TopTohScnal

Hi, Thanks for your response @Brit Girl, I've only just seen it, sorry. It is an experience and I think always good to live and work in other countries (sometimes if only to realise, it's not for you) . I agree with you about the work situation, I have now been in work a month but already seeking (and hopefully secured) another position elsewhere. Basically I was quite shocked at the lack of professionalism from my boss, lack of communication to me about basic things, change in contract with no verbal or written notification, i.e. after the huge tax here, I am earning much less, about £12,000 less, than I was in my first year after graduating over 11 years ago in UK doing this job!! The offers and 'extras' that were meant to be included in my salary have suddenly not appeared now I'm here! Just shocking, so I'm moving to a self employed position like I was in the UK and I'm sure it can't be any worse! Also a requirement, as I'm overseas trained, is that I complete 6 months supervision- this particular person, my boss, has zero interest in this now I'm here, despite me providing some paperwork the other week and reminding this person I am meant to have my cases reviewed and observed, and receive feedback regularly, I am going to learn nothing and there is no attempt to provide a learning environment to help integrate into the Australian health care system. It is his business and I am simply there to churn out patients and make him money. That's all! On the whole this first experience of work here as a professional has not been a good one at all. I think I will give it a few months in my new position, at least complete my 6 months supervision, try and save some money and head back. You're right in treating it as an extended holiday. I have certainly be trying to get and out about and explore, im not sure whether it's just a far North Queensland thing but so far I've found social groups slightly cliquey, it's still early days but I found some not particularly interested in new people. I have had to join so many different groups to actually find out about events and what's happening and when, it seems to be who you know to find out- for example, I was asking a group of cyclists about a morning ride. I emailed the organiser to to check it was a regular weekly thing, I was told yes it was, meet every Tuesday at the cafe. So I turned up at 5.30 to go cycling- nobodies there. I email later to be told 'oh sorry, we were all at a cyclocross event yesterday so we didn't make it this morning'. I did feel like a total outsider and just said perhaps update the site/page for new members who don't have this inside information! Like I said I don't know whether it is just more cliquey up here in the north but I do find it very difficult to integrate and break into the social groups. I'm glad you've travelled and seem some of Australia, 2020 still seems a long time to wait to get your long service leave. I agree about the wages, I'm not sure how I'm even going to afford to buy on my own if I stay here, not on this poor income anyway. I also agree about the promotion thing. From what I've seen so far, in my particular occupation, there doesn't seem much scope for it- I would have to set up my own, but again I'm not sure how I would fund that from this income. My lifestyle is seriously no better for this move, in fact worse, I'm living in shared accommodation, I havent been able to buy a car yet as they're so expensive. I feel like I'm having to be really frugal, yet in the UK, I didn't worry about it, I could afford to save, I had holidays, went away with friends, enjoyed hobbies, ate out regularly. I know it takes time to establish yourself and settle, but I have definitely gone back, career wise and lifestyle wise. It's a very time consuming and expensive way to find out! Were it not for me having two nephews in the country I would not be here! Thank you for your feedback.?

I was chatting to my brothers wife over xmas when I was there and even though they've been here about 6 years now, she was saying they don't have many friends, I think she has met other parents through their son but she said my brother hasn't got that many mates, and he's a really sociable chatty guy with loads of really good mates from uni, work etc back home. I don't know why that is,he's joined volunteer groups- fire brigade etc. Typical I find this out when I've already moved here! They seem to socialise with their neighbours abit but it's all at the house, consuming more alcohol than I think is healthy- and I do like a drink! Yeh, I agree @wattsy1982 the beach wears off after a while- up here you can't even go in the sea due to sharks, crocodiles, stingrays and jellyfish!! I'm not sure that's appealing and not mentioned in the emigration brochure! Three years is more than enough to realise it's not for you, I hope the move back goes well and good idea hanging on til you get citizenship, then your kids have the choice in the future. @MARYROSE02 I think you do the right thing keeping busy, doing volunteering, courses etc. I'm sure if you did go back, they'd be some old friends you're still in contact with but can't be easy after a while when they've been doing their old thing. @MeIT I'm sorry to hear about your situation, it's tricky when you've got family here, and your hearts not in it. Likewise must be difficult if they're on the other side of the world, at least you're together at the moment and can spend important time together. I agree on some of what you say, I do think I've stepped back in time a few years, were it not for wifi (although it's not that great) I'd struggle to realise it was 2017 here. Im not against swearing but on the radio should they not censor it at 1 O'clock in the afternoon. :-) I'm quite embarrassed for the media here, it's shocking, seems very one sided, no form of intelligent conversation/documentaries (except imported) or radio programmes. I've only been here 5 mins but I don't know how people cope with such vacuous politics, there's no depth to it from what I can see. I hope it works out for you, good luck. Sounds like you've made the right decision.

