I find this post so sad. Around nine months ago we departed Christchurch with our family (although my husband is still in Christchurch awaiting an employment opportunity here and commutes to us as he can). We had hit the wall as a family. I'd been made redundant, we had a death in our family, and I simply wasn't coping with life as it had become in Christchurch. We decided life was too short to wait a decade or so for things to bounce back. I remain on "happy pills" today in response to events post-2011, but we now have a new home in Dunedin and I can't believe how our lives have turned around. We have had several people in Christchurch telling us how they wish they had acted earlier but the longer they remain in Christchurch, the more stuck they feel. For those who are committed to Christchurch, I have huge respect for you. For those who seek out a life elsewhere, don't be afraid of making a change.