arrived end of Sept
stayed with sister for 8 weeks
found a house on acreage in Forestdale Queensland needing reno
when we first arrived at my sisters we said, out of earshot, what have we done
could not buy on an estate where we could see and hear our neighbours, all too close, too many roof tops
2 boys started school no problems
now 8 weeks holiday
eldest,16, part time work, out getting about and doing ok
14 year old....had a friend for a sleep over last weekend and no return....took him to a theme park today and some rides he queued on his own....i thought what have we done, he had so many mates in the UK
don't expect the locals to reply quickly or at all to any requests for any services
it's true, and we have been told by aussies, they will try to get every penny they can from foreigners..bit like the UK
misses started work 2 weeks ago and told Ikea where they could stick it last night, even though it took 3 weeks to get and about 25 resumes handed out.....one of 2 replies
conclusion...
knew it would not be easy...moved to France 3 years ago
the weather is nice and the people are friendly
they have little sense of humor but are willing to help..eventually
not coming back, not for at least 3 years...when youngest finishes school
but eldest wants a UK holiday at Easter.....have managed to get him to sgree next Xmas when he finishes school
It's the place for me and the misses. We left the UK to give our kids and us a better life, but I do feel guilty because we both 'had it large' in the UK in our teens and twenties.
Even though they don't appreciate it now.....THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE AND WILL BE MISSING

Steve

from reading many posts on this forum it seems that boys of your sons age find it the most difficult to settle, but ultimately a few months down the line, given the choice i think most kids wouldnt go back to the uk for anything. Like adults, it takes time to make true friends rather than people you just know, hang on in there, it will get better, if you can hang on nine months we are heading your way (hope to be in that area ish in september!) although i dont think my kids will maybe suite yours as they are only 1 and 3 but you never know.
my advice would be enrol them everything and encourage a positive attitude even if you yourself are feeling like crap!
Right now we have a severe weather warning and its lashing it down with rain, its a toasty 3 degrees, and the bast**d government have just put 1.5p on fuel to pay for the ever increasing number of scroungers. Happy Days!!!!!

Good luck and i hope you dreams become reality soon.

If not you could always wake up with a and continue that way through the day!!

Beth

Living as you do in Cleethorpes I think I understand your frustration with the weather but which scroungers are "ever increasing"?

You go on to propose waking up with a beer and staying that way through the day- are you suggesting it's OK for someone a to be a layabout in Oz but not in the UK?

Hi steveparker

We arrived mid October hubby me son 14 and daughter 12. Within about two weeks son asked for passport and money to go back to UK. Now he is willing to just go for holiday in June - hasn't really made any mates here - but it is really early days. He also queued up for rides on his own - heartbreaking I know but I'm hoping and sure it will get better - you just have to give it time. At least you have found a house - we're just renting in a complex where everyone seems to keep pretty much to themselves - thank goodness for the weekly coffee meets at Raby Bay/Cleveland - there are some great expats there. Good luck with the rest of your lives in Oz

Heather

Hi there
The story is all too similiar for quite a few of us. My daughters are 12 and 14, the youngest completely immersed in the ozzie way of life, the eldest absolutely hates it. She started the SHS and I moved her out as she was being bullied. Shes been at home for the last 2 weeks and now has an entire summer holiday to sit at home and do nothing. I still havent found a job and am also stuck at home. Doesn't seem like much fun right now. She also wants to go back and I have promised a holiday to the UK next June. I really want to stick it out but quite honestly am sinking a bit. We've just bought a place in Cleveland and I am hoping being in our own place as opposed to renting will help a bit

When we were 14, my best mate moved to Australia. We communicated with lengthy handwritten letters & sent tapes. It would be much easier to keep in touch with mates these days with the interweb but I'm wondering if this is contributing to the young uns not settling in as well, as at an instant they can be chatting to & watching their mates back home. "In my day", my mate waited a couple of weeks gradually adding bits to the letter before sending it off & then had to wait to get one back from me so she was sort of forced into not coummunicating all the time cos that was how it was. She found it hard to settle in too, but has stayed there ever since so it worked out in the end. (& now I'm going to join her!)

I'm not suggesting restricting access to mates or anything - just wondering if it's a factor. There isn't such a "cut-off" from their old way of life. It was sad to read about son asking for passport & money to go back home, poor lad.