywood Reporter. And in a quirk of fate the director, Sacha Benett, is from my own home town ofHarpenden.

Talent Films – a division of Talent Television plc – is now in pre-production of a feature film
based on ‘The Mumper’. Bookmark this page if you’d like to keep up with news of the production.

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T16:35:00.000Z

Well I guess its the time of year that lots of people think about a new start, emigrating could figure in those ideas! Read our story if you are thinking of making New Zealand your home.
To all our on line friends, we had a great Christmas, especially as it was a white Christmas. Sure it meant the UK shit down but in a way that's a bonus, giving us al more family time, hey the economy is shot to bits as it is, some extra RandR isn't going to make things much worse.
I am seeing in the new year with man flu! Millie has caught it now, so at least its not a total manifestation on my part.
I have started two new ventures. ManPink is a web services company, read out blog on http://www.manpink.co.uk/blog/ and Pepper Rafferty our web video production company is starting to support its self have a look at our Web Site www.pepperrafferty.com .

So where ever you are now or where ever you end up in 2011, good luck and have fun with your families.

Jg B, M J and L

7 years 7 moves - Bad Parent

2010-10-05T18:09:00.000+01:00

I suppose like all parents we worry that in 20 years time our kids will be sitting in the chair opposite some well meaning therapist. Who will then tear our parenting skills to shreds and blame us for every issue in their lives!
Well my thought is give them something to blame! We have moved 7 times in 7 years! I am sure that is grounds for many and issue in later life. It is unsettling for us as mum and dad, but what is it like for them. Leaving New Zealand must have been a huge moment in Millie's life. She had friends, boys with whom she was practicing her relationship skills and girls with whom her sister hood was developing. The twins had their little club of other twins, 7 sets born within a mont of each other, They would have been their friends for life. Although lots of our moves have been within 3 miles of each other, they still leave one bedroom behind for another. A place of refuge replaced with the new and unfamiliar .

Yet last night, as they saw the house for the first time, they bounded in so excited. They loved their new rooms, they chatted and laughed and explored. Each new door the promise of new excitement, perhaps an enchanted garden, the door in Monsters Inc. or the holy grail, a Wardrobe containing a Lion and a Which! Sadly all those treasures would be in their imaginations, but there we have it, an excited and inquisitive set of girls. A tribute to their mum, and a delight to watch. They know al about disruption and repair, they are not too materialistic and the adapt to change. Skills I am proud the posses. I've always had 3 simple wishes for my children, Happy, Inquisitive and Imaginative, my 3 have it in spades and I love them for it and I love their mum for it!

One of my adorable daughters - Millie

2010-09-28T23:42:00.000+01:00

This is Millie doing what I do, directing her twin sisters in a photo shoot! Millie had to go to the Doctors today with an ear infection, he asked with a rather interesting observation, "they Jessica and Lucy were not identical." Humm as you can see that is rather stating the obvious!

This location is the tower of London, Lucy walked around all day holding her neck. I thought she had a sore throat, she then announced she was worried her head would be cut off!

Today it really has begun to get cold, the heating is on at home. We didn't even have central heating in New Zealand. Yes it would have been nice on some winter evenings. And in Auckland the weather is warming, friends of ours have moved to just our Snells Beach near Warkworth, I loved it around there and highly recommend it.

Enjoy the video, one starring Lucy next!

Roast Lunch and BBQ

2010-09-26T22:02:00.000+01:00

Today was wet in the UK, and of course the facebook posts about teeshirt weather coming to New Zealand start to hurt! Its funny we used to have roasts in New Zealand (Becca cooks a great roast) we have BBQ's in the UK, but neither taste the same out of the place that made them their own. There is nothing like roast beef, parsnips and carrots (home grown) with Yorkshire pud and potatoes. Yorkshires are know as 'Orkshire's in our house, thanks in the main to Lucy's lovely turn of phrase. As the temperatures drop we all gather around the table, Granny is staying which makes it all the more enjoyable, the whole family tucking in. And Joy of joys it is one menu all the girls love.
In New Zealand the BBQ is another great gathering, usually friends as family are a long way away. It is of course the most social of meals, the dads gathered around the barbie and the kids playing together and the mums chatting and organising the proper food that sets off the mens efforts to best effect! Two very different experiences both simply joyful.
Also huge congratulation the the Dawes for their 4th anniversary re locating to NZ, May you all continue to thrive. This video is their celebration.

