Wellington - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
There are tons of expatriates. Kiwis are often expats at some point in their own lives, so it's very common. - Jan 2021
I don't know that there is an expat community, per se. Everyone can just meld in with the locals. - Jun 2019
Tiny and lousy. Remember that the people make the post, so be sure to do your due diligence and Google searches when bidding. The current Embassy construction project is akin to 4o hours of sheer torture each week, with no realistic end date in sight. If you enjoy drafting cables with a jackhammer pounding away next to your desk, or if you just adore the idea of partaking in three unplanned fire drills each week, Wellington might be for you. Also, the Embassy has quite an impressive problem with limited resources and funding, so don't expect any of the usual support systems or offices that you'd find at a larger post. - Mar 2016
Small and high. There weren't many embassy-arranged activities while we were at post, but I suppose that changes with the CLO position. It was always fun to organize outings and events with other families. - Apr 2015
Too big to even guess. No one even bats an eye at the fact that we don't have a kiwi accent. - Aug 2011
Small to mid-size. There is a Diplomatic spouse's group which are active in Wellington and organizes trips in and around Wellington, lunches and visit museums etc. Small but fun to join. The embassy community also tries to entertain in thehomes, or invite you over for birthday parties, which is fun. There are children's indoor playgrounds also available for birthday parties...or just for weekend fun. - Aug 2008
