3 Years On - update from Melbourne
Jul 12th 2006, 11:52 pm
#1
Homeward Bound
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 435
3 Years On - update from Melbourne
Hi Everyone,
I thought it might be helpful to those of you still trawling through the crappy visa process and waiting for the postie to deliver that magic yellow envelope, to hear (the concise version
) of how we are getting on in Oz.
We have been here for almost three years now (457 skilled, sponsored visa) and are doing OK. After renting in a few of Melbourne's inner suburbs we decided to buy a plot of land a bit further (20kms) west of the CBD and build our own house.
The process was, quite frankly, horrible
but we now have a beautiful house and live in a very lovely quiet 'resort' style neighbourhood that I would highly recommend! Not far from the beach or the shops, golf course, cafe, bar, parks, gym, pool etc - not for everyone but exactly what we wanted from Oz.
My husband works for the Victorian Workcover Authority as a Service Delivery (IT) Manager and I work as an International Human Resources Officer (how ironic - i get people visas to come and work in Oz!) for an engineering company. Neither of us have ever been happier in our jobs, particlularly my husband who has a pretty senior management position and was always sooo stressed in the UK. The hours are pretty long over here and we have to leave home at stupid o'clock in order to be able to leave at a decent time but the people we work with are great and we are both doing really well.
Just to make sure we had tried every stressfull thing possible (
) we had our first baby in February (yep, our own little Ozzie!) and are still trying to adjust to parenthood! It's been both a wonderful and very isolating experience. I have realised just how much I miss my family and have had to think long and hard about staying in Oz or heading back to the UK.
We have decided to stay (though it was never much of a decision for my hubby who is absolutely happy here and cannot stand the thought of EVER returning to Blighty!) and, hopefully, get my parents over on a parents visa by next Xmas. Having been here for a while you do come to realise that Oz has downsides as well as up and there are things I miss hugely about the UK but the reasons we came still stand & outweigh the things we miss about the UK (except family - but we're working on that!) - we have a fab house, nice cars, safe & beautiful environment to bring Osian up in, good healthcare, good schools, lots of wonderful friends and pretty much the whole of Australia still to explore!
For those of you still there - make the most of things I miss dearly while you can (Next, Sainsbury's, Nevermind the Buzzcocks, 6 Nations rugby, The Times, Bonfire Night, Halloween, Cold Christmasses, Europe on your doorstep, proper pubs etc etc) and lots of luck with your visas and adventures.
There are loads of pics of our experiences on our website www.smith-jones.org so feel free to check it out (and see our new little bloke!) if you fancy it!
I thought it might be helpful to those of you still trawling through the crappy visa process and waiting for the postie to deliver that magic yellow envelope, to hear (the concise version
) of how we are getting on in Oz.We have been here for almost three years now (457 skilled, sponsored visa) and are doing OK. After renting in a few of Melbourne's inner suburbs we decided to buy a plot of land a bit further (20kms) west of the CBD and build our own house.
The process was, quite frankly, horrible
but we now have a beautiful house and live in a very lovely quiet 'resort' style neighbourhood that I would highly recommend! Not far from the beach or the shops, golf course, cafe, bar, parks, gym, pool etc - not for everyone but exactly what we wanted from Oz.My husband works for the Victorian Workcover Authority as a Service Delivery (IT) Manager and I work as an International Human Resources Officer (how ironic - i get people visas to come and work in Oz!) for an engineering company. Neither of us have ever been happier in our jobs, particlularly my husband who has a pretty senior management position and was always sooo stressed in the UK. The hours are pretty long over here and we have to leave home at stupid o'clock in order to be able to leave at a decent time but the people we work with are great and we are both doing really well.
