Originally Posted by Bix

Luverly post J. Hope it continues good for you and D

And during that first year you also found time to support me during the PR quest and I shall never forget that. Thanks and thanks again.

Originally Posted by Phoenixuk2oz

Well..... we hit our one year mark in Aus yesterday and I thought I'd give some feedback to all you lovely peeps as this site has been a god-send to us.

I also want to say "Thanks" to everyone on here who has given me & my family some fantastic info, fantastic feedback, many a laugh.....oh.... and a few bollockings on the way

B4 I start, I want to say this is MY anniversary...and MY perceptions of Aus. As much as I appreciate and accept YOUR views, please appreciate these are MINE.

OK...where do I start

We landed in Aus on the 12th of July last year, full of hope but not much luck.

Two weeks before we were due to leave UK my mum found out she needed an op for cancer so she couldn't come out for our initial 3 months as planned.

Then my eldest son decided he was staying in UK so we had to sort out a new flat, re-decorate, carpet and fill it with stuff.....

And then........ to cap it all on the last day of the packers....my dog dislocated her hip and needed 8 weeks solid bed rest.

Ever tried that with a Springer!

So with no home....not much luck...... and heavy hearts..... we landed in Australia for the first time in our lives. Hubby 46....me 42....son 16.

We had done lots of research, from climatic differences in various places in Aus to house prices, jobs, lifestyle...blah...blah...and we finally decided laid back, red neck Brissy was for us.

First thing we noticed was the weather. It was the midst of winter and the Aussies were wearing fur Ugg boots and coats whilst us Poms wore T-Shirts, shorts.......... and factor 100 <rolleyes>...lol

We had read a lot on Expats about not being able to buy good quality stuff in Aus so we bought all new in UK and were having it shipped over. Big mistake. We found we could buy EVERYTHING here that we could get in UK AND it cost in dollars what we spent in pounds so we would have bought it cheaper here had we known. The only thing we found comparatively expensive was second hand cars. They seemed more expensive here than in UK.

Finding jobs was a mixed bag of worms. Hubby found something almost straight away, although he found most unskilled jobs were temporary contract so no holiday pay, no sick pay etc and it's not unusual to work years on this type of contract, hence low unemployment in Aus. I on the other hand found it difficult to get back in to my old line of work [Logistics]. Although I didn't expect to start at the level I left in UK, I thought having come here highly skilled, I figured they must need what it was I had to offer. Wrong. A female in a male working environment is as welcome as a bacon butty at a bamitzvah

Anyways, we eventually accepted not everything is going to be rosy, so we got the best jobs we could... and got on with it.

One year down the line we have both found our feet. Hubby still at same place, still temp....still no holiday/sick pay.....and I'm now working in a different type of role [projects]...and although crap job.....it's excellent salary. Motto is don't expect UK culture, don't expect UK salaries, don't expect same job...but embrace the difference and go with the flow.

On the house front; we managed to find somewhere to rent and within 6 months bought a house once we'd sussed out where we wanted to live. We found friends, some from this site, some people who moved here 20+ years ago, some Aussies, kiwis etc and the great thing is everyone mucks in. Doesn't matter who you are, what kind of house you live in or what kind of car you drive. No one gives a flying fart if you have the latest gadget either, actually, that's not strictly true. These people exist, but here it's not as prevalent or as noticeable as UK.

We found the biggest life change for us is that although we work as hard as UK, and crime still exists here, and although bills are proportionately on a par to UK....we feel safer, we feel richer, we feel free-er and happier than we did in UK.

And before anyone insults our intelligence, it's not that we have "rose tinted glasses" on. We're not stupid. We see there is good and bad wherever in the world you live. However for us Aus has been a liberating experience with it's wide open roads and shopping malls and animals and birds and diverse scenery that even now, one year later, these things still take our breath away.

The one thing that never leaves your stomach is the feeling of missing your close family and friends. But then I guess we took the view we knew when we left what it would feel like and we did our "grieving" before we left UK. We have our moments .....but then you just get on with it.

Tomorrow's another day

So.... for us Aus has been what we hoped for. But then we've worked hard at appreciating the good bits rather than dwelling on the not so good. We expected Aus not to be anything like UK. We were right. It's not. And for all it's differences.... we've embraced it .....and got over the hurdles one by one. This has somehow helped us to find contentment.

Who knows what the future will hold? If I was that good I'd do the sodding lottery

Aus is not utopia. There's crime, graffiti, hoons and as many faults here as anywhere else. All I can say is that the Aussie people and their country have as many faults as anywhere, but a nicer bunch of people or a nicer place, you couldn't wish for. We for one....have made the right choice!

Good luck to all of you people waiting ....and many years of happiness for those here and enjoying it. And not to forget those who are unhappy in Aus. It's not everyone's cup-o-tea....and I hope you find your happiness wherever that may be. Good luck all

Originally Posted by Larissa

Great post Phoenix, glad to hear you are enjoying life in Brissy, I'm sure a good sense of humour must have helped no end with the migration process.
Take care
Larissa
PS Not allowed to give you any karma, I have to spread it around first

Originally Posted by tiredwithtwins

how long have you been out there larissa?


...so many people to keep up with!!!


sue x

Originally Posted by Phoenixuk2oz

BTW: Good luck Wayne. Not long now!! [even my brother recently asked about you :-)Fame at last eh!!!]

