wolfens_wife

Is there anyone out there that is originally from the UK that feel that they have made the right move emigrating?? There are so many negative comments on this board, is there anybody out in OZ happy??

janeyray

I have to be completely honest with you now, and say that at this moment in time I am so HOMESICK that it's unbelievable!!!
It is hard to explain why, there are so many things. We have been here six months now and its got worse rather than better. I find I'am missing friends just as much as family, if not more. I miss the routine I had back in the UK and find I am very bored here. I feel that Perth is behind the times by at least 20 years and find this hard to adjust to.
I have made some nice friends here but when we all get talking there isn't one of us that has long term plans to live here forever. Yet before we got here we all thought we would live here permanently.

I'am sure my feelings will pass (hopefully) and that of everyone I know and I'am sure there are people out there that are loving every single minute of being in Oz but I know that I will only be here for a few years, I certainly will not be here forever.

I don't want to dampen anyones spirits and half of me is still glad we did this but it has cost a lot of money and the house prices here have rocketed as much as they have in the uk. The cost of living is certainly not cheaper than the UK and as I have said in previous posts the wages are lower. For your average family from the UK (as we are) we are finding it hard, maybe the ones that come here with good professions and lots more money are the ones that feel this is the place for them?

bondipom

I am enjoying my new life here. I live 5 mins walk from the beach.

I go surfing 3 times a week and eat good cheap food in the sunshine every weekend. The local cafs and restaurants are excellent value and serve great food. Only if the table service was as good. My favorite place can take 45 minutes to serve the best burger in the world.

Life here has its problems that are different from the UK but I knew what to expect from a years working holiday.

The locals love to take the piss out of poms and it can appear nasty. Remember it is so easy to return fire and declare NSW a british province.

The redeeming side of the ozzie personality is the frankness and the willingness to praise that is lacking in London. They also take return insults in most cases except in sport. They are very sour losers at sport.

If you are a go getter fed up with East Enders then this is a land of opportunity. Liking the outdoors helps as well.

Sydney is very cultured and accessible.

It all depends on what rocks your boat and I going out on a boat in Sydney harbour is my thing.

Best of luck.

owieb

I've certainly made the right move without any doubt. I've been here a year now and have never looked back.

There are many things I don't like about life out here and you often see people being accused on this forum of being "whingers", "complainers" and "they should shut up and go home". But it's not about complaining. There's a big difference between complaining about something and disliking it. Most people just want to make it known that it isn't perfect here, and some people will struggle to settle down when they arrive.

It really depends what you want out of life and what your expectations are. I've said it before and so have many others, if you have problems in the UK they're not going to all be solved when you get off the plane.

There is no "big job shop" that will give you a great job with high pay when you stroll in the door, ocean front houses aren't $100K and you can't leave your house doors open when you go out!

But what you can get, if you are prepared to live the Australian lifestyle, is great weather, plenty of outdoor activities, really friendly, genuine people and a chance to experience something new.

DagBoy

Yes. But I think us happy ones spend less time posting and more time living
As far as I am concerned, moving out here was the best thing I ever did and I could not be happier. Oh, by the way, it is another glorious day here in Brisbane, clear blue skies, warm, sunny. I am off to feed the chooks, put out the Lorikeet food, cut the grass and maybe go looking at boats later.

Kath

Been here 14 months now and we've no regrets. We never planned to move to Australia permanently, just wanted a new experience whilst the children were small. The world is a small place, migration doesn't have to be so final, we plan to stay for 2-3 years then return to the UK.

Husband found work immediately and good pay (for Perth). I've not found work which is frustrating but kept myself busy with the children, home renovations and art (I live in the Hills, very Arty!).

I think it's important when you emigrate not to 'burn your bridges', keep the option open to return, many people come saying "I'm never going back" then spend all their money taking time off work, buying large cars, boats, tv's etc.. When the novelty wears off they realise how financially hard it is to go back.

Sensible and boring advice I know but less stressful in the long term.

owieb

Excellent comment!

So many people come over with their pommie pounds and start buying whatever they want because it seems so cheap (not so much now with the exchange rates being low) and then when they start earning aussie dollars they realise how expensive it really is.

dotty

Got English friends coming over tonight. Arrived with 3 kids June 2002. He worked labouring for 6 months while he got the "aussie knowledge" to set up his own business, (its building related, so taken off really well.) They bought a house in a area I told them would go up $50,000 and it did. They have the pool going in, Prado in the Garage, not happy with school but going Private Next Year. They totally love it, only thing they can fault is lack of nightlife and dull shops. Her words its paradise everything we ever dreamed of. Rare maybe but it can happen, depends what you want I suppose

adelaidegirl

Hi Wolfens-Wife, I've been here n Adelaide nearly 14 years and love it, I wouldn't consider going back to the UK to live.

Yes, there are some things about Oz that irritate me - in SA the government love to put levies and taxes on everything, a few dollars here and few dollars there, which is a pain. However, these are minor things compared to all the good stuff that I love about the place.

You can only give it a go, it would be much worse to look back later in life and say 'I could have gone and spent a few years living in Australia but I didn't". You might well like it enough to stay forever, like another poster said, all the newbies that love it here are too busy going out and enjoying life to post here.

I'm waiting for my rellies to get their visa, which is why I check in from time to time, to see what the timelines are and how everyone is getting on waiting for their visa's. adelaidegirl

wolfens_wife

I knew I'd find some happy people!!! Thanks for all your replies. We fly to Melbourne 10th September and it seems like the place for us and it has so much to offer, zoo, beach, luna park, markets, steam trains, aquarium, planetarium etc etc.

Nix

I moved to Oz to be with my fiance (he's a Kiwi working in NSW). BEST MOVE I EVER MADE

I've made loads of new friends and am enjoying life. I don't get much chance to be homesick as most of my friends and rellies in UK have the internet and we chat online.

It's had it's moments as I've had lots of hassle with visas, but that's getting sorted.

Getting married in 4 weeks.

All in all, life's great

jarv

Hi DagBoy
Do you feel brisbane has lots to offer and has it lived up to your expectations.
I am hoping to get there next year.

Jarv

Vee

I would think that the average person would find it hard financially to move to a new country. It's not a cheap thing to do. I look at new immigrants here in the UK and they seem to struggle. My own parents struggled when they moved from the UK to Canada 32 years ago....as did the majority of the ex-pats friends they made over there. I sometimes think that too many people think that it's not going to be financially hard but it's only common sense that it is going to be. So many new things to buy, pay out for.

I didn't think it was going to be hard but after reading posts on here I have realised that it isn't going to be as easy as I first thought.

I look at people who are new to London and think "if they can do it here, then I should be able to do it in Australia".

pockygoes

Great to see some positive posts from people who have done the deed as it were. We have our visa & are off to Perth to validate in December. We have some dilemas - should we keep the house & rent it out (ie don't burn the bridges) - what are the tax implications - has anyone done it & has any advice on its pitfalls etc. Also - my hubbie is a project engineer - Air Con & building services - we have concerns as to whether he could find work - should he try to get a job before he comes out & is it a viable option to get employment before we make the move? Will employers be willing to take someone from the UK without the face to face interview?

Any comments would be welcome - especially those in Perth - regarding the work situation.

Cheers

Nix

My fiance got a job without a face to face interview. He emailed his CV, had a 5 minute chat on the phone and started work 2 months later.

I think it depends on whether there's a demand for the work you do.

But don't dispair, there is work about!!