chiara Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Unlike most of my blog posts, I've written a rather serious one about fifo, from the perspective of someone new to Australia. http://www.chroniclesofatrailingspouse.com/2012/07/a-serious-post-about-fifo.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keily Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Unlike most of my blog posts, I've written a rather serious one about fifo, from the perspective of someone new to Australia. http://www.chroniclesofatrailingspouse.com/2012/07/a-serious-post-about-fifo.html brilliant blog ...i take my hat of to mothers with young kids whose hubbies are doing fifo ....i struggle and i have no dependent children .....as you so rightly say its seems the norm in oz particularly wa for the men to be working away ...and people think you must have a great life with all the money they make ....i can assure everyone that is NOT the case ....but for us its a means to an end at the mo and we take it one step at a time ...if it were to become unbearable for either one of us then we would need to reconsider mrs keily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candygirl Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Wow Chiara I love the honesty of your writing. Your last article made me chuckle about the rental situation in Perth, but this latest one is incredibly poignant. :hug: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 brilliant blog ...i take my hat of to mothers with young kids whose hubbies are doing fifo ....i struggle and i have no dependent children .....as you so rightly say its seems the norm in oz particularly wa for the men to be working away ...and people think you must have a great life with all the money they make ....i can assure everyone that is NOT the case ....but for us its a means to an end at the mo and we take it one step at a time ...if it were to become unbearable for either one of us then we would need to reconsider mrs keily Good post! I know im going to struggle if we come over but we're going to give it a year and if i cant handle it or if we dont find a better roster/new sponsor then we'll come home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 another great blog btw! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaffanZimbo Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 OH is adamant that he does not want to do FIFO when we get to Oz. I desperately do not want to have to go back to work fulltime. I've missed out on being at home with my girls aged 3 and 5 since they were babies as we both had to work full time to meet our financial commitments. FIFO however does pay a lot more than other regular jobs in OH's trade and friends who have moved there and are doing FIFO are coping on the one salarly alone. I would like OH to try the FIFO first before dismissing it out of hand. If he can do it for 3-6 months and then decide I am more than prepared to accept that I have to go back to work but I would like him to give it a go. I don't want FIFO to be an indefinite way of life but 1-2 years to allow us to get our financial footing would be a huge step forward. Am I being selfish?:arghh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiara Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 Saffan, no you're not. It depends what you consider to be 'selfish'. For me, having dh away is hard and doesn't feel 'selfish' from my perspective at all. But then I'm lucky, dh has always earned enough that my 'career' is a bit of a folly. If you have to face leaving your small kids in daycare because you have to work, well that is very different. I can totally understand why someone would opt for fifo if that is their only option. Good luck with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Longtime Lurker Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Good read. TBH FIFO is very similar to having your OH in the Armed Forces; you just learn to keep going and hopefully have a network of friends for support. Longtime ago we moved to Germany and within days DH was away for a few weeks, back for a couple. and then off to NI for six months with a weekend break inbetween. In the two years we were there I saw him for 9 months at most. It isn't easy but can be done although I am not sure I would want it to go on more than a few years - depends how well I was getting on with my DH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie ellis Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 well if a get the chance o a job away al take it, am sure mrs e wud be delighted tae see the bac o me for a few weeks. Great post BTW and very honest from the heart at lass:notworthy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 well if a get the chance o a job away al take it, am sure mrs e wud be delighted tae see the bac o me for a few weeks. Great post BTW and very honest from the heart at lass:notworthy: me and mrs e are going to send yous off to work and then paint the town red while yous are away :laugh: only joking. so you considering a FIFO job when you go over? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie ellis Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 me and mrs e are going to send yous off to work and then paint the town red while yous are away :laugh: only joking. so you considering a FIFO job when you go over?am nae fussed fit a dee stace as lang as a grafting. cause if am nae a get grumpy:mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 am nae fussed fit a dee stace as lang as a grafting. cause if am nae a get grumpy:mad: i think you'll definitely be grafting if your doing FIFO! 10 hour shifts minimum i think. should keep you out of trouble! :tongue: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie ellis Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 i think you'll definitely be grafting if your doing FIFO! 10 hour shifts minimum i think. should keep you out of trouble! :tongue::laugh:a like being in