Hello Everyone,
I was a regular visitor to this forum when we were preparing to emigrate to Australia just over three years ago. I haven't posted anything since we arrived here but today I just decide to visit the site again to read about peoples experiences of moving to Australia and also share our own experience so far of living here in Perth.
We decided to relocate to Australia after many years of proscastination. We weren't sure at the time and thought it was a big gamble to leave our jobs, family and friends and move to a place where we had never visited before. Anyway, we summoned the courage and moved in December 2011 after my wife and I both had job offers in Australia.
We arrived here on 1st january 2012 and my first impression was this place is so small. I mean we were out of the airport in about 15 minutes! Have we made a big mistake!!!
All the fears quickly evaporate after a couple of days. We bought two cars as we both needed to commute to work, secured a rental accomondation and everything else started to fall into place. My eldest daughter who was in the middle of her A/Level in the UK before we relocated got an admission to two different Universities but she had to do a six month programme prio to her degree to make up for the rest of her A?Level that she didn't finish.
Our other chuldren quickly settled at school but the younger one found it hard to start with because she wasn't happy that she was put back a year.
I have found that the key to settle down quickly is to try and make friends and occupy yourself by going out to where you can meet people. I have found the Aussies to be very friendly and welcoming. We have met a lot of people through church and by going swimming regularly at state swim schools. I can honestly say that our lifesyle is better here than it was in the U.K. We do go out a lot now. We are regularly been invited to parties and barbies than we ever were in England. We are really loving it here.
There were times in the first year that I wanted to go back but my wife and the kids said no way so I had no option but to give it a good go. I am glad I did because now I am very happy here. I can understand people that have come and want to go back. You do have this feeling at times but gradually most people get over it.
We managed to buy a plot of land by the end of our first year here and have since built and moved into our own house. My eldest daughter will complete her BSc Nursing degree in December and our other two children are doing well in school. Our neigbours, who are all Aussies, are very nice to us. Infact, we know almost everybody that live in our street and they stop and talk to us all the time. It wasn't like that at all where we lived in London.
We are now looking forward to becoming Aussie citizens in January and visit England not only as British but as Aussies as well. We think that this country as been kind to us and I cannot thank the people and the country enough for the opportunities they have given us.
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie.............