tfarrell

we are thinking bout moving home and have the lease till feb with a choice of extending further... i put an ad on here and on gumtree and now have 3 people wanting to view and may take furniture and stuff we dont want and take over our internet... give it a try! Your landlord obviously isnt doing anything so you gotta try for yourself.

trying to get things sorted now really x

Excellent condition Great family car 7 seater - 2 seats fold down to have a big boot Gold metallic Automatic, petrol only 55,000kms Located in Aspley - Brisbane North Hate selling this car but we are returning back to Ireland and need it sold. Pm me if interested

We are moving back home and was wondering if anyone on here is coming to Brisbane North and looking for a rental. We have a lease on a 3 bedroom townhouse till February. Anyone interested just send me a pm. Rent is 390 a week and is very modern and clean with a little courtyard garden. Close to everything. Also selling a holden captiva 7 seater - excellent family car - 2009 with only 55kms

We are going to return home and have a 3 bedroom townhouse in Aspley. Lease is till Feb so we are looking to get someone to take over the lease. Also selling a beautiful Holden Captiva 7 seater - GREAT FAMILY CAR If interested send me a pm.

My husband has a job now. So thats all sorted but I still just want to go home. I feel that its not all its cracked up to be and while the weather is AMAZING Im not sure what we have sacraficed back at home is really worth it. Spoke to hubbie last night and he said he will do whatever I want to do. CRYSTAL ball right now would be amazing!!! I can see how some people love it here but I think I bigged it up too much in my head. I dont think my children will gain more from living here. I know Ireland is going through a tough time at the moment, so dont need to be told that. I completely underestimated how homesick I would be. In fact we thought it would be my husband that would suffer. And yet here I am a big mess haha. Its hard cos if we do go home I will be living with my Mam till my husband gets work. So we will have to prepare ourselves for that. (will need a small mortgage to get a nice house-which wont happen till hes employed) But my daughter will go back to her lovely little school with all her friends. We will eventually get a small mortgage and buy in roughly the same area. My kids will have their Nannas with them growing up along with other family members I am extremely close to ie nephew, cousins, friends ive know from school. I think that since coming here that family and friends are the most important thing in the world. Something that my kids are missing out on. I just wish Ireland had the weather :-( Anyway will keep you all updated. Guess this is something I need to figure out for myself and what is right for us as a family.

I would have tried getting it into larger bags too. We got double baggage allowance when we came... so that was 10 bags... 6 year old... 3 year old... and 1 year old. It was fine but our bags were checked all the way through to Brisbane so we only worried bout checking in and then getting bags in Brisbane. One thing I will say is dont bring too much on flight. The airlines give you everything from any drinks... to sambos... to meals... blankets.. pillows... etc etc. Try not worry too much... I had myself so worked up and it actually wasnt that bad. Good luck and just think every hour over with is an hour closer to your destination

Its not that we cant go back but if we do we are starting from scratch again and it will prob take a while before my husband gets a job back home. We would live with my Mam which will be fine for a while. I just keep thinking of the family parties for halloween for the kids then Christmas etc. Cant seem to get it out of my head yest and today. My eldest just seems so lonely. Ive made a point of meeting mums with kids so she gets to see people but it just doesnt feel the same. I was also talking to an Irish girl thats here the past 4 years and she was telling me bout her outgoings and how much her husband earns etc etc and she just about gets by. So I guess thats not helping me either. Has anyone got a crystal ball to tell me what I should do... ANYONE???

Having another wobbly few days. Aaarrgghhhhh. When did all you folk realise that yes Oz was exactly where you wanted to be. Please dont tell me its early days. I know this. Im just interested to find out when you were sure this is where home is. I keep finding things I hate bout living here. My husband on the other hand is lovin life as he finishes work at 3 every day... which is one of the main reasons we left Ireland as he was working till 6 most eveningss and some weekend work. So I feel guilty for having such a downer on this place. Ive been getting out and about but I just feel I will never have the relationships I had at home. Ive even got my brother here so I just dont know why I aint loving it like I should.

