New members hoping to go to Cairns

[Shkurka's]

Hi,
We are new members and have already submitted a Contrebutary parent application in Sept 07.
My daughter, australian son in law and two grandchildren are living in Cairns. We have been on holiday and checked out the shcools, housing and jobs (not that we have found one yet)
We have a second daughter 15yrs old and after much deliberation we decided to register her as an international student. We have applied for a contrebutary parent visa and we were advised that it would take about 6 months. ( but it is going to be much longer),

Our 15 yr old daughter went out in September with my husband to start school and see how she could fit into the life in oz. They came back at the begining of Dec and My Daughter is due to fly out in a couple of weeks to start yr 10 at TAZ (new school) She has made new friends and loves the school.
We are so anxious about letting her go on her own!!!!!

If we put her back to her school here she would have to stay until she finishes her GCES, then it would be A levels and she may find it harder to move.
Being with her sister is good but what if she needs us?
It could be another 12 months before we get a visa!! What if we don't get a visa!!
Then there are all the usual - Are we doing the right thing?
We were already putting the house up for sale so that's on the market.
Family and friends don't want us to go and it is difficult for them to be objective.

It has been good to read how others are getting on and it would be great to hear other peoples views.

Di

[Mrs C]

Hi there,

Welcome aboard! It sounds like your daughter is going to enjoy herself as she has already made friends and loves her new school. You must trust your elder daughter as you would not have agreed to the arrangement in the first place. I would say go with your first instinct trust your girls, and get yourself a nice web cam....

I know it is going to be hard for you IF you don't see her for 12 months, but just think how lovely it will be when yu finally get there yourself.

Good Luck April

[Gollywobbler]

Hi Di

Welcome to Poms i O.

Don't worry about your 15 year old. I was born into a British expat family in the Far East (Malaysia.) My sister and I were sent to boarding school in the UK when we each reached 8 (Eliae is two years younger than me and now lives in Perth, WA.) I'm 51 now so we were hiking around in the 60s and 70s.

We used to fly to Malaysia & back on our own 3 times a year in all the school holidays. A plane is only a bus with wings, afer all.

If we needed to speak on the phone with Mum & Dad, the call had to be booked hours in advance and the call had to be quick. Plus the reason had to be naffing compelling. Any lesser crisis would be dealt with by cable. Routine comms were by airmail.

I like the UK and chose to remain here but my sister moved to Oz (Perth) aged about 21/22 and has since married an Ozzie. Elaine never did like the UK but I was a more tolerant child and I am happy wherever I am. Location really doesn't bother me and never has. Dad died in 1991. Mum moved to Perth in 2006 on a Contributory Parent 143 visa.

Today's Parents cringe at the idea of what life was like for Elaine and I - but ten years earlier than that and the kids were only seeing their Parents once every three years - travelling by sea.

Trust me - there is absolutely NOTHING to worry about, chooks.

Cheers

Gill

[Shkurka's]

Thanks for the reassurance.
I am sure when she has arrvied safely, we will sleep easier!
Then we can start worring about our visa appliaction! !

Di