debrob

Could any one advise what the protocol is once your pet has completed quarantine - i assume i will have to collect our dog at Melbourne, but unsure how i will get him to the airport as it is 25 minutes drive and I will be flying in from brisbane - any previous experience or ideas would help or other ways ?? Thanks

Hi Ali - my eldest is hoping to go to Uni in Adelaide (has just applied last week), and as we live quite a distance to commute he is quite looking forward to staying at the Uni (the growing up, independence thing :rolleyes:). I went to a job services provider and the lady advised me that this is the case in the area, with many jobs earmarked before advertising but with positions still being advertised the correct procedure was being followed. I think i need to get to know more people !!! I suppose the unknown is a little scarier than I imagined !!

Hi - its tough for everyone getting used to a different way of socialising. My children find it difficult that they dont just go and play out with their friends after school aswell - is this common in Australia or is it because we live in a country area ??? Its strange the things that you accept as normal but differ dramatically in another country - never mind the warmer weather is coming and people seem to get together more so that should satisfy a few yearnings i reckon !!:biglaugh:

Thanks for the feedback, I think moving closer to a city is definately looking like it would give us more options. Its not just the change in social life for us adults, its also the change for our children that would satisfy what we are missing. Its so hard to keep 6 people happy in any country ha ha !! Thanks anyway:laugh:

Hi, this is my first post and I understand everything you are saying. Ive been reading these blogs from 2008, before we received our ss 176 visa in June 2010. We moved to South Australia in June 2011 with our 4 children (bringing everything and selling the rest !!) We struggled to drive around and find somewhere we were comfortable with (we were looking for good schools with jobs available in a decent area with not too expensive rentals - maybe expecting too much in hindsight !!). Anyway we moved to Victor Harbor, a beautiful place but its just not enough for us, my husband found work after 12 weeks and completing an expensive licensing procedure to be self employed as there wasnt any jobs as a wall/floor tiler (that was really hard as he has always been the main earner bless him !!) but he really struggled to be accepted in the area even with his fantastic references, qualifications and 15 years experience in Uk and Germany, anyway the kids made friends at school but dont play out with friends as they live too far away, this was affecting 2/4 as they were so used to playing out with friends !?!, I am a qualified accountant but havent completed the conversion course in Australia so applied for 50+ various accounts assistant/office positions (part-time to be there for the family) - unforetunately the loacl job services think that its because im an outsider and my career is not in demand that i havent got a job, and where we live, so i am, at present, having a major career rethink ( i began nurse training pre children and had a job in aged-care for 10 years) so im taking part in a cert 3 in aged care - why not !! Anyway my eldest son (yr 12) has settled in great but is missing the action, my 13 yr old says the school is rubbish and they dont learn him anything - he is achieving what is expected with no effort according to his report(he was always in the upper half of his class and was never bored - bearing in mind we lived in the best school catchment area in Northumberland) my younger children, well one is lost as he feels as if he has no friends/playing out after school and my youngest says why do we have to be in the car forever just to go anywhere !! This is not to say that theyre not settling as the same children are nearly getting their p's driving and has a body board, going surfing and playing cricket in the summer, body boarding and playing cricket and swimming at the lake (the little ones !!) So its not all doom and gloom, we have friends which we bbq with once every 2 month aswell - its just not enough. We had a decent life in the Uk we just wanted better - HELP!! Me and my OH dont want to give up as we believe that Aus has what we want, we just dont know where ?? (Oh and my OH and I miss a social life at the pub - does that happen ??) We have thought about moving interstate to Queensland ( near the Gold Coast as it seems like it has all things that we miss !?!?) and are really scared about the big move again but willing to go through the unsettled feeling to get it right for our family !! CAN ANY ONE HELP - ANY ADVICE WOULD BE SO WELCOME:biggrin:

Thanks so much for the reply - we have a holiday/fact finding mission booked for January so hopefully this will make the decision for us !! We know a couple of people near Brisbane aswell so atleast were not considering another blind move !! (Well you know what i mean !!) I am continually looking for internet assistance, making note of companies requiring tilers for my OH, checking out the schools to keep my children stimulated and educated, so hopefully that will give us some focus when we visit. One thing i have realised now is that if it feels right/wrong, its generally true, and of course as the jobs for myself are pretty non existent where we are, I think it can only get better, at least i will have completed my cert 3 !! My OH is really scared of making a mistake and as everyone knows it costs money to discover whether these are mistakes or not. I can only hope that we know exactly what we want in Australia and are looking forward to finding it - ever the optimist !!!

Hi, this is my first post and I understand everything you are saying. Ive been reading these blogs from 2008, before we received our ss 176 visa in June 2010. We moved to South Australia in June 2011 with our 4 children (bringing everything and selling the rest !!) We struggled to drive around and find somewhere we were comfortable with (we were looking for good schools with jobs available in a decent area with not too expensive rentals - maybe expecting too much in hindsight !!). Anyway we moved to Victor Harbor, a beautiful place but its just not enough for us, my husband found work after 12 weeks and completing an expensive licensing procedure to be self employed as there wasnt any jobs as a wall/floor tiler (that was really hard as he has always been the main earner bless him !!) but he really struggled to be accepted in the area even with his fantastic references, qualifications and 15 years experience in Uk and Germany, anyway the kids made friends at school but dont play out with friends as they live too far away, this was affecting 2/4 as they were so used to playing out with friends !?!, I am a qualified accountant but havent completed the conversion course in Australia so applied for 50+ various accounts assistant/office positions (part-time to be there for the family) - unforetunately the loacl job services think that its because im an outsider and my career is not in demand that i havent got a job, and where we live, so i am, at present, having a major career rethink ( i began nurse training pre children and had a job in aged-care for 10 years) so im taking part in a cert 3 in aged care - why not !! Anyway my eldest son (yr 12) has settled in great but is missing the action, my 13 yr old says the school is rubbish and they dont learn him anything - he is achieving what is expected with no effort according to his report(he was always in the upper half of his class and was never bored - bearing in mind we lived in the best school catchment area in Northumberland) my younger children, well one is lost as he feels as if he has no friends/playing out after school and my youngest says why do we have to be in the car forever just to go anywhere !! This is not to say that theyre not settling as the same children are nearly getting their p's driving and has a body board, going surfing and playing cricket in the summer, body boarding and playing cricket and swimming at the lake (the little ones !!) So its not all doom and gloom, we have friends which we bbq with once every 2 month aswell - its just not enough. We had a decent life in the Uk we just wanted better - HELP!! Me and my OH dont want to give up as we believe that Aus has what we want, we just dont know where ?? (Oh and my OH and I miss a social life at the pub - does that happen ??) We have thought about moving interstate to Queensland ( near the Gold Coast as it seems like it has all things that we miss !?!?) and are really scared about the big move again but willing to go through the unsettled feeling to get it right for our family !! CAN ANY ONE HELP - ANY ADVICE WOULD BE SO WELCOME:biggrin: