Gethy

Hi All,

Sat at my desk bored as a bit of 3 x 2 and I was thinking how if at all has this site benefited people and do people return once they have migrated?

I have found some of the threads very informative and the people are extremely friendly, in most cases. I have also taken strength from other people who have struggled on to finally get the yellow envelope and the joy it gives. Something most of us seek.

I suppose my questions are do you feel this forum has improved your chances of getting into oz?

Have you enjoyed the posts and threads and would/have you come back once you are in oz??

DollyDaydream

Hi Gethy,

I wouldn't say the site has 'improved' our chances of getting our visa.

What I would definitely say without hesitation is that without the help, support and info shared by members here, we wouldn't have the background info we felt we needed. We have the help of an agent to get us through (hopefully) so all the technical questions we have they will be able to provide answers for (although you can get all kinds of teccie questions answered here as well).

For me it's the more important things like, who to use for shipping your stuff, what do I have to do to pass my driving test, where is the best short-stay accommodation, what suburbs are best for families, who is the best to use to ship our beloved Milly, what are the quarantine places like, who has the best exchange rates at the moment, are bushfires a problem, where do we go to rent furniture and white goods until our stuff arrives, tips on what to do when renting a property, what electrical stuff can we take with us, does our mobile phone work in Oz, where are the best schools, what's the weather like, I could go on, and on, and on........ All this information comes from members who've had experience in these things and for me, the site has been a godsend.

For me, in particular, Bordy has been a veritable mine of information.

Actually, back up a minute. I do know of someone on here who was told their chances of getting a visa was zilch. A member gave them info on another avenue to try. They are now putting in their main application (and they were using an agent at the time they were told they didn't stand a chance!!). So, yes, in some circumstances, this site can improve your chances.

What stage are you at?

D D

FiFi

Hi Getty

well here I am sat at my desk in Perth .. about a year after I first logged onto the site ... In the final stages of our prep I did find the site usefull for bits of info and where to find things other opinions etc etc... and we did meet a family who we have kept in contact with since moving over through this site ..

Since moving to Aus I have not logged on as often ..

bundy

I know I'm doing a spouse visa, which is pretty straightforward, but I honestly wouldn't have known where to begin without this site. So much useful information, it's basically done my application for me!

It's not the case for me, but many people are in the situation where their friends and family know nothing of Oz so it must be a real help to find things out here.

But there's more to it than that. I've made some really good friends here, met a few of them, hope to meet more. As well as having a laugh this forum offers a tremendous amount of support whenever it's needed. I couldn't have got through my mum's illness without this lot here, and I'm sure all the positive thoughts sent our way helped.

The main thing is to remember to give back what you take out, to pass on the things you have found out to the new people that come along.

Gethy

We are what seems a mile away, we are waiting for my wife to pass CIPFA, a public accounting qualification, we will then be looking to start the process in february 05 if her marks are good.

I have been visiting this site since July 03 and its the little posts and the encouragement i see people given that keeps me smiling and hoping, plus the wealth of knowledge people have, which i am sure we will be calling upon in the future, is excellent.

moneypenny20

It has definitely kept me sane. I can read stuff and talk crap to people on here who know what I am babbling about. A couple of good friends want to here, but most of them and most of my family don't want to know.

It has also made me consider things I had not given a thought to. Along with everyone else I have moments of "what the hell are we doing", mainly after reading "back to the UK" site, but then I read something here, talk with hubby and am back on track again.

Woke up in a bad mood today, dropping second born off at school made things worse for various reasons, but am now taking my strops out (in my mind) on people saying numpty things on various threads. Great release

Big 'X'

Hi Gethy

The site didn't improve are chances as we were sponsored by my hubbies company. Although it has really good info on, relating to different issues.

I must say your opening statement made me LOL !!!!!

Being from South Yorkshire ourselves it must be something that many of us have said at one time or another, just haven't heard it for a while.

I have found the site helpful as I was a stay at home mum when I arrived and after being a full time worker in the UK found myself spiraling down and after putting threads on here I have been able to motivate myself and take strengh from others and their comments.

Good luck with the application, what stage are you at????? Sorry just seen on earlier thread.

Big X

lindseyden

Hi Gethy

I didn't find this site until a few months after we applied, so it wouldn't have made an awful lot of difference to the application but it has certainly helped me in other ways. It has dislodged the rose tinted glasses that I must admit were firmly in place at the beginning. It has made me want to go even more for the challenge and excitement of a new life and a new beginning. I know now that it's going to be a lot harder than I first imagined but that only adds to the excitement.

The answers I've received about shipping, buying certain items in Aus, banking, schooling, jobs, housing etc have been invaluable and the support and encouragement from others in the same boat, you could only get from people who have been there and done it. I hope I will be of as much help to others once I get to Perth as I do intend to keep in contact on here.

Lindsey

sunny side up

hi gethy,

besides all the help i got with completing my application, it also makes me feel 'not alone'.
you can tell your friends and family about everything that you're going through, especially the emotional stuff, and they'll try their best to understand your feelings, but somehow they cant. especially with the spouse visa there's this whole thing of mixed emotions - i'm sure people moving their whole family have that too, but for me its not that i'm not happy in holland, but that the one i love happens to live in perth- so its very hard to explain sometimes that YES!!! i want to move to perth asap, but NO!!! i dont feel that i'm ready to leave my life here behind (and i doubt i'll ever be).
the people on the forum here go through the same stuff and reading their stories makes me see the light at the end of the tunnel again (this sounds a lot more dramatic than it should....oops)

what i mean to say is that i sometimes still feel like and island, but i can see heaps of little islands around me....(if that makes sense )

tanja