MightyMouse

Oooh - puffa fishing sounds cool. Didn't do any whale watching though, that would've been good. We spent over a week in Margaret River (did The Treetop Walk, Bunbury (sp?), Bussleton, Freemantle and Mandurah). Didn't venture into the sea at all tbh - had a bad experience when we were there on honeymoon..went for a night swim in Cottesloe (I think ?) and was dumped (if that's the right phrase) by a wave - ass was killing me for days ! The only way I could face the subsequent flight to Brisbane was by popping strong painkillers with a large chardonnay (not recommended for obvious reasons but boy did it knock me out, lol).

I'm sure your mum will come to her senses - sounds like her head is in the sand

jojo666

Hi Teresa,

Does make things a little easier to know we are not the only ones going through this doesn't it. my husbands family unfortunately have all passed away lost his last relation his mum a couple of years ago.

we do need to follow our dreams other wise we will regret it. if we fail at least we have tried. trouble is so many things get said that hurt makes you wonder if you did have to come back how you would get back to normality anyway try not to think that far ahead though.

Really hope my mum can find the strength to stay in touch with me when i go as i know i would struggle if she doesn't.

hope you manage to sort things out. my husband has actually fell out with some members of my family during this process which is a real shame but sometimes you just have to let things be or you would go nuts, time is a great healer.

best of luck to you to jox

kt.2006

Hi Jo
Sad to hear that your family are giving you such a hard time. They are probably acting that way in the hope that you will simply decide not to go. We wanted to emigrate 15 years ago and my in-laws never spoke about it and acted like we were not leaving whenever we were with them. We heard how upset they were from other people and in the end we decided not go to Australia.

We regretted our decision and 15 years later we went through the emigration process again. They were OK about things second time around, even though we would have emigrated anyway even if they had reacted badly again.

In my opinion try to remain positive about emigrating. In the first few weeks you will probably miss them like mad. Ring them and talk on msn, even if they don't seem that interested. They will soon come round as they will also be missing you.

Hope everything goes well for you (families )

Kathy

jojo666

Hi Kathy,

thanks for your reply. you don't no how many times i have thought about just not going .it's like being pulled in two directions and not knowing which way to go, one way everything's back to how it was and i am back in my comfort zone but know i will never be settled and have regrets. the other way there is so much heartache for people i love but i get to fufill a dream, so hard.

At times i have just left it in the hands of fate, if i get the visa then i should go. The visa application was uncanny we had to get state sponsorship first and we got that in january this year , the main application went in in March and within a week we had a case officer and they had requested medicals. our agent said he thinks they took the date we applied for our sponsorship as the date we had put our main application in by mistake. it was the quickest visa application they had done . we were so lucky.

we have to validate our visa by november and Selling the house has been a nightmare cannot tell you how much spent on fresh flowers and cleaning stuff not that i'm generally dirty but you just never know when you will get a call from the agent do you. 37 viewings later jackpot. i think if i hadn't sold
then the children would have left home.

My way of coping has been if i am meant to go i will obviously get the visa, the house will sell in time and my teenage daughter will come round to the idea and at the moment this seems to be all happening although it's definately been an uphill struggle, but things that are worth having are usually the things we have to work hardest for.

glad you eventually followed your dream hope it's been worth the wait
hopefully be joining you soon.

take care jox
(sorry if i've rambled)

jojo666

Hi Mighty Mouse,

My brother who lives in perth is hoping to move to Margaret river says it's lovely or did you go just for the wine . when i visit perth i will definately visit there.

Cottesloe is a lovely beach isn't it, shame it gave you a sore bum, what a lovely place to spend your honeymoon.

Really hope my mum comes round even a little be really hard to cope if i could't talk to her after i leave.

nice to talk to you, take care jox

MightyMouse

Wine AND chocolate...yum

KeilaK

My parents were devastated when we told them of our plans to go to Oz. I am their only daughter and am very close to them (both emotionally and literally - we live 8 doors away from each other). They are also very close to my kids. Thankfully though, they are being supportive about it. Their way of coping was to order broadband, buy a new computer, digital camera and web cam, and download SKYPE! Now I think they just want us to go so as they can start using all their new technology

jojo666

Hi KeilaK,

How lucky you are and what wonderful parents. No matter how supportive like your parents or how un-supportive like my family it's devastating to have to leave them isn't it. must be nice though to know your parents are doing everything they can to be able to keep in touch. At the moment my mum is saying she is not going to keep in touch with me and as it's only weeks till we go . it's very hard emotionally.

