Guest Mummy3 Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 We've been planning to move to Oz since Sept this year. I'm originally from South Africa and new 100% that I didn't want to 'grow old' there. I travelled/worked a bit until I met (and married) hubby over here. I've become unsure whether to go to Oz now or not. It's extremely costly and neither of us has actually been there (and can't afford to check it out first). We feel the pressure to decide soon as we've got an agent on the payroll at the moment and we've paid for the TRA. We have a house to sell in this horrible housing climate and 3 kids. Everything seems to cost a lot (living and moving costs etc.). My family have moved over here from South Africa and hubby is close to his family and hasn't ever had to leave them the way I've left mine before. How great is it really in Oz? How do you make the decision? I should know because I've done a big move years ago, but I was on my own then. Not so easy when you have others to consider! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JoanneHattersley Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Hi Mummy3, WHen we came to Oz , granted no kids in tow, we had no reccy! I did NO information gathering on the net. My theory was the less I knew before i got here, the less there would be to disappoint me! Worked for me! For me, life is great here. I have gained a better quality of life & that is what I wanted. How good life is here, all depends what you are looking for from your move and in life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackboots Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 its the big q i know i ask the same every day, are we doing the right thing? just know if we don't we will regret the not trying, i suppose it depends how much you want to change your life , and the housing market does not help does it, me personally id get the visa.. and then have a breather, you just passed the first stage , good luck x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest17301 Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Who knows how great it will be till they get there? All I know is you have to seize your chances while you can (if you want to) If you feel discontented then it's up to you to decide if and what you want to change. I really can't advise any more than that..it's such an individual decision. If you have lots to lose you must consider carefully. For us we are treating it as a chance to find out if it's what we want...we have little to lose and at worst we will come back and pick up the pieces..at best we will be happy as pigs in muck! At least we will have tried and seen a bit of the world. Good luck deciding x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pablo Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 We've been planning to move to Oz since Sept this year. I'm originally from South Africa and new 100% that I didn't want to 'grow old' there. I travelled/worked a bit until I met (and married) hubby over here. I've become unsure whether to go to Oz now or not. It's extremely costly and neither of us has actually been there (and can't afford to check it out first). We feel the pressure to decide soon as we've got an agent on the payroll at the moment and we've paid for the TRA. We have a house to sell in this horrible housing climate and 3 kids. Everything seems to cost a lot (living and moving costs etc.). My family have moved over here from South Africa and hubby is close to his family and hasn't ever had to leave them the way I've left mine before. How great is it really in Oz? How do you make the decision? I should know because I've done a big move years ago, but I was on my own then. Not so easy when you have others to consider! hiya mummy3, are you going for pr visa? if you are then theres no real pressure i dont think anyway,as you will know,once you get the visa you have a year to validate it,and then a further 4 years to decide,so in total 5 years to get sorted and make your mind up, i think its well worth getting the visa just to have that "get out of jail free" card? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mummy3 Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 hiya mummy3, are you going for pr visa? if you are then theres no real pressure i dont think anyway,as you will know,once you get the visa you have a year to validate it,and then a further 4 years to decide,so in total 5 years to get sorted and make your mind up, i think its well worth getting the visa just to have that "get out of jail free" card? I know we'd have the 5 yrs to decide. The problem is, it will cost a lot of money to get to the visa bit. The agents fees, Vetassess (hubby didn't get TRA as they said he's better on Vetassess), medicals, police checks, visa cost, flights (to validate) and moving costs to over there etc.). If it cost less than a hundred quid (hahaha) we might not feel so pressurised! We're thinking long and hard. I feel like such a novice :frownxmas: Thanks for the replies all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pablo Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 no i understand about the money,im not rich believe me, but the way i looked at it is an investment for the rest of your life (maybe). but yes it was cheaper for us,i went through TRA pre sept 07, so you have more costs with vetassess granted,and you have the extra costs with kids i agree, but even if i was in your shoes i would still do it, unless of course you have age on your side and can afford to wait, plus there is nothing to stop them making changes and dropping the