{"id":7219,"date":"2026-03-27T18:44:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T05:44:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/madame-dee.com\/?p=7219"},"modified":"2026-03-27T20:13:46","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T07:13:46","slug":"too-hard-to-moving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/madame-dee.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/27\/too-hard-to-moving\/","title":{"rendered":"Too hard to moving!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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I moved recently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It took a full two weeks to unpack everything and get life back into some kind of rhythm. Of course, it\u2019s not completely over yet. Now that we\u2019re in the new place, there\u2019s an endless list of things that still need fixing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even so, just knowing I no longer have to worry about having a place to live is a relief. This whole ordeal of \u201cmoving\u201d consumed three entire months of M\u2019s and my lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was our second move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first happened not long after I moved into M\u2019s place. He had been living there with his niece, H. (H, after COVID, developed a distrust of vaccines and turned anti-government, so she spent most of her time living in a campervan anyway.) A few months into our cohabitation, the landlord notified us that rent would increase by $100 per week and asked us to decide whether we\u2019d stay or leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a nice house\u2014but not that nice. So we decided, without much hesitation, to move out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time, I was on a work visa, but tenants with only a two-year visa aren\u2019t exactly landlords\u2019 first choice. Naturally, the responsibility of house-hunting fell to M.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What I failed to consider was M\u2019s personality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even by Kiwi standards, he is extraordinarily laid-back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While I grew increasingly anxious as our move-out date crept closer\u2014with still no house secured\u2014M remained completely unfazed. At one point, he casually suggested that if we couldn\u2019t find a place, we could just stay at his sister\u2019s house for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I told him, quite firmly, that I would rather live in a motel than go to his sister\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then, somehow, we stumbled upon a place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wasn\u2019t listed through a real estate agency, but directly by the owner. The house sat in the backyard of the landlord\u2019s main home\u2014a shabby little structure that looked like it hadn\u2019t been touched in years. The paint was peeling, the back porch awning had collapsed, and the bathroom\u2026 well, let\u2019s just say the bathtub spoke for itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yet, we chose it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partly because we were desperate\u2014but mostly because the conditions were too good to ignore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was in a wealthy neighborhood, so it felt safe. (The landlord living in the front house was a retired police officer.) It was close to both our workplaces and the city centre. There were lovely parks nearby, and safe cycling paths\u2014which mattered, since neither of us had a driver\u2019s license.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But above all, the rent was ridiculously cheap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, there was a catch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The house was scheduled to be demolished in six months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The landlord made it very clear that he had no intention of fixing anything unless it was a serious issue. But since it was only six months, we didn\u2019t mind. We signed the contract almost immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Except\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That \u201ctemporary\u201d six-month stay somehow stretched into three years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living in a place that could disappear at any moment made it hard to truly settle in. Everywhere I looked, there were things I wanted to fix\u2014but what was the point? It\u2019s going to be torn down anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We thought about moving many times, but in a city like Christchurch, where prices kept rising, finding something this affordable was nearly impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So time just\u2026 slipped by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until finally, last December, the landlord decided to go ahead with the demolition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He told us it would likely begin around March or April and suggested we start looking for a new place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

M was disappointed\u2014mostly because of the rent. I, on the other hand, was thrilled. Finally, we could escape that miserable little den.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

M, being himself, said there was no need to rush since March was still far away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I disagreed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having learned from last time, I started moving quickly. (By then, I had residency, so I was no longer at a disadvantage.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our requirements were simple\u2014at least, on paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two bedrooms: one for sleeping, one for my workspace. A storage area for M\u2019s collection. A location reasonably close to both our jobs. A safe neighborhood\u2014definitely avoiding areas known for gangs or homelessness. And rent that wasn\u2019t outrageous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Except\u2026 not simple at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Korea, finding a place is straightforward. You browse listings online or through an agent, visit, and sign a contract if you like it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But in New Zealand\u2014at least in Christchurch\u2014it doesn\u2019t work that way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, there\u2019s something called a viewing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You contact the agent or landlord, request a viewing, and they give you a date and time. Private listings can be flexible, but agency listings usually have fixed slots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You get about 15 minutes to look around, ask questions, and decide if you\u2019re interested. If you are, you request an application form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The form is long and detailed\u2014personal information, dependents, pets, and a section where you basically have to sell yourself as a tenant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then you wait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Usually 2\u20133 business days\u2014if they even reply. If you pass, you submit even more documents: financial records, credit checks, references. Finally, if approved, you sign the contract and pay the deposit\u2014typically four weeks\u2019 rent as bond and two weeks in advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only then is it yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, getting a rental here isn\u2019t about choosing\u2014it\u2019s about being chosen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I attended 30 viewings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Submitted 5 applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rejected 5 times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every viewing was crowded\u2014families with kids, groups of professionals, students. On paper, we weren\u2019t bad candidates: both employed, no pets, no kids, stable relationship, good references.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, we failed every time\u2014even at the first stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It started to wear me down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs it my job?\u201d I asked one day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By then, January had passed and February had begun. I had recently switched from a high-paying factory job\u2014working 45 hours a week with power tools\u2014to a hotel cleaning job, working 25\u201330 hours. It was a temporary decision, meant to give me space to figure out my future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But from a landlord\u2019s perspective, maybe it didn\u2019t look appealing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

