I thought it would be interesting to know how people said goodbye before they left. Did you have a leaving party or did you say quiet individual goodbyes to the people you were leaving behind? Whichever one you did, do you ever wish you did it differently?
I am unsure whether to have a leaving party for several reasons: cost, in-laws starting something or someone feeling left out. Also wouldn't want to start crying on anyone and then have them trying to talk me out of it. But if I said individual goodbyes then I would probably be even more likely to start crying.
Cara
__________________ Arrived in Australia in June 2008
...we did both..we had a large leaving party for friends and family, and also did close family goodbyes..no one at the airport for definate but!..it is hard and you really can't get away from that, but we also have some great photo's and memories from the night! It is an emotional time, but also very exciting. We had an Aus 'food taste testing' thing at our leaving do..set up by friends?..it was great fun and you can imagine some of the things we had to eat!?..you will cry one way or another..you can't avoid that, but i think people will be very excited for you as well, and after you've said your goodbye's the anticipation and excitement will soon kick in..hope it all works out well for you in whatever you choose..
We had an OZ leaving party for family and friends had rubber snakes and spiders on all the tables and inflatable kangaroos and sharks ect, We also had a travel journal which friends could leave a message and e-mail address contac details and all that, it is a nice way to remember and you can put photos in there when you have them developed. We fly out in a couple of weeks, and will do our good byes during the last few days and we have booked a hire car to the airport as I have siad goodbye to other friends that have flown off to various locations around the world, IT'S VERY HARD TO GO THROUGH
make the most of the time with you loved ones and always look ahead.
We're sneaking off, going to see my mum and wifes dad and have spoken to the rest of the rellies on the phone. Need all the cash we can for starting down under.:)
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One of my thoughts was to keep those who know guessing right to the end
and then send everyone a goodbye card the day we fly out- that way I don't have to face all the goodbyes
or have a big party, day time with entertainers to give eveyone a really good time and distract them while we sneak off before the end - again avoiding the goodbyes
hmmmmmmmmm I see a theme here, I always said our family was good at the Ostrige manover
I really like the idea of a book for everyone to write in.
I was thinking of asking people to bring along photos for us to take with us, especially those rellies we have not seen much of and do not have photos of already, as well as taking lots on the day of course. Then I can do a scrapbook or something
and of course there is always the fear that the b*****ds will not come to see us
oh I don't know
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I plan a a small gathering for good friends, just a nice meal out or something like that, and then individual goodbyes to family as I want to make each one special. For instance I'm hoping to go to Alton towers for a couple of days with my sister, as we are rollercoaster mad! I plan to eat loads of cheese and drink loads of red wine with my dad, and enjoy gin and tonic's with my gran. Basically doing each persons favourite things with them. I also expect that my dad & sister will refuse to let me go to the airport on my own, which will be hard as my 7yr old son will get upset as well.
I'm sure I am going to spend plenty of time crying, but then I am going to be leaving some great friends and family behind. However I'll also be excited about heading off and starting my new life (especially as Ian is going over first so I will be missing him like crazy).
Each to their own I think, it's important to do what you feel is best for you.
Not sure what we will do - we did just have a big party for our joint 40ths with as many rellies and friends as we could. Got given loads of Castlemain 4X which Bill is steadily drinking his way thru.
I think I will have a little get together with my family, with my mum crying the whole time she's pouring the drinks! unfortunately Bill's family is spread far and wide so will probably do little visits to each of them.
I think we are going to plan a special Xmas with the family as it (hopefully) will be the last one here.
And then organise a drinks thing for all our mates.
Not sure what the kids will want to do......... might organise a farewell party for them and def do the book thing for them so that they've got loads of addresses and emails, and photos of their mates.
Hard isn't it?
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Have a big party disco and buffet ,for family friends and all those who helped with ref ex bosses customers the lot cause with out there input it wouldnt of been possible for us o start a new life down under and the book thing what a great idea
We were initially going to have a party for all our family, friends and coleagues but then money was getting short, time was running out etc. We had a family bbq with Mr B's side of the family a couple of months before we left and then said quiet and personal goodbyes to those we wanted to. I had dinner with 2 of my best friends, lunch with another and another lunch with a group of mates. Mr B took his best mate out for lunch too and bought beers for all his work mates.
We said personal goodbyes to our family and each of us spent the last night before leaving with our parents and met at the airport the next day! They came with us but no brothers, sisters and nieces, the parents was hard enough.
It is personal choice and I'm glad I did our goodbyes this way. I couldn't have handled any more tears.
(With regard the book idea - the kids in my class did one of these as a surprise for me - I was well chuffed when I read through it!)
Felicity
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We had a party, All my boys mates and Family and Friends, it was really fab, but very emotional as well, we also had inflatable kangaroos, koalas, cork hats, jelly spiders and snakes on buffet table. I really dont think you can stop the tears, it is hard and seeing your parents broken hearted as ours were, is hard,
I dont regret having the party dispite the tears, as have lovely photos and memories and also a keep sake book with lots of good luck messages and e-mail address off them all.
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