2 Year Update on the Gold Coast!
May 23rd 2006, 1:40 am
#1
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 630
2 Year Update on the Gold Coast!
I can harldy believe we have been here almost 2 and a half years now 
, it has gone so fast as it seems like yesterday we were waiting on that visa!
Ok where do I start! We had never been to Australia before but it was always the dream and we just thought lets go for it, no holiday or nothing , but we knew if we hated it or couldn't settle we could always go home! we knew it could take up to 2 years to get our PR visa (my hubby is a Joiner/carpenter) and we really didn't want to wait that long to start our dream, so we originally came on a student visa which only took 4 weeks to get, and I went to college and we applied onshore for PR as soon as we arrived through my hubbys trade which we got after 10 months.
We settled really well, got a house in Arundel, jobs, cars, my oldest daughter who is now 8 started school and after the first day never looked back, my youngest daughter who is now 6 started kindergarden, and is now in year 1, they have both lost the Scottish accent (it only comes back when their talking to our family on the phone) and are now just little Aussies, and have such a fantastic life here, everything is outdoors and there is so much to do for families, great parks with BBq's, cinema on the beach, lagoons so they can swim safely at the beaches. As soon as they come home from school they are out in the garden all year round! we have just bought a plot of land to build our first Aussie home, a house I could never have dreamed of building but it's achievable here!
But please don't come thinking everything is going to be different and an easy life, cause its just not like that unless you are coming here with a lot of money, you still have to work to afford a decent life and you do go through your up's and downs, there is still times when we get homesick and the next few weeks will be worse for us as my in laws are coming and we haven't seen them since we left! we know it's going to be so hard when they leave after their holiday but we are trying to prepare ourselves.
All in all we do have such a great life here, and we did it to give our kids a better future which they definately have, we now take so many things for granted and have to give ourselves a pinch at how lucky we really are to be here, we are living the life we had dreamed of and we have met some fantastic friends along the way some we couldn't have settled so well here without.
Life is too short not to take some chances, so go for it, and if it doesn't work out then at least you tried!
Good luck to everyone
Lisa
, it has gone so fast as it seems like yesterday we were waiting on that visa!Ok where do I start! We had never been to Australia before but it was always the dream and we just thought lets go for it, no holiday or nothing
, but we knew if we hated it or couldn't settle we could always go home! we knew it could take up to 2 years to get our PR visa (my hubby is a Joiner/carpenter) and we really didn't want to wait that long to start our dream, so we originally came on a student visa which only took 4 weeks to get, and I went to college and we applied onshore for PR as soon as we arrived through my hubbys trade which we got after 10 months.We settled really well, got a house in Arundel, jobs, cars, my oldest daughter who is now 8 started school and after the first day never looked back, my youngest daughter who is now 6 started kindergarden, and is now in year 1, they have both lost the Scottish accent (it only comes back when their talking to our family on the phone) and are now just little Aussies, and have such a fantastic life here, everything is outdoors and there is so much to do for families, great parks with BBq's, cinema on the beach, lagoons so they can swim safely at the beaches. As soon as they come home from school they are out in the garden all year round! we have just bought a plot of land to build our first Aussie home, a house I could never have dreamed of building but it's achievable here!
But please don't come thinking everything is going to be different and an easy life, cause its just not like that unless you are coming here with a lot of money, you still have to work to afford a decent life and you do go through your up's and downs, there is still times when we get homesick and the next few weeks will be worse for us as my in laws are coming and we haven't seen them since we left! we know it's going to be so hard when they leave after their holiday but we are trying to prepare ourselves.
All in all we do have such a great life here, and we did it to give our kids a better future which they definately have, we now take so many things for granted and have to give ourselves a pinch at how lucky we really are to be here, we are living the life we had dreamed of and we have met some fantastic friends along the way some we couldn't have settled so well here without.
Life is too short not to take some chances, so go for it, and if it doesn't work out then at least you tried!
