Transitioning to a New Life

[DavidIII]

Hello,

Tomorrow will see one way flights booked for Adelaide in January so no turning back now....We've been to Australia 14 times in the past ten years and have enjoyed every moment we've been there, whether that's been Port Douglas, Noosa, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and what will now be our new home in Adelaide.  But, going on holiday knowing you'll be returning home in 2/3 weeks I'm sure is different from going one way!  So to all my fellow PIOers who might read this, what are some of the biggest transitions we'll be facing or are likely to face in the first few months that we need to be prepared for ? 

Please, any guidance / comments however random would be most welcomed.

David.

 

[Canada2Australia]

One of the biggest changes is that life in a new country is very different when you are living there as opposed to when you are on holidays. It's back to real life with all the real life problems; no more fantasy holiday where everything and everyone is absolutely perfect and beautiful. The rose coloured glasses come off and the regular glasses come back on.

My advice to you is give yourself 5-10 years and see if you are still in love with the fantasy of living overseas. If that is no longer the case and you being to dream about going back home, don't just brush it off and do take into serious consideration.

Just my 2 cents.

Edited November 3, 2020 by Canada2Australia

[Peach]

Been here nearly 10 years and I am still disarmed by how cheerful teens are working at the checkouts and fast food outlets.  If they ask you how your day is going, they generally seem to care and are interested in your answers.  It took me a long time to get used to it and have an answer ready.

[Tink]

My only advise is ensure u still do the things u enjoyed when holidaying !

make that time , save , see what the country has and is .

To often we become bogged down with everyday life , look back at what we had instead of forward to what can be .

Any country has much to offer , make the effort to enjoy it .

The best of luck to you and btw good choice Adelaide is a beautiful place with much around it to explore .

[Peach]

Takeaways still 'seem' expensive here, but I found it really important to not convert the price of everything back into GBPs.

[rammygirl]

A straight exchange rate calculation is always going to be off as you need to look at the cost of living.  Minimum wage is higher here and spending power is different. 

[calNgary]

Well its 14 years in Aus, for us today and i think the best advice i could give would be ,try not to compare (soooo hard) and put yourself out there to make new friends. Times can be tough at first but once you settle you can certainly have a great life here ,especially if you enjoy the outdoors.

Lots of luck with the big move

  Cal x

[Marisawright]

The biggest shock, for a lot of people, is suddenly being friendless. You know you won't have family around you, but you've always found Aussies friendly, so you don't worry so much about leaving your friends.  But it can be very hard to build a circle of real friends when you arrive in a new country as an adult.

You'll find Adelaide folk are friendly, but they have their circles of friends that they established in school/college/university and they don't need any more, thank you - so although they're happy to chat with you as an acquaintance, you'll struggle to find real friends.  It may take you a couple of years to be accepted.  

[Bulya]

It’s actually very simple.  Don’t try to live like a Pom and it works.  So many just never get it... 

[Dusty Plains]

2 hours ago, Bulya said:

It’s actually very simple.  Don’t try to live like a Pom and it works.  So many just never get it... 

I see you're feeling much better.

[MARYROSE02]

Well, if you follow my 'template' for successful moving, which I last employed in July this year when I 'emigrated' from Sydney to Surfers Paradise, you will:

Find a cafe and go there every day.

Find a pub (or two) and go there every night (You don't have to go EVERY night of course, or even drink alcohol)

In both cases, try to get to know the staff. Once you have been in a few times it should be easy.

Do the same thing in any shops you frequent. There's a convenience store I go often to buy the paper and I know some of the staff now.

South Australians, like Victorians and West Australians, are all addicted to Australian Rules Football, so, even if you HATE football, it is worth finding a team to follow. Adelaide has two teams in the Australian Football League - Adelaide and Port Adelaide but you can pick any team in the AFL, the Sydney Swans in my case. I will stick my neck out and say if you ask anybody in SA which they team they 'go' for I'll be surprised if they say 'they hate football'. It is often a family tradition.

If you like English or rather British football (soccer), especially if it is one of the bigger clubs, that's another way to socialize. My team, Tottenham Hotspur, has chapters in every state, and it's the sand ame for most of the big teams. 

