gazsmith Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 How time flies! On the 2nd February this year we will have lived in Perth for 1 year, Given this i thought i should summarize our year here and hopefully this may inspire many who worry about finances etc... Some of you may of read some of the following in earlier posts i have put on here but i will repeat some areas to give a full account of the year. In relation to our visa many have told us our process was very quick. We started our quest with the Vetassess part as I am a bricklayer by trade at the end of December 2010 and had our 176PR visa granted in Nov 2011. Believe me the visa process was the scariest part as we chose to do the whole process ourselves and on reflection although the DIY method does not suit all I felt being in control and having direct contact with the case officer played to our advantage, My application was very complex due to numerous personal reasons which I won’t go into today! So anyway we obtained our visa in November 2011 and were heading out in Feb 2012. (Flights were booked before visa granted as we thought well it’s a holiday if it falls through!) The intention was that i stayed for good if I found work and Sue would return and sell what we didn’t want and pack what we did for shipping! We were not strangers to Australia so knew exactly what we wanted to do when we got here; we had booked a 2 week stay in City Beach at a small apartment and gave ourselves a 2 week goal to find a new home and a new job for me. By the 3rd day i had a job! Albeit it was with an agency laboring but i thought it pays dollars and gives us a foothold so i had to accept with a start date to coincide with Sue going back to the UK to ensure we made the most of our littletime together here before she left. We jumped onto everything we had highlighted, Bank accounts transferring money to dollars, driving license, Medicare etc. etc... At the same time we were attending viewings and chose to stick with one agent (Ray Whites) this was great as we was basically following the same agent around the Rockingham area and got to know her well, She could see how desperate we were as we mentioned i had work to start etc. etc... Well after about 3 days and submitting several applications the agent told us we had been shortlisted for a couple of properties we had viewed and not to worry. That day they called and offered us a lovely 3x2 unit we had viewed, only 2years old and very modern. No need for a pool as its 2 streets from the beach a 3 minute walk. We had to put down the deposit and 6 weeks rent but yes by the beginning of the 2nd week we had a home. The only downside was that I couldn’t move in until the beginning of March which left me with a 2 week gap to find a place to live which my mate in Secret Harbor more than willing threw me his house keys and whooped "Drinking Buddy". We were both and still are delighted with the place, we now know the owners and they have extended our lease for a further 12 months or until we decide to buy (we aren’t rushing to buy either) Our rent is $370.00 per wk. which as I see it is cheap as chips for our location etc... If there are any specific details you'd like to know just ask as I’m just skipping through the main parts! Sue left to return to the UK for a month which was hard given all that was happening but it at least kept me busy as I had work and furniture to find for our new home! With that I started work in Perth hills which was quite a drive and got straight into working in 42deg heat WOW! That hurt for the first week and still does on some of the hot days still, I was lucky enough to meet the owner of the company and pushed into him everything I could do and within a week was offered a full time job with the company as a site supervisor with a salary package of almost a 100k. Amazing I thought I’ve cracked it!! Happy Days!!! So there i was living in Australia less than 1 month, Job I enjoyed and a new home, Just needed Sue back and life’s perfect! All sounds perfect don’t it!! Maybe too perfect!! Well I cracked on with work and furnishing the new house and at work my employer approached me and said if I buy my own Ute to match his fleet he would pay for all my fuel and give me 10k a year allowance! Be rude to refuse I thought! So with that I purchased a 4X4 triton and got it on finance as I thought the allowance would make the payments and keep our cash in the bank!! (Kept the thought that if I did comeout of work our savings would in invaluable given we would have no rights to any benefits etc. (2 year rule)) Sue Had returned at the end of March and was going stir crazy as she didn’t know anyone, had no transport or job while i was working 14-16hr days with the travelling! I was told that once the project I was on was completed would be nearer to home so it was a goal to strive for. Deep down Sue had said on many occasions that we both came here to have a more relaxed life as I had always said I wanted to get out of construction and find something more laid back once we arrived here. By this time we were into August and my project was coming to an end with a promise of a small site in City Beach being planned for me to start. My project was completed on time and on budget with an excellent report from the client which earned me a nice bonus. So there I was setting up a site at City Beach when Sue rang to tell me she had been offered work with Target! (Superb!) and that she was also pregnant! (Double celebration!!) Having children in the UK hadn’t worked for us but here we are in our early forties with a child on the way! Sue thinks she will be the oldest new mum in WA!! Remember too good to be true! September came and on the 21st it all went horribly wrong! I got a phone call asking me to go straight to the office where I was met by an insolvency agent! My employer had gone into liquidation with debts of 1.5 million and all staff was dismissed with immediate effect from that moment. I filled out some forms for them which promised the government would pay all salaries owed to me in due time and left the building! At first I thought no worries I’ll soon be back on the horse and earning in no time! Crickey! How lucky was I when I got here to get a job so quick! I was sending my resume and typing individual cover letters for eachone on a rate of about 12 a day from various job sites with not even a buggeroff! As a response! I had 6 interviews in the 2ndweek of October with no answer from them and was starting to worry! When you suddenly have so much time on your hands you start working out sums in your mind calculating the savings x the rent x the car payments x the bills and breaking down into weekly costs then dividing your savings to see how long you can sustain living! Plus the pressure that Sue's mum was spending the whole of November with us which equaled days out x expense = we will have to think of going back to the UK in the new year if things don’t change!! I enrolled back onto the agency which gave some income plus stopped me thinking too much about the downer which had hit me since being dismissed and after a couple of weeks I had a call from one of the first jobs I applied for which was for local government and a complete change of job altogether (which is what we had planned initially) I went all out for it at the interview and I knew when I left I had a good chance of it which was confirmed when they called and asked for a medical and background check. I started my new role in late November and it’s from this point that we are now living the ozzy dream we had; it’s not the money as I earn a hell of a lot less than my last job but I have a new desire to work hard in my new role, I am now a gardener and my work is with the elderly and disabled to help them with their gardens which gives them such a great sense of pride to sit and continue to enjoy the surroundings they have worked on all their able lives. It is also only 35hrs a week so now me and Sue have so much more time to relax together and although the money is alot less we still buy the same food and pay the same bills and still get out and have a beer (Coke for Sue) go to the movies or just go for a dip in the Sea! You don’t need to be a millionaire to live in Australia. I think with the opportunities which arose when we landed I got swept away with it all and in saying that I don’t regret any of it as its led us to here and now but its brought home that in our journey that we never came here to get rich, we just wanted a simple life which we can enjoy to its full extent and now we will have our ozzy daughter arriving in April to give an abundance of love to. Getting what you want in life isn’teasy, and I hope this may help others in their quest. Gary & Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishgirl1 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Gaz your post just made my day:-))) I am so happy for you and Sue, everything is coming together and with your baby girl due in April life could'nt be better for you both for sure, all the best with everything xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest16631 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 .......what a fantastic story..............it kept me on the edge of my seat reading it........ .........I do think it's your great attitude that has got you where you are...........congratulations to you both .........for all your good news.............so very well deserved ......IMO...........and inspiring ...............all the best for the future.........tink x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candygirl Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Great Post. I remember when you both first went over and you stayed. I thought then WOW!!! I am glad that you are now both happy and that things have changed for the better. Someone once said to me, you need the bad times to appreciate the good times. Take care and would love to hear when your daughter is born. Lorraine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeegieDave Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Good post mate. Good to hear you have always stayed positive.. Positive thinking brings positive situations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest30085 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Great post, I remember you posting about the Bub being on the way. April will be here before you know it I hope things continue to be successful for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulip Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Pretty heart-warming stuff if you ask me, well done, and a huge congratulations on your future baby girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest 47403 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Great post Gaz glad your enjoying it, enjoy the change of occupation it's great to hear when people have the balls for a career change especially when it enhances family life. Most of all congratulations for what's on the way in April I hope it all goes smoothly :wubclub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janine the party queen Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 That has to be one of the best updates I have read.Massive congratulations to you both and long may you enjoy life in Perth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Great update! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie ellis Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 nice wan pal, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tayloal Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Gaz, if the gardening doesn't work out then try journalism! Great read and it was good to end chapter 1 on a high! Wish you both the best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Great update gazza, you was never going to end up in serious trouble with an attitude like yours. Good stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Fantastic post mate. We came here for the lifestyle first and foremost, a bit like you. We didn't put much time in to research tbh, Never been here before, didn't know anyone, no internet to do research. All we knew was we loved it when we had been to Spain, Portugal, Greece on our annual holidays. Loved the weather, the beach, the lifestyle that the locals had, thought that Aus (and particularly Perth 'cos of the climate) would be about the only place that we could settle and not have to worry about language barriers. Didn't really give too much thought about careers or jobs. Just figured we always managed to get by in the UK whether it was a recession or not and we would be able to do the same here. Great to see a post from a family where it's turned out well when it looked like it might all go wrong at one stage. Who knows mate, you might end up back in the project management game after a while. Perth's a small place and I'm sure people haven't forgotten your name if you did a good job. A lot of jobs are word of mouth and I've had phone calls out of the blue asking me if I would like jobs I hadn't even considered from people I used to work with. Good luck for the future, sounds like it's all going well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JK2510 Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Great update....shows the highs and lows of emigrating....congrats on the baby....it sounds like it has fallen into place....eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Somgirl Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Lovely post to read, it sounds like it's all worked out very well for both of you. The icing on the cake arrives in April. Life will never be quite the same again (in a lovely way) All the best and keep posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharron pickett Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Congratulations, great post, thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoandJon Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Thanks for the update and congratulations We too had the suprise of double lines when we least expected it - and Siena is now sleeping peacefully in her cot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Good post Gaz and great attitude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaffanZimbo Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Lovely post! It is heartening to hear how people can get on after hitting obstacles. We are stressing big time about our move (we are on a 176 visa too). OH is a Fitter but is frustrated with his work in the UK and wants a change. It sounds like Oz is the place where this can be accomplished. I am an (much) older mum to a 3 and 5 year old and we are moving mostly for their benefit as they love being outdoors and hopefully we can spend more time cycling and doing other activities at the weekends. Good luck for the arrival of your little one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Love Oz Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Great post gaz, they do say everything happens for a reason and your new job has given you more time with the wife and this will lead to more time with you little one in April, all the best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Gaz and Sue - I loved reading your update xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freckleface Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 I really enjoyed reading your update - thanks for taking the time to write it. I hope your lives continues to be happy (as I'm sure they will). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robo234 Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Well what a post! i read this post to my partner & we both really enjoyed it, very funny, very lucky too & some hard times but all working out just right in end with the little cherry on the top in april Congratulations to you both, good luck & keep us updated x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kel87 Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 I loved reading this!! congratulations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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