10 weeks since arriving!

[ClaireChris]

I think we have hit our first bump!! We have been here since the start of December and managed to sort ourselves out. Shipment arrived, found a house, children enrolled in daycare to get then in a routine, husband has a job, we have some family and a few exisiting friends here and making new ones each week. For the first time I have started to miss family and friends and it has hit me how far away they are and we don't have any spare income to save to make regular visits back. My husband's job is not inspiring him which means he is not happy and he normally enjoys working. This has a knock on effect on all of us. We are very lucky for him to have secured employment but he turned down a job in Sydney which he really wanted as we didn't want to be there as family in Brisbane and cost of living/very busy not appealing. I now feel guilty that he didn't take the job though as his unhappiness makes me sad. Need a boost to get us on track. Not expecting to get it all to start with so any encouraging comments would be welcomed from those who have done it already!!

[newjez]

I think we have hit our first bump!! We have been here since the start of December and managed to sort ourselves out. Shipment arrived, found a house, children enrolled in daycare to get then in a routine, husband has a job, we have some family and a few exisiting friends here and making new ones each week. For the first time I have started to miss family and friends and it has hit me how far away they are and we don't have any spare income to save to make regular visits back. My husband's job is not inspiring him which means he is not happy and he normally enjoys working. This has a knock on effect on all of us. We are very lucky for him to have secured employment but he turned down a job in Sydney which he really wanted as we didn't want to be there as family in Brisbane and cost of living/very busy not appealing. I now feel guilty that he didn't take the job though as his unhappiness makes me sad. Need a boost to get us on track. Not expecting to get it all to start with so any encouraging comments would be welcomed from those who have done it already!!

 

It probably seems strange as you probably think you've had a holiday with all the moving that you have done. But it is stressful. Maybe you could go somewhere nice just to unwind for a week or so? Take a break over easter, you may feel a lot better.

[Keith and Linda]

It took us nearly 5 years before we were able to go back to UK on holiday, I was on a fraction over half the salary I was getting in the UK when we first arrived, so things were hard but all came well in the longer term, It may be a little longer for you as you have little kids ours were teenagers and now flew the nest. Linda would still go home tomorrow she sort of likes it here and knows we are better off but she sure does not love it. Me ? I have no regrets.

Best wishes for the future.

[HelensvaleHoward]

After 10 weeks that's still in the honeymoon period

 

Give it time

 

Things will fall into place

 

Stick at it

 

Keep talking about the good and bad and work out a plan for the future set goals etc

 

It is well worth it

[NicF]

Missing family and friends when things get tough is to be expected. Your OH is having a tough time and you have no one to lean for support. Get your OH to start looking for another job and start looking for one yourself. And don't beat yourself up about the job in Sydney as might have hated that one even more.

 

My OH secured a job before we moved but when he got here he hated his manager. Pretty much everything she did got on his nerves (talked too loud, micro managed etc). He found working there really really stressful and more and more difficult until he eventually had to go off sick with stress and was forced to quit. As soon as we realised that he wouldn't be able to keep working there long term I started looking for work myself and fortunately managed to secure something just as he had to quit. My earnings weren't enough to pay all the rent and bills but were enough to keep us going without spending too much of our savings until he found work again. Three and a half years later and I've gone part time and he is yet another job but much happier than when we first arrived. We have built a nice house in a nice area and have had two trips back to the UK already.

 

Hang in there. With a bit of effort from both of you things can get better.

[Marisawright]

He did the right thing turning down the job in Sydney, IMO. I love many things about Sydney, but few people can afford to live in the vibrant areas I enjoy so much - it's likely you would've ended up in one of the cheaper areas which are little more than dormitory suburbs with few amenities, pretty soul-destroying!

 

I'm sure he will find just as good a job in Brisbane eventually.

[calNgary]

Your probably feeling this way now as your not running around getting organised, finding schools, rentals etc so your mind has time to think. We are going back to the UK this year, its the first time and will be our 10th year here! We havent gone before due to the costs involved and the fact we keep finding new places over here to explore rather than saving for the UK,lol

 

Is hubby on sponsorship?or can he look for work elsewhere? If he can job hunt, it would be good to hang on with current employer a tad longer so he has some Aussie experience as this makes getting other jobs a bit easier.

 

Hope things improve for you all soon but don't stress to much about your thoughts i think most of us had them at some point, once we had found our feet and had spare time to sit and think.

 

Cal x