Arrived a week ago in Darwin
Sep 26th 2010, 3:31 am
#61
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Joined: Apr 2006
Location: Ballarat
Posts: 7,005
Re: Arrived a week ago in Darwin
Just another little update.
Ive been out of action for the past week due to being ill and have experienced public casualty at its best and worst.
Last Friday i became ill with what was thought a stroke, had a pain in my chest , pins and needles in my right arm and jaw ache. After speaking with health direct i was rushed to casualty, i was taken straight to a cubicle and seen by a team who hooked me up to a heart moniter gave me pain relief for my thumping headache. I had an ECG, CT scan, Xray and a lumber puncture and various blood tests, i was monitored from 3pm Friday and released me on Saturday 1pm, they could not find anything wrong despite looking very pale having a low blood count and a Bp in my boots. I went home and slept from 8pm till 9am on the Sunday, i was barely able to lift my head, but i had to struggle to look after my 3 boys as my OH had to go on duty. I had obviously been released to soon as at lunch time i collapsed. I got out of bed as my boys were arguing and i never go out of the bedroom door, next thing i knew i was surrounded by men assisting back to bed. I found out later my eldest when i fainted ran round to his freinds parents house, her dad and his mates (having a barbie) rushed round to my aid, another freind took me straight to casualty as my pulse was very weak and i was drifting in and out of alertness. This time in casualty i was left in the a waiting room after being seen by a triage nurse after being quickly assessed. I fell asleep on the wheel chair, eventually i was taken to a cubicle in casualty and seen by another dr, who once again hooked me up to machines, and a drip this time . After an hour i was admitted to a rapid admissisions planning unit, where my lying and standing BP was taken and i was given regular pain relief.
In general the care i recieved was good as a public patient, the medical staff still dont know what caused me to be ill but it has taken a full week of bed rest at home to feel well again. I had constant headaches which have only just eased. I have a follow up appointment on Thursday where i will be seen by the medical dr in a clinic by this time i should have all my blood results back and may have a better idea as to what made me so ill.
I saw first hand the problems the staff deal with in casualty during the night with the drugged up locals of Darwin, not just the aborginals i hasten to add but teenagers or young adults. Although i had private health insurance i cant use it yet as ive not had it long enough but i was not treat like a second hand citizen for using public health services.
My husband reckons the increase in humidity in Darwin cant have helped my recovery and will be pleased when he gets moved to a cooler climate.
Saying that as ive found not having family has made us realise the importance of freinds in emergencies and our freinds certainly stepped up and helped us out big style.
Any way thats enough burbling from me now, as i need to rest with a drink
Mandy
Ive been out of action for the past week due to being ill and have experienced public casualty at its best and worst.
Last Friday i became ill with what was thought a stroke, had a pain in my chest , pins and needles in my right arm and jaw ache. After speaking with health direct i was rushed to casualty, i was taken straight to a cubicle and seen by a team who hooked me up to a heart moniter gave me pain relief for my thumping headache. I had an ECG, CT scan, Xray and a lumber puncture and various blood tests, i was monitored from 3pm Friday and released me on Saturday 1pm, they could not find anything wrong despite looking very pale having a low blood count and a Bp in my boots. I went home and slept from 8pm till 9am on the Sunday, i was barely able to lift my head, but i had to struggle to look after my 3 boys as my OH had to go on duty. I had obviously been released to soon as at lunch time i collapsed. I got out of bed as my boys were arguing and i never go out of the bedroom door, next thing i knew i was surrounded by men assisting back to bed. I found out later my eldest when i fainted ran round to his freinds parents house, her dad and his mates (having a barbie) rushed round to my aid, another freind took me straight to casualty as my pulse was very weak and i was drifting in and out of alertness. This time in casualty i was left in the a waiting room after being seen by a triage nurse after being quickly assessed. I fell asleep on the wheel chair, eventually i was taken to a cubicle in casualty and seen by another dr, who once again hooked me up to machines, and a drip this time . After an hour i was admitted to a rapid admissisions planning unit, where my lying and standing BP was taken and i was given regular pain relief.
