Adrian Matthews

Adrian Matthews

I’m Adrian Matthews. I work as a chartered surveyor and property manager in Opus in Christchurch. I was brought up in ah on farms in West Sussex in the south of England.

If I had to sum up my ‘I love New Zealand‘ in a few words it would be really about the scenery, the environment, the friendly atmosphere. Um it’s very, very easy going. Really, really easy to get along um and yeah the scenery and the environment is just second to none. And it’s really, really fantastic.

The outdoors life is great out here. There’s a lot more space and um the national parks are really accessible, and there’s a really accessible um there’s a really, really good outdoors way of life over here in New Zealand, and the sporting  um the sporting side as well. And there’s lots and lots of sport organized in and around Christchurch that I’ve been involved with and um yeah. We’ve, we’ve, as a family we’re really enjoying the ability to get out on the hills, take the kids into the environment and have a really good look around. Ah. . .some hills on the southern side of Christchurch, where you can look over and see the Southern Alps and you can pretty much see half of the, half of the island and from a really good high vantage point. It’s absolutely stunning up there.

I was fortunate enough to have 3 job offers ah within a month of arriving I New Zealand, and um, and had the ability to choose, choose the best one that suited me at the time. Ah the role that I’m in now and ah, and yeah I’m pleased I took that choice, and had the ability to look around.

So I currently live in the city, and I can get to work by driving or by jumping on the bike and um I’m trying to save a bit of fuel on the way, on the way in and out of work. There’s a really good cycle way set up around town and it’s quite easy to get around on the bike, so I try and do that unless it’s absolutely teeming down with rain or snow, ah wherever possible and ah feel like I’ve done my exercise before I get to work, which is good.

I’ve noticed since being in New Zealand, that social functions are opened up to employees and their families um which doesn’t seem to happen a great deal in the UK. Um there’s a lot more social functions going on and ah it does involve families, which is really nice.

I’ve been really fortunate in um. . and have, haven’t really experienced major challenges to settling in New Zealand. Um. . I do, I am aware of people that have and um that’s really centered around missing friends and family back home. Um. .  I’m lucky enough that my family are willing to travel and . . . um. . .and I’ve got a brother in Australia as well. So he’s just across the water.

I think the key thing is. .  ah um . . to do your research and just have a good look around. Try and form some networks before you come out here if that is possible. . um.I was lucky enough to . . um . . have, have the job almost lined up before I cam away, so I kind of knew the people that I was going to come and work with.

It was described to me. . . ah. . that the difference between other countries and New Zealand was that in other countries you might have to drive for five days to see one cool thing, whereas in New Zealand you can drive for one day and see five cool things.

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