Arrived in Melbourne 10 months ago......

**Wallace** · 02-07-2009, 08:21 AM

Hey to everyone on PIO!

I wanted to give you all an update as it has been ages since I logged on to the forum. I guess life has been busy.

My hubby and I moved to Melbourne September 2008 and well I can hardly believe how far we have come in the months that have simply flown by. We had never been to Australia before our big move and well out story will hopefully inspire some of you that are thinking about taking the plunge down under...

My OH was sponsored to come out here on a temporary 457 visa and thats what brought us both out here. We had some great advice from people on PIO last year prior to our big move and also once we had arrived. I have noticed that there are so many similar posts on here which makes me think that people do cope in similar ways, even if circumstances are very different. That is also a very reassuring thing in itself :)

Well here we are 10 months down the line and feeling pretty settled out here. We have made some good friends and continue to meet wonderful people.
We both work in health care and are really enjoying our jobs out here. I have opportunities here that I would have had alot of difficulty coming across had I stayed in the UK and that is a big deal when you work full time.

We experienced our first real heatwave this summer in Victoria and were shocked by the devastating bush fires that soared through the rural areas. We have ventured up towards Queensland earlier on this year for a holiday to celebrate our wedding anniversary and wow what a difference between Victoria and Queensland. I have to say I found it pretty humid up in Queensland but a beautiful place. There is still so much of Australia that I would love to see and experience.

One of the most common questions that people have asked me from back in the UK is do you get home sick and do you miss home? And the simple answer is yes every now and then but its how you deal with it that matters to me. We always knew moving out here would not be simple and we knew there would be plenty of challenges ahead but we were prepared to face these together and having support is a bonus.

At the moment we are about a few weeks away from heading back to the UK for my best friend's wedding which I always promised I would return for. I guess I could say I have mixed emotions about this for a number of reasons. We have had both sets of parents visit us since we moved out here which has been great and also a set of friends which was an additional bonus and very special. However, we know when we go back for our trip people will be asking us the same question which will be - do you love it out there? Are you staying longer? What is the long term plan? etc etc....
If you had asked me this question about 6 months ago I would have said who knows how I will feel in July but the reality it July has come around so quickly and I now feel like I am going to have to be honest to myself and also to my friends back in the UK.

I guess we are at the stage in life where we would love to buy a property and settle down and I dont like feeling like I am up in limbo not knowing where we will be living in 6 months time. Its a normal feeling isnt it?

I wondered how any of you guys felt when you initially moved out here and how you felt about the same time (just under a year after) with regards to settling, buying a house and continuing on with the journey?

I am so excited about seeing friends and family again and of course being a bridesmaid at my best friends wedding, but I know I will be getting back on the plane to come back to Melbourne afterwards.

I am not afraid to call this my 'new home'.... and wanted to reassure people that things can work out in the end and its about how much effort you can put in, about sticking with it even through those tough / hard times and knowing there is light at the end of every tunnel :)

Thanks to PIO for all your support and words of wisdom.

**scousers** · 05-07-2009, 12:25 PM

Hi,

Have been here for 20 years now and beleive me that goes just as quickly! OH and i came as two young 21 year olds looking for adventure but also knowing there was more too life than Wallasey (outside Liverpool). The only way we could come to OZ then was to come on work permits for 12 months, but we also knew that it would give us the chance of having the option to live permanently if we wanted (not sure i really gave much thought to what permanently really meant) .

We were very lucky and got permanent residency after 2 years and have stayed. Did spend 12 months back in the UK when my mum was sick, but she now lives here also with the balance of the family. Its a very hard time when you don't know where you will stay, i remember looking at houses and even jobs and just not knowing is it worth it or not. I think during that time you just have to do what feels right at the time. But i would say the one thing i didn't do was think forward about the decision to stay for good! It means you will be away from friends when you have kids, this is something i found hard last time i went (home) my friends kids all now go too school together which i thought was great, and i felt my daughter was missing out on something special, friends who are friends for life. Friendships in OZ are not as deep as in the UK with people moving around alot more. My daughter who is 10 has already had to say goodbye to 2 very special friends as they moved interstate and she has not handled this too well. Its not something i ever had to deal with as all my friends stayed in the same town. I know the world has changed but its just something too think about.

Happy to hear you are loving it so far, and best of luck with what ever you decide.

**OgaPoga** · 05-07-2009, 02:02 PM

What a lovely and honest post! Enjoyed reading it, thanks a lot for sharing.

We just got our visas and planning to move to Victoria September, mid October 2009.

**shaunkaren** · 05-07-2009, 09:43 PM

Thanks for the honest post! We are hoping to join you in Melbourne at the end of the year, the visas have been granted all we need to do is get organised! I have to say I am nearing the end of my degree and keep thinking what's the point of applying for jobs here because I don't plan to hang around. We also have two children to consider and I am under no illusions that we will all wobble between now and a year post move.

I have a friend returning from NZ for a holiday after emigrating last year and worry it will be too early for her to return - although it could confirm the reasons she left in the first place!! Hopefully you will just have so much fun catching up with all your old friends and telling them of your adventures you won't have time to think about whether it was right or wrong to leave in the first place!!!