JockinTas Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 If you don't like multicultural society then I hope you're not planning to settle in Sydney or Melbourne! After WWII, Australia accepted over 2 million European refugees. Melbourne is still the third-largest Greek-speaking city in the world (after Athens and Thessaloniki). After the Vietnam war, Australia took in 94,000 refugees from Vietnam. That's a large amount when you consider the entire population today is only 23 million. There has also been a big influx of Chinese from Malaysia, where they're discriminated against. In Sydney you'll find whole suburbs which are identified with a particular ethnic group, e.g. Cabramatta is Vietnamese, Hurstville is Chinese, Auburn is Lebanese, etc. Even today, about a third of the population was born outside Australia. Which,of course, will include yourself when you get here - Brits are foreigners in Oz, remember! Also huge influx of Indians and Sri Lankans. Love the cultural diversity :smile: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Also huge influx of Indians and Sri Lankans. Love the cultural diversity :smile: India being principle source of birth of people migrating over past four or so years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Came here to Queensland 10 years ago with my hubby & younger son whose now 31. I was so disillusioned with the UK. Apart from hating the dismal grey damp /wet & cold weather, i was fed up fast becoming a second class citizen in my own country with my rights slowly being taken away from me & given to immigrants. The NHS was failing dismally, violence was rife, over crowded, green belts being sold out to highest bidder to build more houses for the immigrants while our own were denied them. What a crap country. I loved England years ago, it was THE best place to grow up in, born & bred in London, it was the place to be, especially in teenage years. But the decline really began in the 80's & moved swiftly across the country.We were actually applying to migrate to Florida, we used to go there once or twice a year, then my mother in law discovered she had twin brothers in Oz. They came over to visit & meet the family for a month, then we came over to Oz the following year to meet the family over here, fell in love with the place, the country, the people, the way of life, & said Sod Florida, lets come to Oz. Been here 10 yrs now & can't imagine living anywhere else, this is the best country in the world, so full of opportunity & the rewards of hard work are great. Love the outdoor lifestyle, LOVE waking up almost every morning to Sunshine & warmth. I'm a sunshine person & suffered terribly with SAD in England, over here we have 300 days a year or more of sunshine & only up to 65 days of rain or over cast sky !!!! There is nowhere like it. I love the diversity of the country, bit like America only better. Sadly my beautiful hubby passed away from cancer 18 months ago aged 49. Many friends in the uk presumed i would automatically go back there !!!! Why the hell would i do that ??? My life is here, my hubby gave me this wonderful opportunity to live where i have always wanted & dreamed of living, i would not shame his memory by giving up & going back & to what ??? Now my eldest son is over here too, so both my boys are here. I sold our house & bought another house on the gold coast where i wanted to be, love the vibe here. I love the beaches. I also got a full time job & am now self supportive. I'm proud of myself & i know my hubby would be proud of me too. I live close to my youngest son, about 20 minutes away & my eldest has now found the love of his life at 34, & lives about just over an hour away. Life is good, i still miss Dave every single day, i still have my lonely times, my tears & heartache, but living here helps. If this was in the uk, i'd be a broken person, probably suffering with a deep depression. But this country doesn't allow me to do that, it has too much to offer. The only problem i have is being able to go out & make friends, all my friends are happily married, & living the married life as i once did, so i know what its like. So i am trying to find ways of being able to make friends to go out with, do things with, doesn't matter if they are male or female as i've always had a mixed bag of friends. I'm a very young 55, & too young to sit at home wallowing in self pity & being a couch potato, i wanna get out there, do things, see things & i love meeting people. So if anyone on here knows of any groups, or clubs that are around for mostly single people, please let me know, it would be very much appreciated. In the mean time i will carry on taking my two beautiful fur babies ( my Rotty's ) to the beach & everywhere else on all these gorgeous sunny warm days. BTW in response to that idiot lady who posted about Australia not being for her & going back to the UK, i can't stand Negativity !!!! Obviously the UK is where she belongs then, with the rest of the Negative people !!!!!! A heartfelt post and I am so sorry for your loss. 49 is no age at all. Though I can appreciate all the positives about Queensland that you write about I'm afraid I simply do not agree with