sharonp53

Please understand that my reply is not designed to be rude, or nasty. You asked a question and ai want to give you an honest answer. First thing is that Australia is currently a very different place than the country I knew back in the 80s. It is currently a very divided society and one that looks readily for scapegoats. It is not a comfortable place to be different. Hanson is a symbol of what is wrong. The government is very pro-China, which while the focus is on a different group is fine. But nothing lasts, and Hanson is a symptom of a wider discomfort in Australia and no ethnic or religious group is immune. Having a family member who lives with Chinese-born person, I would say the real question is will you adapt to life in Australia? The reason I ask this is based on personal observation rather than my own feelings. You see, this person told me, following a challenge in the relationship, that they hadn't been lying, just not reveling the truth, and that was their right, and culturally acceptable unless a person lies to a blood-relative. Now, to an Australian that is is a problem. While we may choose to lie, it is with the clear understanding of the fact that it is not right. But it is also random and situation-based and not because one person is less worthy of the truth than another. This person had to learn the hard way why some Chinese people (with his attitude) find it hard to adapt. I don't wish to suggest that all Chinese people are dishonest, just to use that as an example of different values. I have lived in five different countries, one in Africa, three in Europe and the USA and often the values of the locals conflicted with my own. I had to learn quickly that I needed to respect the local ways, even where they conflicted with my own. That did not mean I accepted them, I just understood that I was living in their country and needed to respect their culture and rights. And, I learned that, where I behaved in a way they found unacceptable, that I needed to live with criticism and not to be too senstive. The only other point I would make is for you to be aware that your government and businesses are not popular with many Australians due to the recent purchases of farms, resources and homes. So in some areas you may be seen as part of the reason young Australians cannot afford their own homes. Actually there are many reasons and most have to do with government decisions, but foreign investment is the easiest to focus on. I will give you the same advice I would give any potential migrant, think carefully about your decsion. Visit Australia for an extended holiday and mix with the locals, avoid areas where Chinese people live and work and areas with high migrant populations. We are very direct, even blunt people. We do not like people that come here just for what they can get from our country. If you are a giving person, one who is willing to call this country home, particpate in the community, mix with us, live among us, apart from the odd unhappy encounter, you will be welcomed. But if you are coming here only for what you can get then please think again. i wish you well with your decision making and if you do choose to make Australia home then I hope you will be very happy here.

As an Aussie who returned home with my British husband (who had never even visited Oz) I can say the Gold Coast is the pits! Except Burleigh as that is where my two-week old granddaughter lives with her mummy and daddy....lol. But I digress! Anyway, I couldn't live there for five minutes! But depending on your ability to move there are many options. My suggestion, if you really can't cope with the mozzies, move south, far south! We did a trip last year and found we really loved the area around Bega, Tilba, and Cobargo was the best of all. About an hour from Canberra, with cold winters, beautiful old properties and, Cobargo in particular, was a gorgeous,old, craft-based little town, popular with tourists. Hot summers, but cold winters and close to Canberra, which has loads of culture and the mountains for a snow-based option in winter. If we didn't have such a strong reason to stay here it would be our first choice. My next suggestion would be Tasmania, but stay in the country areas. We loved Deloraine, pretty, very friendly and a really nice community-feel. But it does rain! I love that though, having spent many of my childhood years in Cornwall. Finally, for us, the choice is the northern rivers. We wanted to be part of a real community, close to family and where we could afford to buy a farm. The area is vibrant and diverse. The "hippy" town of Nimbin is amazing when you get beyond the obvious. People actually care about each other, and if you jump in and get involved it is easy to be accepted. Kyogle is a very different town, but still plenty going on and the council is working hard to bring new, but sustainable, agriculture and tourism based growth to the region. The Channon is gorgeous, and the entire area through to Byron and south is lovely, although, being a country girl I would avoid the coast. Winters are cooler, and last longer, there is more rain, but it is still fairly humid in summer, but often cooler than here. And, it's close enough for you to go and take a look. Tyalgum would also be worth looking at. It is an exciting, inclusive country town, as is Uki. We currently live in Glass House Mountains, but the Qld government seems hell-bent on destroying the beauty of this region and turning it into another Gold Coast, so we are leaving while our property is still worth its true value! Wishing you luck with it all but honestly, no where stays the same. It is easy to see only the good back in the UK when you visit the family on holiday, but when you are sitting inside for week after week in summer because it is pouring with rain you would look back and wish you were here. You have entered the never, never land of the migrant, and home will never be the same again. I know, I have done it both ways. So much I love, and hate, in both places. So nirvana will never be yours. Make the best of your remaining time to get your citizenship and find a place you love. Who knows, you may find a place you can truly call home. Good luck. And please PM me if you need an older friend, we are not far away.

