spartacus

If you're not going to be working or don't have children to look after, find someting constructive to do. Boredom is the first step to homesickness which is the next step to going home after four months.

freebo

So THAT's why I keep nearly bumping into people, 8 weeks and you'd think I'd have figured that one out

tiger222

I agree with that. Even though I've been home with my children full time for 10 years now, it was an adjustment to be in Australia without a house to tinker with, no part-time jobs to work from home, and other activities that filled my time in the States. Instead, I was home alone with the 2 year old and began feeling lonely whilst the 3 older children were at school and OH was at work.

DeadVim

Don't do comparisons or conversions.

Sherlock Holmes

Especially if you are renting.

Is this a 4 year stay with a definite return to the UK?

Jan4kids

Accept all invitations....of the coffee/ kids playdate nature

Deancm_MKII

Don't get on the plane...

DeadVim

Don't post a thread asking for tips ...

Sherlock Holmes

You'll have to; there is no passenger sea route anymore.

freebo

If you're bringing a lot of electrial goods also bring a bunch of 4 way adaptors from your country, then you only need to change the plugs on those.

Sushimania

We might have to go to another post after Sydney.

Thank you for all the great tips!!

killerhales

Save up and go to the New Years Eve show at the Opera House at least once. It's a fun show and you get a fantastic view of the fireworks.

I'm with the poster who said get Foxtel. However, if there is a foreign TV series you really like, or get into, get the DVDs, as episodes are often shown in the wrong order, missed out, or disappear from the schedules altogether!

When you find a rental, see if you can check the heating costs in the winter. Our house costs us an absolute fortune to keep barely warm at the moment!

Check out the James Squire range of beers, full of flavour.

If you like fancy wine, forget Grange, go for Mitchelton Old Block Shiraz.

Fish and chips at Balmoral.

Don't try and cook the traditional Christmas dinner at Christmastime. Go for seafood. Try marron and/or balmain bugs. Beautiful!

Always return fire if a local takes the mickey, particularly any anti-Pom sentiments. You will be respected and eventually loved.

There are probably loads more but that will do for now!!

Coryate

Don't Speed when you are driving, not even on the motorways, it's not like the M1 where you can do 90MPH and no one cares. The camera are everywhere, and not yellow so you can see them.

Fumigate the place you move into, the Oz insects and Spiders are huge, and 10 times bigger in the dark :-)

Sunscreen...

Shower together to check each other for moles, dry skin

Don't mention the war...or you will be told repeatedly, how we saved you all from the Germans.

It's quite acceptable never to watch australian TV shows, as we all know they are crap.

Cheetah7

Look around you and see who has a really nice haircut and then ask them who cuts their hair. I learned to my cost after someone hacked my hair off once.

Have a look and see who doesnt appear to have much money but has very nice teeth and get the number of their dentist (only joking about the teeth suggestion by the way! (something I am too scared to do - finding a dentist)

Keep yourself busy and occupied by all means but make sure you are comfortable with your own company and your own thoughts as well. Filling up your day with stuff is fine but during the quiet times if you havent learned to deal with stuff that concerns you it can be difficult,

Take in your scenery/surroundings and when you are having a bad day or an 'everything is annoying the knickers off me' day, try and find something to smile about/admire and focus on that instead of negatives.

Things are done differently here and may not be what you are used to - instead of rebelling against that, don't say a word and then tactfully/discreetly introduce new ideas without saying 'this is how we do it back in the UK', just include your colleagues etc in the 'new idea', subtle changes that improve certain procedures. I have done this with some of my working practises and it works for me

Voluntary work if you get the time is excellent, I have met some fabulous people doing my voluntary work and I love it.

Dont be too hard on yourself, its a big move and a huge adjustment that can take a couple of years to feel 100% settled so if you have a bad day then accept it as just that.

Find something you love - a hobby, its easy to forget what we love doing in life and concentrate on what we have to do or feel we should do so find something you love and do it, you are entitled to indulge that side of yourself.

Get a routine for yourself, its nice to have a routine so when the outside life confuses/frustrates you, you can come home to your own routine.