I just have to try and keep focusing on the bigger picture and talking to people like yourselves keeps me sane so thankyou.

hope everything goes well for you.

take care jox

jojo666

Hi MightyMouse,

You sound like a woman after my own heart, shame we are going to be on opposite sides of Oz. You look after yourself and keep me posted on how you get on. jox

MightyMouse

Awww..I thought you were going to Perth too. I should be out there within 6wks so would've been nice having another newbie arriving around the same time, lol. Whereabouts are you going? Or have I completely missed the part where you told us (memory is a like a sieve these days - it's all these 'to do' lists).

jojo666

Do you know what MightyMouse i have not even started packing yet. I have weeks to go but i just don't know where to start. Just seems not enough hours in the day plus i hate doing things like that on my own nice to have some company. Don't think there will be offers of help from family do you?

I must get my arse in gear. We are going to Gold Coast but I have a brother who lives in Perth. When i visit him or if you come over to Queensland perhaps we could meet up then . We must keep in touch and let each other know how our first few weeks go. compare notes

speak soon jox

ps. what area of the uk are you from I am from Essex.

MightyMouse

Sounds like a plan
I'm from Falkirk - just south of Stirling

jojo666

A plan indeed. Must get off computer and do some packing, or shall i have lunch first jox

HoofArted

My family and I will be going through this little emotional blackmail moment for a second time in our lives. When my wife and I left South Africa to live in the UK, some 8 years ago, my family were very upset with us for making this decision. Within a space of 2 years, both my brothers relocated to the UK and got married or had girlfriends etc. It was hard to leave my beloved mother behind in SA but she was happily living with her boyfriend at the time and she understood that living is SA had nothing to offer 3 young, professional, and without trying to sound racist, white guys. Its a fact! It was hard at first but we managed to get by. We arrange for a new computer for her, internet access, webcams and remote control of her computer to show her things and fix any problems she had. Unfortunately, my mom passed away 2 years ago so now I have no ties to SA at all. Just the family in the UK to deal with ...

So we told them that we are applying to move to Australia. The response was entirely predictable and also, understood. Here we are, what remains of our family, living in the UK. Wives, children and all and now we rock the boat.

I have explained that as my wife and I pioneered the move to the UK, all the years ago, we are moving to Oz. Our children need to have the things that we had when we were children. They need to have the beach, the sun, the living space, the life style. Sure it will not be easy but those are the things we are hoping to get. Alas, they still do not understand why I want to swap my 2 bed flat in London for a 5 bed house in Sydney. Go figure.

I guess that all we all need to do is remember that we are in this life for ourselves and those closest to us. Make the decision to change your life and go with it. It may be difficult to cut some of the ties, this is only temporary, but if you believe that you will have a better life for you, your wife and your children, then do not stop. Living close to your family will not give you the life that you obviously long for. There are always holidays....

jojo666

Hi there,

Emotional Blackmail two words i have become very familiar with. I admire you for going through it twice don't think i would have the strength (by the way I am the wife).

Your family situation sounds similar to mine brothers and sisters married with children, all live near each other and spend lot of time together, they feel like i am betraying them all they have never liked change of any kind and because i am the eldest they have all leant on me when things go wrong especially my mum.

I know i have to do write by my own children and i feel in my heart they will have a better quality of life in Australia so that's what keeps me going. I would probably have gone years ago but my dad left 7yrs ago and mum was on her own so i didn't feel i could leave her. its got to the point of now or never for me so nothing ventured nothing gained.

Weeks till we go and my mum still won't even mention it so i can't even tell her how we can keep in-touch.

thanks for replying I hope everything goes well for you and your family.

take care jox