2022 immigration result

Around 15 of my friends and colleagues, like me, left Russia in September 2022. Most went to countries with easier visa processes - Armenia, Turkey, Georgia, Thailand, Kazakhstan, etc. A few who already had visas went to the EU.

I was in those countries only to wait for NZ visas. At the same time, many others tried to settle there. They looked for jobs, started businesses, and enrolled their kids in local schools.

Almost all of them eventually returned to Russia.

I think the overall trend is similar. I was reading many immigrant chats on Telegram at the time - most people there returned too.

Here are my thoughts on why so many who tried to settle eventually returned:

1️⃣ Limited knowledge of the country. Most moved spontaneously to whichever country would take them, then tried to settle there. As a result, they mostly had to learn the hard way - by losing time and money. The points below expand on this.

2️⃣ Poor language skills. All the “easy entry” countries aren’t English-speaking. You can live there without the local language in the short term - paperwork and websites can be translated - but living long term without the local language is very inconvenient.

There’s a strong correlation - the better someone speaks the local language, the better they do in every aspect of life.

3️⃣ Lack of long-term planning. Many people hadn’t planned to leave. Some had just finished building homes or buying apartments or cars in Russia. So, it was very hard to rent them out or sell them - not everyone was ready to abandon a carefully built life and start over from scratch.

4️⃣ Not mentally prepared for immigration. Memory tricks us - over time, the bad fades and the good remains. That’s why older generations often say things used to be better.

The same happens with immigrants. Without a clear understanding of why they left, they slowly start to idealise Russia - they feel like the trees were taller, the grass greener, and so on.

5️⃣ Unprepared partners. I saw several situations where a partner or the children didn’t like the new country. That usually ends the whole attempt - a constantly unhappy partner quickly drains morale and motivation.

Often the partners don’t speak the local language well, which adds to their unhappiness. They stay home and isolated, watching or reading Russian news, and becoming more nostalgic.

6️⃣ Not ready for lawlessness. Most “easy entry” countries (excluding the EU) aren’t fully democratic. This leads to weak rule of law - unclear rules and arbitrary decisions based on bribes and personal connections.

For example, I saw hundreds of Russians in Turkish chats who’d signed 1-2 year rental agreements and paid upfront, hoping to get residency, and were denied. Why? Just because a local autocrat decided so.

Another example is from Thailand and Georgia. In their chats, “visa run” results were a frequent topic - people crossed the border and returned the same day to reset their visas. It was technically legal, but never guaranteed. The border officer could simply refuse entry. Why? Just because. And I saw it happen a lot. People went on visa runs from these countries each time without knowing if they'd be allowed back in.

So if you pick an unstable or autocratic country, expect that.

7️⃣ Sanctions against Russians. Many countries (especially in the EU) treated those who left Russia in 2022 like criminals - restricting visas, blocking payments, freezing assets, and making travel difficult. They did this to keep importing oil, gas, and other resources from Russia, while loudly declaring sanctions.

As a result, EU politicians (mainly left-wing) blocked people and money from leaving Russia while sending fresh money in. Without their strong support, things would’ve been much harder for Russia - this must not be forgotten.

In conclusion,
The 2022 immigration wave seems to have failed, mostly because people didn’t have time to prepare. But those who started getting ready back then, and now follow channels like this one, are far more likely to be prepared and succeed.

(Russian)

Nothing special - just felt like sharing the winter evening vibe in central Auckland. The place is here.

Net immigration

The chart shows the difference between the number of people entering and leaving each country. Interactive version here.

As you can see, New Zealand’s population growth has remained relatively steady over the past 60 years, and the population has doubled in that time without major issues. There have been no reports of knife attacks in the streets, cars driving into crowds, ethnic gangs, enclaves, etc. New Zealand society has absorbed this influx well, and even left-wing politicians supported it at a consistent level. That’s a positive fact.

Australia’s situation is a little less stable, but overall things don’t seem too bad.

Meanwhile, Canada and the UK keep ramping up their immigration intake. At the same time, reports of problems with immigrants (especially illegal ones) are becoming more common. It’s starting to feel quite concerning.

