Teachers in Gisborne

In my opinion, the answer would be no.  Regardless of your qualification, jobs are hard to find.  And I will just put it out there.  There was a breakfast programme yesterday speaking about how NZ citizens should be offered jobs before the immigrants.   My husband and I are both qualified professionals with university degrees and 20+yrs experience each. He gave up his job 5 months ago and now cannot find another anywhere in NZ.  I am about to be made redundant soon. We have sold up and are in the process of moving to Australia where there are hundreds of jobs to chose from at much higher salaries. Whether we are offered one remains to be seen but we are hopeful even though I am dreading the heat and the bugs. 

I could not live here alone on my salary, and that is without children.  I watch my single female colleagues  struggle financially and they probably earn more than a teacher would, plus they have a company car.  Teachers salaries here are poor (at least compared to the UK) and childcare cost are high, as are rents and utilities. Once the children are at school the costs escalate as it's money for this and that, equipment, field trips, etc.  One young mum I know will have to spend $500 just so her son can go to a three day camp.

Government statistics, as advertised on NZ television, state that 1 in 4 NZ children live in poverty, most without a raincoat or a pair of shoes in wet weather, or good food to eat.  Many children go to school with no packed lunch.  I know one family whose children never get cereal at breakfast because they cannot afford milk. These are the facts.
The only positive thing is that as a result, most children are not materialistic.  No one here can afford to buy the latest pair of trainers unless their parents are rich.

Gisborne?   Nice scenery but remote from anywhere and many problems in that area. Definitely not the place for a single mum with no support system.   

I am genuinely sorry you are in a bad situation but fleeing to NZ is not the answer unless you have family here to support you.  I can but hope that fate brings you and your children a happier future very soon.