your view that the UK is a crap country populated by negative people. Negativity works both ways and your comments about the UK come across as negative. Negativity is something that you claim that you cannot stand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lainey Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Thanks Jockin Tas. It's been a rough 18 months, but i turned a corner around the year mark, once all the FIRST's were over, 1st xmas, 1st birthday etc etc. Before he died Dave said he had No regrets (something i hope i can say when my time comes) & that i was to sell our house, & buy down the gold coast to be nearer to our son & to live life to the full, not just for me but for him too. I am trying to honour his wish, its hard sometimes, but on the whole, i'm doing well, i'm happy again, in a different way, living life again, in a different way. But just because it's different, doesn't mean it can't be good. Take care & thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lainey Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Hi Parleycross, thank you for that. I guess it's true what they say after all, What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, & i've certainly had to be that. Its when you go through tragedy that you discover so much about yourself, & find a strength you never knew you had. I turned the corner after the 1st year, after all the First's !!!! 1st xmas, 1st birthday etc. I'm moving forward again, living life again, as he told me to do.So i'm trying hard to honour his last wishes. The day before he passed he said he had No regrets, how nice is that ?? I only hope i can say the same thing when my time comes. In the mean time, i will continue to try to be as happy as i can & if i can meet some new friends around where i live, then that will certainly help. Thank you for the Best of Luck wishes. Be happy, make your time & life count. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Im not an aussie citizen Quoll.My two aussie kids are in the UK(as are my grandkids),my son & siblings in Oz.If I stay here and my kids decide to move back to Oz,then I am here alone.I had a 5 yr RRV which I had renewed,but alas,last Jan when I came to renew it,immi only granted me a one yr one.:goofy: Eat the Vegemite sandwich, have the lobotomy and get the passport then you can come and go at will! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bushpiglet Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I first decided I'd like to make the move at 19 when I met some wonderful friends whilst living in Greece for two years. That was 16 years ago now. Since then I met Ross (14 years ago), got married (10 years ago), qualified as a mental health nurse, and we have an amazing 6 year old son. We're FINALLY ready and have started the process. So many reasons. Some are below: Army brat...never quite shake off the wanderlust! Sunshine, wildlife, coastline...sunshine. Better quality of life on offer (including but not only in terms of wages). Husband wants a change of direction in work...why not do it all in one go?! Incredible new adventures and opportunities for us all to experience together. Concerns over how the UK is evolving and the lack of opportunity for our son as he grows up. (Please note this is NOT a comment about immigration...it relates to crime, politics, wages, housing market, narrow mindedness etc). Feeling overcrowded. New cultures and places to explore. Dad was suddenly taken very ill this summer and it gave us the kick up the bum people talk about. Can't wait to get the visa and finally make the move! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Tom Posted October 25, 2015 Author Share Posted October 25, 2015 @Lainey............great post, I wish you all the best, your two boys will keep you on the straight and narrow. I loved the Gold Coast when we were there (Miami) on holiday for 4 weeks of our 2 month holiday. I am coming up 49 next month, and the thought of leaving my family behind is scary, your Dave was a brave man to make sure you had goals to meet, for yourself and his unfinished ones. I can see some of you reasons in my emigration also, but don't be put off by posters on here that just want to dissect parts of a post to see who will bite,, sad really, but you have that in all society. I am very much looking forward to coming to Australia, the count down has started, we have worked out the 180 days from dog rabies jab, and there's a big star on the calendar!! Cheers MT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyliedonut Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 @Lainey You sound like a very strong woman, and it is lovely to hear you are living life to the fullest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyliedonut Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 After university in Scotland, I couldn't find a job, so "bit the bullet" and bought a one-way ticket to New Zealand with my best friend. We travelled NZ, Australia, Thailand and India for 2 years, and had the best time! I fell in love with Australia in the Outback - a bit strange for me as I love the beach and coastlines. However, living in remote South Australia