Pomster

Do you work for the red and yellow pectan?
If so there package is good and you will find it not too bad cost wise.
Melbourne has a lot to offer and is a great place to enjoy a few year

rld1177

"1) what was the single biggest factor for you to decide on the move to Australia? 2) What has gone well/not-so-well since your move? and 3) Any tips on how to sell the idea of a temporary assignment to the missus? "

Interesting thread - I was in a similar situation, although my partner and I were also dealing with long distance travel and other issues to 'be in the same place' the move here did require her to quit her work (corporate law, multinational firm, she speaks 3 languages, spanish native, italian and english advanced levels).

As others have comments, don't underestimate the costs in Australia. My baseline was London for 7 years and a year in the States before moving here. I learned to block what I paid for housing, food, and general expenses in Colorado out of my mind after a couple weeks in Melbourne as it led to depression. Even by London standards, which I previously had imagined to be an expensive city, you will be shocked. All the focus on 'equality' here - a high minimum wage, strong unions, etc lead to high prices. It is what it is, but don't assume a high salary means you will easily be able to support your partner.

Some general questions: Is she (or you!) a big spender? Are you OK eating at home often, or do you fancy many dinners out a week with a bottle of wine (In melbourne, you'd drop about 150$ for a decent night out with a good bottle of wine, you can drop 50$+ on a movie, 70$ if you get popcorn and cokes etc) General clothing costs - at least good brands - will be higher also. My partner was never a big spender on brands and we enjoy dinners in and cooking for others - BBQ at others houses that sort of things - and that can help.

If the firm is offering stuff like free housing, food per diems etc that changes things. I came over on a 15K relocation and others had 20K or even 25K at my bank - that sort of thing obviously helps. I'd push for 2 months of corporate housing if you can - getting settled takes some time, you won't have a credit history at first (I remember being turned down for a blackberry 2 year contract with a total cost of something like 1700$ because I had no credit yet - I offered to prepay the entire contract and was still declined ) which can be frustrating.

It is a great place though, great people, nice weather, relaxed and most people leave work at 5 pm even in a white collar area like banking - 90% of the people I work with wouldnt last a day in New York or London given their work ethics, but once you get used to downshifting and working less and enjoying life more, you will really enjoy it. Just don't assume you are on 'big money' here because I know guys on 250K here even that were on 150K in New York and felt 'better off' their financially (not however in overall quality of life)

Good luck!

big_matt

^Good post.

btw am I the only person who doesn't rate the bay beaches in Melbourne? I loved the fact (coming from the UK) that the beaches were near the middle of the city and that you could therefore access them easily, but the beaches themselves didn't seem that good.

Love some of the back beaches if you travel further out than the bay though.

OzTennis

Brighton and Williamstown beaches. Don't like sand hundreds of feet wide?







BTW cold days at both around 20 degrees so not many about!

big_matt

I do, and I've spent plenty time on both those beaches, but even in the UK I've been to many much better ones (obviously without the heat). There are several near my mums in the highlands, for example, that are pure white sand and beautiful water (and people do swim/surf/windsurf etc).

Like I said, those aren't in cities and that's what I like about the Melbourne bay beaches - that you can be on a real beach within a city. But I just don't rate the beaches themselves that highly. The sand feels really gravel-y to me and I miss seeing waves in the sea.

Don't get me wrong, I used to go down to the beaches all the time when I was in Melb. It's just that I don't seem to be as impressed with them as everyone else on here.

Maybe it's because the other half of my Oz life was spent in Queensland and going to places like Lennox Head on the weekend.

sr71

I don't, as you say there are much nicer beaches around, even the UK. I preferred Brighton Beach - for me it's the ocean that makes the difference - the bay seems a bit grubby and not attractive. Certainly anyone who has lived any period of time on the Pacific Coast for example would be very unimpressed with Melbourne's beaches.

RedDragon2008

Considering the toxic stuff flowing down the yarra and outlets into the bay area I would rather enjoy the GOR.

Happy seeing shits playing in the stuff though

mouthful of sea spray.... oh yeah it aint duff

BadgeIsBack

Some interesting comments on what it means to have a beach, be on a beach..

I think a beach is a beach -having said that, some of the things I look at are - it is a, out of the book, pristine tropical beach, or is it a dirtier beach near a city - like in Melbourne or Sydney.

I think Melbourne's beaches are nice when you consider that in general, people popularly don't associate Melbourne with beaches. They have a honest quality to them - and in fact, anything come in stronger than you might give them credit for.

It's funny how it depends on what people say - there are people who say they work far longer hours here.

I agree that on the whole people leave at 5pm - but they will put hours in for project work. Even in London and Central Europe in IT Banking people still left at 5ish.