age limit in future what with everything thats going on. we had to make a decision because i was nearly 45,i guess only you can decide, but i myself would pull out all the stops,and by hook or crook i would raise the money and get the visas.good luck,whatever you decide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ozcans Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 I agree. We'd been loosely talking about it for 3 years and decided to do a rekkie because we thought that if we liked it, it would make us go for it, and if we didn't we could get on with another plan. Those three years were wasted - we could be there by now.And we are on a time limit cos we have to get the visa app. lodged before his b'day for extra points. It's not cheap and we're constantly saying to each other 'How are we going to pay for this??' But as you say it's an investment in the rest of your lives. All the best with your decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewebweazel Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 We've been planning to move to Oz since Sept this year. I'm originally from South Africa and new 100% that I didn't want to 'grow old' there. I travelled/worked a bit until I met (and married) hubby over here. I've become unsure whether to go to Oz now or not. It's extremely costly and neither of us has actually been there (and can't afford to check it out first). We feel the pressure to decide soon as we've got an agent on the payroll at the moment and we've paid for the TRA. We have a house to sell in this horrible housing climate and 3 kids. Everything seems to cost a lot (living and moving costs etc.). My family have moved over here from South Africa and hubby is close to his family and hasn't ever had to leave them the way I've left mine before. How great is it really in Oz? How do you make the decision? I should know because I've done a big move years ago, but I was on my own then. Not so easy when you have others to consider! Hi Mummy3, The Family thing is a problem, and I really cannot give you any helpful advice on solving it apart from the fact that it is your life to live and you cannot live it for other people. Its not fair to you or them. As a South African I loved Oz as soon as I got off the plane on our Reccie. Climates great, people are friendly everything felt so familiar. My Sis lives in Perth and she went blind to OZ and she has told me that she will never move back to S.Africa or the UK as she loves it so much there! Just think about it where can you little ones run around barefoot outside for most of the year round in the sun ? definitely not in the UK. What about all the braais you can have with people that are happy to socialise with you at your house? not in the UK (that's what the pub if for LOL) an don't you want to live in a house that on a property that is larger then a postage stamp? You cannot buy a house in the UK that is comparable to the ones that most South Africans like you or I are used to in the UK ,unless you are rolling in the Bucks, In Oz you can! I really don't think that you can go wrong applying for your Visa. what is the worst that can go wrong? You find that you don't like OZ. So what! get on a plane and come back to the UK no probs. Yes I know that it is expensive but in a few years time you will not even miss the money, if you don't go for it you will always wonder what it might have been like and will probably land up regretting you decision not to go As for the House it is going to take you another year to get your Visa and then you will probably have nearly another year before you have to validate your visa, by that time we will more than likely be coming out of the recession / depression an the housing market will look better then. If not you will have another 3 to 4 years to sort it out Cheers WebWeazel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mummy3 Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Decision made. I think. In my mind, I think it'll be better for us to apply for everything and 'risk' the money. If we don't want to go permanently in a few years, then we can always stay. But if we say no now and change our minds in the future, it might be too late. We've already been paying our agent since Sept and they're not cheap! I do appreciate everything people have said. This is a great support network! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pablo Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Decision made. I think. In my mind, I think it'll be better for us to apply for everything and 'risk' the money. If we don't want to go permanently in a few years, then we can always stay. But if we say no now and change our minds in the future, it might be too late. We've already been paying our agent since Sept and they're not cheap! I do appreciate everything people have said. This is a great support network! ahh made up mate, your doing the right thing,whats a few grand when it comes to your kids futures? i know its headwrecking,what with the expense and so on but divide the cost up by 5 peoples lives times x amount of years ahead of you all,and it all adds up, plus you are obviously a strong person( most south africans ive known allways have been tbh,case of having to be i suppose )and im pretty sure like most times in life you as the woman will be the bedrock( dont tell anyone i said that though,or i will lose my streetcred and wont be able to wind the women up anymore:wink:)and keep things together,good decision and good luck:notworthy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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