Over 1 year in catch up!

[junellew]

Well its been some time since I last posted as life has been crazy but I have been roaming when I can spare a few minutes and will endeavour to get back in to contributing!

We have been in Australia over a year now (arrived May 5th 2011) and I cannot believe what we have seen, done and achieved in that time and the varied emotions that have gone with it!

We arrived in May and stayed with the inlaws (husband is Ozzie) whilst we bought a car and camper trailer and set up for a big trip around Oz. We set off in June last year and headed for friends in Perth. Saw the most amazing sights along the way even though it was bloody freezing and had a substantial amount of rain! From Perth headed to Darwin to see more friends where we settled for 3 months. This part of the trip was just amazing with the most beautiful sights and weather I have ever experienced. I often dream of the 6 long beautiful nights we free camped by the beach at James Price point just above Broome.....life was simple and care free....alhough I have to admit travelling in a camper trailer with a 3 and 2 year old was pretty challenging at times. We also travelled with some pommies from home which brought along its fair share of fun and arguments in equal measure!

Darwin did not work out for us as my father in law became ill and we headed for Melbourne to be close to family. I loved the NT, like stepping back in time. The heat however was pretty oppresive for me in the build up but the dry season was just perfect......I also often dream of a glass of fizz by my friends pool in Darwin (most days, beacuse the weather just lent itself to it!)

So we headed back to Melbourne with an awsome whirlwind trip down the centre visiting friends at Ayres Rock Resort on the way down. We lived with inlaws and I got a job after a couple of weeks as an employment consultant for people with disabilities. This proved to be a huge change in circumstances as I had been a stay at home mum other than a bit of part time work for almost 4 years by then! HUbby was meant to stay at home and be house hubby but got offered 4 days work so boys did child care and a day with nanny and one with daddy!

So we saved and decided to buy our very first home! We settled on May 15th almost a year to the day we moved here. We didnt go for a new build and have moved out into the countryside in a lovely weatherboard home on a big block in a small town.

I have now decided to give up work as I miss my kids....as a woman I am obviously entitled to change my mind after begging to go to work coz the kids did my head in! Ha ha.....the grass is not always greener in many situations! I am going to study to be a fitness class instructor and waitress a couple of nights a week to make ends meet.

SO thats the low down....... Life has been a crazy rollercoaster of emotions. I miss home ALOT and have had times when I have felt so lonely and wanted to go back. However I have gotten through them and am glad we are here and have done what we have. We left a very different life in the UK as we lived on a remote scottish island. People come to oz for the laid back life but we cannot get more laid back than what we had there. In comparison I feel like we have been thrown right in to the middle of the "rat race" as life is so different in the suburbs of melbourne to the isle of mull. Thus the move to a country town to try to get a little more sense of community back. I have had to learn that as most people say on here not to compare oz to uk, i should DEFINATELY not compare it to my Scottish Island as that was such a unique place to live and cannot be recreated here (especially the cold weather!) talking of which I have well and truely acclimatised and am finding these 15c days freezing! Need a trip back to appreciate it again!

My eldest boy will start pre school in January...if he was in the UK he would of been at school half a year. More things that are so very different here and have taken alot of "getting over" and excepting that you just cannot compare the 2 countries.

The main thing I have learnt in my year is that Australia is about as close to a British culture as Spain is. I feel stupid to have made so many comparisons along the way, even with my hubby being Australian I am still shocked at the culture differences here. I am also trying hard to embrace them....whilst holding on to my heritage and identity (which funnily enough lies in Scotland for me not the England I lived in for 19 years!)

Who knows whether we will live here for 1 more year or 10 more years. We are so privaleged as a family to have the options to swop between the countries but for now we are happy and homeowners, an opportunity we would nevr of got right now in the UK so we feel very grateful.

Hope this low down helps anyone just moved or about to move......and as its my birthday today I'm off to pour myself a very large glass of lovely cheap aussie vino!!!

[Freckleface]

Great update

[Davina35]

Wow, it sounds as though you've had some amazing times so far. It's interesting that you have stopped work again, I am in a similar situation to you and have been out of work for 3 years now after having my 3rd child (childcare too expensive) and I can't wait to get back to work once I am in Oz. I wonder if I will feel the same after working for a few months! We are going to go to Melbourne suburbs, having travelled extensively around Oz 10 years ago this wouldn't have been my first choice, but having my husband's sister close by and also the job market we feel it is probably best for us now. Thanks for the update and good luck for the future. x

[nicolac34]

Great update, nice to know that a camper with a couple of toddlers is dooable! Something we hope to do one day and the older we get the more likely it will be with future children!