I've not been back to England for twelve years but I still read the Daily Mail every day, and often watch Sky News UK. I don't go out of my way to meet other Poms but when I do meet them I'm always interested in talking to them. In Sydney my friends are a mixture of Poms, Irish, and Aussies. I haven't met any Pommies in Surfers yet,

Come to think of it, if you have any hobbies/sports/activities you might be able to find some clubs to join. Google "Meet Ups Adelaide" for some ideas. (https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/cities/au/adelaide/)

You could prepare by taking a subscription out to the Adelaide Advertizer newspapers on line and listening to one of the Adelaide radio stations on line, e.g. ABC Adelaide. I just 'discovered' BBC local radio this week and I sometimes listen to The Archers.

Be prepared for a settling in period, although after 14 visits to OZ you may find the transition seamless. I have not been the least bit homesick for Sydney.

Find yourself a GP, dentist, podiatrist, etc (I've done that, all within walking distance). Organize your Medicare card, Tax File Number (TFN), and register with My Gov (it links the Australian Tax Office (ATO), Medicare, Centrelink. (https://my.gov.au/EnrolService/enrolService.htm?_flowId=mgv2-enrolment-mg-flow&_flowExecutionKey=e1s1)

There is one for the SA government too (https://my.sa.gov.au/) The states issue the driving licences and control some other services whilst the Commonwealth government control the others. Then there are the local councils for rates and gas/electricity/water companies.

I'm waffling. Sorry. You probably know all this. Congratulations on taking the plunge.

==

 

[Bulya]

57 minutes ago, Dusty Plains said:

I see you're feeling much better.

After today’s renal and orthopaedic reviews I am feeling pretty good.  

[Lavers]

Been here for 4 months and never looked back ....on a serious note though the transition for us has been seamless.

We did loads of research, made a plan then managed to excecute it it stays that way.

Everyone we have met has been friendly and most are more than willing to help you. 

My eldest has slotted straight into school and is loving it.

Weekends just feel like you are on holiday and there is loads to do.

The cost of things takes a while to get used to as it seems a lot more expensive, but when you start earning $s it doesnt seem as bad.

For me most things seem cheaper here rather than the UK. Last weekend we went to Adelaide zoo for $96 as a family of 4, if I went to chester zoo in the UK it would cost me £100.

Reserves (parks) are better maintained here (or atleast compared to where I lived in the UK) and also near me there are 4 flood lit tennis courts that are free of charge for you to use.

1 thing to watch for though are the drivers as they are shite haha.

[DavidIII]

4 hours ago, Lavers said:

Been here for 4 months and never looked back ....on a serious note though the transition for us has been seamless.

We did loads of research, made a plan then managed to excecute it it stays that way.

Everyone we have met has been friendly and most are more than willing to help you. 

My eldest has slotted straight into school and is loving it.

Weekends just feel like you are on holiday and there is loads to do.

The cost of things takes a while to get used to as it seems a lot more expensive, but when you start earning $s it doesnt seem as bad.

For me most things seem cheaper here rather than the UK. Last weekend we went to Adelaide zoo for $96 as a family of 4, if I went to chester zoo in the UK it would cost me £100.

Reserves (parks) are better maintained here (or atleast compared to where I lived in the UK) and also near me there are 4 flood lit tennis courts that are free of charge for you to use.

1 thing to watch for though are the drivers as they are shite haha.

Hi, that's good to hear.  Where have you settled ?  We've almost decided our daughter will go to Seymour or Concordia College so keep looking at houses in the Hills where you seem to get more space, but also I quite like Henley Beach South but they seem to be limited on the plot size.  I do like Belair and even down to Flagstaff Hill, but just not sure if its too far out.  Just can't wait to get there now and start to experience a new way of life.

[DavidIII]

12 hours ago, Marisawright said:

The biggest shock, for a lot of people, is suddenly being friendless. You know you won't have family around you, but you've always found Aussies friendly, so you don't worry so much about leaving your friends.  But it can be very hard to build a circle of real friends when you arrive in a new country as an adult.

You'll find Adelaide folk are friendly, but they have their circles of friends that they established in school/college/university and they don't need any more, thank you - so although they're happy to chat with you as an acquaintance, you'll struggle to find real friends.  It may take you a couple of years to be accepted.  

Hi, my wife has a big family and a close knit circle of friends and she's not looking forward to the prospect of leaving them behind.  I don't have any family so on that front it's easier for me and being a man, we don't have real friends   My wife does quite a lot of keep fit classes here and I hope that doing some there, and working she'll soon build up a network, even though I know it won't be the same for her.  Our daughter who's about to turn 15 I hope will start to build up some new friends when she starts school.

[Bulya]

5 hours ago, Lavers said:

Been here for 4 months and never looked back ....on a serious note though the transition for us has been seamless.

We did loads of research, made a plan then managed to excecute it it stays that way.

