Tiggs+Graz

Hi all
hubby and i are just at the point of making the final decision and starting the application process to move to Aus.

I was just wondering why did people make the decision to pack up and move - and why to australia?

Also for those who have made the move - is life turning out as you expected?!!!

Tiggs

Tiawamutu

We had been talking about moving to Australia for over a year but never did anything about it (apart from me being obsessed with anything Australia, and searching trough the real estate websites, forums, and TV progs all day long!)

Then we decided to go for it, and make it real. We had been told by so many people that you have a totally better lifestyle in Australia, and we visited in April, and this totally made our minds up.

Here's a recent thread, where people have posted about how long they have been there, and if they are enjoying it:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=330128

Tiawamutu

Oh just noticed, it was your first post!

Welcome to the forum, and if you need any help, just let us know

poshrice

I had often said to hubby would he consider moving to oz he always said no then on the 18th Oct last year he said i have applied for a job in Australia with the company who he works for all i can say is 1 year on we are nearly there just waiting for final stages of house sale to go through and i have not had chance to think about it am i getting cold feet???? NO am i having 2nd thoughts????? NO am i very excited about whole move ????? YES YES YES

will let you know if i still feel the same after we have spent 1st xmas in a strange country with no family around and a toddler to look after.

Good luck with your decision it's not always an easy one i suppose i am one of the lucky ones i wasn't given a choice lol and wouldn't change it for the world

Poshrice

kimi

Hi

I have been here 10yrs and life is so much better here, relatives that come out cannot believe how relaxing the lifestyle is, how much friendlier the people are. Its hard to say exactly though what makes life much better here but it is.

I would never ever return to live in the uk.

Kim

windy gale

The thing is if you come to aus come with an open mind try and fit in to way of life here its not hard a beer fridge and a barbi and your half way there.
What the ausys dont like is a foriener that whines on about how good it was their country, i have been in pub full of ausys in a country town, asked for a beer in a london voice the pub goes quiet, so what do you do, ITS hot today mate got a throat dryer than a lizards arse, then you get a reply from england are yer. yer been here 3 years come here for the sun, surf, the women are fantastic, good beer and good company, then scull yer beer and try to attract the skimpys attention to get another beer, one of the ausys bought me a beer.
YOU dont have to go to that extreem but i think you get my drift.
OH! by the way a skimpy is a female bar person that serves beer wearing only a bra and g string, great way to fill a pub, its ok not all pubs have them.
ANYWAY COME TO AUS AND ENJOY

Tiggs+Graz

Thanks for the replies ... and the advice!!

Hubby is really keen on the idea of moving to aus and i have to admit that my first thought was that it was crazy to quit a good job, sell the house that it has taken up 5 years to sort out and pack up 3 kids, a dog and everything else we own to move it half way around the world!

But i have spent a lot of time thinking about it (and reading everything i can find) and i am definitely coming round to his way of thinking - i have even found myself starting to think '..we can do that when ...' which has to be a good sign!

I would just like to have a more relaxed life style - less work orientated and to be able to spend more time with the kids.
I know that it is impossible to really know what something is going to be like until you try it but i am hoping that this might help me towards those things.

Tiggs

Juliecabs

Hi Tiggs,
Welcome to BE.
We decided after a brill holiday there last year. Simple as that. Should have our visa in the next few months and will go with our 3 teens around end Aug 06.
Good Luck with whatever you decide.
Julie

AnitaB

Do you get male skimpys??

Tiawamutu

No such luck

NKSK version 2

In my view, Australia is not a utopia.

I think a lot of things are worse than the UK here. Supermarkets (prices and choice); in my experience thus far (3 months) the medical system is no better and in some respects worse, the banking system is archaic, education system is, in respects, a lot worse than the UK, general bureaucracy is at a level which makes the UK seem super efficient. Consumers don't seem to be as looked after as they do in the UK. Salaries can be a lot poorer generally, building standards are generally very poor. Media quality is dreadful compared to the UK.

In spite of this Australia does have a lot to offer and we don't regret moving here. Great outdoors lifestyle, great climate, different perspective on life and the world.

My opinion - and I know I'm about to get slated for it!! - is that I would move here with a view to it being a 3 year contract. Then you don't get all of the angst of it being a 'permanent' move and it will encourage you to leave the door open - at least partly - back in the UK should you wish to return.

As you can probably tell by my post - we currently are in the phase of thinking that we won't stay here for much longer than 3 years. On balance we don't think that Australia is the place where we would want our children to be when they go through secondary school and university. I would add though - that this view might change!!

Saundee

Lived in Wales, lived in England, lived in NI - lived all over the UK and didnt really settle.

We came here on holiday and my wife wanted to stay - I wasnt too keen but we started the visa process.

Despite any reservations its the best thing we did. Fantastic lifestyle, great friends, great house, Brisbane is a fantastic city - We've got everything we wanted - we should have done it years ago.

Emigration isnt for everyone, its a big lifechanging event and you need to make it work, but sometimes I think many people attach too much stress to it and put themselves through the mill because they are determined to make it work. I would say to anybody - give it a go, if you like it you've made the right choice - if you dont, go back home again, you'll know all about it and you'll appreciate the UK far more for it.

windy gale

LOTS OF PEOPLE COME to AUS for all sorts of reasons, some when they get here find it hard to adjust there only here 5 min and they are scratching at the door to go back, others fall into australian life like a comfortable slipper.
If i said i didnt miss England i would be telling porkys, but we never stopped to think about it, its an adventure, we live in Perth it is probably diffrent again in say melbourne.
When we got here we wondered if any one would visit us, we had to build a house with 5 bedrooms and after 3 years the visitors keep coming.
There is just one thing i regret not having in australia and that is having space in the kitchen for the beer fridge in the winter, as it outside and far to walk and a bit chilly, but summer is just round the corner and i have a brand new extension lead so as to get the beer nearer the pool.
COME TO AUSTRALIA BRING MORE BEER

windy gale

You are comparing australia to uk which is a recipe for moving back, if you continue to do so.
Look it is a known fact that the uk is 10 years behind USA and parts of aus are 30 years behind the uk, we compared when we got here and to be honest in the end you even bore yourself, and i can say that to you because i have bored myself and other people, so now people ask me what i think of aus compared to uk, i say its fantastic fancy a beer, and i have more people wanting to talk to me than ever before.

mindblower

One thing Iv'e done is really open my eyes and looked around me for one day of what this country offers...the weather, clapped out public transport, long hours at work, public services worsening, polical correctness gone mad, nanny state, high tax and spend government,rip off retailers ,immigration out of control, binge drinking, drugs menace, crime etcetc..nuff said

Disaffected