4 Years In New Zealand! from Marrisa Dawes on Vimeo.

14 Beached Whales Survive.

2010-09-24T23:46:00.000+01:00

Gosh 14 whales who beached themselves were driven across country and released, they were last seen swimming out to sea and I wish them the very best of luck.
This kind of thing is what makes Living in NZ so special, there are such wonders to be seen there. This place, Waimangu, is one of my personal favourites, if you get the chance go and visit. It is a lovely place to wander around and the volcanic sites are amazingly beautiful and it doesn't feel too touristy.
The remote parts in the south island are just a wonder.

One of My Adorable Daughters

2010-09-23T01:52:00.001+01:00

This is Jessica, you wouldn't believe it was the same girl who is is so shy at school, but here is the proof of a performer in the making. recorded on my iPhone

Going Home 2

2010-09-22T12:59:00.001+01:00

This post - Going Home is one of my most read posts from this site so I thought I would just write a quick follow up.

We came home just before the most serious recession in my life time. And I lived through the 3 day week and the miners strike! It didn't seem as bad as either of those but a) it probably is going to get far worse once the cuts hit home. and b) i know have to support my family so coming home to ones own business makes it seem, well really quite hard.

So was it a good idea to come home?

Millie is at school and loves it and all her teachers comment on how happy she is. Would she have been happy in New Zealand, yes she probably would. But Becca and I are happier, we understand the system and when millie read about the crown Jewels we took her to the Tower of London to see the real thing. Lucy was walking around holding her neck, I thought she had a sore throat however, on questioning her she was actually worried about having her head cut off!! So all in all I'd say we are happier because our children can share our knowledge, I know a bit of South PAcific culture but it is not ingrained in my very being.

We had a great support network of friends in New Zealand and we miss them terribly. The girls God Parents live in New Zealand but here we have Granny, Grandma, Aunties and Uncles, they don't just offer support but we don't have those awful goodbyes at the airport.

We know the system here, I am a School Governor, Becca helps run the play group. Sure all those things we could have done in New Zealand, but we understand village fete's and Pub Quiz Nights.

I know my own TV industry here, I grew up with it. When we pitched Top Town in New Zealand I had no idea it was one of the most loved programmes on TVNZ in its hey day other than people telling me that it was.

DO we miss New Zealand, goodness me yes we do. But did we miss the UK, yes and probably a bit more.

DO we feel like we failed because we came home, no we don't. We had a 4 week recce before we moved, we rented once we arrived for 6 months. We always had a 2 year review in mind, and in the end we stayed for 4 and half years. All our choices were informed. We didn't pack up and move to the other side of the world without a huge amount of thought and talk!

We made the right choices at the time we made them no regrets and some fantastic memories and photos!!

I Love Paul Henry - Qantas Awards New Zealand 2010

2010-09-19T22:47:00.003+01:00

I am very glad that every one in New Zealand who wanted to should have been able to see it. I am told by the producer that it was cleared for transmission. Just in case you missed it, and for all those who live out side the country, forget you may not know who he is or even who he is talking about. Paul is the Eamon Holmes of New Zealand. He is a great bloke, I have met and worked with him on several occasions. He is one of the funniest men I have met. Please stay to the end of the clip and no apologies for the bad language! FYI this is the bafta of New Zealand, or perhaps the National Film and Television Awards is closer the mark...