Everyone we have met has been friendly and most are more than willing to help you. 

My eldest has slotted straight into school and is loving it.

Weekends just feel like you are on holiday and there is loads to do.

The cost of things takes a while to get used to as it seems a lot more expensive, but when you start earning $s it doesnt seem as bad.

For me most things seem cheaper here rather than the UK. Last weekend we went to Adelaide zoo for $96 as a family of 4, if I went to chester zoo in the UK it would cost me £100.

Reserves (parks) are better maintained here (or atleast compared to where I lived in the UK) and also near me there are 4 flood lit tennis courts that are free of charge for you to use.

1 thing to watch for though are the drivers as they are shite haha.

SA drivers are possibly the worst though the Mexicans might argue about that...

[Lavers]

4 hours ago, DavidIII said:

Hi, that's good to hear.  Where have you settled ?  We've almost decided our daughter will go to Seymour or Concordia College so keep looking at houses in the Hills where you seem to get more space, but also I quite like Henley Beach South but they seem to be limited on the plot size.  I do like Belair and even down to Flagstaff Hill, but just not sure if its too far out.  Just can't wait to get there now and start to experience a new way of life.

We are renting in North Plympton and love the area. Its 10min drive to the CBD and 10min drive to the beach. We also have a new reserve and a cycle path just 5min walk from our house.

We where sort of tied to where we could go as our daughter is in a government school so we had to look at catchment areas.

Before we came we looked at Sheidow Park and Mount Barker as you seemed to get better sized houses for your money but now we are here we may just stay around here when it comes to buying in a year or two.

Majority of suburbs without going into the hills look the same to me and you are always close to plenty of shops.

Are you renting and where will you be working?

[Lavers]

Nice walk on glenelg front after tea 

[DavidIII]

13 hours ago, Lavers said:

We are renting in North Plympton and love the area. Its 10min drive to the CBD and 10min drive to the beach. We also have a new reserve and a cycle path just 5min walk from our house.

We where sort of tied to where we could go as our daughter is in a government school so we had to look at catchment areas.

Before we came we looked at Sheidow Park and Mount Barker as you seemed to get better sized houses for your money but now we are here we may just stay around here when it comes to buying in a year or two.

Majority of suburbs without going into the hills look the same to me and you are always close to plenty of shops.

Are you renting and where will you be working?

Hi,

We hope to be buying as soon as we can after arrival.  The biggest thing for us is finding a somewhere to live that's near to a school coach service to avoid dropping and picking each day which is why for now we've focussed mainly on areas that a school coach service operates on.  I have looked at Mount Barker but just feel it's too far out and if you want to go for a stroll on the beach as you have just done, it's a bit of a drive to get there.  I have looked at the Athlestone area which seems to offer good plots with nice houses, but for now I think the biggest thing is just to get there and start to enjoy a new life.  My wife works for an Australian company in London and they are trying to find her a role in Adelaide which would be on the North side of the CBD, but even though we may live South, the commute to the North of the CBD has to be better than a commute on the trains, albeit not now, into London.  First time I was in Adelaide I rented a house in Sheidow Park for a week and even though it was nice, it felt a bit remote and just seemed a long drive to get into the CBD or up to Glenelg.  Anyway, back to flight hunting and trying to decide what date to fly.  Keep enjoying yourselves and maybe in a few short weeks I will be able to take that walk along the beach too

 

 

 

[Ausvisitor]

On 04/11/2020 at 10:20, Lavers said:

Been here for 4 months and never looked back ....on a serious note though the transition for us has been seamless.

We did loads of research, made a plan then managed to excecute it it stays that way.

Everyone we have met has been friendly and most are more than willing to help you. 

My eldest has slotted straight into school and is loving it.

Weekends just feel like you are on holiday and there is loads to do.

The cost of things takes a while to get used to as it seems a lot more expensive, but when you start earning $s it doesnt seem as bad.

For me most things seem cheaper here rather than the UK. Last weekend we went to Adelaide zoo for $96 as a family of 4, if I went to chester zoo in the UK it would cost me £100.

Reserves (parks) are better maintained here (or atleast compared to where I lived in the UK) and also near me there are 4 flood lit tennis courts that are free of charge for you to use.

1 thing to watch for though are the drivers as they are shite haha.

4 months - only seems like yesterday we went for medicals within days of each other...

Well I will be there too (well Sydney) in February so I'll be able to take that beach walk as well (a different beach though)

[Lavers]

19 hours ago, Ausvisitor said:

4 months - only seems like yesterday we went for medicals within days of each other...