Just wanted to give an update for all you guys that offered help and support. My husband is now working.. And two more job offers since starting his job.... sods law. I met a girl from Ireland today which was nice. And I'm going to my daughters school friends house today after school so trying my best now. Still feel that I'm never going to settle here. Just miss home so much. Thinking how silly of me to sell our lovely home... and taking my daughter out of a school she loved and friends she loved. Miss my family a lot too. But am giving it a real go... trying too anyway. So thanks for all the help and advice. Fingers crossed things get easier for me.

Hi sharon.. I'm in aspley.. I've 3 kids... free for a meet up whenever suits.. only here 4 weeks

I know.. the crazy thing is this was all my bloody idea.. you would think I was dragged kicking and screaming haha.. But I agree we owe it to ourselves to give it a go.. and if we go home in the end well least I tried

You are right.. we are gonna pack up and hit the sunshine coast 2moro.. and Sunday.. pack a picnic.. cheap days out.. remind ourselves why we done this.. thanks for the advice.. just watched some paralypmics today and felt like a right fool feeling sorry for myself.. I need to gain perspective give this place a real shot and if in a few months I still feel crappy I can see what we will do . I am overwhelmed by all the lovely helpful comments.. really am xxx

Thanks for all the help and advice.. I'm gonna suck it up for now and see how things pan out.. I was just wondering if there was anyone out there that knew it was a wrong idea coming and that stayed for a while but is going home now.. will take it all on board.. I dinr think I'm depressed.. more overwhelmed .

Thanks for you help... my husband walked around sites today to see if there's anything going and still nothing.. He really doesn't want to go home.. I still feel the same tho.. just want to cut our loses and go home.. sounds so silly but I just can't shake the feeling..

I'm from dublin and I know its pretty grim there.. part of the reason we wanted to leave. There is no construction jobs. My husband was working.. but doing 12 hour days incl weekends was just hard .going.. after taking 3 pay cuts in 2 years too.. People back home complain bout the weather... the govt.. the country as a whole.. but my daughter loved her school and is struggling here.. she misses friends and family a lot.. I'm afraid to check our bank account cost that scared me.. How long do we go on without money coming in before we call it a day.. I'm whinging now.. sorry folks.. just feeling sorry for myself really.. Thanks for all the advice tho.. it does help a lot..

Can you pm me your email.. my husband is looking for work. He is a qualified carpenter since 2000 and has over 16 years experience. We are renting in Brisbane North. He's got a great resume and has been with his previous employer for over 12 years. Appreciate any help you can offer.

Thanks so much for all your replies.. it deffo helps.. my husband is going to try driving buses as they are looking for people.. fingers crossed.. its just me.. I have that gut feeling I've made the wrong decision.. I just feel like um stuck here and can't go home.. we sold up hook line and sinker in Ireland and my husband has slim chance if getting work there .

We are renting in aspley.. he tried a few sites alright and recruitment agencies too but nothing.. most don't even reply.. he's a great cv too but I just think things are tight at the min.. I just feel like I want to go home.. and the longer we stay the more money we are loosing

Thanks for that... am hoping its just a phase.. really do as the place seems lively.. and my god the weather is great.. but without the people that matter it just seems wasted on me and the kids.. what did I think it would be like.. din ask.. I thought I'd be grand.. .

I'm at home with our 1 year old.. we are flying through our savings and I just feel lost.

I feel so helpless Our stuff only arrived today and I spent the day crying I just want to go home Kids miss family and I just feel so guilty Did everyone go through this If I was handed a ticket home I would be gone Husband still hasn't got job.. he's applied for anything goin And rang up places asking for work.. still nothing Feel really horrible

Hi Martina.. I'm just renting in Aspley.. we arrived a month ago and my husband is a carpenter.. still hasn't found a job yet.. I have 3 kids age 6, 3 and a 1 year old.. pm me if ya like..

Eager to start work Fully qualified since 2000 Over 16 years experience With previous employer for over 12 years Supervisory / foreman experience slain Own tools, ute and white card done Hardworking and loyal Desperate to start work Appreciate any help