(Russian)

Winter

A typical winter day in New Zealand: around 20°C during the day, 14°C at night, and more rain. Sometimes it rains all day (like today). Other days are mixed - with sun and heavy showers taking turns. Some days are just sunny.

The ratio of rainy, mixed, and sunny days is about 33%/33%/33% in winter. The main difference between summer and winter is that there are far more sunny days in summer (sometimes several weeks without any rain), and far fewer rainy or mixed ones. The temperature difference between summer and winter is only about 5°C, but winter feels colder because of the higher humidity.

Kids often go to school in shorts and Crocs during winter, sometimes even barefoot.

If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s my video about New Zealand’s climate.

(Russian)

A new video on the challenges of immigration (based on this post)

MP3 version of the video above

Tax refund

New year, new tax refund. IRD recalculated my taxes and, just like last year, sent me back a four-digit sum.

Sure, tax is theft and it's my money - but still, this kind of attitude softens you. It's getting harder and harder to dislike a government like that.

Must hold the line!

(Russian)

Back to normal

There’s a crisis in New Zealand right now. Lots of redundancies, and it’s hard to find work.

Here are my five cents on the topic.

The economy has massive inertia. It doesn’t react fast. There’s always a delay between actions and their effects. The effects of what today’s leaders do will take place in 2-5 years. What we’re seeing now is the result of decisions made by those in power 2-5 years ago. So yes - the crisis comes from the last government.

First of all, it is because of covid hysteria - printing money while strangling businesses. A double hit to the economy. That alone would’ve been enough. But it wasn’t just covid. There was more.

Here’s another example. For decades, NZ had its own gas and oil production. It was fully self-sufficient in gas, which also provided about 20% of electricity. Oil was exported, mostly to Australia and Asia, bringing in revenue.

In 2018, the New Zealand government, led by the Labour Party, announced it would stop issuing new offshore oil and gas exploration permits. The goal was to transition to a low-carbon economy and meet climate targets.

Their logic seemed undeniable: oil is black and sticky, gas is smelly. Obviously, they’re not eco-friendly - someone clearly buried them in the ground as a trap for humanity. Without them, there’ll be less CO2 emissions. Trees that feed on CO2 will just go to the supermarket and get something else. Sounds good, right?

No.

Here is what followed:
- gas and oil investment stopped
- gas production fell, prices rose, including power prices (link)
- more coal was burned to make up for the lost gas - emissions went up (link)
- gas reserves reduced (link)
- NZ came to a point where it may have to import gas (link)

Good intentions gone wrong.

In 2023, a new National-led government was elected and removed the ban. It’ll take time to get back to normal. And we already know how long - 2-5 years.

(Russian)

Video version of my post about how I study English.

MP3 version of the video above

AI dubbing test

Just as I expected a few posts back, my most recent video from yesterday has received automated English dubbing. Surprisingly, it took YouTube only about 30 minutes after upload to generate it. The quality is decent - a few odd sentences here and there, but overall, it’s now possible to watch my video in English. You can try it yourself - just click on the video and switch the audio track to English.

That said, the dubbed voice is quite different from my real one. At least to my ear, it sounds too robotic. I compared it with a top YouTuber, MKBHD, and in my opinion, his dubbed voice sounds much better. Here’s a link if you’d like to compare.

It looks like this feature is currently implemented differently depending on the size of the channel. Big channels like MKBHD’s seem to get top-tier quality - probably with more processing involved. Smaller ones, like my cosy little channel, get a simpler version.

Also, unfortunately, there’s no way to edit the script - it auto-generates English text from the original Russian audio and dubs it as is, with all the mistakes that occur in the process. The English script can’t be changed.

Still, it’s something. I’m sure it’ll improve quite soon.

(Russian)

Nothing special. Just a bit more of nothing happening in NZ. I bet your palms will start sweating while watching it.

By the way, in case you didn’t know - NZ is the world capital of extreme sports.