In general the care i recieved was good as a public patient, the medical staff still dont know what caused me to be ill but it has taken a full week of bed rest at home to feel well again. I had constant headaches which have only just eased. I have a follow up appointment on Thursday where i will be seen by the medical dr in a clinic by this time i should have all my blood results back and may have a better idea as to what made me so ill.
I saw first hand the problems the staff deal with in casualty during the night with the drugged up locals of Darwin, not just the aborginals i hasten to add but teenagers or young adults. Although i had private health insurance i cant use it yet as ive not had it long enough but i was not treat like a second hand citizen for using public health services.
My husband reckons the increase in humidity in Darwin cant have helped my recovery and will be pleased when he gets moved to a cooler climate.
Saying that as ive found not having family has made us realise the importance of freinds in emergencies and our freinds certainly stepped up and helped us out big style.
Any way thats enough burbling from me now, as i need to rest with a drink
Mandy
Sep 26th 2010, 7:16 am
#62
Just Joined
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 12
Re: Arrived a week ago in Darwin
hi mandy
thanks your reply. hope your feeling much better. we too will be having our rent paid by my husbands company so thats not an issue! ive had a look and seem to be liking nightcliffe and cullen bay weve been told by the company we can have a house with a pool so that should help with the heat!! where is it that u live? it seems ages until we'll be moving out there but i think it'll approach fast and ferious! im lucky as my mum is gonna come out to us 6 months a year split into two 3 month blocks dont think i could be doing the move without her!!
whats the people like there? ive heard there's a wide range of cultures and not meaning to be horrible its sort of whats putting me off the move! i really wanted us to be based in brisbane or perth as i know much more brits move there, think it would feel more like home!! fortunatly my husbands company have said within time we may be able to move although by then we may have settled nicely in darwin who knows!!
thanks again for your advise, keep in touch
rachel x
thanks your reply. hope your feeling much better. we too will be having our rent paid by my husbands company so thats not an issue! ive had a look and seem to be liking nightcliffe and cullen bay weve been told by the company we can have a house with a pool so that should help with the heat!! where is it that u live? it seems ages until we'll be moving out there but i think it'll approach fast and ferious! im lucky as my mum is gonna come out to us 6 months a year split into two 3 month blocks dont think i could be doing the move without her!!
whats the people like there? ive heard there's a wide range of cultures and not meaning to be horrible its sort of whats putting me off the move! i really wanted us to be based in brisbane or perth as i know much more brits move there, think it would feel more like home!! fortunatly my husbands company have said within time we may be able to move although by then we may have settled nicely in darwin who knows!!
thanks again for your advise, keep in touch
rachel x
Sep 26th 2010, 9:32 am
#63
Account Closed
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 531
Re: Arrived a week ago in Darwin
Just another little update.
Ive been out of action for the past week due to being ill and have experienced public casualty at its best and worst.
Last Friday i became ill with what was thought a stroke, had a pain in my chest , pins and needles in my right arm and jaw ache. After speaking with health direct i was rushed to casualty, i was taken straight to a cubicle and seen by a team who hooked me up to a heart moniter gave me pain relief for my thumping headache. I had an ECG, CT scan, Xray and a lumber puncture and various blood tests, i was monitored from 3pm Friday and released me on Saturday 1pm, they could not find anything wrong despite looking very pale having a low blood count and a Bp in my boots. I went home and slept from 8pm till 9am on the Sunday, i was barely able to lift my head, but i had to struggle to look after my 3 boys as my OH had to go on duty. I had obviously been released to soon as at lunch time i collapsed. I got out of bed as my boys were arguing and i never go out of the bedroom door, next thing i knew i was surrounded by men assisting back to bed. I found out later my eldest when i fainted ran round to his freinds parents house, her dad and his mates (having a barbie) rushed round to my aid, another freind took me straight to casualty as my pulse was very weak and i was drifting in and out of alertness. This time in casualty i was left in the a waiting room after being seen by a triage nurse after being quickly assessed. I fell asleep on the wheel chair, eventually i was taken to a cubicle in casualty and seen by another dr, who once again hooked me up to machines, and a drip this time . After an hour i was admitted to a rapid admissisions planning unit, where my lying and standing BP was taken and i was given regular pain relief.
