for a 'home bod' like myself I have actually surprised both myself and everyone who knows me on how quickly I've settled and yep I think of Australia as my home now and yes I miss my family (loads) but I'm coping much better than I thought I would and me and the OH are having the adventure of our lives and are putting off the big holiday back to the UK as just don't feel the need at the moment to go back even for a visit.
we get to spend quality time together and go on lots of different adventures on the weekends and we've some of the most gorgeous and beautiful places I've ever seen and sometimes we've even had them to ourselves which is an amazing experience so got tons of beatiful photo's to send home and make everyone envious.
Work is nowhere near as demanding as previous jobs in the UK, well for me not for the OH as he's got lots to learn as his line of work is different over here, but he's still enjoying living here even though the pressure is on him.
We are looking forward to visitors and showing off where we live as we are proud as punch that we moved here and we choose a great place to live and its a good excuse not to go back to the UK as we use all our holidays (stingy 20 days) showing visitors around and travelling ourselves. Watch out Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, NZ hope to see you all over the next couple of years and can't wait....keep the adventures rolling and keep the dream alive.
Sarah (no longer a home body I'm now an adventurer and love it)
I am so glad I've just read these threads! We are in the process of returning to Perth and all the negative threads have made me feel nervous about our decision. Having lived in Perth for a year and then returning home for family reasons this has made me feel so positive again. When we were in Perth we really loved the life and settled in right away. i really did feel like we were living the dream! I had to keep pinching myself every day because i couldn't believe what a great life we had there. I am nervous about leaving close family but I know my immediate family will benefit from living in Oz. I know it is important to know all the positives and negatives about immigration but i personally feel that some of the people who post very negative threads tend to be the type of people wherever they live may have a negative outlook on life.
Arlene
Last edited by arlene : 10-05-2008 at 07:26 AM.
Reason: forgot word
How true Arlene, some wouldn't be happy on a Paradise Island.
I was getting a little fed up with all the negatives and to be honest, when you read things like this it's no wonder we sometimes get tagged 'Whinging Poms'.
Probably get some flack for saying that now, but that's my opinion anyway. LOL
Hope you and your family re-settle well in Perth shortly, I am sure you will. Good luck with everything.
. I know it is important to know all the positives and negatives about immigration but i personally feel that some of the people who post very negative threads tend to be the type of people wherever they live may have a negative outlook on life.
Arlene
Absolutely!
__________________
Joanne and Mark
Sinnamon Park.
Brisbane. (since Feb 2005)
_______________________
Live your imagination! No Regrets!
I think you hit the nail on the head about attitude and the home issue! I'm not there yet but I am American who married a Brit and arrived in England 12 years ago. We lived in Cornwall where I was truly a novelty and could have had to fight various prejudices but I was very careful not to compare. Things were "different" not "better" or "worse" and I was very careful to call it home from the beginning. My husband had already suffered at the hands of my mother who thought he had "stolen" me so he didn't need to hear it from me. You make your choices - especially in a cross-cultural relationship or if you decide to emmigrate somewhere and you have differing opinions about the location. One of you may have to "sacrifice" their culture. However, for me it is my husband and my children who are my priority and "home" is where they are. If I don't think of it like that then the issue of location could breed resentment and bitterness and who wants to live that way. Don't get me wrong - I am extremely close to my parents and I think they are internally devastated about a further move 11,000 miles away. However, we feel we are making the right adventurous decision for this time and as I've lived in 4 countries - and never would have dreamed 12 years ago I would have be lived in any of them - I don't think anything has to be forever. It will be interesting to see if my husband struggles more as he has always lived in England. Best wishes to you all and may hour happiness continue! I appreciate your posts and it helps put things into perspective when the sheer "overwhelmingness" hits you.
And thanks for the kind words, I was waiting for someone to reply who didn't agree with us all so opened up the thread in trepidation!
Where abouts are you looking to settle? If any of us can help you out with areas I am sure you will get some good advice.
Funny thing was my sister-in-law spoke to me tonight (she lives close by) and asked if I had butterflies about going back? I said "No, not really, just dreading the long flight" She agreed as she had done it last year to visit her family too.
I have a list of requirements to bring back and the funny thing is all my Aussie friends want Chocolate! LOL, Hubbie would like some Piccallili that we had locally, might ask at customs if this would be possible, if not he'll get over it! It will be nice to see what has changed over the years, last time I went back it was in a rush as Mum had Breast Cancer, thankfully she is clear now after 5yrs, but Dad is quite ill so it will be a shock to see his decline in health, he has Parkinsons and also Agoraphobia combined with depression, so not expecting the best. Luckily I am from a large family and I am the only one who lives overseas, so I know they are being looked after by my siblings, I phone every week which is more than one of my Brothers who lives around the corner from them!
The waiting is shocking, everyday you think it's going to happen, we actually got turned down the first time we applied, but look at us now, here and have been happily for 15yrs.
Wow Debi Im in MK too!! We have 3 children under 5 and are heading off to Brisbane (some day!!) We have got our visa but cant sell our house
Good luck with your trip - it must be very nervewracking right now.
Angelcake
Hi Angelcake
What a small world. Where abouts in MK?
How long has your house been for sale? Don't tell em your emigrating. We lost 2 sales because of that. They tried to knock 30K and 20K off the price 2 days before exchange. We refused.- dangerous game really as we have to validate 13/06 and cannot afford to leave the house unsold. But we are now on our 3rd potential sale and should exchange middle of next week (everything crossed). This is more nervewracking than the emigration. When the exchange has happened 'emigration reality' nerves may kick in.
What visa are you going out on? My OH is in Industrial/commercial flooring. No job to go to but we have made a few contacts out there.
Bet your looking forward to that flight with a 4 yr old and 2 TWINS! AAAGGGHHH
I've never really used the term - but for me the thing I hoped for most was more time together as a family and we seem to be achieving that in abundance. I still can't get over travelling into perth along the river and seeing the skyline (beats travelling down London Rd in Preston I'll tell you), and I don't think I'll ever tire of looking at the stars.
Ali
Talking about stars,have you noticed that Orion is upside down over here??
And Sirius(Brightest star in the Sky) rises instead of falls?..I know i'm an astronomy geek!!!
Location: leicestershire to perth, fingers crossed!
Posts: 233
hi jayne, you may be made of sterner stuff than me wow, glad to hear it though were still waiting for our co, so fingers crossed! but we are so ready try our own adventure, and its brill having this site and all the peoples help and opinions, its like an alternate world you can tune into as family and friends arn't that keen to discuss it at lenth, bless em.
Talking about stars,have you noticed that Orion is upside down over here??
And Sirius(Brightest star in the Sky) rises instead of falls?..I know i'm an astronomy geek!!!
No hadn't ... I just loot at them almost everynight and say 'wow', but I'm gonna use that bit of info and sound really clever - (tell me which is orions belt though so I don't end up poinint to the plough or something lol)
Ali
__________________
If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy
No hadn't ... I just loot at them almost everynight and say 'wow', but I'm gonna use that bit of info and sound really clever - (tell me which is orions belt though so I don't end up poinint to the plough or something lol)
Ali
the three stars in a diagonal line is Orions belt,with a slight fuzzy line of nebulae above it.
You have absolutely no chance of pointing to the plough,that points to the north star,practically north hemisphere only i'm afraid !!Theres definately enough darkness for you to star gaze over here anyway!! Eleven hours an night,minimum.
Yeti Long Ass Shot 2 Champion!