for 6 months...in a town with a population of 15, I felt so at home. The landscapes are beautiful, the weather is extreme, and the people are the friendliest. I returned to the UK and completed my nursing training. I always had it in the back of my mind, that I would move to Australia with my qualification. However, there was some doubt that I was just longing for those days-gone-by, of the backpacking lifestyle, waking up somewhere new most days. However, I recently returned to Australia as a part of my nursing training. The moment I flew into Adelaide airport, I was overcome with emotion, and knew it was where I wanted to be. While on placement, i tried to live and work as much as I could as though I was living there permanently. I know for certain that it's what I want, and "where I belong," cliche maybe, but absolutely how I feel. So I've just started the process really. Completed IELTS yesterday. Gathering all my documentation, and waiting until I have the 3 months of work experience necessary to apply for everything, mid-December, hopefully. With the aim of being in Australia, working and settled by the end of 2016. :yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramac Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 We didn't 'bite a bullet'. We were offered an opportunity, our kids were young, we were up for a change, so took it. The hospital arranged our PR visas and paid for our move, so why not do it? Perth was a great place to be with young children and after the initial settling in period we had a fabulous time there. We came back to the UK because another opportunity arose and we felt we wanted to take it. We had another fantastic five years (although it did take me quite a long time to readjust to life here) before heading out to Sydney for another career move. We came back because our older two girls were very unhappy and we couldn't risk their futures for our own selfish reasons. We've been back in the UK for five years and the older two are now at university, the youngest is in her final year of school, my husband can retire from his nhs job in 18 months and it's looking very likely that we'll have another stint in Australia before he retires properly. Who knows where we'll end up eventually? Life's short. Live it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DT55 Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Reason we came was a because of a chance meeting with future employer at a meeting in UK, and was bored in my job at the time and fancied a change. Very little thought went into at all in hindsight. Best thing I ever did mind...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lainey Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Aah Major Tom, thank you. I consider myself very lucky, it was the second marriage for us both & we were lucky enough to have 23 of the most amazing years together, thats more than a lot of people get, although we should have had at least another 23 !!!! But i'm healthy, have a full time job, my own home, my sons, my dogs, my friends, I live in a lovely area, 15 mins from beautiful beaches which i get to take the dogs to at least 3 times a week. I live in Paradise. I'm so very happy for you, that you too are fulfilling your dream & coming over to live in Australia, congratulations. Its such a wonderful feeling when you get off that plane & know that you don't ever have to leave here if you don't want to. !!! We took our citizenship as soon as we could, which then was only 2 yrs later, now its 4 yrs before you can apply for citizenship.Becoming citizens of our chosen country was such a proud moment for us, Finally we were Australians !!!! hahaha I know you will love it, & i take it you are coming to the gold coast ?? Miami is lovely, as is most of the gold coast, my son lives in Burleigh, a stones throw from Miami. I think those that return to the UK, do so because they never came here with the full intention of MAKING it work, so many Brits do then to come over in holiday mode & don't seem to switch it off once here !!! They have their head in the clouds & eyes closed to the reality, that just as in the uk, we are here to work to make a living. When the reality hits, usually after a lot or most of their savings are gone through over spending, they run back to the uk & slate Australia off as not being what they thought it would be, its too expensive, its too hot, too many deadly things, like snakes, spiders & starks !!! Its laughable really. I've seen it so many times, pretty sad. !!! Lovely to hear you are bringing your dog with you too, i'm sure he/she will love the dog friendly beaches, The Spit is awesome, all dog friendly & you have the surf side or the calm side, & also Palm Beach, again you have both, but Palm beach does get very crowded at times, but both wonderful dog friendly beaches. So wishing you Good luck for the transition, hope all goes smoothly, & if i can help with anything, with info etc, please don't hesitate to ask. Hope that Gol Star is getting closer & closer very quickly for you !!!!! Thanks & Cheers Lainey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lainey Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I think fate was placing you where you are meant to be DT. Once we had decided to migrate over here under the then Skilled independent visa, did all the hard work, all the references, TWR, etc etc paid for the visas, then a BIG company from here advertised for Brits in the line of work my husband was in, live line overhead electricity linesman. He went for an interview in London, got the job & they sponsored us all as a family unit, paid for the container, etc etc, & organised for our visas to be rushed through. 