View Poll Results: How well did you settle down???
I loved it from the word go and want to stay
48
65.75%
I hated it from the word go, my ticket is booked home
5
6.85%
I hated it, but now I love it
7
9.59%
Haven't made my mind up
13
17.81%
Voters: 73. You may not vote on this poll
Love at first sight, loathed it on landing or somewhere in between....
Jul 5th 2008, 7:26 am
#16
(^v^)
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: North East Tasmania
Posts: 2,199
Re: Love at first sight, loathed it on landing or somewhere in between....
hated it on arrival just wanted to go home but grew to love it 
Jul 5th 2008, 10:00 pm
#17
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Castle Hill, Sydney (previously Brum)
Posts: 1,095
Re: Love at first sight, loathed it on landing or somewhere in between....
Ditto as Quoll. We kind of settled here accidently (backpacking holiday turned into Residency, turned into Citizenship, then kids). Now I want to go home...alternating with panic over crime in the UK (I've teen kids), education, gloom, cold weather and jobs. After 22 yrs here, I've found the only time I get a really good belly laugh is when I'm around Poms. I miss the countryside, characters, the humour and the banter. Went to see Lenny Henry the other night....bloody marvellous!
Jul 6th 2008, 5:14 am
#18
Just Joined
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: Lower North Shore, Sydney
Posts: 10
Re: Love at first sight, loathed it on landing or somewhere in between....
I actually hated Sydney when I first got here - the CBD is small, dark and lifeless - but was persuaded not to pass up a good job opportunity. Then I hated my incompetent unprofessional cowboy colleagues (really cringingly embarrassingly shonky, yet "qualified" to do what they do and charge for it!!), whilst loving the place I lived and the whole harbour thing.
After many years of attempting to bond with the locals, and after having done so very sucessfully in a couple of other countries, I have decided to officially give up and hang out with Poms and anyone else of the required mental ilk. Not sure how I'm going to do it, but that's my decision for the weekend and I feel a bit better for it. Then I will embrace everything else Australian, with them in tow.
So as of Monday, I return to my roots socially if not geographically. I will be seeking out sincere, genuine, gentile, intelligent, bitingly funny people from anywhere, for good times and long walks on the beach. No, not the #$%^&# beach! Give me a lush green meadow with cows, sheep, poppies, sparrows and a Border Collie please.
[sigh]
D
Jul 6th 2008, 5:21 am
#19
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,814
Re: Love at first sight, loathed it on landing or somewhere in between....
It needs another category - "it was fine to begin with but now can I go home". Lived here for years without the slightest sign of homesickness, regret etc (apart from a few moments of angst about the education system) but always had the slightly surreal feeling of my head telling me this was home but my heart telling me I was just a tourist - and vice versa when I went home. Really weird.
Jul 6th 2008, 5:36 am
#20
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2008
Location: Perth 1987
Posts: 263
Re: Love at first sight, loathed it on landing or somewhere in between....
When we took off from Singapore I had started to think 'What have we done? I have no home, no job, what the hell have we done?'
When we landed at Perth, I wanted to feel all the emotions I had planned on feeling for 4 years it took to plan this event in our lives but I didn't, I felt flat and kept on thinking how much I wanted to be in Namibia (not to live but a few months would be nice)
This was replaced by fear/sheer terror that we were there with very little money and we had to get jobs - and fast.
I never loved it, or loathed it - I appreciated its beauty and the friendliness of the people immediately.
I got absurdly excited at the parrots and wildlife and just enjoyed the surroundings. The feeling of vulnerability and fear never left me.
Gobbyjock said that things would be better once we got the keys to our own rental and how right she was.
Mr PP got a job almost straight away and I got a job once we moved to Freo. I still feel vulnerable financially even though we are trying to save, I would love my own home but the rent is so much cheaper than a mortgage and yes I know I would have my own place but the payments would cripple us.
When I am out with my work mates and really enjoying their company, or I look forward to going in to work as they are such a good laugh, I have to pinch myself that my life is really like that.
I am so laid back now I am almost horizontal, if I only have 2 minutes to get my train I don't give a toss, I get the next one - I really don't care.
I had my first proper 'God I am in Australia' moment when I saw my first dolphins in the harbour.
And I regularly see things like the Aussie flag or something and think back to the days where we hadn't even applied and I think 'shit we have made it!'
I have days where I feel wobbly, vulnerable, cry where I miss my family. Today for instance I panicked as I couldn't remember what English money looked like - the notes. I found a 50p in my bag and my UK friend and I stared at it for ages
Sometimes I could be walking down the street and the fact that I am in another country suddenly catches up with me and I panic.
But no way would I move back and yes after a while, I do love it although the emotions and the physical effects of the whole process scare the crap out of me.
I cannot imagine living anywhere else and I am actually very proud to live here.
When we landed at Perth, I wanted to feel all the emotions I had planned on feeling for 4 years it took to plan this event in our lives but I didn't, I felt flat and kept on thinking how much I wanted to be in Namibia (not to live but a few months would be nice)
This was replaced by fear/sheer terror that we were there with very little money and we had to get jobs - and fast.
I never loved it, or loathed it - I appreciated its beauty and the friendliness of the people immediately.
I got absurdly excited at the parrots and wildlife and just enjoyed the surroundings. The feeling of vulnerability and fear never left me.
Gobbyjock said that things would be better once we got the keys to our own rental and how right she was.
Mr PP got a job almost straight away and I got a job once we moved to Freo. I still feel vulnerable financially even though we are trying to save, I would love my own home but the rent is so much cheaper than a mortgage and yes I know I would have my own place but the payments would cripple us.
When I am out with my work mates and really enjoying their company, or I look forward to going in to work as they are such a good laugh, I have to pinch myself that my life is really like that.
I am so laid back now I am almost horizontal, if I only have 2 minutes to get my train I don't give a toss, I get the next one - I really don't care.
I had my first proper 'God I am in Australia' moment when I saw my first dolphins in the harbour.
And I regularly see things like the Aussie flag or something and think back to the days where we hadn't even applied and I think 'shit we have made it!'
I have days where I feel wobbly, vulnerable, cry where I miss my family. Today for instance I panicked as I couldn't remember what English money looked like - the notes. I found a 50p in my bag and my UK friend and I stared at it for ages
Sometimes I could be walking down the street and the fact that I am in another country suddenly catches up with me and I panic.
But no way would I move back and yes after a while, I do love it although the emotions and the physical effects of the whole process scare the crap out of me.
I cannot imagine living anywhere else and I am actually very proud to live here.
i would just like to say great post
scott
Jul 6th 2008, 6:00 am
#21
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Posts: 3,521
Re: Love at first sight, loathed it on landing or somewhere in between....
Been here 8 years and found the same. My best friend who has been here about the same as you, loves australia but says the only time she has a good laugh is around other poms.
Jul 6th 2008, 6:30 am
#22
NO ADDED SUGAR
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Center Parcs, WA
Posts: 1,322
Re: Love at first sight, loathed it on landing or somewhere in between....
Another option required:
Hated it at first but grown to be ambivalent.
Hated it at first but grown to be ambivalent.
