Success stories from anxious migrators please

:unsure: Hi we are hopefully nearing the end of our visa application process......Obviously you go through so many emotions. Some days I feel so excited and I just can't wait to just get on and make the move. Other days I suddenly think 'What are we thinking, we are so not the sort of people to do somthing like this' and I can't believe we are contemplating leaving our really very pleasnt life here behind. We have for the most part a really supportive family network, good friends, nice home and Matt's job, whereas a year ago was a complete nightmare, has now got a great position.

Has anyone made the move having all these sort of doubts and now think 'we should have done this years ago' or that it has been a great success......would love to hear some positive experiences please....

Look forward to reading, Amanda

Hi Amanda

Please don't worry, I am sure if we did a poll on here everyone will say they had doubts. I know personally I did. I nearly pulled out of the house sale, as we got a buyer before we even got the visa, it was a huge risk but one of the best ones I have ever made.

We love it in Australia. We live in Melbourne and have now been here for 5 years in June, the only regrets I have is that we didn't do it sooner.

Yes, we do miss family but they have been out a few times to visit and we probably chat to them more now that we did in the UK thanks to skype.

Keep your chin up and hold on to those dreams.

Has anyone made the move having all these sort of doubts and now think 'we should have done this years ago' or that it has been a great success......would love to hear some positive experiences please....

 

Look forward to reading, Amanda

G'day mate, made the move 46 years ago as a 23 year old single bloke with 134 quid in my pocket...Never regretted a second of it. I treated it all as one big adventure, like going to the Kimberlies in WA and lived in a tent for 2 years, working for the Main Roads, out from Broome when the bitumen ended 1000 miles south. Stayed with the Main Roads for a few years.

Worked in Perth, WA (no Earlsy, mate, NOT Northbridge) worked in Dampier, WA, NSW, Vic and Qld on construction jobs (roads to bridges to coal mines to roads again). Brought up a family on the way.

Now retired to Central Coastal Qld for the past 10 years and my beloved fishing.:hug:

Is that positive enough??:yes:

Cheers, Bobj

here's a post i made last year good luck with everything!!

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/chewing-fat/49382-feeling-lucky.html

Hi Amanda

As one of the previous posts stated we all had doubts and its a big change/culture shock for many. I have been here since 1994 and love it. It is such a vast country full of contrasts and I explore it a lot in remote areas by boat and camper trailer and I still haven't seen it all.

yes, there were times of sadness in the early years missing my best friend and my brother but I didn't sit back and went out there to experience as much as possible. Work wise things did not always pan out but job hopping is not seen as a negative over here.

There are some negatives (just as there were in the UK both positive and negative things) but on the whole they are very much outweighed by the positives and the quality of life I have here.

Never been back to the UK and my family come out here so often there's no point to me going back there to see them.

I feel like I am on holiday every day and I am very positive in outlook (the weather helps as does being 10 mins from the beach instead of 3 hours from Birmingham)

The adventure continues....

Cheers

Julia

Hi Amanda

Also forgot to say - Aus is a good spot from which to explore the other half of the world.

When I lived in the UK I explored all of the UK, Europe and the USA.

From Aus I have been to South Africa (10hrs from Perth), all over Asia (cheap flights, short hours on a plane and similar/same time zones to Perth), New Zealand and Papua New Guinea (experience and a half I can tell you!).

I have also never ever tired of exploring Australia - this year we are doing the Holland Track; Canning Stock Route and Perth to to South Oz in 4WD + camper trailer - bush camping all the way. Just fab.

Cheers

Julia

Hi Amanda

as the others have said it really is normal to have a few doubts, i think we have all been there,lol,

Like you we both had decent jobs and a pretty good life with lots of friends around us, it was hard moving here and knowing no-one but if your prepared to start at the bottom all over again and give it your all theres no reason why you cant make a success of your new life here like we have. The ausies are pretty friendly and are always willing to chat, some like giving out the 'pommy' banter but are also good are taking 'stick' back,lol. If your willing to fit in they seem happy to accept you.

The homesickness can get bad expecially if you were close to family, Skype and Web Cams are a great way of staying in touch but phonecalls arent as expensive as they used to be anyway, i dont think you can ever be rich here either, but if happiness means more to you than a full wallet, go for it and im sure you wont look back. Wishing you lots of luck

Cal x

hi amanda,

best of luck with your visa application, its normal to have all those feeling s your experiencing, at eh end of the day your coming to the end of your visa application so all the paperwork and waiting is nearly over who wouldnt be anxious nervous and thinking is it the right or wrong thing to do, theres a reason you started all of this so folow it through if anything just for the experience of what life in oz can offer you and your family, weve been here 18 months and weve had plenty ups and downs but were still enjoying all ozzie life has to offer, never give up on a dream because theres a reason for every dream !!!!

all the best

lesley x

I had exactly the same doubts as you before we came. We've only been here a few weeks, but today I was watching our eldest daughter playing. She was so happy playing with the other children in a completely safe and clean play area. I had tears come in my eyes because I feel so completely and utterly happy for our children. We have been swimming, to the beaches, to the Royal National Park for a picnic, to the Aquarium, all over. We never did anything like this in the UK. It was always raining, or too cold. Even the playgrounds in nice areas were too filthy to play in and the local swimming pool closed down so we couldn't even do that.