4 weeks later we had our visas, booked our flights & never looked back. We'd already sold our house previously & moved into rental before we knew he'd got the job, Just incase !!!! Of course we lost the money we'd paid for our visas on the independent scheme, but we wrote that off in favour of the security of having a job with a government run company plus they paid for our visas with the sponsorship too !!! So good on you for taking a chance at what fate put your way & making the most of it. Good to know its made you happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I'm sure everyone in here doesn't need a extract from a dictionary to understand the phrase.......... Actually the same thought struck me when I read it, though I knew what you meant. Maybe you should've said, "take the plunge" rather than "bite the bullet", because MaryRose is right - it does mean forcing yourself to do something you hate, not plucking up courage to embark on an adventure. Personally my experience is that people who move to Australia because they're "biting the bullet" - i.e. moving to escape FROM something, rather than moving TO something, are less likely to be successful. However I was lucky, because that's exactly what I did, and I made it - but then I'm the kind of person who thrives on variety and change anyway. I moved in the 80's when there was huge unemployment in Scotland and the outlook was bleak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 *edit: Posted in wrong thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Going to a little town called Westbury tomorrow with a friend to look at some kit homes. She and her husband have bought an acre of land in a nearby town and want to put up a kit home. They seem really good value. Very well insulated and double glazed. I think @bottler1942 has started with one over here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I think @bottler1942 has started with one over here. I have been impressed with the ones I've seen before. They are also fitted out with a really nice kitchen, 2 bathrooms and a laundry room. Looking forward to having a nosey around the ones tomorrow. My friend moved here from Queensland and now lives in a lovely town called Sheffield. She was thrilled to have snow this winter. Reminded her of the UK. She has been in Australia 40 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lainey Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I don't need to as i took citizenship so am classed as Australian now & can stay forever. At the time you couldnt apply for 2 visas. one or the other had to be cancelled if you applied under a different one. Thats the one problem with immigration & visas, they change every year !!!! I think thats why it can be so confusing for people. When we got here, we were told to apply for permanent residency within the first 6 months, which we did, that was granted, then after 2 years we applied for Citizenship, which was also granted. Now you can't apply for citizenship until you've been in the country for 4 years. !!! like i said, its constantly changing & goal posts always being moved !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Tom Posted October 25, 2015 Author Share Posted October 25, 2015 Aah Major Tom, thank you. I consider myself very lucky, it was the second marriage for us both & we were lucky enough to have 23 of the most amazing years together, thats more than a lot of people get, although we should have had at least another 23 !!!!But i'm healthy, have a full time job, my own home, my sons, my dogs, my friends, I live in a lovely area, 15 mins from beautiful beaches which i get to take the dogs to at least 3 times a week. I live in Paradise. I'm so very happy for you, that you too are fulfilling your dream & coming over to live in Australia, congratulations. Its such a wonderful feeling when you get off that plane & know that you don't ever have to leave here if you don't want to. !!! We took our citizenship as soon as we could, which then was only 2 yrs later, now its 4 yrs before you can apply for citizenship.Becoming citizens of our chosen country was such a proud moment for us, Finally we were Australians !!!! hahaha I know you will love it, & i take it you are coming to the gold coast ?? Miami is lovely, as is most of the gold coast, my son lives in Burleigh, a stones throw from Miami. I think those that return to the UK, do so because they never came here with the full intention of MAKING it work, so many Brits do then to come over in holiday mode & don't seem to switch it off once here !!! They have their head in the clouds & eyes closed to the reality, that just as in the uk, we are here