Happy Birthday!!

[jamesnparry]

A lovely heart warming post from a young family embracing life. I wish you health and happiness wherever your journeys take you.

[calNgary]

Great update and sure sounds like you have busy !! Hope your FIL is better now..

Lots of luck with future plans

Cal x

[fleabo]

Happy Birthday - what a great post!

[Munchkinella]

What a fantastic update!
You have been busy. I feel exhausted just reading it!

Hope you have had a lovely birthday.

Jxxxx

[supa]

Well its been some time since I last posted as life has been crazy but I have been roaming when I can spare a few minutes and will endeavour to get back in to contributing!

We have been in Australia over a year now (arrived May 5th 2011) and I cannot believe what we have seen, done and achieved in that time and the varied emotions that have gone with it!

We arrived in May and stayed with the inlaws (husband is Ozzie) whilst we bought a car and camper trailer and set up for a big trip around Oz. We set off in June last year and headed for friends in Perth. Saw the most amazing sights along the way even though it was bloody freezing and had a substantial amount of rain! From Perth headed to Darwin to see more friends where we settled for 3 months. This part of the trip was just amazing with the most beautiful sights and weather I have ever experienced. I often dream of the 6 long beautiful nights we free camped by the beach at James Price point just above Broome.....life was simple and care free....alhough I have to admit travelling in a camper trailer with a 3 and 2 year old was pretty challenging at times. We also travelled with some pommies from home which brought along its fair share of fun and arguments in equal measure!

Darwin did not work out for us as my father in law became ill and we headed for Melbourne to be close to family. I loved the NT, like stepping back in time. The heat however was pretty oppresive for me in the build up but the dry season was just perfect......I also often dream of a glass of fizz by my friends pool in Darwin (most days, beacuse the weather just lent itself to it!)

So we headed back to Melbourne with an awsome whirlwind trip down the centre visiting friends at Ayres Rock Resort on the way down. We lived with inlaws and I got a job after a couple of weeks as an employment consultant for people with disabilities. This proved to be a huge change in circumstances as I had been a stay at home mum other than a bit of part time work for almost 4 years by then! HUbby was meant to stay at home and be house hubby but got offered 4 days work so boys did child care and a day with nanny and one with daddy!

So we saved and decided to buy our very first home! We settled on May 15th almost a year to the day we moved here. We didnt go for a new build and have moved out into the countryside in a lovely weatherboard home on a big block in a small town.

I have now decided to give up work as I miss my kids....as a woman I am obviously entitled to change my mind after begging to go to work coz the kids did my head in! Ha ha.....the grass is not always greener in many situations! I am going to study to be a fitness class instructor and waitress a couple of nights a week to make ends meet.

SO thats the low down....... Life has been a crazy rollercoaster of emotions. I miss home ALOT and have had times when I have felt so lonely and wanted to go back. However I have gotten through them and am glad we are here and have done what we have. We left a very different life in the UK as we lived on a remote scottish island. People come to oz for the laid back life but we cannot get more laid back than what we had there. In comparison I feel like we have been thrown right in to the middle of the "rat race" as life is so different in the suburbs of melbourne to the isle of mull. Thus the move to a country town to try to get a little more sense of community back. I have had to learn that as most people say on here not to compare oz to uk, i should DEFINATELY not compare it to my Scottish Island as that was such a unique place to live and cannot be recreated here (especially the cold weather!) talking of which I have well and truely acclimatised and am finding these 15c days freezing! Need a trip back to appreciate it again!

My eldest boy will start pre school in January...if he was in the UK he would of been at school half a year. More things that are so very different here and have taken alot of "getting over" and excepting that you just cannot compare the 2 countries.

The main thing I have learnt in my year is that Australia is about as close to a British culture as Spain is. I feel stupid to have made so many comparisons along the way, even with my hubby being Australian I am still shocked at the culture differences here. I am also trying hard to embrace them....whilst holding on to my heritage and identity (which funnily enough lies in Scotland for me not the England I lived in for 19 years!)

Who knows whether we will live here for 1 more year or 10 more years. We are so privaleged as a family to have the options to swop between the countries but for now we are happy and homeowners, an opportunity we would nevr of got right now in the UK so we feel very grateful.

Hope this low down helps anyone just moved or about to move......and as its my birthday today I'm off to pour myself a very large glass of lovely cheap aussie vino!!!

Thanks very much for the post - really interesting. Brave you doing such a trip with littlies!

Happy Birthday and good luck for the future, wherever you may be.

[The Pom Queen]

What a great post, hope you had a wonderful day.