Good luck to everyone
Lisa
May 23rd 2006, 2:03 am
#2
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2005
Location: Yorkshire - Queensland - NSW
Posts: 843
Re: 2 Year Update on the Gold Coast!
Well we have been here nearly 2 months now and we love it and it was the best thing we have ever done!! and the only thing i regret is not coming sooner!!lindzixx
coming sooner!!lindzixx
May 23rd 2006, 2:38 am
#3
Banned
Joined: Jun 2004
Location: Manchester-Sydney August 07 and maybe Brisbane or Melbourne 08
Posts: 1,614
Re: 2 Year Update on the Gold Coast!
WOW 2 years, i have saved your original post as inspiration
Glad you are doing so well and all the best for the future.
al and clare
Glad you are doing so well and all the best for the future.
al and clare
May 23rd 2006, 3:24 am
#4
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 881
Re: 2 Year Update on the Gold Coast!
Originally Posted by alkristensen
WOW 2 years, i have saved your original post as inspiration
Glad you are doing so well and all the best for the future.
al and clare
Glad you are doing so well and all the best for the future.
al and clare
do you stay awake all night so you can catch those aussie posts first hand!!
L-j xx
May 23rd 2006, 3:26 am
#5
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 881
Re: 2 Year Update on the Gold Coast!
Originally Posted by floweroscotland
I can harldy believe we have been here almost 2 and a half years now , it has gone so fast as it seems like yesterday we were waiting on that visa!
Ok where do I start! We had never been to Australia before but it was always the dream and we just thought lets go for it, no holiday or nothing , but we knew if we hated it or couldn't settle we could always go home! we knew it could take up to 2 years to get our PR visa (my hubby is a Joiner/carpenter) and we really didn't want to wait that long to start our dream, so we originally came on a student visa which only took 4 weeks to get, and I went to college and we applied onshore for PR as soon as we arrived through my hubbys trade which we got after 10 months.
We settled really well, got a house in Arundel, jobs, cars, my oldest daughter who is now 8 started school and after the first day never looked back, my youngest daughter who is now 6 started kindergarden, and is now in year 1, they have both lost the Scottish accent (it only comes back when their talking to our family on the phone) and are now just little Aussies, and have such a fantastic life here, everything is outdoors and there is so much to do for families, great parks with BBq's, cinema on the beach, lagoons so they can swim safely at the beaches. As soon as they come home from school they are out in the garden all year round! we have just bought a plot of land to build our first Aussie home, a house I could never have dreamed of building but it's achievable here!
But please don't come thinking everything is going to be different and an easy life, cause its just not like that unless you are coming here with a lot of money, you still have to work to afford a decent life and you do go through your up's and downs, there is still times when we get homesick and the next few weeks will be worse for us as my in laws are coming and we haven't seen them since we left! we know it's going to be so hard when they leave after their holiday but we are trying to prepare ourselves.
All in all we do have such a great life here, and we did it to give our kids a better future which they definately have, we now take so many things for granted and have to give ourselves a pinch at how lucky we really are to be here, we are living the life we had dreamed of and we have met some fantastic friends along the way some we couldn't have settled so well here without.
Life is too short not to take some chances, so go for it, and if it doesn't work out then at least you tried!
Good luck to everyone
Lisa
, it has gone so fast as it seems like yesterday we were waiting on that visa!Ok where do I start! We had never been to Australia before but it was always the dream and we just thought lets go for it, no holiday or nothing
, but we knew if we hated it or couldn't settle we could always go home! we knew it could take up to 2 years to get our PR visa (my hubby is a Joiner/carpenter) and we really didn't want to wait that long to start our dream, so we originally came on a student visa which only took 4 weeks to get, and I went to college and we applied onshore for PR as soon as we arrived through my hubbys trade which we got after 10 months.We settled really well, got a house in Arundel, jobs, cars, my oldest daughter who is now 8 started school and after the first day never looked back, my youngest daughter who is now 6 started kindergarden, and is now in year 1, they have both lost the Scottish accent (it only comes back when their talking to our family on the phone) and are now just little Aussies, and have such a fantastic life here, everything is outdoors and there is so much to do for families, great parks with BBq's, cinema on the beach, lagoons so they can swim safely at the beaches. As soon as they come home from school they are out in the garden all year round! we have just bought a plot of land to build our first Aussie home, a house I could never have dreamed of building but it's achievable here!