According to the Immigration Department's own charter they are supposed to reply in set times. See here for details of required response times. http://www.immi.gov.au/about/charters/client-services-charter/client-service-charter1.pdf I would call though as often a CO may be away and their emails may not be checked, or responded to (not sure which). Good luck, it's a very stressful time.

I agree, this was my experience as well. The agent was more of a hinderance than a help. Obviously if it is complicated you do need one, but I just lacked confidence and it was a mistake.

Oh my goodness - huge hugs to you. At least we went through it together. I really hope yours comes through soon. Good luck and stay in touch, PM if you like. I will also give you my number if you feel like letting off steam sometime. :hug: Sharon

We would be delighted to help with any information you need. I think PM maybe better to avoid clogging up this forum. So, please PM me with the kind of information you would like and I will fill you in as best I can. Cheers for now, I am off to bed. Sharon

Hi to you all. I have not posted here since our visa was granted last year. We returned to Oz in late October 2010. The visa wait was a killer for a number of reasons, including an expectation of shorter processing times based on those of people submitting a few months prior to us, and our home having been sold and business relocated to Oz ahead of the move. Doing all that before applying was not the best, but dropping property prices and falling £ had us running scared. In addition I had family pressures in Oz. We stayed with friends and did Holiday rentals until visa grant came through and then the worst blow of all, our lovely dog (we rescued from Greece 3 years prior) failed her medical. Ultimately we rehomed her with a dear friend in France, still not over that! But we have been at home for 9 months now and are living in a lovely home in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. There have been loads of adjustments for both of us (my OH had never been to Oz) but we are settling in and adapting well to being here. I would not be anywhere else now. It has not been easy, and looking back we could have taken the pressure off ourselves and enjoyed the journey more, but it is worth it in the end. For those of you waiting I really advise you to carry on with enjoying life while you wait as you will need all your physical and emotional strength for the actual move. Having said that I know I stressed every step of the way, so a big hug for you all and if I can help you I certainly will, Sharon.

Hi, Yes, we were asked for specific evidence for one period (can't remember, but I think it was a year). We provided all we could (which was not much more than they already had) and they were happy and my husband was granted a permanent visa from the outset. I found it a challenging process as I just wanted to get home as soon as I could. But, now we are here it is all lost in the mists of time. It is FANTASTIC to be home. I was away for nearly 13 years. Good luck to you and try not to worry, you will be fine. Cheers for now, Sharon

I don't site beaches. I speak from experience. I raised my children in both places and found that once I really settled (and it took a good three years of determined effort, not constantly looking back) it was easier to raise children in what IMO was a more healthy enviromnment. But everyone has their own feelings and should do what suits them, which if one sentence was not isoltaed from my whole reply, was what I said first time around. There are no right or wrongs, only what suits the individual and their family. I just think that in a forum such as this you cannot get a balanced view as most reading it are also wanting to go back. So, that said I wish everyone that wants to go back well, and those that want to stay the same. Be happy and whatever you choose be aware there will always be bad days and there will always be good days. Sharon