The Twins 4th Birthday

2010-09-18T23:51:00.000+01:00

I am writing a new blog about the business called This Digital Space and I am going to put all my industry comments in there. My personal blog "Jonathan Glazier" I will keep to my very personal opinions about the things and issues that interest me. I doubt if the will get very widely read! This blog is my most read, I also support a blog written by someone I know on my commute route to work, it's called "worried about..." and sets out to chronicle the thoughts of people during the recession. It sounds a bit depressing, I guess some of it is, but it is meant to be a place people share there worries and realise they are not alone. Finally a blog I'll probably not update that often, but it may turn into a useful resource, its about camping with kids. I'll try and get all the posts to all my blogs re posted here given they will reflect who I am completely.

The reason I titled this post Pass the Parcel was because it was Jessica and Lucy's 4th Birthday Party today and we played, Pass the Parcel. It got me thinking. I wrote a post on my digital space about the apathy effecting young people, I am experiencing that directly at the moment with 3 work experience people in the office at the moment, they are all very bright and a very lovely group but..well read the original post click here.
The reason that we have a totally apathetic generation on our heals? Pass the Parcel, I wrapped 22 small gifts in 22 sheets of paper, then in a carefully choreographed piece of deceit made sure every child "randomly" had a single turn of opening the parcel and there by ensuring, every one won a single gift. No one was left out, every one won once. This is the start of the rot, they don't concentrate there is no focus. There is no fighting or even cheating, hanging on too long or feigning a pass to fool the person on the pause button. No the only issue was boredom while children waited for the inevitable pause and reward as the music paused for their turn.
In my childhood parties, there were only 5 or 6 gifts, some layers were empty to fool the opener into thinking they were a winner only to find their one chance was wasted on mere sellotape stung fingers and empty wrapping from last Christmas. It was a game of winners and losers. If you got an empty layer the humiliation was public as all eyes were on you as the tears welled up at the lack of reward. The players concentrated, not wanting to miss their chance. Strategies were employed, I've already talked about the late dummy pass, this with the surreptitious feel of the layer to determine if it contained a reward, followed by the fast pass on should the music pause while the empty layer was in your possession. It all lead to the killer instinct of the future business men and women that would go on to run the country and change the world. Today, every one wins so no one cares, sit tight and you'll get your present you just have to be in the room. Like the A* grade, turn up for the exam and you will pass. It is our fault and we can change it, and you know we should because it will make the children of today happier, even if there are a few tears on the way.

Storm wreaks Havoc on North Shore

2010-09-17T13:52:00.000+01:00

Nz Herald
TVNZ Weather

Gosh well if an Earthquake wasn't enough poor New Zealand is now suffering a huge storm. The SH1 has been closed on the North Shore and there has been damage from felled trees and a roof lifted in Takapuna. All too close to all our friends for comfort.

I do hope you are all ok and that summer comes soon so you can all catch a rest in the nicer weather.

Helping Curb the Rising Suicides

2010-09-15T00:04:00.000+01:00

Since the start of the recession my commute has been interrupted 5 times by “Person Hit by Train” announcements. If one single worry can be shared that for one moment in time creates a second that stops a person from ending it all this site will have been worth it.

Last friday a man was acting nervously on the platform at a rural English Station. The station master noticed and called the oncoming train, which apparently slowed. The man jumped onto the rails placing his head on the line. The driver of the train managed to stop just short of the man. He rose to his feet, on hearing the approach of the train on the other line he turned and jumped, killing himself.

If one person had talked to him, even asking him if he was ok. If the process he was going through had been interrupted with one moment of kindness or compassion would the outcome have been the same? Who knows, but simply we should all make every effort in these times to do something. Even if it is talking, to each other, strangers, friends or family it could just stop a tragedy.

Good luck to the site it seems like a good idea. I use the same line as the incident.

The Blitz

2010-09-13T01:51:00.000+01:00

Lots of war anniversaries around at the moment. I found these great pitcures here on sky news and I thought I'd share them as they were so well done.