But please don't come thinking everything is going to be different and an easy life, cause its just not like that unless you are coming here with a lot of money, you still have to work to afford a decent life and you do go through your up's and downs, there is still times when we get homesick and the next few weeks will be worse for us as my in laws are coming and we haven't seen them since we left! we know it's going to be so hard when they leave after their holiday but we are trying to prepare ourselves.
All in all we do have such a great life here, and we did it to give our kids a better future which they definately have, we now take so many things for granted and have to give ourselves a pinch at how lucky we really are to be here, we are living the life we had dreamed of and we have met some fantastic friends along the way some we couldn't have settled so well here without.
Life is too short not to take some chances, so go for it, and if it doesn't work out then at least you tried!
Good luck to everyone
Lisa
Only been here 4 months - and we pinch ourselves - but you are right, unless you're bringing a lot of money - it's not easy.
Guess it's beans on toast for tea again tonight!
L-j
May 23rd 2006, 6:49 am
#6
Master of verbal pish©
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 22,198
Re: 2 Year Update on the Gold Coast!
what a belter of a post hen, pure fandabbydozzy 
really nice update and good to see the nice side of Oz for a change.
its funny i rmbr u starting out and it doesnt seem that long ago
really nice update and good to see the nice side of Oz for a change.
its funny i rmbr u starting out and it doesnt seem that long ago
May 23rd 2006, 7:03 am
#7
one day rodders !!!
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Helensvale where else!
Posts: 2,216
Re: 2 Year Update on the Gold Coast!
thanks lisa
fantastic post mate
really inspirational to us
see you soon
jan xx
fantastic post mate
really inspirational to us
see you soon
jan xx
May 23rd 2006, 9:41 am
#8
cheeky tart
Joined: May 2005
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 2,239
Re: 2 Year Update on the Gold Coast!
Originally Posted by floweroscotland
I can harldy believe we have been here almost 2 and a half years now , it has gone so fast as it seems like yesterday we were waiting on that visa!
Ok where do I start! We had never been to Australia before but it was always the dream and we just thought lets go for it, no holiday or nothing , but we knew if we hated it or couldn't settle we could always go home! we knew it could take up to 2 years to get our PR visa (my hubby is a Joiner/carpenter) and we really didn't want to wait that long to start our dream, so we originally came on a student visa which only took 4 weeks to get, and I went to college and we applied onshore for PR as soon as we arrived through my hubbys trade which we got after 10 months.
We settled really well, got a house in Arundel, jobs, cars, my oldest daughter who is now 8 started school and after the first day never looked back, my youngest daughter who is now 6 started kindergarden, and is now in year 1, they have both lost the Scottish accent (it only comes back when their talking to our family on the phone) and are now just little Aussies, and have such a fantastic life here, everything is outdoors and there is so much to do for families, great parks with BBq's, cinema on the beach, lagoons so they can swim safely at the beaches. As soon as they come home from school they are out in the garden all year round! we have just bought a plot of land to build our first Aussie home, a house I could never have dreamed of building but it's achievable here!
But please don't come thinking everything is going to be different and an easy life, cause its just not like that unless you are coming here with a lot of money, you still have to work to afford a decent life and you do go through your up's and downs, there is still times when we get homesick and the next few weeks will be worse for us as my in laws are coming and we haven't seen them since we left! we know it's going to be so hard when they leave after their holiday but we are trying to prepare ourselves.