In general the care i recieved was good as a public patient, the medical staff still dont know what caused me to be ill but it has taken a full week of bed rest at home to feel well again. I had constant headaches which have only just eased. I have a follow up appointment on Thursday where i will be seen by the medical dr in a clinic by this time i should have all my blood results back and may have a better idea as to what made me so ill.
I saw first hand the problems the staff deal with in casualty during the night with the drugged up locals of Darwin, not just the aborginals i hasten to add but teenagers or young adults. Although i had private health insurance i cant use it yet as ive not had it long enough but i was not treat like a second hand citizen for using public health services.
My husband reckons the increase in humidity in Darwin cant have helped my recovery and will be pleased when he gets moved to a cooler climate.
Saying that as ive found not having family has made us realise the importance of freinds in emergencies and our freinds certainly stepped up and helped us out big style.
Any way thats enough burbling from me now, as i need to rest with a drink
Mandy
Ive been out of action for the past week due to being ill and have experienced public casualty at its best and worst.
Last Friday i became ill with what was thought a stroke, had a pain in my chest , pins and needles in my right arm and jaw ache. After speaking with health direct i was rushed to casualty, i was taken straight to a cubicle and seen by a team who hooked me up to a heart moniter gave me pain relief for my thumping headache. I had an ECG, CT scan, Xray and a lumber puncture and various blood tests, i was monitored from 3pm Friday and released me on Saturday 1pm, they could not find anything wrong despite looking very pale having a low blood count and a Bp in my boots. I went home and slept from 8pm till 9am on the Sunday, i was barely able to lift my head, but i had to struggle to look after my 3 boys as my OH had to go on duty. I had obviously been released to soon as at lunch time i collapsed. I got out of bed as my boys were arguing and i never go out of the bedroom door, next thing i knew i was surrounded by men assisting back to bed. I found out later my eldest when i fainted ran round to his freinds parents house, her dad and his mates (having a barbie) rushed round to my aid, another freind took me straight to casualty as my pulse was very weak and i was drifting in and out of alertness. This time in casualty i was left in the a waiting room after being seen by a triage nurse after being quickly assessed. I fell asleep on the wheel chair, eventually i was taken to a cubicle in casualty and seen by another dr, who once again hooked me up to machines, and a drip this time . After an hour i was admitted to a rapid admissisions planning unit, where my lying and standing BP was taken and i was given regular pain relief.
In general the care i recieved was good as a public patient, the medical staff still dont know what caused me to be ill but it has taken a full week of bed rest at home to feel well again. I had constant headaches which have only just eased. I have a follow up appointment on Thursday where i will be seen by the medical dr in a clinic by this time i should have all my blood results back and may have a better idea as to what made me so ill.
I saw first hand the problems the staff deal with in casualty during the night with the drugged up locals of Darwin, not just the aborginals i hasten to add but teenagers or young adults. Although i had private health insurance i cant use it yet as ive not had it long enough but i was not treat like a second hand citizen for using public health services.
My husband reckons the increase in humidity in Darwin cant have helped my recovery and will be pleased when he gets moved to a cooler climate.
Saying that as ive found not having family has made us realise the importance of freinds in emergencies and our freinds certainly stepped up and helped us out big style.
Any way thats enough burbling from me now, as i need to rest with a drink
Mandy
Sep 26th 2010, 4:24 pm
#64
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2
Re: Arrived a week ago in Darwin
Hi Mandy, I have been reading your posts as we may end up on job assignment there. For your youngest boy (who I believe is the dairy sensitive one) have you had a wheat sensitivity test done as well? There is a strong link between ADHD and wheat allergy/sensitivy and you may want to research the great improvement in symptoms when removing kids from wheat/gluten. While I am not ADHD, I was recently diagnosed with sensitivity to both, so have been doing a bunch of research on related issues.
Sep 29th 2010, 2:51 am
#65
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Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2006
Location: Ballarat
Posts: 7,005
Re: Arrived a week ago in Darwin
Hi Mandy, I have been reading your posts as we may end up on job assignment there. For your youngest boy (who I believe is the dairy sensitive one) have you had a wheat sensitivity test done as well? There is a strong link between ADHD and wheat allergy/sensitivy and you may want to research the great improvement in symptoms when removing kids from wheat/gluten. While I am not ADHD, I was recently diagnosed with sensitivity to both, so have been doing a bunch of research on related issues.
But im always reading up on new theories so alwayskeep an open mind.
Mandy
Sep 29th 2010, 1:21 pm
#66
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2
Re: Arrived a week ago in Darwin
I took a blood test to determine if I was wheat allergic or sensitive. I had to strip it all out and I still get fooled sometimes! Grilled up some chicken and had a reaction, turned out gluten was even in my bbq sauce. Gluten is hidden in so many things, it has been a real education! It also is contained in MSG which is also prevalent. Just an idea, to take him totally gluten free for a few weeks. Also, has he had his vitamin D 3 levels checked? There are certain vitamin compositions that are also helping with ADHD symptoms. I live in America and have seen the side effects from putting so many kids on drugs for ADHD and ADD that I look to natural ways to help.
Have a beautiful day!
Have a beautiful day!
Oct 1st 2010, 4:18 am
#67
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Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2006
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Re: Arrived a week ago in Darwin
Im feeling much better now and having had the kids off or a school half term i think has also helped with my recovery, no getting up at 6am . However im now read for them to be back at school.
The weather is certainly on the change, we have had a lot of heavy rain storms which my boys love, they go out on the trampoline and play in the rain, mad, but hearing their belly laughs is infectious. I just keep a pile of towels in the under cover patio area for when they have cooled down ad ready for a drink.
Last night as i was clearing up the pile of soggy towels i found 2 tree frogs in my middle sons crocs looked well sweet. i took some photos as they hopped around the patio area but they didnt come out very well. Despite the heavy rain we have been having, im still managing to get my laundry dry. Ive worked out with the slope of the roof and the position of my clothes line its a mounted pull up thingy bob, i can get 4 lines of clothes dried a the roof covers it. The 5th line is dodgy and the others do get wet lol.
Ive been told we are inthe wet season now by locals and so far its not been too traumatic, been having to use to aircon more often than before but hey ho, i would use the central heating if i was cold back in the UK.
I was disappointed that i didnt get the job i went for it was perfect for me, but that life im still applying for jobs and ive also applied for a scholarship with the oz royal college of nursing for a scholarship so that i could do a nursing degree at charles darwin uni, ive also applied for ahealh science degree as i not sure what i would enjoy more or if will get the scholarship. im covering all bases. Im also investigating doing a cross cultural workshop so i can have formal expereince of understanding aborginal issues reale to the health and welfare field.
in a few weeks time we are hosting our first barbie for our freinds who helped us so much when i was ill. My freind Sam is a veggie so im going to make sure she gets plenty of variety and not just a salad. Even bought a couple of books to help with ideas to cook up.
I cant believe its October already i shall have to start geting my xmas shopping done soon.
Mandy
The weather is certainly on the change, we have had a lot of heavy rain storms which my boys love, they go out on the trampoline and play in the rain, mad, but hearing their belly laughs is infectious. I just keep a pile of towels in the under cover patio area for when they have cooled down ad ready for a drink.
Last night as i was clearing up the pile of soggy towels i found 2 tree frogs in my middle sons crocs looked well sweet. i took some photos as they hopped around the patio area but they didnt come out very well. Despite the heavy rain we have been having, im still managing to get my laundry dry. Ive worked out with the slope of the roof and the position of my clothes line its a mounted pull up thingy bob, i can get 4 lines of clothes dried a the roof covers it. The 5th line is dodgy and the others do get wet lol.
Ive been told we are inthe wet season now by locals and so far its not been too traumatic, been having to use to aircon more often than before but hey ho, i would use the central heating if i was cold back in the UK.
I was disappointed that i didnt get the job i went for it was perfect for me, but that life im still applying for jobs and ive also applied for a scholarship with the oz royal college of nursing for a scholarship so that i could do a nursing degree at charles darwin uni, ive also applied for ahealh science degree as i not sure what i would enjoy more or if will get the scholarship. im covering all bases. Im also investigating doing a cross cultural workshop so i can have formal expereince of understanding aborginal issues reale to the health and welfare field.
in a few weeks time we are hosting our first barbie for our freinds who helped us so much when i was ill. My freind Sam is a veggie so im going to make sure she gets plenty of variety and not just a salad. Even bought a couple of books to help with ideas to cook up.
I cant believe its October already i shall have to start geting my xmas shopping done soon.
Mandy
Oct 1st 2010, 5:15 am
#68
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Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Brisbane, QLD. (Though an Ulster girl through and through!)
Posts: 6,578
Re: Arrived a week ago in Darwin
Im feeling much better now and having had the kids off or a school half term i think has also helped with my recovery, no getting up at 6am . However im now read for them to be back at school.
The weather is certainly on the change, we have had a lot of heavy rain storms which my boys love, they go out on the trampoline and play in the rain, mad, but hearing their belly laughs is infectious. I just keep a pile of towels in the under cover patio area for when they have cooled down ad ready for a drink.
Last night as i was clearing up the pile of soggy towels i found 2 tree frogs in my middle sons crocs looked well sweet. i took some photos as they hopped around the patio area but they didnt come out very well. Despite the heavy rain we have been having, im still managing to get my laundry dry. Ive worked out with the slope of the roof and the position of my clothes line its a mounted pull up thingy bob, i can get 4 lines of clothes dried a the roof covers it. The 5th line is dodgy and the others do get wet lol.
Ive been told we are inthe wet season now by locals and so far its not been too traumatic, been having to use to aircon more often than before but hey ho, i would use the central heating if i was cold back in the UK.
I was disappointed that i didnt get the job i went for it was perfect for me, but that life im still applying for jobs and ive also applied for a scholarship with the oz royal college of nursing for a scholarship so that i could do a nursing degree at charles darwin uni, ive also applied for ahealh science degree as i not sure what i would enjoy more or if will get the scholarship. im covering all bases. Im also investigating doing a cross cultural workshop so i can have formal expereince of understanding aborginal issues reale to the health and welfare field.
in a few weeks time we are hosting our first barbie for our freinds who helped us so much when i was ill. My freind Sam is a veggie so im going to make sure she gets plenty of variety and not just a salad. Even bought a couple of books to help with ideas to cook up.
I cant believe its October already i shall have to start geting my xmas shopping done soon.
Mandy
The weather is certainly on the change, we have had a lot of heavy rain storms which my boys love, they go out on the trampoline and play in the rain, mad, but hearing their belly laughs is infectious. I just keep a pile of towels in the under cover patio area for when they have cooled down ad ready for a drink.
Last night as i was clearing up the pile of soggy towels i found 2 tree frogs in my middle sons crocs looked well sweet. i took some photos as they hopped around the patio area but they didnt come out very well. Despite the heavy rain we have been having, im still managing to get my laundry dry. Ive worked out with the slope of the roof and the position of my clothes line its a mounted pull up thingy bob, i can get 4 lines of clothes dried a the roof covers it. The 5th line is dodgy and the others do get wet lol.
Ive been told we are inthe wet season now by locals and so far its not been too traumatic, been having to use to aircon more often than before but hey ho, i would use the central heating if i was cold back in the UK.
I was disappointed that i didnt get the job i went for it was perfect for me, but that life im still applying for jobs and ive also applied for a scholarship with the oz royal college of nursing for a scholarship so that i could do a nursing degree at charles darwin uni, ive also applied for ahealh science degree as i not sure what i would enjoy more or if will get the scholarship. im covering all bases. Im also investigating doing a cross cultural workshop so i can have formal expereince of understanding aborginal issues reale to the health and welfare field.
in a few weeks time we are hosting our first barbie for our freinds who helped us so much when i was ill. My freind Sam is a veggie so im going to make sure she gets plenty of variety and not just a salad. Even bought a couple of books to help with ideas to cook up.
I cant believe its October already i shall have to start geting my xmas shopping done soon.
Mandy
Oct 4th 2010, 10:21 pm
#69
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Re: Arrived a week ago in Darwin
Wow, just read through all the posts in this thread and thoroughly enjoyed it. Great to hear people's experiences, the good and the bad, and not hear any moaning! Just a family getting on with it, fantastic
Oct 5th 2010, 4:45 am
#70
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Re: Arrived a week ago in Darwin
Mandy
Oct 5th 2010, 9:58 pm
#71
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2
Re: Arrived a week ago in Darwin
Great to read through this thread....we have just accepted job offers in Darwin and waiting for the visa process to take its course now!! Only just joined this forum and started searching for info re darwin so this thread really is helpful, getting someones perspective. Some useful tips already!!
Oct 6th 2010, 2:10 am
#72
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Joined: Apr 2006
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Re: Arrived a week ago in Darwin
The kids are back to school and my middle son is currently in Batchelor on a school activity camp. He left yesterday and was so excited about the things he is going to be doing .
The bomb bursting of companies with my CV sems to be paying off, ive had some responses, and one comapny who i applied for a job with said the job i was going for was way beneath me so they are looking to see if they can create a role specifically for my skill set. However they have 45 other people who applied for the same welfare role and have said once they have a short list they will contact all candidates. So im hoping that they can create a role for me and i get an interview and a job out of it.
I am trying to be positive and not get down hearted when i apply for jobs and hear nothing.
Life is tootling along nicely, although having extra cash would be very welcome.
The one thing i have learned about emigrating to Australia is be prepared for your family to forget about you.
My parents have only phoned us up a few times to speak with the boys and that was when we first arrived. Now the only contact my sons get with my parents is when i make the effort to phone them. My OH was annoyed that they didnt even phone to see how i was after my illness got me addmitted to hospital. His parents phoned up as soon as they got the messages left on the answer phone.
My kids now think that my parents wont even bother sending them stuff for christmas and birthdays. This was something i had given some thought about before we left the UK.
Ive also found that so called best freinds forget about you too, yet those people who were more casual freinds have been the ones who keep in touch more. Very strange but never mind.
WE are just getting on with living in Darwin knowing that the perks like a free holiday and free flights are worth so much when you fancy a change of scenary and you are short on ready cash.
We are going away for both christms and New year, to a swanky resort up in Cairns with tours added, got a great deal and came under the budget that OH's employer set for the worker to use. This holiday is the kids christmas present as we cant afford much. But a change of scenary and some activities like snorkling will be great.
Some people may say we are mad for going away for our first christmas in oz. But our reasoning is that Darwin is not our forever home and all of our freinds we have made will also be away for christmas too, so it wil just be 5 of us in a house thats not our own. Being from an army family we have had christmas in our our own homes when we could and lived close to family and good freinds and had a great time. Then when we lived away from everyone we knew and had christmas in our own home was miserable as once the kids had un wrapped a few pressies and we had dinner we found it a lonley time . However over the past few years we have had christmas in centre parks ( Germany and the lakes) and had a fantastic time did our own family stuff as well as new activities and met new people.
So i think as a family christmas is best when we go somewhere different and have fun. However im looking forward to when we finally get to move to a place we choose which is closer to our aussie family, then we will have christmas in that home with our extended aussie family visiting us.
Till then we will enjoy christmas in a less than traditional way.
Life is what you make it and Darwin is certainly a place im pleased we came to live in to expereince a different side to oz. WE would not have chosen to live here but its not too bad. I just need to get a job an extra money so we can explore more of what there is up in the North.
Mandy
The bomb bursting of companies with my CV sems to be paying off, ive had some responses, and one comapny who i applied for a job with said the job i was going for was way beneath me so they are looking to see if they can create a role specifically for my skill set. However they have 45 other people who applied for the same welfare role and have said once they have a short list they will contact all candidates. So im hoping that they can create a role for me and i get an interview and a job out of it.
I am trying to be positive and not get down hearted when i apply for jobs and hear nothing.