(Russian)

The price of a free NZ school

Today on the channel, we have a special guest - my wife ❤️ She’s calculated all our school-related expenses from last year. I added a few notes, and here is the result:

👨‍👩‍👦 Family profile

- Two full-time working parents (8-hour workdays)
- No grandparents in NZ to help out
- One child attending a free public primary/intermediate school
- 52 weeks in a year

Here are the typical expenses for families in a similar situation:

1️⃣ Before and After-school сare

For working families, this is usually needed throughout the school year (40 weeks). There’s a dedicated team at the school that runs it - they organise various activities like board games, singing, cooking, crafting, sports, movies, and more. Kids are free to choose what they enjoy. Simple snacks are also provided.

Prices:
- After-school care (3–6pm) ranges from $16–$33 per day, depending on pickup time and number of days booked (cheaper for full weeks, more expensive for single days).
- Before-school care (7:30–8:30am) is $13 per day.

We’ve calculated an average based on an 8-hour workday and pickups around 5–6pm: 200 days × $24 = $4,800/year

2️⃣ Term breaks

There are three 2-week breaks in Autumn, Winter, and Spring. School’s closed during the breaks, but work isn’t - so if you need your child looked after while you work, you’ll need to enroll them in a holiday programme.

These programmes usually include daily outings - to the cinema, trampoline parks, the zoo, climbing centres, etc. All costs are included.

But it’s more expensive. Prices are around $70–$85 per day depending on the activity.

We’ve averaged it out: (3 days @ $70 + 2 days @ $85) × 6 weeks = $2,280/year

3️⃣ Summer holidays

The summer holidays, which last for 6 weeks, are highlighted separately because there is a nuance that needs to be noted.

Each school finishes the year on different dates, usually around 18–19 December (we’ve assumed parents cover the 2-day gap with unpaid leave). Businesses typically close for the Christmas break for two weeks, from around 23 December to 6 January. Standard school holiday programmes usually start a week later, around 13 January.

How parents manage this gap with their employers varies - some may take unpaid leave, while others might be able to work from home.

We’ve also averaged it out: (3 days @ $70 + 2 days @ $85) × 3 weeks = $1,140/year

4️⃣ School-related expenses

These include all invoices issued by the school:
- Various contributions: $220/year
- School donation: $450/year (voluntary, but expected to be paid; 30–33% is claimable as a tax refund)
- Stationery and supplies: $105/year

Total: $775/year

5️⃣ School uniform (if applicable)

Depends on a school. Some schools require full uniforms, others don’t. Parents often choose between buying new or second-hand.

In our case, the school doesn’t require a uniform, so: $0

📊 Grand Total: approx. $9,000/year

(Russian)

Boat parking

In the picture, you can see a multi-level parking facility for boats I saw in Auckland CBD. There is also a forklift used to move the boats in and out. Overall, it's a big building and they offer all kinds of boat services - lifting them out of the water, maintenance, repairs, and more. You can review it in 3D right on Google Maps.

So, next time you're looking for a place to park your yacht in Auckland, now you know where to go. You're welcome.

(Russian)

Digital NZ

Many believe that Moscow has some of the best digital services in the world, and wherever you go, the digital experience is usually worse than in Moscow.

So, I decided to compare it to Auckland to see how significant the difference really is. Below, I’ll go point by point and compare the two cities in all aspects of digitalisation I could remember.

I’ve also added a competitive element to the comparison - I’ll give my own highly subjective score on each of the listed points. If one country is slightly better, I’ll give it +1 point, if it’s significantly better, then +2. Then I’ll calculate the final result.

Finance

1. Opening a bank account. Opening an account is simple and fast in both countries. There is less paperwork in NZ, as nobody tries to sign you up for broker accounts, credit, etc. But overall, it’s about the same - 15-60 minutes in a bank and you are ready to go.
🇳🇿 = 🇷🇺

2. Digital payments. In NZ, I haven’t used cash for 2 years except in a couple of cases. In Russia, it was generally the same, but occasions when I needed cash were a bit more frequent. I’d say NZ is about 99% cashless, while Russia is around 90%. About the same.
🇳🇿 = 🇷🇺