Just a quick post to let you know what I have done and any tips I can pass on. We flew from Dublin to Heathrow to Singapore to Brisbane. We have three kids aged 6, 3 and a 1 year old. So we had our hands full. The first leg of the flight was ok apart from the last two hours which I can only describe as HELL. But we got off at Singapore had a wash and a change of clothes and felt a bit more normal. The kids were absolutely exhausted tho. So when we boarded for the next leg the were ready for sleep. I put my 1 year old in the bassinette and she fell asleep in bout 20 mins in the cot. I couldnt believe it as I had held for for the WHOLE first leg. So she slept soundly for the whole flight. I know... I was very lucky. And the other two slept like babies too. What a relief. My brother was at Brisbane waiting for us so we all made our way to his house and bedded down after an hour or two. We decided we would land into Brisbane in the evening so that no matter how the journey went we would keep kids up for a couple of hours then down for the night. We didnt really suffer from jetleg so that was a good idea in the end. Singapore Airlines were great. Really lovely and nothing was too much trouble. We booked a basinette seat which was great as theres extra leg room and my very chubby 1 year old fitted fine into the cot. I ordered the veggie Indian meal for onboard and this was lovely. My husband was gutted he didnt order the same as the meat wasnt the best. You can ask for lots of juice and fruit for the kids so no worries there. And you can ask for sambos inbetween meals. They will do anything for you really. We got through customs no probs altho we didnt have any food to declare. Bring a lightweight buggy with you for the plane. Its so much easier. I sent my phil and teds with my baggage as it was just too bulky. My buggy was also there soon as I got off each flight so that was great. TVs onboard had everything to keep little ones and older ones entertained. Cant think of anything else regarding the flight for now... but deffo reccommend Singapore Air. Ok so since we have arrived I have organised our tax file number... which is done online one you arrive and is posted out to you. Also done my husbands abn number (buisness) online once we received the tax file number. He done his white card online too. Doddle and you print out the cert when you are finished... then send off certified copy of your passport to them. All very straight forward. We done our medicare too. But remember that both adults have to be there at the time. I sent my husband off to do it but he needed me. We are doing our licence today. Your old one will do for three months I think. They now have an agreement with Ireland so you just show up with your old bank card, new bank card, passport, and a bill to say where you live and you get your ozzie licence done... so no more tests. I had a NAB account set up from before I left so we just called into the branch and picked up our stuff. We are still looking for a rental. My advice is to have packs made up before you leave that include copies of the following.. Birth Certs, Passports, Police clearance, Old job reference, any landord refs or if not your mortgage closing account letter, then we you get medicare sorted take a copy of this and also bank details from nab with your new address and if you get phones when you get here take a copy of that with your address. We also had a lump sum from the sale of our house back home so I got a nab statement and included this in our rental pack. As my husband hasnt started work yet. Might also be a good idea to include a letter to introduce yourself and if you can offer a months rent in advance if say you had no work to come to straight away. The rental market is tough over here. We went with vodafone and its 39 bucks a month and we got free samsung galaxy. Suits us for now and will look into it more when we are settled. We have bought our cars too. I bought a holden captiva... 7 seater so will room for family when the come over. My husband bought a ute. Car prices are high compared to back home but it means if you want to see you will get good money back on them. Food prices are also high. But again my husbands wages will be higher back home so it will even out I reckon. My little girl enrolled in McDowall State Highschool and loves it. Altho she did have a couple of wobbly days shes fine now. Shes also doing gymnastics too. And I will get her into a dance and drama class once my husband starts working. I havent looked into anything for my 3 year old yet as Im gonna wait till my husband starts working as I dont want to dig into our savings. The weather has been absolutely beautiful since we arrived.... we are loving it. The people are VERY friendly and helpful. But they are absolute crazy drivers. And NEVER let anyone out in front of them... even if they are gonna be stopping at lights and have nowhere to go. Its was a bit scary at first but once you get a bit more confident its fine. Getting used to an automatic is strange. And finding your way around can be hard so pick up a good sat nav. We love Brisbane North so far and havent stopped driving around the place. We really love the look of Eatons Hill and the houses are lovely so think we may buy up there eventually. The parks are just lovely and the sunshine makes it all worthwhile. The homesickness has effected me more than I thought and its very hard talking to family on skype. I hope this gets easier. Feel so guilty for putting people through all this unhappiness but I think its the right thing to do for us. But I really do miss people... especially my Mam and my nephew who I am very close too. And sometimes the kids will ask when they are going home and thats hard to deal with. So please do not underestimate the homesickness. It was pretty much my idea to come out here and I never thought it would be this hard. Cant really think of anything else... prob forgetting LOADS tho. Any questions just ask!