trouble noo and again though:wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 It isn't easy. A lot depends on roster. For example my last job was 6:2 (weeks that is) and my wife hated it. I am now back on 1:1 and we both like it. She has a week to do the things she likes that I am not that keen on and then we get a week together. For me, I am looking forward to the day I don't have to do it anymore. I do think it is hard for wives who have just moved to Oz. A lot of people need to see more than the money. My profession is FIFO in the UK as well and I always remember been at a conference and there were a couple of hundred of us in the audience and the guy on stage had been researching FIFO on families. So he stands there and ask how many of us were still married / on first marriage. Not a single one of the 200 or so. Even in Oz, the divorce rate is huge for FIFO people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiara Posted August 2, 2012 Author Share Posted August 2, 2012 Very stormy, that doesn't surprise me. If you spend that amount of time apart, then human nature dictates that you become distant and less important to each other. And like I said, kids start to care less too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 That and the party left at home (male or female as 23% of FIFO staff are female) find themselves getting close to someone else. Often just out of friendship, then loneliness and onto a new relationship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest16631 Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 .........brought up with it.........married to it...........eldest son chose it.................and yes it's hard at times.............when you have your baby and no OH to visit.............school sports day when there's only you cheering your child on............evenings watching tv on your own ...............but then it's making the most of times together............if there's a birthday in January and OH is away we have a party when he's home..............the boys had things they just did with their father...........and do every year...........we try to do something together at least once when he's home even if it's just the day away.............it doesn't suit everyone ..........but sometimes when there is no choice.............you have to make a go of it................good luck to all the new fifo.........OH's...........tink x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithinoz Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 i think you'll definitely be grafting if your doing FIFO! 10 hour shifts minimum i think. should keep you out of trouble! :tongue: Did Dave get the job then Stacey? x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Did Dave get the job then Stacey? x we havent heard back yet, none of the applicants have as far as i know. im not sure how many people theyre taking over but they were looking for a selection of operators - excavators, dumptrucks etc. Im really starting to think im mad at considering this roster though but the other part of me is saying its a way into australia and then he can try get a better roster or maybe even a new sponsor, its really difficult to find one from this side. Hopefully we find out soon so i can be put out my misery!! x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Consulaire Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Currently waiting for an offer for a FIFO position too. Apparently 'the verdict' is due any time now so hoping it goes ahead. My wife is a little hesitant about the whole FIFO deal but I'm sure it will settle after the first cycle or 2. The cycle discussed was a 3:1 roster so not too bad, but apparently there will be internet access at the camp for Skype etc. I generally work away during the week now anyway but home every weekend. I know we havent experienced it yet to have a true impression but it seems like the Roster should give us more 'valuable' time off, enough of a chunk of time to do something with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Currently waiting for an offer for a FIFO position too. Apparently 'the verdict' is due any time now so hoping it goes ahead. My wife is a little hesitant about the whole FIFO deal but I'm sure it will settle after the first cycle or 2. The cycle discussed was a 3:1 roster so not too bad, but apparently there will be internet access at the camp for Skype etc. I generally work away during the week now anyway but home every weekend. I know we havent experienced it yet to have a true impression but it seems like the Roster should give us more 'valuable' time off, enough of a chunk of time to do something with. Can i ask if it was for BGC? its just that your from scotland and there was another member on here saying the same and it turned out we had applied to the same company Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 wow i just noticed that your from near lanark - me too!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Consulaire Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 It is indeed BGC! Live in Blackwood so not quite as close to Lanark, but close enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 It is indeed BGC! Live in Blackwood so not quite as close to Lanark, but close enough. wow so close!! such a small world lol what do you work as? my OH applied to them as a plant operator. its the first sponsored job we've found in well over a year, its just the roster thats putting me off. its 4 weeks away for him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Consulaire Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Either Senior Project Engineer or Construction Manager, they couldn't decide which suited better so that decision will be unveiled at the same time it seems. Well best of luck then! Has he heard anything at all or waiting for the verdict also? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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