How Long Did It Take You To Settle In Oz? - Poll

[sykestykes]

There seems to be alot of difference in the amount of time it takes individuals to settle in Australia after emigrating. Some settle immediately and others at the end of the scale never feel at home, so I thought a poll would be a good idea so that people can see "at a glance" how long it takes.

 

Hope it's helpful, am looking forward to the results!

 

Sue x

[PARBUTTN]

Hi Sue ,

 

What about yourself? My one regret on my reccie, never had time to visit Bribie, but we are moving to Sunny Coast soon! It does scare me when people can't settle, as our life is not so good here in uk and I am really hoping all this heart ache and waiting is not for nothing!! We sold our business and home last summer and are living with parents and on savings, and our visas have ceased until 1st July. Lived in limbo for 2yrs now,just want a chance at a new life with my family x

 

Nicki x

[sykestykes]

Hi Nicki

 

It took me about 7-8 months to start to settle properly. I know others who have felt at home straight away though. I found it harder than I expected to begin with, but I feel absolutely fine now so I was lucky in that respect.

 

I'm hoping that the poll and thread gives some constructive insight into how each person has found living in Australia, there's some pics of Bribie on my home page if you haven't seen them yet :wubclub:

 

Sue x

[Guest guest30038]

I know you won't believe this, but I don't think I'm settled yet...........honestly. :frown:

 

kev

[sykestykes]

I know you won't believe this, but I don't think I'm settled yet...........honestly. :frown:

 

kev

 

Gerraway Kev.....you're joshing me, aren't you?

 

 

 

....Aren't you? :eek:

 

Sue x

[Guest guest30038]

Gerraway Kev.....you're joshing me, aren't you?

 

 

 

....Aren't you?

 

Sue x

 

Nah! :sad: Having a bad bout of missing my old mountain haunts :cry: Think it could be something to do with me age and the fact that even if I was there, I couldn't get up the buggers anyway............just feeling like it's all slipping away..............probably just those SAD winter blues.........hopefully, or the fact that I've been on me back again for the last 4 days:unsure:.................anyone got a spare spinal chord in good working order?

 

 

kev

[sykestykes]

Nah! Having a bad bout of missing my old mountain haunts Think it could be something to do with me age and the fact that even if I was there, I couldn't get up the buggers anyway............just feeling like it's all slipping away..............probably just those SAD winter blues.........hopefully, or the fact that I've been on me back again for the last 4 days:unsure:.................anyone got a spare spinal chord in good working order?

 

 

kev

 

Oh no, poor you!! :hug::hug: Hope you're up and about very soon Kev

 

Sue x

[LojaChica]

I voted 12-18mths AT LEAST to get "settled" BUT I AM going back (and couldn't tick 2 boxes lol)..............it's not for me long term, I know that BUT am I ready to go just yet or when my Visa expires?............Hell No!

Can't afford to go for PR, as we would have to change Sponsors....we paid the nomination fees for our current one plus relocation, flights etc and no LAFHA..........current Boss, bless him has a terminal illness and the Business is on the market!

Just NOT ready to go YET!

[Guest siamsusie]

Nah! Having a bad bout of missing my old mountain haunts Think it could be something to do with me age and the fact that even if I was there, I couldn't get up the buggers anyway............just feeling like it's all slipping away..............probably just those SAD winter blues.........hopefully, or the fact that I've been on me back again for the last 4 days.................anyone got a spare spinal chord in good working order?

 

 

kev

:hug::hug::wubclub:many many hugs!

[Guest Guest31881]

Hi Sue,

 

I settled immediatley, I was lucky because my wife had moved here before me and when I arrived i just had to move in to the appartment, I had none of the hassle of finding a home and looking for work. So I just slipped from my UK life into an Australian life.

[LKC]

I felt pretty settled right from the start, but last week (after being here for 15 months) I did have a day of homesickness. I think it was triggered by it being a bad time of year, to be honest (my dad died in May), rather than anything to do with Australia.

[Quoll]

I'm not sure how to interpret "settled". If you mean arrived, moved into a place, got a job, made friends, never got homesick then the answer is immediately - just like I did when I went to live in PNG then UK. However if you mean decide that this is the place you want to grow old and die in then the answer is never and probably not ever going to happen but I cant escape.

[LojaChica]

That's why I "explained" lol ............Couldn't tick 2 options OR tick 1 and really mean it!

[sykestykes]

I'm not sure how to interpret "settled". If you mean arrived, moved into a place, got a job, made friends, never got homesick then the answer is immediately - just like I did when I went to live in PNG then UK. However if you mean decide that this is the place you want to grow old and die in then the answer is never and probably not ever going to happen but I cant escape.

 

Settled insofar as you described in your first sentence, Quoll - just that you can go about your every day business without feeling sad or wishing you could be somewhere else. I don't suppose there's an easy answer for you to give to the poll, because while to all intents and purposes you "settled" to begin with (as in getting on with it), you aren't settled at all now and your heart lies somewhere else.

 

I haven't ruled out returning to the UK at some point in the future, and I hope if I do want or need to go back that the choice is still there for me to make. As you've said on another thread, it's when the choice is taken away from you that you begin to feel trapped. Do you think that your feelings changed when you realised you wouldn't be able to leave, or did you feel a strong pull back to the UK before that?

 

I hope you don't mind me asking Quoll, I'm really interested in what your views are. :wubclub:

 

Sue x

[sykestykes]

Have just sent Rob a message asking for the poll to be made multiple choice :wubclub:

 

Sue x

[Guest guest30038]

Settled insofar as you can go about your every day business without feeling sad or wishing you could be somewhere else.

