JMG79

Leeds is good at the moment, quite alot will have changed in 4 years and there is more planned, sent you a pm.

I did manage to find some nice pics, to remind me why we are moving.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/simoncrerar/...eople-on-earth

I know, I was the same when I saw it, I hate snakes, but just cant help myself, I have to look at them, im dying to see a real flying fox now, they look a bit odd.

It has taken me 10 years to convince my wife to move to Oz, just undid all the hard work with a few scary pics before bed.

Should have stuck to foreplay.

me again,

Ok just to counter my last post, and because I’m up **** creak with the Mrs, cos I showed her the snake pics before bed (check out my last thread pictures that prove Australia is the craziest), thought I would post some more that prove it is not all doom and gloom

have looks'y

http://www.buzzfeed.com/simoncrerar/australians-are-the-luckiest-people-on-earth

Evening all

The link bellow was posted on another forum, don’t want to take credit for someone else’s find, just want to share it!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/simoncrerar/pictures-that-prove-australia-is-the-craziest

enjoy :arghh:

Just an after thought,

But I did use some lorries once and while they were on a service contract, if I wanted a new key I just phoned the dealer with the Vin and ordered a key.

However once they came off the service contract, I had to send the vehicle in to get a new key, they tried to tell me this had always been the case which was a load of rubbish, just a ploy to get more money out of me.

Hope I have helped in some way.

Hi Mate,

Your local dealer should be able to order a key for you, they may ask for VIN, engine number, or other details to cross reference against. You may though end up with two keys one for the locks and one for the ignition.

You should not need to take the vehicle in to them to get a new key; it’s a bit strange.

You should not need a new ignition barrel, unless the key has actually broken inside or it has been damaged.

My experience is dealing with commercial vehicles, and what I have had t do to get new keys. When I lost my car key, we just gave the dealer the Vin number and Engine number and waited a week for a new key.

I am happy here but there is still a bit of me that misses Perth. I miss my parents like mad and as they are the only family I have its very difficult being so far away. Its very hard for them too so they have decided that they are going to return to Scotland after being in Oz for 22 years. I am of course so excited at the thought of having them here but I am starting to question should they and have I done the right thing in returning?? I enjoy living in Edinburgh but my standard of living was better in Perth, my social circle was better and of course the weather is a bonus. My visa runs out next year so time is ticking so do I say farewell to Oz for good or give another bash? I know to some I will sound like a broken record but I just don't know what to do!

I think you know what you want to do, maybe you just need to do it before it is to late!!

Sorry, But I have to ask. You live in the lakes why would you want to move?

You have a life, that most people would dream of, I know about 50 people who would swap with you including me!

If I could even get close to being able to get a job, or afford a decent house in the lakes I would not be planning to emigrate.

As for Opportunities, these will depend on the paths your children wish to take, and what their interests are at the moment, whether they want to get a trade or go to university or both, There is plenty of opportunity in the UK, its just we have to work a lot harder for it now.

I think you do not realise what you have in the UK, there is a number of post’s from people who are relatively comfortable in the UK, they move out to Oz, then 12,18 months to two years latter, they are writing about how difficult their lives are, and how they wish they had stayed in the UK. I think you should have a read of some.

If you have got the bug, and it won’t go away.

I would recommend a trip to Oz if you have not been already just to check it out, I was there 13 years ago and I found as many negatives about Oz, as I could about the UK. I imagine I will discover it has changed a lot in 13 years, and I’m wandering how I will cope with not being able to get on the hills as much (not that I do that much any more).

If you can afford it and, you just need a break for a couple for years to see a slightly different side to life. I don’t mean move to the suburbs, live in the outback, have an adventure, do something totally different, then do it get the visa and go you have to make that decision,

You will only regret what you don’t do!!

No worries.

It all depends on the college as to wether you can to the diploma and NVQ together, and wether you have the ability, At first you may find tutors arn't that interested, purly because they end up with allot of people on trade courses who are there purly because they have to stay in education until they are 18 and have no intrest in the course.

However, if you prove yourself and work hard they will bend over backwards for you, to help you get on and get the qualifications you need!!

Some collages run evening clases in construction skills, mainly for DIY purposes, but they will give you a bit of an insite and some basic skills, they are worth a try, I have done a few, they will give you an insite into what you are getting into and you may find another trade you like!!

Just give it a try

Hi Alister,

No, is the simple answear.

Firstly is your course a collage diploma or NVQ?, the college Diploma is slightly different (it gives you the foundation skills) and can be considered part of the NVQ, the NVQ is vocational and proves that you have a work based qualification.

For example, I did level 1 C&J then went on to do level 2 bench joinery, I was told that in order to be qualified as a joiner I would need to then do the NVQ route and gain the relevent work expeariance. It will be the same for you, studying up to level 3 in a trade is worth it as it will open more doors in the long run.

