mikeandjayne Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Well, a little over two years in and where has that time gone? No idea but wherever it was it went in a bloody hurry! Seems that we left the UK about fifteen minutes prior to the steady slip into what has now become coined ‘the credit crunch’. I have spent some time trying to convince friends and relatives that our departure and the onset of the current global economic wobble are not strictly connected but to little avail and I am reliably informed by one friend that it’s ‘bloody poured down non stop’ since we left, again not guilty! Meanwhile back in Melbourne! We got off the plane at the end of Nov 2006 with a months holiday rental booked and not a great deal else. No friends or family here - our dog had landed the day before us and was beginning his thirty days in solitary – a bit like Steve McQueen in the Great Escape but the major difference being our dog tends to chew balls into a zillion pieces rather than bounce them repetitively off an adjacent wall! So we had thirty days to find a pet friendly rental and the rest off our lives to do something gainful and hopefully enjoyable. And that’s pretty much how it happened. We landed a rental in the South East corner of Melbourne, both landed work surprisingly quickly after the obligatory few months enjoying the sun, seeing the sights and pondering over the Australian fascination with building big things – Prawns. Koala’s, Lobsters, you name it, they build it…..beats me? I was (and still am) in Occ Health and my wife was (and also still is) a classroom assistant which seem to be occupations very much in demand. Certainly in Melbourne. Both had a couple of positions before we landed our current jobs that we have now both been in for about a year and a half. The dog still hasn’t found work and I have to be honest it doesn’t look good. He just keeps chewing up the application forms and pens whenever I put them in front of him! We bought our first Oz home back in August which has been a bit special. Like everyone else we got a mortgage, we actually arrived with about enough funds to see us through a lean year if no work prevailed. Having your own place makes it all a lot more home I guess. I came home from work tonight so have a meal sitting out back watching a Cockatoo ruin the fruit on the one fruit tree in the Garden which I consider to be my green fingered success. Funnily enough, we never ever had this problem in Cumbria! Think the biggest plus though has been the people….no, hold that thought! Not people friends, the good friends that we have made here. That has made a world of difference. We decided not to cling to the ex pat pom scene (no offence guys) and have been lucky enough to make some very good Australian friends. My opinion, it’s like you hear said, they take you as they find you. Be pleasant to people and they are generally pleasant back…..and take it from there. Don’t get me wrong, there have been some emotional ups and downs (family illness back in the UK, big bouts of family sickness etc) but the ups are beating downs by a long way. Back in Nov 06 if someone could have showed us a crystal ball of the future how much less terrifying would that departure from Manchester airport have been? Lots! But life’s not like that is it? You pays your money and you take your chances, but both being focused on the same thing, accepting up front that there will be downs as well as ups’ and being there for each other through the good and the bad increases your odds massively in my opinion. That’s a point; I didn’t share what we actually came for….that old cliché of a better quality of life! Not a beach, not a boat, not a four wheel drive and a house the size of Dorset. Just to feel more content with our every day ins and outs……and so far, so good. So, to all off you about to take the leap of faith that is emigration, I wish you all the same good fortune that we have had. Keep smiling and the world mostly smiles back! Right, off to get that bloody bird off my tree……. Good luck all Mike :cute: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
furkew Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Excellent post Mike, and a fun read as well. Only yesterday I was thinking of sitting down, and writing a long & balanced post about our first 18 months here, but you have pretty much been able to sum up a lot of my thoughts. One difference, we have about 30 cockys, and they eat the ballustrade around the deck instead. I WISH they would eat the fruit of the trees in the garden Thanks for sharing, and good luck with the next couple of years. Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sunseekers Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Mike and Jayne Thanks for that lovely post....Makes all the hassle worth it when i read posts like that, i cant wait.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hazel and dave Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 lovely post! In 14 days we will be on that flight ourselves (to Melbourne as well) and your post has made us feel really positive - thanks a million! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jewels1356 Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 wow so nice to read a positive post on ozz and i wish you all conitnued happiness and good heath julie xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 That’s a point; I didn’t share what we actually came for….that old cliché of a better quality of life! Not a beach, not a boat, not a four wheel drive and a house the size of Dorset. Just to feel more content with our every day ins and outs……and so far, so good. :cute: What an excellent post Mike, We're celebrating our 2nd Anniversary here in Aus today and like you have a feeling of contentment. We hoped that in Aus we'd be able to take a step back and we have .... I think the quality of our life here is better .... or perhaps we just appreciate it more, we certainly spend more time together as a family and take time out. Thanks for the post Ali Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cob Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 ah that is wonderful, can't wait for the cockatoos to replace the pigeons. exciting times here as we watch our visas bubbling under.......... medicals have been finalised, flights provisionally booked for the 25th jan - Melbourne here we come! cath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WARDStoOZ Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 What a fantastic post! Congrats on making your new lives such a success! Let's hope many of us can do the same! Dan :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pressy22 Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Its just not fair....... I want to be you! I am so happy for you. Enjoyed reading your story so far. Hopefully by the next chapter I can say I'm just beginning my new life down under. x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PommieLady Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Keep smiling and the world mostly smiles back! Excellent post :notworthy: Wish we'd been so fortunate, our first two or so years weren't as settled, but we have learnt a lot from the experience. However it was always my husbands choice's so can blame him :laugh: Now its my turn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest juliemtaylor Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Me too! Great post, thanks keeping us going! Julie x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londonpaul Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Hey Mike, Thanks for sharing your story in down under.:smile: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pjarts Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 great post. We are also moving from Cumbria to Melbourne. Where in Cumbria were you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Trina Findlay Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 One difference, we have about 30 cockys, and they eat the ballustrade around the deck instead. I WISH they would eat the fruit of the trees in the garden It's great to read someone else's story - thanks Mike! And so good to hear a positive one! We don't have cockys so much either, but we do have a trio of Eastern Rosellas that look stunning in the dusk sunlight! Oh, also a family of maggies (not Thatchers thankfully). When the youngsters were babies my husband thought it would be fun to feed them mince, which it was, until one of them attacked me right outside the back door! It was just like a scene from The Birds.. just like the pigeons in Trafalgar Square, except about 5 times the size!!:mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE DUNSCOMBE FAMILY Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Thanks mike thats the kind of goal we all like to wish for. we are inDoncaster east melbourne, being here 8 weeks and all being great and i too hope that ill be writing a simular story in 2 years time the children going to new schools in 2 weeks so normality will preceed lol,but now christmas is over im settling into work okay and the rental pool is very inviting when its 40degrees so all in all its a more relaxed life style and we are adjusting to it all good luck to you all be it here or in the uk ,cheers mark,rikki,ashley and niamh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaniaColin Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Really enjoyed reading your post, certainly made me smile, hope it continues for you, all the very best Tania X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the dougans Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 great post made us feel even more sure coming to mebourne by sept this year. what area are you in? we looking at south east or mornington peninsula. well done for making your venture a success Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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