6 months on
Jun 26th 2003, 3:11 pm
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2003
Location: Perth, Jnr is back!
Posts: 1,286
6 months on
Hi
We are coming up for the 6 months mark and just thought I'd give my impressions so for. We are in Perth by the way.
Eldest son aged 8's worst dilema. "My friends here aren't as funny as my friends in England". Apart from that he has settled in really well and all the kids at school think he's pretty cool. He does miss his friends in England but has only mentioned it a couple of times so it can't be too bad.
Youngest son aged 4 has totally got into the spirit of things - walks around naked all the time and hardly wears shoes. Has started talking with an Aussie/American drawl.
Our views are:
Don't judge or compare anything - just come and accept and get on with it or else you may as well stay at home.
Take advantage of this site and your penpals and you will have an automatic social life when you get here!!
We bought a house straight away. We couldn't afford much so ended up buying in Clarkson which is a bit dodgy. But we both wanted our own home so that's what we had to do. Anyway we have no regrets at all so far. We are living within of means, have a nice house and don't know if we are just lucky or deaf or blind but we have had no problems at all in Clarkson. It may not be quite as "pristine" as the nicer suburbs but the kids are happy at school and all the people we have met here couldn't be nicer.
I cringe when people ask me where I live but maybe I should be more positive.
We both have jobs - we are just your average run of the mill folk. Hubby a screenprinter and I work in an office. When I weight it up, life is pretty much the same as in England go to work, come home, blah blah but there is not the same pressure. Maybe that's because we don't have to work so hard to get what we want, I don't know - but it's nice.
I miss my mum and friends and the fact that the kids don't see their grandparents is hard but we keep in regular contact, (not quite the same)
Everyone is different and expects different things and have different experiences but I just thought I'd let you know that in our experience maybe if you don't expect too much too soon, it may just turn out okay. It's not all strawberries and cream, there's the odd dash of salt but that's life.
Good luck to all coming and going. No desicion is the wrong desicion.
Diane & family
We are coming up for the 6 months mark and just thought I'd give my impressions so for. We are in Perth by the way.
Eldest son aged 8's worst dilema. "My friends here aren't as funny as my friends in England". Apart from that he has settled in really well and all the kids at school think he's pretty cool. He does miss his friends in England but has only mentioned it a couple of times so it can't be too bad.
Youngest son aged 4 has totally got into the spirit of things - walks around naked all the time and hardly wears shoes. Has started talking with an Aussie/American drawl.
Our views are:
Don't judge or compare anything - just come and accept and get on with it or else you may as well stay at home.
Take advantage of this site and your penpals and you will have an automatic social life when you get here!!
We bought a house straight away. We couldn't afford much so ended up buying in Clarkson which is a bit dodgy. But we both wanted our own home so that's what we had to do. Anyway we have no regrets at all so far. We are living within of means, have a nice house and don't know if we are just lucky or deaf or blind but we have had no problems at all in Clarkson. It may not be quite as "pristine" as the nicer suburbs but the kids are happy at school and all the people we have met here couldn't be nicer.
I cringe when people ask me where I live but maybe I should be more positive.
We both have jobs - we are just your average run of the mill folk. Hubby a screenprinter and I work in an office. When I weight it up, life is pretty much the same as in England go to work, come home, blah blah but there is not the same pressure. Maybe that's because we don't have to work so hard to get what we want, I don't know - but it's nice.
I miss my mum and friends and the fact that the kids don't see their grandparents is hard but we keep in regular contact, (not quite the same)
Everyone is different and expects different things and have different experiences but I just thought I'd let you know that in our experience maybe if you don't expect too much too soon, it may just turn out okay. It's not all strawberries and cream, there's the odd dash of salt but that's life.
Good luck to all coming and going. No desicion is the wrong desicion.
Diane & family
Jun 26th 2003, 3:38 pm
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2003
Location: Auckland
Posts: 161
Honest, well written post.
Good luck to you.
Good luck to you.
Jun 26th 2003, 3:44 pm
#3
Banned
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Perth Arse end of the planet
Posts: 7,037
Re: 6 months on
Originally posted by DianeOZ
Hi
We are coming up for the 6 months mark and just thought I'd give my impressions so for. We are in Perth by the way.
