Continuing in our series of Migrants Tales – first hand accounts of the migrant experience of New Zealand taken from places around the net.

Today’s tale was first published on ExpatExposed.com a non-for-profit mutual support and advice site for migrants, one of the very few on the internet where posts are un-moderated.

This account was given by a lonely American nurse suffering from the effects of Tall Poppy Syndrome, workplace bullying and a culture of ‘good enough will do.’

“…My partner just told me about this website today, and so here I am — a very frustrated & lonely American expat. Customer service is so foreign here that it completely amazes me…this is why I laughed at loud. They certainly don’t like it here when you call a “spade a spade” and I usually make a crass comment at poor service…the response is usually the “deer in headlights look because I didn’t understand you.”

We came over a year ago with 3 dogs. My partner really likes it and I hate it. I fear that he is becoming ‘one of them.’ Yikes….

I am an RN with an advanced degree so have suffered the Tall poppy syndrome, the American bashing, the being declined from every job under the sun (because that is how bad I hate nursing here) to you name it.

It would be refreshing to meet up with some of you because I feel like I am in a serious time warp. My life is my dogs and my pregnant donkey (Kiwis are FAR from friendly as you all know) and I am planning to return to school to get another degree because nurses are not respected here, and paid poorly. In the USA, nurses are up there with the doctors – but here, a nurse is a glorified nurses aide with the same pay.

I ask myself “Why did I go to school since I am making the same pay as I was as a nursing assistant and doing similar work?” It takes TWO nurses to get anything accomplished here rather than just one. Rampant bullying in the workplace — this would have never been tolerated where I worked in the USA where there are actually PROFESSIONAL standards.

This country clearly does not want smart, thinking, INTELLIGENT people and they are not open to new ways of doing things that (God Forbid) could possibly be better or more efficient.

I got ripped off buying a horse that was obviously medicated when I rode him in Auckland last year. The owner is trying to blame me for the fact the horse cannot be ridden by ANYBODY. I have had 6 horsey professionals look at him (and have worked him in an arena for the past year with no results), and we all come to the same consensus — the horse has been badly beaten or abused & was medicated at the time I rode him so they could SELL him. So I spent $4K on a horse and he is sitting in a paddock with no desire to be ridden. Welcome to NZ. Yesiree Bob.

My partner’s friend (from the UK) summed it up when he said “It is a culture of JUST GOOD ENOUGH.” His wife (a Swiss) hates it here too, and she wants to get out ASAP. Our partners, though – have good jobs, so it’s OK for them.

Frazzled out here on the North Island…and looking for a new career (applying to vet school) that I can take with me SOMEWHERE ELSE later….