Well I will be there too (well Sydney) in February so I'll be able to take that beach walk as well (a different beach though)

I know time has just flown by, feels like we have been here forever.

Not long then and you get to enjoy your new lifestyle

[MARYROSE02]

On 05/11/2020 at 00:47, DavidIII said:

Hi, my wife has a big family and a close knit circle of friends and she's not looking forward to the prospect of leaving them behind.  I don't have any family so on that front it's easier for me and being a man, we don't have real friends   My wife does quite a lot of keep fit classes here and I hope that doing some there, and working she'll soon build up a network, even though I know it won't be the same for her.  Our daughter who's about to turn 15 I hope will start to build up some new friends when she starts school.

I know a guy in Sydney who constructed his social network primarily by joining a squash club. I met him on his very first day in Sydney when we stayed in the same YHA hostel. I don't know what you can do to make it easier to cope with being away from family. When my parents were alive I wrote letters an postcards every week and telephoned once a week too. Do people still write 'real' letters? I have some airmail stamps in my wallet but I've still not sent anybody a card from Surfers Paradise. I sometimes use pub coasters as cards if there is room to write on one side.

[MARYROSE02]

On 04/11/2020 at 20:20, Lavers said:

Been here for 4 months and never looked back ....on a serious note though the transition for us has been seamless.

We did loads of research, made a plan then managed to excecute it it stays that way.

Everyone we have met has been friendly and most are more than willing to help you. 

My eldest has slotted straight into school and is loving it.

Weekends just feel like you are on holiday and there is loads to do.

The cost of things takes a while to get used to as it seems a lot more expensive, but when you start earning $s it doesnt seem as bad.

For me most things seem cheaper here rather than the UK. Last weekend we went to Adelaide zoo for $96 as a family of 4, if I went to chester zoo in the UK it would cost me £100.

Reserves (parks) are better maintained here (or atleast compared to where I lived in the UK) and also near me there are 4 flood lit tennis courts that are free of charge for you to use.

1 thing to watch for though are the drivers as they are shite haha.

Four months in OZ? I've been in Surfers Paradise for about the same time. I just checked my diary and I left Sydney on 24 July and arrived the next day. It helped me settling in that my brother was already here and I just moved in with him. In fact, I probably would not have come had he not been here.

Looking at my diary again made me think that I changed lives in the space of 24 hours but then I did that when I left England for the first time 42 years ago.Surfers Paradise is a holiday town so, unlike your weekends, every day is a holiday. Well, if you are not working it is anyway. You now it's Friday because the hotels fill up with weekenders and it gets a little rowdy.

Burning our bridges; is that we all do when we leave home for another place? My brothers want me to sell my home in Sydney but I'm not so sure, not that I especially want to go back, but I might.

[Ausvisitor]

2 hours ago, MARYROSE02 said:

Four months in OZ? I've been in Surfers Paradise for about the same time. I just checked my diary and I left Sydney on 24 July and arrived the next day. It helped me settling in that my brother was already here and I just moved in with him. In fact, I probably would not have come had he not been here.

Looking at my diary again made me think that I changed lives in the space of 24 hours but then I did that when I left England for the first time 42 years ago.Surfers Paradise is a holiday town so, unlike your weekends, every day is a holiday. Well, if you are not working it is anyway. You now it's Friday because the hotels fill up with weekenders and it gets a little rowdy.

Burning our bridges; is that we all do when we leave home for another place? My brothers want me to sell my home in Sydney but I'm not so sure, not that I especially want to go back, but I might.

Where is th ehouse in Sydney and what is the area round your house like (transport, shops, community)  - looking to start thinking about regions to move to when we get there

[Jon the Hat]

3 hours ago, MARYROSE02 said:

Four months in OZ? I've been in Surfers Paradise for about the same time. I just checked my diary and I left Sydney on 24 July and arrived the next day. It helped me settling in that my brother was already here and I just moved in with him. In fact, I probably would not have come had he not been here.

Looking at my diary again made me think that I changed lives in the space of 24 hours but then I did that when I left England for the first time 42 years ago.Surfers Paradise is a holiday town so, unlike your weekends, every day is a holiday. Well, if you are not working it is anyway. You now it's Friday because the hotels fill up with weekenders and it gets a little rowdy.

Burning our bridges; is that we all do when we leave home for another place? My brothers want me to sell my home in Sydney but I'm not so sure, not that I especially want to go back, but I might.

A property in Sydney has to be a pretty good pension I would think!  Have you rented it out?