Eldest son aged 8's worst dilema. "My friends here aren't as funny as my friends in England". Apart from that he has settled in really well and all the kids at school think he's pretty cool. He does miss his friends in England but has only mentioned it a couple of times so it can't be too bad.
Youngest son aged 4 has totally got into the spirit of things - walks around naked all the time and hardly wears shoes. Has started talking with an Aussie/American drawl.
Our views are:
Don't judge or compare anything - just come and accept and get on with it or else you may as well stay at home.
Take advantage of this site and your penpals and you will have an automatic social life when you get here!!
We bought a house straight away. We couldn't afford much so ended up buying in Clarkson which is a bit dodgy. But we both wanted our own home so that's what we had to do. Anyway we have no regrets at all so far. We are living within of means, have a nice house and don't know if we are just lucky or deaf or blind but we have had no problems at all in Clarkson. It may not be quite as "pristine" as the nicer suburbs but the kids are happy at school and all the people we have met here couldn't be nicer.
I cringe when people ask me where I live but maybe I should be more positive.
We both have jobs - we are just your average run of the mill folk. Hubby a screenprinter and I work in an office. When I weight it up, life is pretty much the same as in England go to work, come home, blah blah but there is not the same pressure. Maybe that's because we don't have to work so hard to get what we want, I don't know - but it's nice.
I miss my mum and friends and the fact that the kids don't see their grandparents is hard but we keep in regular contact, (not quite the same)
Everyone is different and expects different things and have different experiences but I just thought I'd let you know that in our experience maybe if you don't expect too much too soon, it may just turn out okay. It's not all strawberries and cream, there's the odd dash of salt but that's life.
Good luck to all coming and going. No desicion is the wrong desicion.
Diane & family
Hi
We are coming up for the 6 months mark and just thought I'd give my impressions so for. We are in Perth by the way.
Eldest son aged 8's worst dilema. "My friends here aren't as funny as my friends in England". Apart from that he has settled in really well and all the kids at school think he's pretty cool. He does miss his friends in England but has only mentioned it a couple of times so it can't be too bad.
Youngest son aged 4 has totally got into the spirit of things - walks around naked all the time and hardly wears shoes. Has started talking with an Aussie/American drawl.
Our views are:
Don't judge or compare anything - just come and accept and get on with it or else you may as well stay at home.
Take advantage of this site and your penpals and you will have an automatic social life when you get here!!
We bought a house straight away. We couldn't afford much so ended up buying in Clarkson which is a bit dodgy. But we both wanted our own home so that's what we had to do. Anyway we have no regrets at all so far. We are living within of means, have a nice house and don't know if we are just lucky or deaf or blind but we have had no problems at all in Clarkson. It may not be quite as "pristine" as the nicer suburbs but the kids are happy at school and all the people we have met here couldn't be nicer.
I cringe when people ask me where I live but maybe I should be more positive.
We both have jobs - we are just your average run of the mill folk. Hubby a screenprinter and I work in an office. When I weight it up, life is pretty much the same as in England go to work, come home, blah blah but there is not the same pressure. Maybe that's because we don't have to work so hard to get what we want, I don't know - but it's nice.
I miss my mum and friends and the fact that the kids don't see their grandparents is hard but we keep in regular contact, (not quite the same)
Everyone is different and expects different things and have different experiences but I just thought I'd let you know that in our experience maybe if you don't expect too much too soon, it may just turn out okay. It's not all strawberries and cream, there's the odd dash of salt but that's life.
Good luck to all coming and going. No desicion is the wrong desicion.
Diane & family
You are a poster who makes this site worth reading , good luck with your new life.
6 months is still early in your new life so I would say you have not scrapped the surface here yet.
Jun 26th 2003, 3:52 pm
#4
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2003
Location: Perth, Jnr is back!
Posts: 1,286
6 months on
True it's not a long time, just our impressions so far. I'll do another when a year is up. I've been told 2 years is the timescale to base any major desicisions on. When did you realise this was not for you.?