Well, it is five months ago that we landed at Brisbane airport. The time has flown and we have done so much that it would take hours to tell you all, so I will try to make it as brif as possible. When we landed we did all the usual stuff of sorting out semi-permanent accomodation, car purchase, Medicare, banks, private health, drivers licenses. We were luckier than some as most of my family live here and for me it was a homecoming. So, for at least one of us there was, even after 13 years away, an element of familiarity. It was fabulous to catch up with children and grandchildren and we had a good old OD on that for a few weeks, which my wonderful, non-child-friendly hubby stood up to very well. Within a month we moved into our rental in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, in a town called Beerwah. My husband had never been to Australia before and to be honest only came because I was so homesick. So I was not sure how he would be with it all. I am delighted to report that every day he tells me how lovely people are to him. He is so surprised by the warmth of the people and how comfortable he feels here. We are both stunned by the beauty of the area in which we live, it is heaven on earth (in our opinion) and now he says that while he misses the history and culture of Europe he would not actually want to live permanently anywhere else. A few weeks after moving into the rental house we started hunting for our forever home, thinking it would take quite a while to find, all the while nervously watching the depressing exchange rate. However, it took us a few false starts and just over a month to find it and we settled on it in late February. We were lucky enough to be able to stay in the rental while we decorate and prepare our home and wait for our belongings to arrive. The house is progressing, we have changed the lighting and added power-points etc and are now fully into decorating, with help from two of my daughters, which as been amazing. We are still in that process, but hope to be finished within the month. Especially as this week our container lands in Brisbane, so a few more weeks and we should be quite settled. We hope! All has not been perfect though, getting used to the demands of my larger than usual family, especially after being away for so long, while balancing my husband's relatively low tolerance of dozens of children running around, has been one challenge. But the stress of living in temporary accomodation in France and Italy after selling our home in the UK, breaking my ankle badly while living in France, coping with my husband's visa application, all while running a business, has taken it toll. Not to mention having to leave our beautiful dog in France with friends as she failed her blood tests! So, last week after having a whole batch of tests, as I just was so exhausted, I found I have developed Type 2 diabetes, thank goodness I got private health insurance sorted out when I arrived. So, now a complete change of pace is needed while we get fit with diet and exercise and try to get things back in balance. In spite of that, all in all we are loving it here, we have bought a gorgeous home, with 12' raked ceilings, gorgeous timber floors, wrap around verandas, and fabulous mountain views, with a 10 metre slawater pool, all on 3/4 acre. Incidently, all that, for the same as we sold our detached four-bedder on a tiny block and by a fairly busy road, in the Dorset countryside. Family matters are finally settling down to the point of normal activity levels and we are enjoying that more each day. We are looking forward to being here for our eldest granddaughter's dance recital in a few weeks and Grand Parents Day at her school shortly after. Business is going well and we are sorting out the transfer of investments etc. The cost of living is higher than expected, considerably so. But, that will be balanced as we will grow so much of our own vegetables and fruit. We even have a pineapple growing in our back garden, and are watching each time we visit to see when it is ripe enough to pick. It is such a thrill to have avocados, lemons and mandarines all growing in the garden too. The other bonus to keeping our cost of living down is that, as a surprise for his 65th birthday in February (shhh, don't tell him I told you) and for bringing me home, I bought Graham a 4.5 meter "tinnie" complete with full canopy, storm covers, fish-finder, the works, so he plans to catch fish for the freezer. So, while our planned "semi-retirement" is not as "semi" as we initially hoped, we need to work on for a few more years to top up losses from the exchange rate and lower sales prices for UK properties, we are loving life here and delighted we made the move. My advise for anyone planning the move, whatever your age or circumstances, is that nothing is perfect, but Queensland is as near to it as you will get :biglaugh: Wishing you all a smooth and happy journey to wherever you want to be. Sharon

Brilliant Howard! It is amazing how time flies. We are in our 4th month and complete the purchase of our new home on the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday, we are so excited. It is wonderful to be home! Graham has a "big birthday" on Monday and I have a HUGE surprise for him. I bought him a small boat, so he should be very happy with his boat and new home in the same week...lol. I hope all continues to go well for you and would love to meet you all sometime in the future, we are not that far apart after all. Here's to a happy next 6 months for you too. Sharon and Graham

Thinking of all my friends in Townsville. Praying you all and everyone in the entire region, will all be safe and well through it all. Stay safe, sending love and support. Just a comment, those of us that live close, but are not directly affected, may like to think if we can offer accomodation for affected families, pets etc. for the period after the cyclone has gone. We are on the Sunshine Coast are a long way out, but remember that after Tracy many were in need of a break for months and years after. I am looking to see if we can register to offer assistance. I will post here if I find anything worth passing on. Sharon :hug:

My husband had a laugh when he heard there will be two of us with red hair there. He is not convinced Coolum is up to it! Really looking forward to seeing you. Do you know if John and Lisa, Aka MrLuvPants, will be able to make it. I know John has just started his training so he may not be available, but it would be lovely to meet them. I will drop them an email. Let's hope the showers hold off. Cheers for now, Sharon

Sounds like you have your mind made up but you are just trying to convince yourself. If you find yourself restating the same thing then just do it. Silly not to and very much a waste of time and energy second-guessing. No one can give you advice when you already know what you want to do. Good luck with it all

Hi, We are living in Beerwah for now, soon to move to our own home in Glass House Mtns. We love Coolum and would really enjoy meeting others from PIO. I am not sure where the skateboard ramp is and have nightmares about walking up to every group I see. :biglaugh: How can we identify you? Really looking forward to seeing you on Sunday, Sharon and Graham