I totally agree with you about the negative threads, you sound like you've got a really positive approach to life! I'm all for realism but sometimes I find the 'Aus bashing' too much.
I'll get jumped on now for having rose tinted glasses.
Anyway I dont really see my move to Aus as living a dream life, more of an improved life really.
Im looking forward to a better family life, being able to do outdoor things like camping without it bloody raining all the time and being freezing cold. The big blue skies, brightly coloured birds, playing on the beach without 5 million others, swimming in the warm rain, having all my family together (my brother lives in Brisbane and my sister, her family, my mum and my family are all emigrating there).
Like Ali said, I think attitude has alot to do with settling in Aus. I heard this great saying the other day which I really like;
'Blossom where you are planted'
ie, where-ever you find yourself in life, make the most of it!!
We are due to leave the UK in 3 weeks and I have now decided not to read any more of the negative threads. A reality check is a good thing and to see it from another point of view is also a good thing but the true reality is it is right for some and not others.
We will have to live with it if it is a mistake but I couldn't live with never having tried and not knowing how life could have been - good or bad.
We have waited over 2 years for this and we will give it our best shot. We have 3 children under 7 and if what you all say is true we can't go wrong.
We are due to leave the UK in 3 weeks and I have now decided not to read any more of the negative threads. A reality check is a good thing and to see it from another point of view is also a good thing but the true reality is it is right for some and not others.
We will have to live with it if it is a mistake but I couldn't live with never having tried and not knowing how life could have been - good or bad.
We have waited over 2 years for this and we will give it our best shot. We have 3 children under 7 and if what you all say is true we can't go wrong.
POSITIVE POSITIVE ALL THE WAY FROM NOW ON !
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.
I am sitting typing this at work (sshhh) ok its Sat and that sucks but I worked Sat in the UK why should it be any different here. I am looking out the window at the ocean between Surfers Paradise and Main beach, the sun is shining and Im smiling. Im thinking about the day I spent at Sea World yesterday with my 2 beautiful girls and how Ella (3) got chosen to go onto the stage for the Seseme Street beach show and got to cuddle Elmo, she was sooo excited and i had butterflies watching her, she was so happy it brings tears to my eyes to think about it.
Thats my dream, just seeing my girls and how happy they are here. We are not it the fortunate position to be mortgage free and I think may never even be in the position to buy, we earn less money, have only one car insead of two. BUT.......whoever said its all about attitude is exactly right. We love being here and I hope in 2 years nice mr immy man gives us our PR visa cos if I have to leave this country Im going kicking and screaming and EVERYONE is gonna hear me lol.
Life is what you make it good luck to everyone making the move.
Em x
__________________ www.ejs-pjs.com supplying good quality UK branded Kids Nightwear for a fair price delivery to your door.
When the captain says "We are about to land in Sydney" I for one will be cheering, 'I am home at last'
That means something doesnt it! I got back from the Whitsundays yesterday and when the captain said "have a safe journey and for some of you a warm welcome home to Brisbane" I smiled, secretly to myself!!!!!
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Joanne and Mark
Brisbane. (since Feb 2005) "POZZIE" - HAPPY AND LOVIN` IT
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!
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Joanne and Mark
Brisbane. (since Feb 2005) "POZZIE" - HAPPY AND LOVIN` IT
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.