 

Sue x

 

OK. I settled straight away, but since going back for the first time, and seeing my old haunts, I've become unsettled (somewhat). Various factors such as health, time slipping by, missing the UK's beautiful scenery, grandkids there etc. play a part, and not dis-satisfaction with Oz.

 

kev

[sykestykes]

OK. I settled straight away, but since going back for the first time, and seeing my old haunts, I've become unsettled (somewhat). Various factors such as health, time slipping by, missing the UK's beautiful scenery, grandkids there etc. play a part, and not dis-satisfaction with Oz.

 

kev

 

Thanks Quoll, Kev and Joelltah for giving me a perspective on the poll I hadn't even considered - hopefully the poll can be changed to multiple choice so that changing circumstances/feelings etc can be taken into consideration and a fuller picture shown.

 

Thank you all :notworthy:

 

Sue x

[Guest MSTO]

I do not think I ever really settled although I have thought at times I have felt settled.

 

From the start we both said we will stay as long as it feels right...which may have been 1, 5 or 10 years. After 5 years we are now going back to the UK. We were never unhappy in the UK well I wasn't but have certainly had our fair shares of unhappiness here.

 

Who knows we are all citizens now and may return one day but for the time being, being back in the UK is more important for us now...plus it was made easier to return with gain in house prices plus the positive exchange rate

[Guest hammfam]

We have been here for three and a half years and we sort of yoyo about whether we want to return to the UK. We have not been back and only feel homesick when things aren't going well. I now know that I want to stay in Australia and do not want to return to the UK - but some of the programmes on the telly make you yearn for 'ole blighty country life' with very green grass....

[Bobbsy]

I had to decide between "immediately" and "six to twelve months".

 

In my case, I felt happy with Australia itself almost right away--but we took a six month lease on a temporary furnished house to give us time to check out neighbourhoods, buy our own furniture and wait for the small shipment we'd sent from the UK.

 

I was "at home" almost straight away but feeling "settled" took until we found a permanent house and set it up in our own style--which happened in the second half of our first year.

 

Bob

[Quoll]

Settled insofar as you described in your first sentence, Quoll - just that you can go about your every day business without feeling sad or wishing you could be somewhere else. I don't suppose there's an easy answer for you to give to the poll, because while to all intents and purposes you "settled" to begin with (as in getting on with it), you aren't settled at all now and your heart lies somewhere else.

 

I haven't ruled out returning to the UK at some point in the future, and I hope if I do want or need to go back that the choice is still there for me to make. As you've said on another thread, it's when the choice is taken away from you that you begin to feel trapped. Do you think that your feelings changed when you realised you wouldn't be able to leave, or did you feel a strong pull back to the UK before that?

 

I hope you don't mind me asking Quoll, I'm really interested in what your views are. :wubclub:

 

Sue x

 

I was fine for the first 10 years, it was an adventure, saw lots, did lots, very engaged in the community, had a good career, raised the kids, had a lot of friends (none of whom are in contact now though), bought a house, had trips home etc etc. Then it began to go downhill - not homesick in its traditional meaning but just less and less satisfied that this was an adventure I wanted to continue on but when you have kids at school, especially HS you make different choices from those you would have made when either unencumbered or younger so the next 10 years were the "duty" years the raising the kids, consolidating the career and planning for financial independence in retirement, taking the kids all over to sporting activities (that's where your holidays go when you have elite level sportspeople in the family) etc. By then it was too late and the real "unsettledness" has been there for 10 years or so - I always thought we would be gone, you see, once we retired but it wasnt something that either of us clearly stated because we each thought the other knew what we were planning. So what I am facing is a wasted retirement and I resent that hugely. In fact, I keep working even when I dont really need to, just to keep me from going stir crazy but some days I resent the work as well. I had such plans for what I would do with my time when I could afford to retire and none of them are really viable living here unfortunately.

 

However, moving to a new country, settling in and getting to know people and places, that's easy peasy (if you can settle into PNG you can settle into anywhere I reckon!).

 

It may well be an age thing, Australia is easy for the young but not so easy for the old I dunno.

[Bobj]

Settled in in immediately...even if it was in Smellbum.:tongue: And I hasten to add, Olly, mate...it was far better than any part of GB, even though I only stayed 3 months.:yes:

 

Never changed my mind after 47 years; it has been one long and marvellous adventure.

 

Cheers, Bobj.

[onecrankypom]

I can say i had moments taht things have been great but then it all goes to pieces but saying that i wouldnt change my descion every. The only concerns i have is my Nan will never see her Great grand child due to the sitution here and her being in her late 70's doesnt help but sending heaps of picutures back but feels it not the same

[Guest proud2beaussie]

I settled immediately coz of some people I known though we're not close and some relatives in here

What part of Australia are you in then?.

[Quoll]

I can say i had moments taht things have been great but then it all goes to pieces but saying that i wouldnt change my descion every. The only concerns i have is my Nan will never see her Great grand child due to the sitution here and her being in her late 70's doesnt help but sending heaps of picutures back but feels it not the same

 

That is such a good point. I took my granddaughter back to UK to see my parents last year and it was quite the best thing to have done but it cost $$$ - the olds now live off the few weeks that they had with her and are hoping against hope that they will see her at least one more time when my other son gets married. Skype and pictures really dont cut it unfortunately.