Life is tootling along nicely, although having extra cash would be very welcome.
The one thing i have learned about emigrating to Australia is be prepared for your family to forget about you.
My parents have only phoned us up a few times to speak with the boys and that was when we first arrived. Now the only contact my sons get with my parents is when i make the effort to phone them. My OH was annoyed that they didnt even phone to see how i was after my illness got me addmitted to hospital. His parents phoned up as soon as they got the messages left on the answer phone.
My kids now think that my parents wont even bother sending them stuff for christmas and birthdays. This was something i had given some thought about before we left the UK.
Ive also found that so called best freinds forget about you too, yet those people who were more casual freinds have been the ones who keep in touch more. Very strange but never mind.
WE are just getting on with living in Darwin knowing that the perks like a free holiday and free flights are worth so much when you fancy a change of scenary and you are short on ready cash.
We are going away for both christms and New year, to a swanky resort up in Cairns with tours added, got a great deal and came under the budget that OH's employer set for the worker to use. This holiday is the kids christmas present as we cant afford much. But a change of scenary and some activities like snorkling will be great.
Some people may say we are mad for going away for our first christmas in oz. But our reasoning is that Darwin is not our forever home and all of our freinds we have made will also be away for christmas too, so it wil just be 5 of us in a house thats not our own. Being from an army family we have had christmas in our our own homes when we could and lived close to family and good freinds and had a great time. Then when we lived away from everyone we knew and had christmas in our own home was miserable as once the kids had un wrapped a few pressies and we had dinner we found it a lonley time . However over the past few years we have had christmas in centre parks ( Germany and the lakes) and had a fantastic time did our own family stuff as well as new activities and met new people.
So i think as a family christmas is best when we go somewhere different and have fun. However im looking forward to when we finally get to move to a place we choose which is closer to our aussie family, then we will have christmas in that home with our extended aussie family visiting us.
Till then we will enjoy christmas in a less than traditional way.
Life is what you make it and Darwin is certainly a place im pleased we came to live in to expereince a different side to oz. WE would not have chosen to live here but its not too bad. I just need to get a job an extra money so we can explore more of what there is up in the North.
Mandy
Oct 6th 2010, 4:01 am
#73
Account Closed
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 531
Re: Arrived a week ago in Darwin
Thanks for taking the time to make the update - as always it's an interesting and informative read! I've found the same with the "family forgetting you" and like you, we had considered this before we came. It's pretty hard but we looked on it as our decision to come so it's something we have to deal with - it's tough on the kids though more than anyone! But hey, that's families!! 
Keep at it with the job search .... I'll have everything crossed for you 
Keep at it with the job search .... I'll have everything crossed for you
Oct 6th 2010, 8:15 am
#74
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: Helensvale - yipeeeeeeeee!!
Posts: 1,331
Re: Arrived a week ago in Darwin
I know what you mean about contact dropping off. I don't really think that we are forgotten, just that some of my family and friends are lazy slack bastards 
I know that when I visit next year they will still be great friends, close family. They just won't know much about the last 2 years of our lives.
I can live with that though. I would not be able to handle actually falling out with anybody from the UK. They are all precious to me and I am happy in the knowledge they are tootling along just fine without me.
I know that when I visit next year they will still be great friends, close family. They just won't know much about the last 2 years of our lives.
I can live with that though. I would not be able to handle actually falling out with anybody from the UK. They are all precious to me and I am happy in the knowledge they are tootling along just fine without me.
Oct 6th 2010, 9:29 am
#75
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Canberra
Posts: 899
Re: Arrived a week ago in Darwin
Great update. I'm sure getting a job will make a big difference - not just the cash but also as a way of feeling more part of the community up there.
I think the contact falling away thing is very common. Your relatives probably think it's up to you to make the effort to keep in touch because you decided to move away. Who knows, there may be some subconscious resentment/jealousy. It's probably best to just make the effort to stay in touch.
I think the contact falling away thing is very common. Your relatives probably think it's up to you to make the effort to keep in touch because you decided to move away. Who knows, there may be some subconscious resentment/jealousy. It's probably best to just make the effort to stay in touch.
