Originally Posted by Fima_Cege

Hi Little Bear - we too are thinking about Perth. I figured from your post that you are a hairdresser? What did you need to do to get a job over there? I heard that in WA they are extremely strict about hairdressers and all of them have to be registered or something? Sorry about the 20 questions malarky, but really confused about the job front for me when we arrive - and if there is something I can do before we get there I would appreciate the advice! Cheers Fi and Gang x

Originally Posted by little bear

As the title suggests-a year ago today , me, hubby and 3 kids arrived in Perth to start our new lives! Well what can i say, probably the most emotional year of our lives, something that if i'm honest never gave a thought to when we were going through the limbo land of waiting for the visa, i truly thought that was the hard bit!

Having been here on two 3 week reccie trips the year before we came out to live i honestly believed we knew exactly what we were letting ourselves in for with this emigrating lark, you can get the research information (you know - areas, schools etc) side of it from a reccie trip but i personally dont believe you can get anywhere near the 'how you will feel when you are actually living here' on a reccie, dont get me wrong, we all think Perth is great, warts and all, it offers us as a family at this present time what we require.

On arrival we did all the usual drivers lisences, TF no's etc, found a rental, got kids into schools, after 6 wks hubby was working for a gang of brickies (through a contact from the UK), i started in a local salon but only did one week (was the 3rd one to start and only stay a week so i found out at a later date so it sort of explains itself) started in another salon a few weeks later (was there til nov and have just started in new salon 3wks ago and very happy there).

Kids all settled in brilliantly (our biggest concern) the eldest changed schools and moved to the soccer academy safety bay high in august (was at warnbro comm high but it just wasnt sporty enough for him) younger 2 were at warnbro primary and thoroughly enjoyed it there (daughter still there and still loving it, which is a complete turnaround from hating school in the uk) middle son just started at safety bay high (also in the soccer academy and extrememly happy there), havent had a single 'i want to go back to the UK from any of them-phew!

We have met some great people and made some really good friends (you know exactly who you are guys) which brings me on to one of the emotional aspects i was talking about earlier-i met a fantastic friend, we got on so well it was spooky, laugh at the same things without even having to say it-you know the kind of thing i mean? well, unfortunately, things didnt work out quite as planned for her and her family (hubby just couldnt settle) and they ended up moving back to the Uk at the end of august, saying goodbye was horrendous, to the point that it still brings me to tears when i think about it now, i miss her so desperately and always will, we still have that closeness and 'talk' on msn etc but its not quite the same when you have a bloody great ocean between you, funnily enough our paths would almost certainly never have crossed had we have both not come out here originally so i am thankful that we did meet.

We bought a block of land on our 2nd reccie trip in warnbro and started the process of building a house on it while we were still in the uk, it was all ready to start the earthworks a few weeks after we arrived, it was completed and we moved in at the end of Nov (a year after we bought the land), picked up our new puppy (yellow lab) the day after we moved in (yes we are totally mad!) we also aquired a baby cockateil that our neighbour from our rental (a few doors down from our housebuild) had bred for us.

Two weeks after we moved in my Mum and Stepdad arrived to stay-(another one of those emotional aspects i was talking about) having them stay was a total disaster, my mum was fine but my stepdad was a complete nightmare and made life hell for the 3 wks they were with us, we are not sure if it was his way of 'paying us back' for him having to deal with my mum's upset of us emigrating (she was very uspset but supported our move totally) or jealousy of something that he had always said he had wished he'd done, all i know was it has shaken up a whole bucket of emotions for me and hubby (kids are fine still), let me add its not a 'we want to go back to the uk' emotion, just more of a uncertainty of all the decisions we have had to make in the last year-it sort of takes its toll on you and becomes quite draining (unless its just us that feel like that)

Anyway i have drivelled on far too much, to anyone out there going through any part of the process -i wish you well in your journey, where ever it takes you

little bear x

Originally Posted by Fima_Cege

Hi little bear - been ages since I was on this - we have been moving countries again! Anyway, that's us back on here and just want to say thanks for getting back to me about it! Its reassured me somewhat I have to say.

rambling a bit now as getting tired, and on a laptop where the keys are that little bit smaller! hrm...



Fi

Originally Posted by RosaB

hi, loved your post. we applied in may 2008 and have just had our medicals done. we have 3 kids and the eldest is who i worry about the most. glad ur kids have settled well. we have never visited oz but we thought wed give things a try. we have friends in the rockingham area who have advised us along the way.u never kno we may even meet up one day?! just got to sell our house now which is proving difficult.take care xx

Originally Posted by little bear

Hi RosaB,

Glad it may have been of some help to you, its a real rollercoaster isn't it!! We are now ticking along very quickly towards 2 years and i must say i personally have totally settled now and consider this very much our home (has really been the last 6 months i reckon), the biggest thing has been having a job i love (i would have only just started there when i did my update)-its made a huge difference to settling in.

So if you have just had your medicals done you will be almost there on getting your visas then, good luck with the house sale-you'll be here before you know it


bye for now

little bear x

Originally Posted by RosaB

HELLO AGAIN. Is it quite easy to get them places in the schools over there. my friends children go to a private school which i know is cheaper than private schools over in the uk but i think my 13yr old would prefer to go to the soccer academy as he struggles a bit academically.is it right that my youngest wont start school till shes 5 years old over there. also wot do teenagers get upto over there? do they play on x boxes? sorry im asking too many questions. as a mum you worry for the kids more than you do urself! ttfn x rosa

Originally Posted by mick69

I don't mind helping out when I can

RosaB - When we arrived my youngest was 4. She attended kindy 4 times a week. 2 morning and 2 afternoons. My oldest who was 5 at the time went to Pre-primary, times are just about the same as UK start 9am finish 3pm (ish)
If I can help anymore just yell

And howdy doody to my bessie mate Hows things with you over in (lucky for some) Sunny Oz? Its bloody freezing here today, hats and scarves out already!!! Will email or ring in the next week or so xxx

Lynne