Originally Posted by wmoore

Cheers!!

I'll be signing autographs in the Pig and Whistle, Queen St next Sunday. Bring your own paper and pens

Originally Posted by Phoenixuk2oz

Well..... we hit our one year mark in Aus yesterday and I thought I'd give some feedback to all you lovely peeps as this site has been a god-send to us.
Good luck to all of you people waiting ....and many years of happiness for those here and enjoying it. And not to forget those who are unhappy in Aus. It's not everyone's cup-o-tea....and I hope you find your happiness wherever that may be. Good luck all

Originally Posted by Phoenixuk2oz

Well..... we hit our one year mark in Aus yesterday and I thought I'd give some feedback to all you lovely peeps as this site has been a god-send to us.

I also want to say "Thanks" to everyone on here who has given me & my family some fantastic info, fantastic feedback, many a laugh.....oh.... and a few bollockings on the way

B4 I start, I want to say this is MY anniversary...and MY perceptions of Aus. As much as I appreciate and accept YOUR views, please appreciate these are MINE.

OK...where do I start

We landed in Aus on the 12th of July last year, full of hope but not much luck.

Two weeks before we were due to leave UK my mum found out she needed an op for cancer so she couldn't come out for our initial 3 months as planned.

Then my eldest son decided he was staying in UK so we had to sort out a new flat, re-decorate, carpet and fill it with stuff.....

And then........ to cap it all on the last day of the packers....my dog dislocated her hip and needed 8 weeks solid bed rest.

Ever tried that with a Springer!

So with no home....not much luck...... and heavy hearts..... we landed in Australia for the first time in our lives. Hubby 46....me 42....son 16.

We had done lots of research, from climatic differences in various places in Aus to house prices, jobs, lifestyle...blah...blah...and we finally decided laid back, red neck Brissy was for us.

First thing we noticed was the weather. It was the midst of winter and the Aussies were wearing fur Ugg boots and coats whilst us Poms wore T-Shirts, shorts.......... and factor 100 <rolleyes>...lol

We had read a lot on Expats about not being able to buy good quality stuff in Aus so we bought all new in UK and were having it shipped over. Big mistake. We found we could buy EVERYTHING here that we could get in UK AND it cost in dollars what we spent in pounds so we would have bought it cheaper here had we known. The only thing we found comparatively expensive was second hand cars. They seemed more expensive here than in UK.

Finding jobs was a mixed bag of worms. Hubby found something almost straight away, although he found most unskilled jobs were temporary contract so no holiday pay, no sick pay etc and it's not unusual to work years on this type of contract, hence low unemployment in Aus. I on the other hand found it difficult to get back in to my old line of work [Logistics]. Although I didn't expect to start at the level I left in UK, I thought having come here highly skilled, I figured they must need what it was I had to offer. Wrong. A female in a male working environment is as welcome as a bacon butty at a bamitzvah

Anyways, we eventually accepted not everything is going to be rosy, so we got the best jobs we could... and got on with it.

One year down the line we have both found our feet. Hubby still at same place, still temp....still no holiday/sick pay.....and I'm now working in a different type of role [projects]...and although crap job.....it's excellent salary. Motto is don't expect UK culture, don't expect UK salaries, don't expect same job...but embrace the difference and go with the flow.

On the house front; we managed to find somewhere to rent and within 6 months bought a house once we'd sussed out where we wanted to live. We found friends, some from this site, some people who moved here 20+ years ago, some Aussies, kiwis etc and the great thing is everyone mucks in. Doesn't matter who you are, what kind of house you live in or what kind of car you drive. No one gives a flying fart if you have the latest gadget either, actually, that's not strictly true. These people exist, but here it's not as prevalent or as noticeable as UK.

We found the biggest life change for us is that although we work as hard as UK, and crime still exists here, and although bills are proportionately on a par to UK....we feel safer, we feel richer, we feel free-er and happier than we did in UK.

And before anyone insults our intelligence, it's not that we have "rose tinted glasses" on. We're not stupid. We see there is good and bad wherever in the world you live. However for us Aus has been a liberating experience with it's wide open roads and shopping malls and animals and birds and diverse scenery that even now, one year later, these things still take our breath away.

The one thing that never leaves your stomach is the feeling of missing your close family and friends. But then I guess we took the view we knew when we left what it would feel like and we did our "grieving" before we left UK. We have our moments .....but then you just get on with it.

Tomorrow's another day

So.... for us Aus has been what we hoped for. But then we've worked hard at appreciating the good bits rather than dwelling on the not so good. We expected Aus not to be anything like UK. We were right. It's not. And for all it's differences.... we've embraced it .....and got over the hurdles one by one. This has somehow helped us to find contentment.

Who knows what the future will hold? If I was that good I'd do the sodding lottery

Aus is not utopia. There's crime, graffiti, hoons and as many faults here as anywhere else. All I can say is that the Aussie people and their country have as many faults as anywhere, but a nicer bunch of people or a nicer place, you couldn't wish for. We for one....have made the right choice!

Good luck to all of you people waiting ....and many years of happiness for those here and enjoying it. And not to forget those who are unhappy in Aus. It's not everyone's cup-o-tea....and I hope you find your happiness wherever that may be. Good luck all