Just to make sure we had tried every stressfull thing possible (
) we had our first baby in February (yep, our own little Ozzie!) and are still trying to adjust to parenthood! It's been both a wonderful and very isolating experience. I have realised just how much I miss my family and have had to think long and hard about staying in Oz or heading back to the UK.We have decided to stay (though it was never much of a decision for my hubby who is absolutely happy here and cannot stand the thought of EVER returning to Blighty!) and, hopefully, get my parents over on a parents visa by next Xmas. Having been here for a while you do come to realise that Oz has downsides as well as up and there are things I miss hugely about the UK but the reasons we came still stand & outweigh the things we miss about the UK (except family - but we're working on that!) - we have a fab house, nice cars, safe & beautiful environment to bring Osian up in, good healthcare, good schools, lots of wonderful friends and pretty much the whole of Australia still to explore!
For those of you still there - make the most of things I miss dearly while you can (Next, Sainsbury's, Nevermind the Buzzcocks, 6 Nations rugby, The Times, Bonfire Night, Halloween, Cold Christmasses, Europe on your doorstep, proper pubs etc etc) and lots of luck with your visas and adventures.
There are loads of pics of our experiences on our website www.smith-jones.org so feel free to check it out (and see our new little bloke!) if you fancy it!
Jul 13th 2006, 12:07 am
#2
High in the Dandenongs
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Listening to Puffing Billy
Posts: 9,183
Re: 3 Years On - update from Melbourne
LOL at never mind the buzzcocks, but relate to you entirely.
Good luck for the next few years to you and your family
Good luck for the next few years to you and your family
Jul 13th 2006, 3:43 am
#3
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2005
Location: Woop Woop
Posts: 4,808
Re: 3 Years On - update from Melbourne
Good on yer - excellent post - one for the newbies to read methinks
Jul 13th 2006, 4:35 am
#4
Victorian Evangelist
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Re: 3 Years On - update from Melbourne
Great update - and great website. Love the build pictures.
Thanks for sharing.
Buzzy
Thanks for sharing.
Buzzy
Jul 13th 2006, 5:33 am
#5
Drunken Aussie
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Brisvegas
Posts: 1,080
Re: 3 Years On - update from Melbourne
I've been downloading Never Mind the Buzzcocks from UKNOVA. Great thing that is!
BTW, are you permanent residents yet? Just that if you aren't, then your baby isn't an Aussie after all, as you have to be born to an Aussie Citizen or PR.
BTW, are you permanent residents yet? Just that if you aren't, then your baby isn't an Aussie after all, as you have to be born to an Aussie Citizen or PR.
Jul 13th 2006, 6:06 am
#6
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2005
Location: Bunbury WA
Posts: 1,844
Re: 3 Years On - update from Melbourne
Originally Posted by emmahafryn
Hi Everyone,
I thought it might be helpful to those of you still trawling through the crappy visa process and waiting for the postie to deliver that magic yellow envelope, to hear (the concise version ) of how we are getting on in Oz.
We have been here for almost three years now (457 skilled, sponsored visa) and are doing OK. After renting in a few of Melbourne's inner suburbs we decided to buy a plot of land a bit further (20kms) west of the CBD and build our own house.
The process was, quite frankly, horrible but we now have a beautiful house and live in a very lovely quiet 'resort' style neighbourhood that I would highly recommend! Not far from the beach or the shops, golf course, cafe, bar, parks, gym, pool etc - not for everyone but exactly what we wanted from Oz.
My husband works for the Victorian Workcover Authority as a Service Delivery (IT) Manager and I work as an International Human Resources Officer (how ironic - i get people visas to come and work in Oz!) for an engineering company. Neither of us have ever been happier in our jobs, particlularly my husband who has a pretty senior management position and was always sooo stressed in the UK. The hours are pretty long over here and we have to leave home at stupid o'clock in order to be able to leave at a decent time but the people we work with are great and we are both doing really well.
Just to make sure we had tried every stressfull thing possible ( ) we had our first baby in February (yep, our own little Ozzie!) and are still trying to adjust to parenthood! It's been both a wonderful and very isolating experience. I have realised just how much I miss my family and have had to think long and hard about staying in Oz or heading back to the UK.
