Mark & Fleur(38)

Mark worked as a project manager at an engineering firm and I was a GP in Utrecht. We had a good life, but we noticed the kids — Sem aged 9 and Eva aged 6 — were spending more and more time indoors. Screen time was increasing, outdoor play decreasing. We wanted an environment where they could grow up freely. New Zealand had been on our wish list for years.

Mark received a job offer from a construction company in Wellington involved in the earthquake-resilient rebuild of the city. His employer arranged an Accredited Employer Work Visa for the whole family. As a doctor I had to arrange my registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand (NZMC), which was a separate process — more on that later. The family visa (partnership and dependent child visas) was tied to Mark's work visa.

Enrolling the children in school was surprisingly straightforward. New Zealand has the decile system, where schools receive a score from 1 to 10 based on the socioeconomic status of the area. We chose a decile-8 school in Karori, a green suburb of Wellington. The school is free (state school) and the quality is excellent. Sem and Eva were wearing their school uniforms on day one.

Settling in went faster than expected. Kiwi culture is relaxed — shoes off at school, lunch is a sandwich in a lunchbox, and kids play outside after school until dark. After-school care is affordable and there are sports clubs everywhere. Eva now plays netball and Sem does rugby — typically Kiwi.

What surprised us was how quickly we found community. The school organizes sausage sizzles and bake sales, the neighbors came to introduce themselves with a cake, and there's an active Dutch community in Wellington. The Oranjefonds organizes King's Day and Sinterklaas — the kids don't miss a thing.

Financially it's an adjustment. Rents in Wellington are high (NZ$650-800 per week for a family home) and the supermarket is more expensive than in the Netherlands. But Mark earns well, we receive Working for Families Tax Credits (child benefit), and the quality of life is priceless. After two years we applied for our Permanent Residence and we're not going back.