All in all we do have such a great life here, and we did it to give our kids a better future which they definately have, we now take so many things for granted and have to give ourselves a pinch at how lucky we really are to be here, we are living the life we had dreamed of and we have met some fantastic friends along the way some we couldn't have settled so well here without.
Life is too short not to take some chances, so go for it, and if it doesn't work out then at least you tried!
Good luck to everyone
Lisa
, it has gone so fast as it seems like yesterday we were waiting on that visa!Ok where do I start! We had never been to Australia before but it was always the dream and we just thought lets go for it, no holiday or nothing
, but we knew if we hated it or couldn't settle we could always go home! we knew it could take up to 2 years to get our PR visa (my hubby is a Joiner/carpenter) and we really didn't want to wait that long to start our dream, so we originally came on a student visa which only took 4 weeks to get, and I went to college and we applied onshore for PR as soon as we arrived through my hubbys trade which we got after 10 months.We settled really well, got a house in Arundel, jobs, cars, my oldest daughter who is now 8 started school and after the first day never looked back, my youngest daughter who is now 6 started kindergarden, and is now in year 1, they have both lost the Scottish accent (it only comes back when their talking to our family on the phone) and are now just little Aussies, and have such a fantastic life here, everything is outdoors and there is so much to do for families, great parks with BBq's, cinema on the beach, lagoons so they can swim safely at the beaches. As soon as they come home from school they are out in the garden all year round! we have just bought a plot of land to build our first Aussie home, a house I could never have dreamed of building but it's achievable here!
But please don't come thinking everything is going to be different and an easy life, cause its just not like that unless you are coming here with a lot of money, you still have to work to afford a decent life and you do go through your up's and downs, there is still times when we get homesick and the next few weeks will be worse for us as my in laws are coming and we haven't seen them since we left! we know it's going to be so hard when they leave after their holiday but we are trying to prepare ourselves.
All in all we do have such a great life here, and we did it to give our kids a better future which they definately have, we now take so many things for granted and have to give ourselves a pinch at how lucky we really are to be here, we are living the life we had dreamed of and we have met some fantastic friends along the way some we couldn't have settled so well here without.
Life is too short not to take some chances, so go for it, and if it doesn't work out then at least you tried!
Good luck to everyone
Lisa
Thank you for all your help and advice you've given me since we started this process
May 23rd 2006, 9:51 am
#9
Oiiii.. You slaggg!
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Brisbaneshire
Posts: 5,209
Re: 2 Year Update on the Gold Coast!
Originally Posted by floweroscotland
I can harldy believe we have been here almost 2 and a half years now , it has gone so fast as it seems like yesterday we were waiting on that visa!
Ok where do I start! We had never been to Australia before but it was always the dream and we just thought lets go for it, no holiday or nothing , but we knew if we hated it or couldn't settle we could always go home! we knew it could take up to 2 years to get our PR visa (my hubby is a Joiner/carpenter) and we really didn't want to wait that long to start our dream, so we originally came on a student visa which only took 4 weeks to get, and I went to college and we applied onshore for PR as soon as we arrived through my hubbys trade which we got after 10 months.
We settled really well, got a house in Arundel, jobs, cars, my oldest daughter who is now 8 started school and after the first day never looked back, my youngest daughter who is now 6 started kindergarden, and is now in year 1, they have both lost the Scottish accent (it only comes back when their talking to our family on the phone) and are now just little Aussies, and have such a fantastic life here, everything is outdoors and there is so much to do for families, great parks with BBq's, cinema on the beach, lagoons so they can swim safely at the beaches. As soon as they come home from school they are out in the garden all year round! we have just bought a plot of land to build our first Aussie home, a house I could never have dreamed of building but it's achievable here!
But please don't come thinking everything is going to be different and an easy life, cause its just not like that unless you are coming here with a lot of money, you still have to work to afford a decent life and you do go through your up's and downs, there is still times when we get homesick and the next few weeks will be worse for us as my in laws are coming and we haven't seen them since we left! we know it's going to be so hard when they leave after their holiday but we are trying to prepare ourselves.
