Brisben

It is me Kev was Ben wanting Bisbane Life, Changed cos it is shorter now

I just sent my TRA off this week as my ticker shows

so just sitting tight until I hear something.

Nice one Kev, hope the move goes to plan

kevinbloomfield

Well good luck on the TRA, that's the hardest bit, the rest is easy

How soon are you hoping to go out after you get the visa?

Brisben

I have my final year at University which finishes in June so anytime after that if visa comes through and I pass TRA etc....

kevinbloomfield

Fingers crossed for TRA then!!

sunshinesarah

Hi Jon
I have been here just over a year and can't believe how different my life is - nearly all for the better. It depends what you're seeking I reckon and what things you want to move away from.

WORK:
I have gone from working as a Project Manager doing 50-60 hours per week in a very time consuming and semi stressful job back in the UK earning 30k/yr to working 2 1/2 days a week here in Queensland. When I worked out actually what my 30k worked out after tax per hour with all my driving time and extra hours I did - I worked out I was earning more or less what I am here on $19 per hour. I have a friend in Sydney who earns $20/hr so don;t think that cities will pay a huge lot more. Just do some research. I thought I would miss being 'one of the important ones' at work - I now work in a nice bathroom showroom in sales - not high up but I think Britain is too obsessed with titles. I have very little responsibility but when I finish at 4.30 - that's it - my time is my own. It's not that we have lost ambition but we're ambitious to try other things.

I met a S. African guy last week who had been living in London for 10 years and just moved here. he summed it all for me. In the UK, you have culture and diversity all in a stones throw Brits seem to live all year for those 2 weeks holiday a year and have to pay for that. Here, we have it all year round but have to go away for the odd trip to find the culture. You have to weigh up what's more important to you.

I worked in construction (quite a specialised field) and was worried that I would not find work on the Sunshine Coast. I got a job in 2 days! Exactly what I was looking for. Same industry, different products but exact hours I wanted and more money than I had budgeted. The same happened to my partner. He was a retail buyer in the UK. He too took a 'downstep' in job title, and is in retail sales selling home entertainment. All our time was tied up with work in the UK, here only 3 days are tied up with work, the other days we 'play' and are planning other projects (have just built a house and are planning a second). We can travel often and at the drop of a hat because of our work situation.

COST OF LIVING:
Money wise, an hourly wage here generally buys you a lot more than an average hourly wage in the UK. Most things are pounds for dollars. Bear in mind that a minimum wage here is around $17/hr for a job in somewhere like a a supermarket The weather is a huge factor in this. Being outdoors doesn't cost money. If you like fitness, sport, the water more so than going to the shops, you should be right in Oz. We have basic jobs but bring in around $3000 - $3500 per month after tax working 2-3 days each per week. We don't have kids or debt so we know we are lucky

We don't have private pensions and it doesn;t worry me at all - we intend to build houses. We were the same in the UK - didn't have pensions, put all our money in our house.

CRIME:
Crime levels on Sunshine Coast SE Queensland are nothing compared to UK and I hear that Nottingham, where I last lived, has risen 200% in gun crime.

Everyone has been so friendly and welcoming. You don;t really have to make an effort to meet people. It;s hard not having the 30 year friendships of the friends we left in the but we have come here at a fairly young age and know new friendships take time.

EDUCATION
We don;t have kids but all I keep hearing is how good the schools are. However i do also hear how often Aussie parents let their kids have days off school but that's down to the parents. I hear private schooling is much cheaper.

HEALTH SERVICE
I called the doctor tyo make an appt last week. They asked me would I like to come down straight away!!! I was there in 5 minutes. IN the UK i could not get an appt for 2 weeks. They moan about the health service here but really they don;t know how lucky they are. We have not taken out private health cover (mainly because we are fairly young and healthy - touch wood)

FUTURE PROSPECTS
I think there are more opportunities here for the average person. You can buy a business here for 20k. Franchises are big things and here on the Sunshine Coast, it's all about small independant business and supporting the local people. Buying land to build a house is easy.

WEATHER
Although last summer was mild by all accounts (36 max), I think the average weather conditions have played a huge part in our life change. We walk everyday along the beach and are just OUT more. It makes you feel healthier and happier being in the sun. I was always cold in the UK. I even got a bit nippy here in the winter so the odd unbearable day of 40 degrees when it comes son;t be too much of a hardship. Have not had a problem with flies, bugs, snakes or spiders. Saw a whale in the sea whilst out walking yesterday and came face to face with a kangaroo once! It's not THAT hot all the time - only really 2 -3 months year.

HOUSE PRICES
Prices have gone up a lot. We thought we'd have money left over once we'd built but haven't. If you see cheap houses they will be cheap for a reason , generally because of the area and that's something you won;t be able to do on the net. We saw what seemd to be lovely houses on the net for around $300k. It ended up costing us $450k to build and that was purely to be in a good area, close to beach etc. We deicded it was worht the extra.

WHAT WE MISS
Friends/family of course
A good English pub with a log fire in a country village
The footie
Being able to pop to our mates for dinner

We have discovered that nowwhere is perfect but if we wrote down pros and cons, Oz would far outweigh Uk for positives.
Hope that helps
Sarah

suzy

What a lovely post Sarah.

Glad you are happy with your new life.

suzy x

Hutch

Bottom line is - if you have a close family circle and/or friends in the UK then you will struggle in Oz. Time and time again, it's this one fundamental aspect that crops up - and in my experience from reading countless posts by people disatisfied with their emigration, it's the women who suffer the most. Living on another hemisphere isn't like setting up on the Costa Del, where you're an hour's Easyjet from your loved ones. So if I have any advice it's to seriously consider your family - even if you don't think you're that close to them now, consider yourself five or ten years down the line when you have children or your children are a bit older and they have little or no contact with their grandparents or uncles/aunts or the rest of the rellies. If, and only if, that's not a factor, then start considering whether you can settle in Oz - because the rest is just nuts and bolts.