Thanks, that's very good advice about having a date in mind. I've always loved holidaying here before to visit family, maybe that's what I should keep doing? Once I'm in work and busy, things will be better. From now on, after such a bad start to the work situation, I'm just going to enjoy the time, how ever long that is... You're so right though, it's those old friends that make an experience, who you can share things with and who know you well. I don't think I have trouble making friends, I was in lots of active/sport clubs in UK and intend to the same here. I know it's take a long time to develop those meaningful friendships though.

Thank you for all the comments, it is great to hear others experiences and both sides of the story. Skani, it was abit more than that, I'm not reckless, I had two big trips spending a few months here in different parts of Australia over a couple of years before deciding on the move. The only way you can truly know how it will be is to actually do it! I did research areas, cost of living, what's available in different cities, the weather, house prices. Once you are here and actually living though, as you all probably know, do you really experience the place, what works well and the drawbacks. I have been to different parts of Australia, I was in the Blue Mountains in January, I'm very active and love the outdoors and spent some fantastic days hiking and exlporing. I've been to Adelaide too, great wineries, the city itself didn't offer much for me but it's very pleasant. I feel it's every family oriented which is great for my family there as they have kids but for a single person it didn't seem to offer much. Incidentally Starlight7, I'm female? Luckily I have had family to stop with for the last month with while I've been waiting for paperwork, now in temporary accommodation near where I'm starting work next week and can then look for something other than a backpackers once I get paid. The YHA aren't that bad really. :-) Yeh I think the best thing is to give it a few months in work, in Queensland and see how I feel, time will tell... Thanks again for your comments, and I think you just have to go with your gut instinct, and I'm sure you've all made the right decisions for yourselves.

Yes I moved out here on my own (at 38), I think I found single life in the UK much easier as a lot of my friends were in the same boat , either separated, divorced or single, I have found so far that it's very family oriented here. I have joined lots of groups, outdoor stuff, biking etc, meet ups but it's still early days. I've not lived in the bigger cities, Sydney, Melbourne yet (I did 20 years ago as a backpacker but I guess it's changed, or I've changed) so can't say whether easier for singletons. I think it takes immense courage for anyone, either single, with a partner, with/without kids to up sticks, move all the way to the other side of the world and start all over again. I think good on you for doing it, whatever your reason.

I've been reading through a few of the threads on here there seems to be a running theme that people feel homesick and miss their family as they're so far away. My situation is slightly different in that my only remaining close relatives, my brother and sister (both younger than me) live in Australia (both parents are deceased now). I moved here 4 months ago as I'd been out on long holidays to visit and they were encouraging me to come over and live here too. Before I hit 40, I thought 'why not', I'll give it a go, so I applied for my skilled visa, it took a few months and I even managed to secure a job offer before I came out. I did the move on my own, with no partner or kids. After the initial Christmas with family and seeing my nephew for only the second time, then some traveling on the east coast and visiting Perth, I'm now in a situation thinking 'what the hell have I done!' Despite my job offer starting mid January, I still had to wait to be registered with AHPRA to practice here, this was a long, laborious, tedious, time consuming wait, which they state on the application should take 6-8 weeks, it did in fact take 5 months! So while waiting for this, the initial adventure and new start then turned into savings very quickly disappearing, money for deposits for a house eaten into just to survive the wait to start work. I came here fresh and ready for a new challenge but now I just feel drained of the whole thing, barely able to afford food to last me before my first payment and I'm staying in dorm accommodation at a backpackers as it's all I can afford! I began to think the whole process is deliberately set up to rid you of your money, just utter bureaucratic nonsense that could easily have been dealt with in a coupe of weeks, but just so much red tape and hurdles to jump through!! I have never experienced such a backwards system! I can understand the security aspect but to take 5 months! I left a great lifestyle back home, friends for support, not worrying too much about money, and I feel now like I've lost so much. I'm stuck, I now have my registration to work but I'm not even sure I want to... I just feel like flying back home, I've tried it but it doesn't seem to be working for me. I'm usually a very positive person that can pick myself up again but this has been so stressful, I'm not sure it's worth it. I am torn as my siblings are here but I don't think that's a strong enough pull for me to stay here. I am probably in the stage of being homesick which I'm surprised at how bad it's hit me to be honest but having not much else to focus on, it's quite overwhelming. Having read some comments on here, I miss the English countryside, a walk to a local pub, the seasons. It's all very same-y here and where my sister lived in Perth was suburban hell, totally snoozeville! Even the bush walks were dull, dried out, brown dense trees, no views at all! Give me the Lake District or Peak District any day. i just wanted to share my experience and to say the Australian dream as been shattered for me!