3. Money transfer. In Russia, there is a system for fast payments (SBP), which allows transactions using mobile numbers (11 digits). In NZ, you have to use a bank account number (15 digits). The difference is minor, but there is another issue - transfers in Russia are instant, while in NZ they can take up to two hours.
+2 to 🇷🇺

4. Money transfer privacy. In Russia, entering a mobile number during payment reveals the recipient's name (first, middle, and initial of last). It helps avoid typos but exposes personal data - anyone can extract your name from your mobile number. In NZ, the system is smarter: you enter the recipient's name yourself, and the system only confirms a match with the account. The result is the same, but with more privacy.
+1 to 🇳🇿

5. Contactless payments. Apple Pay and Google Pay have not worked in Russia since 2022. There’s no such issue in NZ. Also, in Russia, all contactless surcharges are included in the price, while in NZ, they’re sometimes added only for contactless payments - and you have the choice whether to pay or not.
+1 to 🇳🇿

6. Bank apps/sites. The difference is massive - in NZ, all bank apps have no ads, no pop-ups, no credit offers, etc. They are completely ad-free. All apps and sites of Russian banks are covered with ads.
+2 to 🇳🇿

7. Cashback. In Russia, many banks offer cashback. In NZ, it might exist somewhere, but it’s definitely not widespread.
+1 to 🇷🇺

Transport

8. Transport cards. The systems are similar - one card for all city transport. But Auckland’s AT Hop card has significant downsides compared to Moscow’s Troika - there’s a two-hour delay before the money appears on your AT Hop card, and you can’t top it up from your bank app. Payment speed is crucial when using public transport, so the big plus goes to Moscow.
+2 to 🇷🇺

9. Using a bank card to pay. In Moscow, you can pay for any public transport directly with your bank card. In Auckland, the same system was implemented in 2024. A tie.
🇳🇿 = 🇷🇺

10. Transport apps. The apps are about the same. In Moscow, I used the Yandex Transport app. in Auckland, it’s the AT Hop app. Both show prices, buses in real time on the map, routes, and ETAs. No difference.
🇳🇿 = 🇷🇺

11. Toll roads. In RF, toll roads usually have gateways where you must stop and pay. In NZ, it’s more convenient - no gates, no delays. Large roadside signs mark the start of a toll road and the turn-off to a free route. You don't even need to slow down - the system scans your rego plate and charges you through an official website, saving you time.
+1 to 🇳🇿

12. Parking. The apps are similar. They show prices, you can pay directly in the app, see a timer, get notified when it runs out. No difference.
🇳🇿 = 🇷🇺

13. Scooters, taxis, car sharing. I’ve never used them, but they look the same - people install apps, pay on the go, and use the services.
🇳🇿 = 🇷🇺

(Continued in comments)

(Russian)

Cycling in Auckland

Auckland is quite well designed for cyclists - there are plenty of bike lanes, many of which are fully separated from traffic. On most local streets, the speed limit is 50 km/h, so cyclists often end up riding faster than the cars. In addition, there are special areas in front of all cars at most intersections, so cyclists always start riding first when the green light appears.

Using a bicycle as your main mode of transport is totally fine in summer (December, January, February) - 80% of days are sunny and dry. But in winter (June, July, August), the amount of rain increases. So, anyone planning to rely solely on a bike in Auckland should be prepared to look like the poor drenched guy in the picture above.

Ideally, it’s best to have a car as your main vehicle, and all other alternatives - a bike, a Harley, a scooter, a skateboard - whatever suits you best - as a second option, just for fun and sunny days.

(Russian)

Digital NZ (follow-up)

Just got a letter from Chorus, an internet infrastructure company in Auckland (and across New Zealand), stating that they’ve just upgraded the network to work faster.

I checked my tariff with my provider (there are dozens of providers, but they all ultimately operate through Chorus) - and yes, my tariff’s speed is now faster. Then I tested the actual speed - it really is faster.

The price is the same. No other changes. Just a letter informing me that my internet is now faster - and that’s it.

They say they’ve boosted speeds for 2 million New Zealanders. So if you’re in NZ and on a 50–300 Mbps fibre plan, check your speed.

(Russian)