M shook his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot necessarily. Sometimes landlords prefer tenants without jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat? Why?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGovernment subsidies. Rent is guaranteed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That stunned me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo families with kids might actually be preferred too?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCould be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s\u2026 ridiculous. So being hardworking and responsible actually puts us at a disadvantage?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

M just laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, welcome to New Zealand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eventually\u2014just as M said\u2014we got lucky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We found a private listing, arranged a viewing, made a good impression during the interview, and finally signed the contract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new house sat in a quiet neighborhood. It was a 1970s townhouse, with a small front yard and a narrow backyard just big enough to hang laundry. There was an old but usable shed. The kitchen was small but functional. Upstairs had two bedrooms\u2014perfect for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bathroom had been recently renovated. Hot water came instantly. The water pressure was great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And best of all\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The house was warm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It had everything I wanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once we paid the deposit, the real moving process began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And I had no idea it would be even worse than finding the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of hiring expensive full-service movers like in Korea, we rented a truck and hired workers. The distance was only 15 minutes\u2014we didn\u2019t want to spend too much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then came the packing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We bought boxes and zip bags from Bunnings and The Warehouse and started sorting everything. I handled household items; M battled his massive collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even after staying up all night before the move, he still wasn\u2019t done packing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moving day came.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two Indian workers arrived early and began loading the truck. M helped them. I went ahead to the new house to wait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three hours passed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Something felt off\u2014but I assumed it was just the amount of stuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They worked painfully slowly. One unloaded, one carried\u2014and M and I ended up doing more than they did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Worse, when it started to rain, they just left, saying they\u2019d come back in two days\u2014leaving some of my belongings behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was furious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But complaining wouldn\u2019t change anything. In the end, M had to call a taxi to retrieve my things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two days later, they returned and finished the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then came a week of unpacking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every evening after work, we opened boxes, cleaned furniture, washed dishes\u2014again and again\u2014until the house finally started to feel like a home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And just like that, our three-month-long moving saga came to an end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People often say, \u201cIf you have money, Korea is easier to live in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I completely agree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Zealand can be inconvenient\u2014even with money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there\u2019s something you gain from that inconvenience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I call it the beauty of slowness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because everything takes longer, you experience every step more deeply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe that\u2019s why\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though the process was exhausting and mentally draining\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I look around our home now,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

it somehow feels\u2026 warmer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Maybe it\u2019s just in my head.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now all that\u2019s left is to build our life here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many things I want to buy, many things I want to do\u2014but I\u2019ll take it slowly, one step at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because someday, this house\u2014shaped by our hands\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

will feel even more like home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And maybe, one day,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

we\u2019ll even start dreaming of a place that\u2019s truly our own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I moved recently. It took a full two weeks to unpack everything and get life back into some kind of rhythm. Of course, it\u2019s not completely over yet. Now that we\u2019re in the new place, there\u2019s an endless list of things that still need fixing. Even so, just knowing I no longer have to worry … Continue reading Too hard to moving!<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7221,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[79],"tags":[96,92,82,94,91,86,97,93],"class_list":["post-7219","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-in-wonderland","tag-christchurch","tag-daily-life","tag-essay","tag-korean","tag-life","tag-madam-d","tag-moving","tag-new-zealand"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/madame-dee.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7219","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/madame-dee.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/madame-dee.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madame-dee.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madame-dee.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7219"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/madame-dee.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7219\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7269,"href":"https:\/\/madame-dee.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7219\/revisions\/7269"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madame-dee.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7221"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/madame-dee.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7219"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madame-dee.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7219"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madame-dee.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}