JG04

Can't believe it has been that long already! Looked back on my 3 month post and some things have changed.

Lovin it here. There have been ups and downs, thankfully mostly ups. Moved out of our friend's house in January after an exhausting 3 weeks with visiting family! I landed a permanent teaching job which is great. Unforunately I am not that wrapped with the school but I know how hard it is to get permanent teaching jobs here so will stick it out and see how it goes. That's my only down but I am not going to focus on it! I left a fantastic school in the UK so any job I get will have a hard time measuring up.

In my last post I said we were probably moving to Brissie but we have stayed on the GC. I do like it here, it's very open and there's loads to do. I also love the beaches! We're renting a townhouse for now until we decide where, when and what we can afford to buy. The other half landed a 'proper' job, as he calls it, but they have him in Brissie at the moment so it is a bit of a commute.

In-laws were here for a month recently which was lovely, tiring but lovely!!! Then they left and a friend from the UK appeared! The last 2 weekends have been visitor free and to be honest it has been very relaxing!! Only 2 weeks until my rellies arrive!! Fortunately we don't have kids so they will be spending most of their time between grandchildren in Sydney and Canberra!!!! My sisters are chuffed!!! We are going to head to Sydney to join the gathering of the 'clan'! Should be a laugh. I love Sydney.

Now that we have jobs and somewhere to live my goals now are to socialise and get fit!!! Have met lovely people from this site and also intend to get out more and meet more people that aren't work colleagues. Has been difficult the last few months with constant visitors appearing!

I didn't take up the rowing as I couldn't commit to 3-4 training sessions per week (getting up at 4am!!!) but do go for horse riding lessons every Saturday which I love. If anyone is interested they do group sessions, $40 an hour which is fantastic as I was paying £37 for 45 mins in the UK. It's at the polo club, heading towards Tambourine, a lovely 20 mins drive from exit 57 M1. I am not being paid commission to plug this(!!) it has only just started and the numbers are low at the moment.

I also intend to use the gym more too!!! Must get my money's worth! Also want to join some week night sporting thing as long as it is not too competitive!!! Any suggestions? Hubbie insists he is going to join a touch footie club or something but we'll see! I do feel at the moment it is all work, work, work but have realised that I can and must step back from it at the weekend. Had a wonderful day yesterday which confirmed the fact that this is where I want to be:

Hubbie and I went for an early morning brisk walk(I still don't do jogging!!) along Marine Parade, Biggera Waters (love it there), spot of brekkie(how much Eggs Benedict can I eat!!!! ), horse riding lesson, relax with a good book and dumped by lots of waves(great fun) on Main Beach, home feeling sun kissed and covered in sand, fire up the barbie and crack open a nice bottle of wine, chill out with the man I love (awwww! ). For me it doesn't get much better than that!

I feel ready for another working week, feel positive knowing that we are lucky to be here and intend to enjoy every minute! I think that deserves a beer!

Stitch

Great post and definately seems like all is well with you......

Cheers

Ginny

Hutch

Nice post guys - great to hear you're all settling in.

grahampaula

That's fantastic I want to be there now, I am not sure of how much more of this waiting and feeling blue I can take. We done you for sharing all the positives and good luck for the future, we might even see you at some stage.

JG04

Sure we will cross paths at some point! It's a small world on the GC! Good luck to you and hope you get sorted soon.

Sue2

Hi Jo, nice post hun...glad its still all going well

All going well our end, we've bought a house...should be moving in as soon as I've sorted things out with the rental we're in.....................Then 'I PROMISE' we'll have you both over for that BBQ

Speak soon

Sue x

JG04

Congratulations on the house! Still in Currumbin? (Every time I hear that name that hideous song on the advert for Currumbin RSL Club pops into my head!!!!)

Hope to see you soon, I'm determined to get a girls' night oot organised for the GC at some point. May have to wait until the next round of rellies go!!!