Diane
Diane
Jun 26th 2003, 4:00 pm
#5
Banned
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Perth Arse end of the planet
Posts: 7,037
Re: 6 months on
Originally posted by DianeOZ
True it's not a long time, just our impressions so far. I'll do another when a year is up. I've been told 2 years is the timescale to base any major desicisions on. When did you realise this was not for you.?
Diane
True it's not a long time, just our impressions so far. I'll do another when a year is up. I've been told 2 years is the timescale to base any major desicisions on. When did you realise this was not for you.?
Diane
Our life here has been a step down in many things but I can see that many who like yourself who just need a home and a paying job will be happy with what is on offer.
My wife has been trying to make me up sticks for years as she is bored of the landscape and the few places of interest here.
We will miss some great friends we have here but having no family in Perth is a minus.
Jun 26th 2003, 5:12 pm
#6
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Joined: Sep 2002
Location: England
Posts: 279
Re: 6 months on
Originally posted by pommie bastard
We took 2 years to settle down here and have just grown tired of Perth and its limatations after 9 years , if you enjoy Clarkson then you have much to look forward too.
Our life here has been a step down in many things but I can see that many who like yourself who just need a home and a paying job will be happy with what is on offer.
My wife has been trying to make me up sticks for years as she is bored of the landscape and the few places of interest here.
We will miss some great friends we have here but having no family in Perth is a minus.
We took 2 years to settle down here and have just grown tired of Perth and its limatations after 9 years , if you enjoy Clarkson then you have much to look forward too.
Our life here has been a step down in many things but I can see that many who like yourself who just need a home and a paying job will be happy with what is on offer.
My wife has been trying to make me up sticks for years as she is bored of the landscape and the few places of interest here.
We will miss some great friends we have here but having no family in Perth is a minus.
After 1 year in Perth I'm not sure about us living here long term and think the Melbourne area might suit us more. Would appreciate your comments.
Jun 26th 2003, 5:23 pm
#7
Banned
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Perth Arse end of the planet
Posts: 7,037
Re: 6 months on
Originally posted by Kath
PB - Did you ever consider moving within Australia eg. Sydney or Melbourne?
After 1 year in Perth I'm not sure about us living here long term and think the Melbourne area might suit us more. Would appreciate your comments.
PB - Did you ever consider moving within Australia eg. Sydney or Melbourne?
After 1 year in Perth I'm not sure about us living here long term and think the Melbourne area might suit us more. Would appreciate your comments.
Melbourne has more life and more European , its hard knowing where anyone will feel at home , we have never referred to Perth as home its been a long holiday which has gone on to long.
Last edited by pommie bastard; Jun 26th 2003 at 5:33 pm.
Jun 26th 2003, 5:34 pm
#8
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2002
Location: England
Posts: 279
Re: 6 months on
Originally posted by pommie bastard
I did but had problems trying to convince my wife who said the next move was back home.
Melbourne has more life and more European , its hard knowing where anyone will feel at home , we have never refered to Perth as home its been a long holiday which has gone on to long.
I did but had problems trying to convince my wife who said the next move was back home.
Melbourne has more life and more European , its hard knowing where anyone will feel at home , we have never refered to Perth as home its been a long holiday which has gone on to long.
Jun 26th 2003, 5:47 pm
#9
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,859
Hi Diane & family,
Just to say glad everything is going well; and it must help a lot that the kids are happy!
Maybe I'm being naive, but your comment about life being pretty much the same, but with less pressure rather describes what I'm expecting - or hoping for at least.
Hope things continue to go well - & look forward to reading the next instalment in 6 months time, when hopefully I shall be in Oz too.
Just to say glad everything is going well; and it must help a lot that the kids are happy!
Maybe I'm being naive, but your comment about life being pretty much the same, but with less pressure rather describes what I'm expecting - or hoping for at least.
Hope things continue to go well - & look forward to reading the next instalment in 6 months time, when hopefully I shall be in Oz too.