All in all we do have such a great life here, and we did it to give our kids a better future which they definately have, we now take so many things for granted and have to give ourselves a pinch at how lucky we really are to be here, we are living the life we had dreamed of and we have met some fantastic friends along the way some we couldn't have settled so well here without.
Life is too short not to take some chances, so go for it, and if it doesn't work out then at least you tried!
Good luck to everyone
Lisa
, it has gone so fast as it seems like yesterday we were waiting on that visa!Ok where do I start! We had never been to Australia before but it was always the dream and we just thought lets go for it, no holiday or nothing
, but we knew if we hated it or couldn't settle we could always go home! we knew it could take up to 2 years to get our PR visa (my hubby is a Joiner/carpenter) and we really didn't want to wait that long to start our dream, so we originally came on a student visa which only took 4 weeks to get, and I went to college and we applied onshore for PR as soon as we arrived through my hubbys trade which we got after 10 months.We settled really well, got a house in Arundel, jobs, cars, my oldest daughter who is now 8 started school and after the first day never looked back, my youngest daughter who is now 6 started kindergarden, and is now in year 1, they have both lost the Scottish accent (it only comes back when their talking to our family on the phone) and are now just little Aussies, and have such a fantastic life here, everything is outdoors and there is so much to do for families, great parks with BBq's, cinema on the beach, lagoons so they can swim safely at the beaches. As soon as they come home from school they are out in the garden all year round! we have just bought a plot of land to build our first Aussie home, a house I could never have dreamed of building but it's achievable here!
But please don't come thinking everything is going to be different and an easy life, cause its just not like that unless you are coming here with a lot of money, you still have to work to afford a decent life and you do go through your up's and downs, there is still times when we get homesick and the next few weeks will be worse for us as my in laws are coming and we haven't seen them since we left! we know it's going to be so hard when they leave after their holiday but we are trying to prepare ourselves.
All in all we do have such a great life here, and we did it to give our kids a better future which they definately have, we now take so many things for granted and have to give ourselves a pinch at how lucky we really are to be here, we are living the life we had dreamed of and we have met some fantastic friends along the way some we couldn't have settled so well here without.
Life is too short not to take some chances, so go for it, and if it doesn't work out then at least you tried!
Good luck to everyone
Lisa
Cool post. Definitely realistic but also acting as a "doubt-erroding" post.
Thanks.
May 23rd 2006, 10:41 am
#10
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Poole, Dorset
Posts: 1,217
Re: 2 Year Update on the Gold Coast!
What a lovely post. Glad you are doing so well there.
May 23rd 2006, 10:46 am
#11
Bloomin' well done it!!!!
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Adelaide!!!!!
Posts: 689
Re: 2 Year Update on the Gold Coast!
Originally Posted by floweroscotland
I can harldy believe we have been here almost 2 and a half years now , it has gone so fast as it seems like yesterday we were waiting on that visa!
Ok where do I start! We had never been to Australia before but it was always the dream and we just thought lets go for it, no holiday or nothing , but we knew if we hated it or couldn't settle we could always go home! we knew it could take up to 2 years to get our PR visa (my hubby is a Joiner/carpenter) and we really didn't want to wait that long to start our dream, so we originally came on a student visa which only took 4 weeks to get, and I went to college and we applied onshore for PR as soon as we arrived through my hubbys trade which we got after 10 months.
We settled really well, got a house in Arundel, jobs, cars, my oldest daughter who is now 8 started school and after the first day never looked back, my youngest daughter who is now 6 started kindergarden, and is now in year 1, they have both lost the Scottish accent (it only comes back when their talking to our family on the phone) and are now just little Aussies, and have such a fantastic life here, everything is outdoors and there is so much to do for families, great parks with BBq's, cinema on the beach, lagoons so they can swim safely at the beaches. As soon as they come home from school they are out in the garden all year round! we have just bought a plot of land to build our first Aussie home, a house I could never have dreamed of building but it's achievable here!