We have decided to stay (though it was never much of a decision for my hubby who is absolutely happy here and cannot stand the thought of EVER returning to Blighty!) and, hopefully, get my parents over on a parents visa by next Xmas. Having been here for a while you do come to realise that Oz has downsides as well as up and there are things I miss hugely about the UK but the reasons we came still stand & outweigh the things we miss about the UK (except family - but we're working on that!) - we have a fab house, nice cars, safe & beautiful environment to bring Osian up in, good healthcare, good schools, lots of wonderful friends and pretty much the whole of Australia still to explore!
For those of you still there - make the most of things I miss dearly while you can (Next, Sainsbury's, Nevermind the Buzzcocks, 6 Nations rugby, The Times, Bonfire Night, Halloween, Cold Christmasses, Europe on your doorstep, proper pubs etc etc) and lots of luck with your visas and adventures.
There are loads of pics of our experiences on our website www.smith-jones.org so feel free to check it out (and see our new little bloke!) if you fancy it!
I thought it might be helpful to those of you still trawling through the crappy visa process and waiting for the postie to deliver that magic yellow envelope, to hear (the concise version
) of how we are getting on in Oz.We have been here for almost three years now (457 skilled, sponsored visa) and are doing OK. After renting in a few of Melbourne's inner suburbs we decided to buy a plot of land a bit further (20kms) west of the CBD and build our own house.
The process was, quite frankly, horrible
but we now have a beautiful house and live in a very lovely quiet 'resort' style neighbourhood that I would highly recommend! Not far from the beach or the shops, golf course, cafe, bar, parks, gym, pool etc - not for everyone but exactly what we wanted from Oz.My husband works for the Victorian Workcover Authority as a Service Delivery (IT) Manager and I work as an International Human Resources Officer (how ironic - i get people visas to come and work in Oz!) for an engineering company. Neither of us have ever been happier in our jobs, particlularly my husband who has a pretty senior management position and was always sooo stressed in the UK. The hours are pretty long over here and we have to leave home at stupid o'clock in order to be able to leave at a decent time but the people we work with are great and we are both doing really well.
Just to make sure we had tried every stressfull thing possible (
) we had our first baby in February (yep, our own little Ozzie!) and are still trying to adjust to parenthood! It's been both a wonderful and very isolating experience. I have realised just how much I miss my family and have had to think long and hard about staying in Oz or heading back to the UK.We have decided to stay (though it was never much of a decision for my hubby who is absolutely happy here and cannot stand the thought of EVER returning to Blighty!) and, hopefully, get my parents over on a parents visa by next Xmas. Having been here for a while you do come to realise that Oz has downsides as well as up and there are things I miss hugely about the UK but the reasons we came still stand & outweigh the things we miss about the UK (except family - but we're working on that!) - we have a fab house, nice cars, safe & beautiful environment to bring Osian up in, good healthcare, good schools, lots of wonderful friends and pretty much the whole of Australia still to explore!
For those of you still there - make the most of things I miss dearly while you can (Next, Sainsbury's, Nevermind the Buzzcocks, 6 Nations rugby, The Times, Bonfire Night, Halloween, Cold Christmasses, Europe on your doorstep, proper pubs etc etc) and lots of luck with your visas and adventures.
There are loads of pics of our experiences on our website www.smith-jones.org so feel free to check it out (and see our new little bloke!) if you fancy it!
Good luck to you, your so brave. I dont know if i could have managed without my family around when my kids where small. I take my hat off to you, and wish you all the very best.
My daughter is in Melbourne at the moment, at the backpackers, she is touring the East coast, she is 20 and having a great time.
Denise
Jul 13th 2006, 6:21 am
#7
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: 3 Years On - update from Melbourne
Good stuff 'Emma'.
