Category: Uncategorized
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The Trade-Offs of Moving to New Zealand That I Didn’t Really Understand Until I Lived Them
After more than three years of living in New Zealand, I can honestly say moving here has been one of the best decisions we’ve made for our family. I’d do it again tomorrow. But I’d do it knowing what I know now. And maybe that’s the point of this post. If you’re sitting somewhere in…
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Migration & Money Series: When Should You Start Investing After Moving to New Zealand? Ep4
Moving to New Zealand is expensive. There’s no way around it. Between visas, flights, setting up a home, cars, schooling, and just trying to survive those first few months… most of us arrive here focused on one thing: “How do we just get through this?” So when someone starts talking about investments… it can feel…
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Our Journey Continues: When Everything Hit at Once (Jan–March 2024)
If you’ve been following along, you’ll know I’ve been sharing our story in phases. Not the polished version.Not the highlight reel.The real one. And if I’m honest, the first quarter of 2024 nearly broke us. We were just over a year into life in New Zealand. In my mind, year two was meant to feel…
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The Journey Continues: When Reality Hits After Year One in New Zealand
Introduction: Picking Up the Story I started my podcast almost a year ago with one simple goal, to share our journey of moving to New Zealand honestly. What worked, what didn’t, and what we wished someone had told us. The aim was never to sugar‑coat the experience, but to help others have a softer landing.…
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Migration & Money Series: Your Last Will & Testament in New Zealand Ep3
By Brett Corlett | Soft Landing Why Every Immigrant Should Prioritise a Will When moving to a new country, most of us focus on visas, jobs, housing, and settling our families. But one area that is often overlooked is what happens if something goes wrong. In this blog, based on the Soft Landing NZ Migration…
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Migration & Money Series: Understanding Insurance in New Zealand Ep2
By Brett Corlett | Soft Landing Why Insurance Hits Different When You’re an Immigrant When you immigrate, life suddenly becomes full of unknowns. You’re learning a new system, new rules, new roads, and often doing it without the family and support structure you grew up with. In Episode 2 of the Migration & Money Series…
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Money & Migration: Income, Survival & Finding Stability Ep1
By Brett Corlett | Soft Landing Introduction Moving to New Zealand is one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make emotionally, practically, and financially. In this first episode of our 7-part Immigration Finances Series, I sit down with Ivandee Fitchet from Migrant Financial Services to unpack a question every immigrant asks: 👉 “Will we actually…
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Building a Future in New Zealand: My Chat with Ivandee from Migrant Financial Services
By Brett Corlett | Soft Landing Podcast Introduction As an immigrant myself, I know how daunting it can feel to rebuild your life in a new country. There’s excitement and hope, yes, but also a constant whisper of fear. Will I ever be able to buy a home here? Can I retire comfortably without becoming…
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What Does “Home” Mean When You’ve Left Everything Behind?
Reflecting on the journey of rebuilding a sense of home after immigrating to New Zealand. By Brett Corlett | Soft Landing Podcast Introduction Some moments in life make you stop and reflect on how much has changed and how much you’ve had to rebuild.Recently, my wife and I celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary, and it…
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A Second Chance at Life in New Zealand: Cisko’s Incredible Heart Transplant Journey
A South African immigrant’s story of courage, family, and the Kiwi healthcare system that gave him a new heart — and a new life. By Brett Corlett | Soft Landing Podcast Introduction When I first met Cisko, I had no idea how much his story would move me. As a fellow immigrant from South Africa…