Jun 26th 2003, 5:49 pm
#10
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Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Perth Arse end of the planet
Posts: 7,037
Re: 6 months on
Originally posted by Kath
I can understand how your wife feels. Maybe I need to get back to the UK for a bit to see how I feel, I can't mess our children about too much, we need to make a decision in the next year or two. Have you been back to the UK much in past 9 years?
I can understand how your wife feels. Maybe I need to get back to the UK for a bit to see how I feel, I can't mess our children about too much, we need to make a decision in the next year or two. Have you been back to the UK much in past 9 years?
We have been a few times but the wife never wants to come back to Perth so its even more unsettling .
Has I have said before we enjoyed our life in the Uk and most of our family are doing great , we found that though all would ask hows Australia but most cared not about Australia as their lifes are full .
Friends we have here who go back and whinge about the UK has changed for the worse and moan that it was raining a few days are those who family back there care not about stories of big homes and pools.
Last edited by pommie bastard; Jun 26th 2003 at 5:53 pm.
Jun 26th 2003, 6:01 pm
#11
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Joined: Sep 2002
Location: England
Posts: 279
Re: 6 months on
Originally posted by pommie bastard
We have been a few times but the wife never wants to come back to Perth so its even more unsettling .
Has I have said before we enjoyed our life in the Uk and most of our family is doing great , we found that though all would ask hows Australia and most cared not about Australia as their lifes are full .
Friends we have here who go back and whinge about the UK has changed for the worse and moan that it was raining a few days are those who family back there care not about stories of big homes and pools.
We have been a few times but the wife never wants to come back to Perth so its even more unsettling .
Has I have said before we enjoyed our life in the Uk and most of our family is doing great , we found that though all would ask hows Australia and most cared not about Australia as their lifes are full .
Friends we have here who go back and whinge about the UK has changed for the worse and moan that it was raining a few days are those who family back there care not about stories of big homes and pools.
Good luck on your return to the UK.
Jun 26th 2003, 6:04 pm
#12
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Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Perth Arse end of the planet
Posts: 7,037
Re: 6 months on
Originally posted by Kath
Thanks for the comments. Like you we enjoyed our life in the UK, we didn't 'escape' to Perth because of our miserable lives! A few early deaths in the family made us want to get out there and explore the world and we are enjoying the change. I can't help looking long term and in the future I'm sure we'll be back in the UK or over to Melbourne.
Good luck on your return to the UK.
Thanks for the comments. Like you we enjoyed our life in the UK, we didn't 'escape' to Perth because of our miserable lives! A few early deaths in the family made us want to get out there and explore the world and we are enjoying the change. I can't help looking long term and in the future I'm sure we'll be back in the UK or over to Melbourne.
Good luck on your return to the UK.
Jun 26th 2003, 7:15 pm
#13
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Joined: Feb 2002
Location: Dream life UK....
Posts: 2,912
What an great honest post. Lets hope no idiots wreck it.
Good luck to you and your family too.
Good luck to you and your family too.
Jun 26th 2003, 8:10 pm
#14
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 66
I would just like to add to PBs comments about not having family.
For me this has been a key decision, I have good family in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. I do like the look of Perth but
realistically for a me a single person immigrating to a town where
I have no family nor friends isnt appealing - plus as its around the
size of Adelaide opportunties I think are really limited compared to Melbourne and Sydney.
One thing that amazes me on reading some posts are how people
immigrate without being there having no friends and family neither, my balls are big but not that big.
Anyway good read Diane - look forward to reading
your next post.
Cheers
--
Gee
Melby 04
For me this has been a key decision, I have good family in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. I do like the look of Perth but
realistically for a me a single person immigrating to a town where
I have no family nor friends isnt appealing - plus as its around the
size of Adelaide opportunties I think are really limited compared to Melbourne and Sydney.
One thing that amazes me on reading some posts are how people
immigrate without being there having no friends and family neither, my balls are big but not that big.
Anyway good read Diane - look forward to reading
your next post.
Cheers
--
Gee
Melby 04
Jun 26th 2003, 8:42 pm
#15
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 236
Originally posted by dotty
What an great honest post. Lets hope no idiots wreck it.
Good luck to you and your family too.
What an great honest post. Lets hope no idiots wreck it.
Good luck to you and your family too.
