British Expats - Northern Ireland to Brisbane (18mth in Oz)

0 - 18month Timeline

30-Aug 2010 : resign from work in NI!

08-Sep : Found 1st rental in Springfield lakes

Sept : Bought Getz scootabout

Sept : Tegan started Kinde

Oct : Paul got a contract job - but I continued to look I had a spreedsheet of 80+ applications. A little soul destroying, and the couple I got interviews for, I got pipped at the post.
I think thsi job was very lucky, my experience matched and the boss was from yorkshire, where I had lived for 5 years. So we hit it off at the interview.

Nov : Nicola got a permanent job, after looking for 2 weeks and applying for 3.

Dec - Feb 2011 : Xmas & NY - events back home were hard to deal with. Mum dropped down ill suddenly and slipped into a coma. Family were called to her bedside many times as they didn't think she would make it through and mum had many very long emergency operations. Eventually pulled out of coma in Feb and now the long trip to recovery. We spoke often about this type of event and my mum always said don't waste time & money rushing home - what can you do? she said. Well I didn't go home just kept on skype and phones constantly. It was torture, but I also knew I couldn't leave the family in OZ and if we all went home, all money would be gone and the dream over. By a miracle mum is much better, very mobile, etc, but has slight brain damage, which leaves her frustrated. So very very hard to deal with from afar.

Feb : Secured new acreage rental in Spring Mountain. Now we back onto a forest and kangeroos live in the garden, and still only 22min from work.

Feb : Paul gets 50' TV :-)

Mar : Nicola got promotion to management position (and back paid to day 1!)

Mar : Baby2 confirmed on the way

April : We Really hit the wall - thoughts all over the place.

April : Paul got permanent job at the place were I had been contracting and bought a new Great Wall X240 4x4

May - July : started to slip into a normal routine

Aug : Tegan is 4 and how much has she changed in a year

Aug : Had tenant and agent problems back in the UK - this has been painful to manage.

Sept2011 A year in OZ, so much has happened and so much to be thankful for - we have had more free holiday fun times in the sun, than we would packed in a normal 8yrs!

We met new friends and missed our old ones. But we have dug in.

So what else have we been doing in the 1st year: -
days
28 Brisbane Holiday Village - the start of the adventure
1 The Spit, Surfers Beach & BBQ
1 Bribie Island Beach & BBQ day
8 Lone Pine Kola Saunctuary day visit (followed by annual membership - been 7x now at least)
1 Big Wheel Brisbane
1 South Bank Museum
1 South Bank Xmas markets
4 Carrera market (x4)
1 Mount Tambourine Village and mountain walks
1 Mount Tambourine Village Markets & Bearded Dragon pub
1 Burliegh Head Surfers - beach & bbq day
10 Rockee Fruit n Veg markets (x lots!)
1 Rocklee Sunday craft markets
1 Australia Zoo
1 Montiville mountain village
1 Big Pineapple (Nambour)
3 Dicky beach weekender
1 Glass House Mountains
1 Wet n Wild World
3 Dreamland & Wiggles World x 3
1 Alma Park Zoo
5 Atkinson Dam camping (x2)
1 Wivenhoven Dam picnic
3 MT Cootha lookout x3 & picnic
2 Mt Cootha Gardens (x2)
1 Mt Cootha Observatory and kids show
1 Springfield Lakes Winter family sports day
1 Robina Park Grand opening party
1 Daisy Hill Koala saunctary and mountain walks
2 Springfield lakes mountain biking
1 Springfield Central Water Park
1 Noosa Heads
1 Ginger factory
1 Hope Island Beach & bbq
7 Melbourne (business x5)
1 White Rock Mountain reserve walk
1 Redcliffe markets and beach
1 Ekka at Springfield
1 South bank Markets & beach reopening
1 Suncorp - Wallabys Vs All Backs
and LOADS of BBQs, and daytrips . .:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Excluding the misc fun times, as a rough calculation that's 102 days of fun in 365days . .not a bad ratio for year 1.

Nov 2011 - we had to move rentals again as the landlord wanted back in. So we done this 2 weeks before bub arrived!

Nov 2011 - our son arrives and no dramas. The inlaws arrived at the airport just as he was born and supported us for a month. Xmas was great.

Mar 2012 - As much as we appreciate the opportunity we have had and how well it has worked out. We have had to be dedicated. We still don't feel at all settled and probably think Brissie is not for us.

I've been to melbourne 5 times for business and there are many things I like about it, but I couldn't justify moving there.

I am looking at a job transfer to Perth in the coming months and we will see how that maybe pans out.
I do love a lot about living here, but I am also ok if we eventually decide in a few years to head back to Northern Ireland to our home. Its been and continues to be a blast in OZ!

I do have to say a Big thanks to all our friends elsewhere in the world, you have been super support and we miss you all so so much.

And also a big thanks to the great friends for life we have made in Ozzy land.

Paul