On my departure 2.5 years ago, I wondered if I would miss 6N rugby, but the last 3 seasons have come and gone so quickly I must have blinked - I got up and went to the Casino for a few in 2005, but as a new Aussie I am barracking for them in the 3N and I'm loving it!
On my departure 2.5 years ago, I wondered if I would miss 6N rugby, but the last 3 seasons have come and gone so quickly I must have blinked - I got up and went to the Casino for a few in 2005, but as a new Aussie I am barracking for them in the 3N and I'm loving it!
Jul 13th 2006, 8:21 am
#8
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2004
Location: Mountain Creek, Sunshine Coast
Posts: 1,643
Re: 3 Years On - update from Melbourne
Just noticed (from your website) that your hubby supports Ipswich
Not doing so well this year are they
BTW Are you from the Ipswich area?
Not doing so well this year are they
BTW Are you from the Ipswich area?
Jul 13th 2006, 8:22 am
#9
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Poole, Dorset
Posts: 1,217
Re: 3 Years On - update from Melbourne
What a lovely update. Great photos on your site too.
Jul 13th 2006, 11:16 am
#10
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 2,389
Re: 3 Years On - update from Melbourne
Lovely update. Congratulations on bubs.
H.
H.
Jul 13th 2006, 11:31 am
#11
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 8,147
Re: 3 Years On - update from Melbourne
flippin heck emma have you been there 3 years already!!!????????
gawd, time flies!!
and you too badge .... 2 1/2 years ....
thanks for a great update emma, hope you continue to enjoy aus and your wee man!!
sue x
gawd, time flies!!
and you too badge .... 2 1/2 years ....
thanks for a great update emma, hope you continue to enjoy aus and your wee man!!
sue x
Jul 18th 2006, 6:40 am
#12
Homeward Bound
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 435
Re: 3 Years On - update from Melbourne
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for the well wishes - much appreciated!
Kevinbloomfield - I am Welsh but hubby is from Ipswich and still supports them despite their continuingly dreary performance! God Love him!
Thatsnotquiteright - Yes, it's a pretty good substitute to support the Ozzies and I wear the green and gold with pride when they are playing but I miss watching Wales. We end up downloading the games off UK Nova but it's not quite the same as watching it in a pub full of drunken Welsh people!
Brisnick, we have discovered a few British programmes you can download via the internet - bittorrent is a fav of ours and we have watched all the 'Fast Shows' ever made plus a few buzzcocks!! Yes, we have been perm residents for 2 years now so our little boy is definitely an Ozzie. In fact, we have our citizenship interviews on Friday - how time flies!
Well, cheers and good luck to all. It's a hard slog at times but Oz is a pretty decent place to live all in all and I hope everyone finds the happiness we have found here.
Thanks for the well wishes - much appreciated!
Kevinbloomfield - I am Welsh but hubby is from Ipswich and still supports them despite their continuingly dreary performance! God Love him!
Thatsnotquiteright - Yes, it's a pretty good substitute to support the Ozzies and I wear the green and gold with pride when they are playing but I miss watching Wales. We end up downloading the games off UK Nova but it's not quite the same as watching it in a pub full of drunken Welsh people!
Brisnick, we have discovered a few British programmes you can download via the internet - bittorrent is a fav of ours and we have watched all the 'Fast Shows' ever made plus a few buzzcocks!! Yes, we have been perm residents for 2 years now so our little boy is definitely an Ozzie. In fact, we have our citizenship interviews on Friday - how time flies!
Well, cheers and good luck to all. It's a hard slog at times but Oz is a pretty decent place to live all in all and I hope everyone finds the happiness we have found here.
Jul 18th 2006, 6:52 am
#13
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,940
Re: 3 Years On - update from Melbourne
A great site!
Jul 18th 2006, 7:19 am
#14
DAMN.........I'M GOOD
Joined: May 2005
Location: Barnsley, South Yorkshire for now
Posts: 718
Re: 3 Years On - update from Melbourne
Wonderful pictures thanx