to work to make a living. When the reality hits, usually after a lot or most of their savings are gone through over spending, they run back to the uk & slate Australia off as not being what they thought it would be, its too expensive, its too hot, too many deadly things, like snakes, spiders & starks !!! Its laughable really. I've seen it so many times, pretty sad. !!! Lovely to hear you are bringing your dog with you too, i'm sure he/she will love the dog friendly beaches, The Spit is awesome, all dog friendly & you have the surf side or the calm side, & also Palm Beach, again you have both, but Palm beach does get very crowded at times, but both wonderful dog friendly beaches. So wishing you Good luck for the transition, hope all goes smoothly, & if i can help with anything, with info etc, please don't hesitate to ask. Hope that Gol Star is getting closer & closer very quickly for you !!!!! Thanks & Cheers Lainey Hi @Lainey, We are heading to Melbourne, as that's the best operate its for my line of work, would have loved to live on the Gold Coast, as Jak's Siblings are in Brisbane, she has a friend that lives two streets back from the beach in Miami, and when we were there, we walked down on Boxing Day and had dinner in Burleigh Surf Club, they made me and my family feel very welcome for a POM on holiday in their beautiful country. I have been mentally prepared for this move, my OH is Australian, I know the good and bad points, I am not coming with Rose tints on, I know I will have to knuckle down and work hard, but I know it's best for my family, as they are young 15yrs, 5yrs, 3yrs & 2yrs.............I know, I've been busy, the TV hasn't worked for a while! ;-) We are bringing the two miniature Dachshunds, as they were presents to my kids, Blue for my boy to help him through his treatment, and Violet for my girl as she was with him at every appointment/treatment. Nice to chat, have a good one, I have some great photos of the beach at Miami on Christmas Day 2011 when there was a big storm, and all the beach was covered in a sea of bubbles! Cheers MT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I always thought "bite the bullet" was a positive term. Meaning finally having the balls to do something you really wanted to do - but were too scared to - so you bite the bullet, became brave and took the plunge. Phrases do change their meaning over time, but it certainly was originally a negative phrase, meaning forcing yourself to endure something horrible. Here's an interesting article about its origins: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/bite-the-bullet.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I don't need to as i took citizenship so am classed as Australian now & can stay forever. At the time you couldnt apply for 2 visas. one or the other had to be cancelled if you applied under a different one. Thats the one problem with immigration & visas, they change every year !!!! I think thats why it can be so confusing for people. When we got here, we were told to apply for permanent residency within the first 6 months, which we did, that was granted, then after 2 years we applied for Citizenship, which was also granted. Now you can't apply for citizenship until you've been in the country for 4 years. !!! like i said, its constantly changing & goal posts always being moved !!!! Yes, I went back and read some of your earlier posts and realised you were already settled. I can't understand people who don't apply for citizenship the minute they're eligible, if you're genuinely happy with your life in Australia then why wouldn't you? After all, you never know when the goalposts may change again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Tom Posted October 25, 2015 Author Share Posted October 25, 2015 Hands up...........I possibly used the wrong phrase, let's move on, I'm bored of all the references to my 'mistake'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Yes, I went back and read some of your earlier posts and realised you were already settled. I can't understand people who don't apply for citizenship the minute they're eligible, if you're genuinely happy with your life in Australia then why wouldn't you? After all, you never know when the goalposts may change again! My eldest Daughter flatly refuses to get hers, she's now got an Aussie Daughter but is just not interested. She's been in Australia 10 years. She has zero interest in returning to the UK and this is her reasoning. No amount of pointing out that RRV's should she want to go abroad can sway her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 My eldest Daughter flatly refuses to get hers, she's now got an Aussie Daughter but is just not interested. She's been in Australia 10 years. She has zero interest in returning to the UK and this is her reasoning. No amount of pointing out that RRV's should she want to go abroad can sway her. I know people who have been here for 40 years and still haven't taken out citizenship :eek: They have had the forms sitting in a drawer for years but have never bothered to fill them in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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