For me, we made this move for our children. There are things that even at this early stage I don't like, but I can live with them because in my honest opinion, our children can have a far better childhood here than back in the UK.

I am so happy and so grateful that we can be here. I am glad that we had the courage to give it a go. I think that it is going to turn out to be the third best thing we ever did (numbers one and two, jointly being our children of course!).

Hi Amanda

Well as you can see from the signature we're not there yet, but just wanted to add that we feel exactly the same way. Some days we think HOORAY lets get there and other days we're thinking we must be MAD to be doing this - only other people emmigrate!! I think what you're feeling is totally normal, otherwise that means we're both a bit strange!! :jiggy:

But in my experience, life takes shape around you, not the other way round, if you are friendly and chatty, you'll find people are friendly and chatty with you, however if you're suspicious and unsociable obviously you'll find people unfriendly and stand offish. This is such a cliche, but you get out what you put in. In the UK we have good friends, nice house, good life, and I'm sure this is because we have made it this way not because we were just lucky. Of course financial climate will have a bearing on a certain amount of life, but what it cannot do is harm, love, faith, hope, trust, (I nearly put pixie dust in there too!!! now where've I heard that before!) Anyway you get the point!

Its a HUGE decision to make, we're bound to have wobbly days!!

Good Luck

Lisa

G'day mate, made the move 46 years ago as a 23 year old single bloke with 134 quid in my pocket...Never regretted a second of it. I treated it all as one big adventure, like going to the Kimberlies in WA and lived in a tent for 2 years, working for the Main Roads, out from Broome when the bitumen ended 1000 miles south. Stayed with the Main Roads for a few years.

Worked in Perth, WA (no Earlsy, mate, NOT Northbridge) worked in Dampier, WA, NSW, Vic and Qld on construction jobs (roads to bridges to coal mines to roads again). Brought up a family on the way.

Now retired to Central Coastal Qld for the past 10 years and my beloved fishing.:hug:

 

Is that positive enough??:yes:

 

Cheers, Bobj

Thanks Bobj, That was a fantastic response and has made me feel really positive! Sounds like you have had such an amazing adventure, your retirement sounds pretty idealic too! Feel really motivated to make a success of our move ........Hope you continue to enjoy your fishiing, Amanda

Thanks everyone for your uplifting responses, I have really enjoyed reading them. This was exactly the sort of stuff I was hoping to get back and it has given me a renewed sense of purpose. It's reassuring to know that most people go through the kind of emotions that I have been feeling, and you can still feel you have made the right decision at the end. At the moment I can't wait to get out there, get off this limbo and start living the rest of our lives!!!

Thanks again, Amanda x

Hi Amanda,

All I can say is absolutely give it a go - if not you'll ALWAYS regret it. It might not be easy but isn't life about experiences? The good and the bad? Thats the way I've looked at it.

Hi Amanda,

My wife and I are in the same boat as you guys, we also live in Devon with two young kids and are ready to go but wonder why we would leave now that I've got a great job etc etc.

Sorry I've got no easy answers, we're scared witless so I know how you feel. If it's any consolation at least you know you're not the only ones! If you want to chat some time let us know. :wideeyed:

hi amanda , greg shelly and all!

we now have our visa and are heading out to India for a month (or so!) then following on to Oz we have never been before and have no idea where to live etc. I think reading these posts that we are all feeling the same.... I have wobble days :swoon: blub blub what are we doing we must be mad etc... Luke however is so set on the idea he carnt wait to get out there but then he is really sick of work driving 3hours plus each way everyday. We are seeing it as an new start and an adventure home is never going away we can always come back here and at least we have done something different in our lives, you could always stay doing the same old in the same place but you only live once and why not enrich your life experience with trying to live abroad? think of all the people desperate to move to Oz who cannot get a visa, think of it as a privalige u are a chosen one.:biglaugh: oh my god im even convincing myself..... xx

Thanks everyone for your uplifting responses, I have really enjoyed reading them. This was exactly the sort of stuff I was hoping to get back and it has given me a renewed sense of purpose. It's reassuring to know that most people go through the kind of emotions that I have been feeling, and you can still feel you have made the right decision at the end. At the moment I can't wait to get out there, get off this limbo and start living the rest of our lives!!!

 

Thanks again, Amanda x

hi amanda glad its done the job like people say never live your life with regrets only experiences thats what makes a life worth living !!

all the best hon

lesley x

Hi Amanda,

My wife and I are in the same boat as you guys, we also live in Devon with two young kids and are ready to go but wonder why we would leave now that I've got a great job etc etc.

Sorry I've got no easy answers, we're scared witless so I know how you feel. If it's any consolation at least you know you're not the only ones! If you want to chat some time let us know. :wideeyed:

Hi Greg Shelley whereabouts in Devon are you from?

I was just sat here thinking about the move to Australia thing and some of the things that have been said to me whilst we were in the process. One of my favourite things that a family member said was that life isn't just about the destination, after all we all end up in the same place eventually. It is more about the journey and how you get there.

It is true. Would you rather be on the motorway looking at endless traffic, electricity pylons and grey concrete, or driving down the scenic route looking at lots of beautiful and interesting things on the way?

To me, even on the wobbly days, that is what I used to think. I want to experience something different to the norm. For some, staying in the country where they were born is all they want to do. But for me, I want the experience and the adventure and if it all goes **** up, then at least I'll have an interesting story to tell the grandkids!