Untitled

2010-09-09T23:58:00.001+01:00

If I could give up one wish of mine to help this dad with his I would..
I wish for a body free of disease.
I wish for the chance to have another child with Rachel.
I wish for the chance to comfort my boys when they get their hearts broken by a girl for the first time.
I wish for the chance to take them to their first U2 concert.
I wish for the chance to see them become men… to tell them how my heart swells with pride when I see what they have become.
I wish for the chance to hold Rachel’s hand… to offer her my arm… to steady her in her old age. To tell her she’s still beautiful when a lifetime of smiles are visible on her face.
I wish I understood why I have cancer.
I wish for many things…. but most of all…. I wish for life.

Posted via email from Jonathan JG Glazier

The Cancer Guy "How the Light Gets In."

2010-09-09T17:45:00.005+01:00

How The Light Gets In - This is the link to the blog of the guy who made the news today by sending a video message to his wife on her Birthday. The video is all over the web and the blog is truly inspirational and get and in a world when we all get obsessed with ourselves take some time to read this and think of others. He has a 3 year old and a 18 month old baby and clearly a wife who he loves very much.

This is the video if you haven't seen it.

Flat White Phenomenon

2010-09-08T09:58:00.000+01:00

Thanks to this article "Guardian Auckland Coffee Culture" and Beatrix a former work colleague I am prompted to write about coffee, a great subject. For years the Flat White was the coffee of choice to the urban kiwi, it suited the national character. Non of the puffy fluff you get in a pesky european cappachino, or that weak milky womanise drink the latte. No a flat white was a good strong coffee, sure it had a metrosexual edge being silky smooth. But the flat white defined the coffee drinking kiwi. Two Kiwi’s on their OE (overseas experience) then decided to open of coffee shop in London, selling proper coffee and the Flat White came to the UK, complete with fern leaf constructed from the silk smooth milk and creme of the sting dark coffee.

Then came Costa, Starbucks and Cafe Nero (in that order) all offering “flat white” coffee. Dear oh dear, and the cost! It was a cynical money making trend, an inferior product at an inflated price and in terms of the amount of drink you got for your cash it was across the board an outrage! Even LAX airport, the stopping off point for NZ2 the well known route from the UK to NZ, started making flat whites in the one coffee shop of terminal 2. Well they called them flat whites, I think we should litigate under the misrepresentation of goods act.

SO what is the point of this post? Really just a rant about the state of corporation coffee in the UK, its that simple. Kiwi’s know how to do coffee! Next post, the transport differences Between London and Auckland, inspired as I head into London on the day of another tube strike!

Television in New Zealand

2010-09-08T00:26:00.000+01:00

I loved working in TV in New Zealand, but I do think its important that people who want to live there really start to understand that life is different. In the UK we watch TV, especially on Saturday night, I make no comment as to that being good or bad, it's simply fact. 12 Million people watch X Factor on Saturday. the weather is no good for BBQ's we don't have many dinner parties or gatherings, partly because for years the telly has been not half bad for those who like it.
Here's the first thing, if you were at home tonight in NZ this is the choice

Notice they are both shows from the USA. TVNZ used to rely on inspector morse etc. Good UK drama, not anymore too many memories of the colonial past, NZ has found its nation hood and now imports more US music and TV than any other country in the world and it goes out prime time on the main channels. I like US drama, I have just watched CSI. I do worry that NZ relies so much on US imports, being a New Zealander is about being Kiwi, not developing a Californian accent. A Nation need culture local culture, so kidding your self your making a break from the home county but taking US drama over UK is simply welcoming a different master. More NZ locally made programmes please Andrew!

And Just for the record after tea in NZ instead of settling down the Simon, Cheryl, Louis and Danni, who cant come back fast enough for me I enclose this saturdays offering from the main broadcaster, it cost me a fortune at blockbuster when we were there, Oh and yes we did other things too Like talk to each other, that must be how we ended up with Twins!

John Key on Letterman

2010-09-06T17:51:00.001+01:00

This is funny, given that 90% of americans probably think New Zealand is in Australia. 70% of NZ energy generated by renewables? Hum and there's just one wire connecting the north and south island that carries that power, very lucky the quake didn't take that out!!

It is nice to see a prime minister who isn't worried about being taken too seriously, cant imagine Helen doing this?

Thank you CBS