Check the immi website and TRA, Trades recignition Australia they can advise on how much expeariance you would gain in order to be classed as a qualified carpenter, in order to meet the immigration requirnments.

Also

Most construction courses are 16hrs a week 2.5 days, study somthing along side this if you can, another trade, most trades men I know who dont struggle for work are multi skilled tradesmen.

If you cant study another trade, use the rest of the week to get some work expeariance even if you have to work 2-3 days a week for free, its work expeariance which means everything!! If you can't work on site, then try and get some work in a jonery workshop, until you have completed your level 1 and can work on site.

Hope that helps

Hay up,

I gave them a ring a week or so ago as I was gonna drive down, but after putting a post on perth Poms decided not to if you were local may be worth piping in but don't think it will be worth a two hour drive, would be to get a hell of a lot of freebies to make it worth while, there is a lot of info on here and the other expat sites, check them out first read about other people's experiences before you start parting with cash, there is a lot of people out there who just want to rip you off!!

Hi Everyone,

We have our Visas and are currently looking for work, thought we would start the search before we move just to try our luck, as you never know may secure a job before we arrive in oz which would ease financial pressures

There is a Down under live event on this weekend in Birmingham and a Working in Event in Manchester in March.

I was just wandering if anyone has been to either event and if they are worth going to?

I have pretty much sort'ed everything apart from work so im really looking at the event from an employment perspective.

thanks

Now, bare with me.

Ok I'm bare, what shall I do now?

Its cold, and people are starring at me!!

sorry couldn't resist it. :wink:

Hay up,

Don’t worry about it I think native speakers over complicate it and make it unnecessarily hard.

I’m not smart, I’m dyslexic, I spell word s as they sound, and I managed an 8.5

I bought a couple of books and did all the exercises listening reading and writing for the general and academic just a practice

When you register you will get free sample material to use just work through it.

There is loads of websites with free advice on Simon@ ielts is a good one and there is more

I also booked a couple of private lessons to help me with my writing and reading it was worth the £70 in the end

The language school I used also gave me additional writing papers to do ans a marking scheme so I could score myself, which was a massive help.

In the writing I did not use any words I was not sure if I could spell correctly, my language was pretty basic but it go time the mark I needed.

Then two weeks before the exam I just studied solid doing a practice exercise every day sometimes two then did nothing the day before the exam.

And in the speaking just go to town with you vocabulary.

I found the Ielts not to be how we would speak but how a none native speaker would speak, the best bit of advice I was given was to keep it simple, but correct,

Also when doing the practice you may notice words that keep popping up in the writing and phrases, so make a not of them and how they are structured and spelt.

I hope that helps and I haven’t just waffled on.

p.s I had to run this through MS word to make sure the spelling was right so if I can do it everyone else can!!:smile:

My Wife's, Lithuanian!:wubclub:

Hi mate,

grab a copy of the lonely planet for WA, it lists a couple of places where backpackers can find rooms to rent etc, also check out hostel notice boards that's how I started to find out about work and short term rentals for backpackers, when I was traveling the east coast.

sorry cant be more help.

Just found this link on my phone,

http://www.gdaywa.com/themes/spiders.php

and to think I used to clean red backs out of the toilet block with a feather duster, on a long stick, when I could have used spray!!!!

sends a tingle down my spine, uhhhhh.

When I lives in Sydney, me and 4 other english lads borrowed a housemates car, it was a knackers ford falcon that had seen better days!! Anyway we all got in the, the guy in the passenger seat flipped the sun visor down, then all I heard was a screen from the guys in the back, as a huntsman had landed o. The passengers face, he flicked it off and it landed on my lap, they all bailed out the car screaming, I s&@"t myself brushed of and bailed out the car, forgetting to put the handbrake on! Some one dived the ought the window f'ing and blinding put the brake on as the car rolled foreword. Needless to say we now had an audience, who asked what was wrong , we said there was a massive spider in the car, they laughed, an Aussie, just scoped it up in his hands said, it's only a huntsman mate and put it somewhere safe, we looked like a bunch if wusses.

Kill a huntsman, that's murder, when I worked in rural NSW, was told to always leave the huntsman be, it's all the other little nasties you have to kill!!!!!

Hope your getting commission!:smile:

Thanks, just learn't something new

Hi,

I would consult a migration agent or two to start with, some do free consultations. This will give you an idea of cost's eligibility etc.

they should be able to advise on the type of visa to go for also.

then do your home work on the process read the immi website form 1119 may help. Then you can decide if you wand to do the application yourself.

Hi,

I wouldn't worry about the status changes on you application, we submited ours in September there was no change until November in the status, then status's changed weekly on some docs, and almost daily on the medicals, my stress levels want through the roof!!

as long as everything has been submited , I wouldn't worry about it, if a case officer needs anything they will e-mail you.