Take care,

Jo

sasbear

In-laws were here for a month recently which was lovely, tiring but lovely!!! Then they left and a friend from the UK appeared! The last 2 weekends have been visitor free and to be honest it has been very relaxing!! Only 2 weeks until my rellies arrive!! Fortunately we don't have kids so they will be spending most of their time between grandchildren in Sydney and Canberra!!!! My sisters are chuffed!!! We are going to head to Sydney to join the gathering of the 'clan'! Should be a laugh. I love Sydney.


Hi,

I am in Canberra - do you have rellies from UK here in Canberra?

Good to hear you got a permanent teaching job - I could only get substitute teaching work down here - and due to the fact we needed to apply for a mortgage - I decided to take employment outside of teaching.

Sarah

JG04

Hi,

My sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew live in Canberra in Hughes. They seem to be enjoying it and are very settled.They've been there going on 10 mnths now I think. I'm interested to know what other employment you went into as I'm considering giving up the whole teaching thing!!!
Hi,

I am in Canberra - do you have rellies from UK here in Canberra?

Good to hear you got a permanent teaching job - I could only get substitute teaching work down here - and due to the fact we needed to apply for a mortgage - I decided to take employment outside of teaching.

Sarah[/QUOTE]

Sue2

The house is in Elanora, about 4 roads from where we are now I'm up for a girls night out let me know when its good for you and I'll be there

Sue x

sasbear

[/QUOTE]


Hi,

I too came from a fantastic school in the UK - it was hard to begin with but I loved the kids and to be truthful - most of the year 10's and 9's I taught and my pastoral class - still email and msn me even now almost 2 years since I left!

Teaching is different here - a whole new curriculum and I really couldn't be bothered - so I went back to do the sort of work that I did 15 years ago - Administration/office work. I did this type of job about 15 years ago and although things have changed - due to the fact I attended uni late in the day (mature student) and also the fact that I used IT in education, then I have more or less caught up with the recent technology.

I now have a permanent position working for an IT recruitment company. I have been trained on payroll and the rest of the stuff I just muddled through and picked it up. It isn't government work - it is an excellent company to work for - an example would be: We all recently celebrated a late xmas in February - where the company paid for staff and family members to go and stay in cabins at Durass on the coast. All food and (DRINK) paid for for the whole weekend. Everyone helped cook at the bbq for brekkie and late meals - it was just so good - unlike any other place I have worked.

Do you have any other sort of experience to help you switch jobs?

Sarah

Scotty123

congrats doin so well

JG04

Hi,

I can deal with new curriculums as I've moved around loads but can't deal with reinventing the wheel! But not going to go on about it. Don't have a clue what else I could do. Have aa TEFL qualification and did that for a while but may have to retrain.
I love the sound of working for a company that gives you perks for doing well! Are there many of them around though?!!
Who knows what I'll do, I'm hoping it will get easier next year as I will have been here for a year.
Take care,

Jo


Hi,

I too came from a fantastic school in the UK - it was hard to begin with but I loved the kids and to be truthful - most of the year 10's and 9's I taught and my pastoral class - still email and msn me even now almost 2 years since I left!

Teaching is different here - a whole new curriculum and I really couldn't be bothered - so I went back to do the sort of work that I did 15 years ago - Administration/office work. I did this type of job about 15 years ago and although things have changed - due to the fact I attended uni late in the day (mature student) and also the fact that I used IT in education, then I have more or less caught up with the recent technology.

I now have a permanent position working for an IT recruitment company. I have been trained on payroll and the rest of the stuff I just muddled through and picked it up. It isn't government work - it is an excellent company to work for - an example would be: We all recently celebrated a late xmas in February - where the company paid for staff and family members to go and stay in cabins at Durass on the coast. All food and (DRINK) paid for for the whole weekend. Everyone helped cook at the bbq for brekkie and late meals - it was just so good - unlike any other place I have worked.

Do you have any other sort of experience to help you switch jobs?

Sarah[/QUOTE]

Jimmy Cliff

Lovely post babe,

As visa time draws near and I sit here freezing, there is nothing more pleasurable than to read about morning walks on the beach near where I want to live.

Thanks loads for a lift of spirit x

Vics xxxxx