But please don't come thinking everything is going to be different and an easy life, cause its just not like that unless you are coming here with a lot of money, you still have to work to afford a decent life and you do go through your up's and downs, there is still times when we get homesick and the next few weeks will be worse for us as my in laws are coming and we haven't seen them since we left! we know it's going to be so hard when they leave after their holiday but we are trying to prepare ourselves.
All in all we do have such a great life here, and we did it to give our kids a better future which they definately have, we now take so many things for granted and have to give ourselves a pinch at how lucky we really are to be here, we are living the life we had dreamed of and we have met some fantastic friends along the way some we couldn't have settled so well here without.
Life is too short not to take some chances, so go for it, and if it doesn't work out then at least you tried!
Good luck to everyone
Lisa
, it has gone so fast as it seems like yesterday we were waiting on that visa!Ok where do I start! We had never been to Australia before but it was always the dream and we just thought lets go for it, no holiday or nothing
, but we knew if we hated it or couldn't settle we could always go home! we knew it could take up to 2 years to get our PR visa (my hubby is a Joiner/carpenter) and we really didn't want to wait that long to start our dream, so we originally came on a student visa which only took 4 weeks to get, and I went to college and we applied onshore for PR as soon as we arrived through my hubbys trade which we got after 10 months.We settled really well, got a house in Arundel, jobs, cars, my oldest daughter who is now 8 started school and after the first day never looked back, my youngest daughter who is now 6 started kindergarden, and is now in year 1, they have both lost the Scottish accent (it only comes back when their talking to our family on the phone) and are now just little Aussies, and have such a fantastic life here, everything is outdoors and there is so much to do for families, great parks with BBq's, cinema on the beach, lagoons so they can swim safely at the beaches. As soon as they come home from school they are out in the garden all year round! we have just bought a plot of land to build our first Aussie home, a house I could never have dreamed of building but it's achievable here!
But please don't come thinking everything is going to be different and an easy life, cause its just not like that unless you are coming here with a lot of money, you still have to work to afford a decent life and you do go through your up's and downs, there is still times when we get homesick and the next few weeks will be worse for us as my in laws are coming and we haven't seen them since we left! we know it's going to be so hard when they leave after their holiday but we are trying to prepare ourselves.
All in all we do have such a great life here, and we did it to give our kids a better future which they definately have, we now take so many things for granted and have to give ourselves a pinch at how lucky we really are to be here, we are living the life we had dreamed of and we have met some fantastic friends along the way some we couldn't have settled so well here without.
Life is too short not to take some chances, so go for it, and if it doesn't work out then at least you tried!
Good luck to everyone
Lisa
Gives those still waiting a lift to hear such good things from the other side.
Long may it last.
xRachx
May 23rd 2006, 10:49 am
#12
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Gilston, GOLD COAST.
Posts: 1,661
Re: 2 Year Update on the Gold Coast!
Yeah good luck to you, hope it all continues to go well
hope it all continues to go well
May 23rd 2006, 11:51 am
#13
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 138
Re: 2 Year Update on the Gold Coast!
Hiya Lisa,
Hope we will be as happy as you are 2 years down the line
Donna xxx
Hope we will be as happy as you are 2 years down the line
Donna xxx
May 23rd 2006, 12:31 pm
#14
da Bonehead
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Lion in da jungle
Posts: 22,767
Re: 2 Year Update on the Gold Coast!
Soapy told me to say it was a lovely post.......but he didn't need to as I already recognised that.
Nice one Lisa.
Glad it has worked for your family.
Nice one Lisa.
Glad it has worked for your family.
May 23rd 2006, 12:32 pm
#15
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2006
Location: Gold Coast
Posts: 25,277
Re: 2 Year Update on the Gold Coast!
It's great to hear that you're all so happy and settled.
Thanks for the lovely post
Thanks for the lovely post