RedDragon2008

Comments fr the original poster would be nice after everyone's input

OzTennis

Agreed but you know how these threads sometimes go. Someone poses some serious questions and then people come in with the price of coffee and quality of beaches (I'm guilty as charged on this one) and usually it goes into how property and prices are too high etc and the OP can't be bothered coming back.

Nomad81

Hi guys,

Sorry for not coming back here earlier. I've been on holiday since posting the question.

The missus has agreed to temporarily move to Oz after some wining and dining once I got back from Oz. However, she's in a "You've pestered me so much about it that I give up" mentality at the moment. Having said that, I'm convinced that she will love it in Melbourne once we get there (fingers crossed I'm still in tune with her likes and dislikes).

Re Melbourne being expensive, I've got a pretty good package on the table. The company will pay for housing all the way through, so that takes a big load off my shoulders. I probably won't be able to buy a car over there, but commuting daily to the CBD during the week and hiring a car for the weekends shouldn't be a problem. There are a few other allowances on top of my regular income that will mean we should be fine as long as eating out and going out is kept at a reasonable level.

Overall, I have to admit I'm being a bit selfish with this, relying on the expectation that she will eventually change her mind about Melbourne and Oz. Hopefully I'll be back with good reports next time around.

Btw, I don't work for the red and yellow pectin, although sometimes I wish I were.

quoll

Perhaps she might feel better if she can take a career break from her job rather than quitting full stop. What will you do if she doesn't love Melbourne? Will you move on or is she going to be consigned to a life there whether she likes it or not?

rld1177

If you know her well, your 'gut' feeling is probably right re how she will react. I was in a similar position, taking a highly paid job here (or so I thought, prior to cost of living hits ) and having a certain image in my mind of what Melbourne would be like when I arrived. (She joined a few weeks later). Don't underestimate where you live either - my partner was form a big city, and lived in one her whole life and had never done 'the burbs' - this is one reason I picked a nice high floor two bedroom in the CBD vs a somewhere 30 minutes out with a garden and lots of people with kids in starter houses running around. For me, I would have been happy with that sort of thing, but for her I figured it was a bridge too far. The first few months the only positive I got about here was living in the CBD. Over time of course your partner (and you) will meet a ton of new people and it will get easier. If she is quitting I'd also suggest no pressure on working - my partner still doesn't actually, she is finally looking but I encouraged her to come here given the pay was so much better we could easily live on one income - not quite as easy as I thought due to the crazy prices here, but not too bad either.

Good luck with it, moving isn't easy and if one person is not seeing things with a glass half full attitude, it isn't easy....

Still Game

So your mind is made up basically, it was just a case of convincing the hugs and kisses.

I think you should go for it, if the ladywife is reasonably happy and has agreed. Look at it as a two year experience in a foreign yet English speaking country.

Will there be an opportunity to return to Netherlands once you finish your two year role? How long had you foreseen yourselves living in the Netherlands anyway? Are you both settled enough to want to live there forever or were you thinking a next move was on the cards anyway?

Your username suggests that you're happy with moving about! ;-) It sounds like you're ready for the next move from your role and if you're honest, probably looking for a bit of adventure. (I completely understand this feeling)

I personally think life is for grabbing hold of and taking opportunities that arise if it is not detrimental. I have done this myself and had great (and I'll admit not so great) experiences around the globe. Met many friends from different backgrounds and seen parts of the world (on company coffers) that I may have not experienced myself.

So yes, I say 'yay' go for it, what exactly have you got to lose?

Do take your wife's feelings into account however, and of course you would/have done so already. Research as much as you can before heading off. Ask questions on this hugely valuable website. Know that it's not going to be all sweetness and light. Can you ask the company for a paid holiday once or twice back to the Netherlands as part of the deal?

FloralJane

Hello- I don't know how to start a thread(!) so am jumping on this one, hoping it's still active! I've posted before and had excellent advice from people on here re moving to inner melbourne with kids (4 and 6).
I'm intersted in inner suburbs incl. yarraville, footscray, coburg and clifton hill- tho think the latter expensive.
but end of day i suppose it comes down to high schools (i know my kids are young, but..) so my question is- what are they like? esp say in coburg, also like sound of fitzroy high- it's state schools that i'm interested in. also when is oldest child in class birthday- does the year for them begin early feb therefore january birthday kids the youngest? i ask cos son has august birthday and is a little fella to start with (youngest in his class in uk) so i like the idea he won't be the youngest in aus school. conversely daughter birthday nov 30th so would she be among youngest in year? a move to melbourne doesn't hinge on this but i am curious!