Nikki

Hi Frances

The lifestyle forum is under the heading for The Barbie, updates etc... however, the thread I was talking about is her (hope link works!!):

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=420820

I am not working yet as children are still on school hols and I have nobody to mind them, I am also from an admin background, so I will also be looking in that field.

Nikki

frances

Hi again Nicky thanks for that, How old are your children? Rebecca is 13 and Stephen 17 today, Rebecca goes back to school on the 30th and Stephen is starting Tafe hopefully next week Frances

m100

Hi Frances

How is your son settling in? my daughter is 16 and really missing her mates back in the UK?:



m100

Nikki

Hi

I have 2 boys aged 12 and 8 and my daughter is 6. They have all done well settling, however, my eldest used to spend alot of time with his friends in the UK and since we have been here he has only been out socially twice! He says he is making friends at school and he is happy. It is still early days.

I think they need to get back to school now, I am hoping it will help that they are starting a new school year with all the other students, rather than coming in part way through like last year.

How about your kids? How are they.

Nikki

frances

Hi,

Rebecca went to school lst year for 3 weeks and she is back on the 30th going into year 8 what year is your eldest going into? she will be 14 in August and stephen is enrolling at Tafe on Monday hopefully he will settle and make new friends it is hard for him being that age he is 17, he says he wants to go back to England bu I am hoping once he starts Tafe he will settle we will have to see. Rebecca has made a few friends and says she likes school so I hope that carries on into next year when she starts her new year Frances

Nikki

Hi

Daniel my eldest is 13 in July, he is also going into year 8. I really hope your son enjoys Tafe, it must be an awful age to make such a big move. Where abouts in the UK are you from? Did you notice there is a meet up in the Central Coast?

Nikki

frances

Hi Nikki,

No I didn't notice the meet on he Central Coast where is that and when I will have a look. I will let you know how Stephen gets on at Tafe, we are from Chelmsford in Essex Frances

Nikki

Hi Frances

I think the meet is at Terrigal (sp?), will be away after today for the long weekend, so will not be online. Enjoy your first Australia Day!

Nikki

frances

And you enjoy the day aswell take care Frances

shazlee

hi, i am the one Nikki said needed information on the central coast. can you please help. i need to know what it is really like there? some of the people on here havent had many nice things to say, we are looking to buy a house somewhere like woongarrah, hamlyn terrace, etc, these types of areas look good on the web, but where do you live and what do you think,. i also need to know about schools, years 7 and years 2. for my boys, my hubbie is a brickie and have been told there is not much work in that area. your reply would be gratefully received. xx

frances

Hi,

To be honest it is lovely on the Central Coast Lovely beaches etc and we were going to Perth originally, we came here as someone I used to work with 8 years ago said we could stay with them for a few weeks and we brought our dog with us, she wasn't able to go into Perth Quaranrtine as they didnt have the space, so she had to come to Sydney ,so I had all the intentions of visiting her ff we came here first, well in the end we didn't go and visit her as I thought it would be best not to disrupt the dog ,and the person we were staying with well that turned into a nightmare, not a good idea to stay with someone you don't know that well. Anyway after all that waffling my husband is a vehicle sprayer and he has had 3 jobs in 4 months they do tend to mess you about a bit, and he more or less had a job lined up in Perth but even there it was not Guaranteed and everyone says Perth is very Isolated and hotter than here, but the beaches are supposed to be lovely. Here for a Brickie on the coast No there isnt a lot of work all the work is propbably in Sydney so I think if you are going to come here and you lived on the Central coast he would have to travel it is about 30 - 45 minuted in the car or you can go by train, myhusband started working in Sydney and had to leave about 5 in the morning which a lot of them do and they leave earlier in the day, it is like working on the coast in England really there is never much work, the Boom for Building was probably when the Olympics were on but having said that there is always plenty of houses being built, but plenty of building going on in Perth, where do you live at the moment and have you gotfamily? and when do you actually come to Australia, we had never been before so a big change for us, we come from Chelmsford in Essex We have two children Rebecca 13 she has started a Catholic school, and has just gone into year 8 and has settled really well the Catholic schools are Private here and you have to pay for the education and books about Three Thousand Dollar a Year plus cost of books which you can usually pick up second hand the school is a good schol and there is also a boys school which is much bigger, (typical it's a mans world) but supposed to be a very good school aswell My son Stephen 17 has just started Tafe doigf Real Estate, Rebecca has settled really well and just goes with the flow, Stephen has found it harder because he really misses his friends but is starting to make a few here and is going to be doing his Driving soon, I have just bought a little run a round as I have been using the buses a lot up till now and they are not great, we live iGreenpoint which is nice and near to the main shopping centre, I have just joined a gym yesterday wich is opening soon and looks good so that is probably a good place to meet people aswell, let me know how you get on and I will be happy to help you out, do you work? take care Frances

shazlee

hi frances, thanks for your reply. my family are in north sydney and my mum is going to move to central coast so we can be near she is currently in ramsgate. we could not afford to love in terrey hills or nearby my younger brother so central coast seemed so much more affordable. of course we will go where the work is as long as its within a drive from the family. i havent worked for years, i have been a secretary and worked in car sales admin. but i like being a home body. (lazy i know), i get the feeling i will be working out there and dont really mind what i do as long as the people i share my day with are nice. my mum says to just wait and see what happens when we get there, but i like to be a little prepared. my husband doesnt mind changing his occupation but as he has applied for the visa as a bricklayer i suppose he has to stick to that for a certain period of time. anyway will think on, again thanks for the reply. xx sharon

frances

Hi Sharon,

Please let me know how you get on, I used to go to school in Ramsgate and lived in Broadstsirs in a place called St. Peters. I also work in Admin but can't seem to find work easily here on the Coast, so I am working for the time being in a Nursing home on a casual basis in the Laundty, Cleaning etc it is not great but will have to do for now, Take care Frances

Niccizoy

Hi France, we are from Braintree!

ware01uk

Ipom,

I see that you live in the Blue Mountains- this is where my hubby and I and 2 kids (2.5 years and 5 months) are thinking of relocating to. On BBC wanted down under it showed a couple looking in and around Sydney and they were making a big deal out of the flies, is this really a problem and is it a problem all year round. Would be grateful for your advice.