emmieshaw19

Hi All,

I wonder if any of you felt as I do right now? I was all up and ready to leave the UK behind with my husband and 3 children but now I'm getting cold feet!

I am sick of the people in the town where I live, it's all about status, what you drive, where you live, what clothes you wear, what you do for a living, get my drift?! and I was walking round Asda this morning smiling at people and getting no response at all. What cold, miserable people they are. The bitchiness in this town is classic too! I am an easy, sociable person to get on with so whether the face doesn't fit who knows! The town I'm in are now going on about shutting the A & E department, one of a few to go including the Maternity unit and the nearest hospital is a good 40/60 minute drive which is no good if the kids need medical treatment quickly. It's not a bad town (could be better though) and it is reasonably close to get to the bigger Cities.

The only real family I have are of course my husband and children and I have a sister who lives about 110 miles away from us and I have a few close friends (one best friend) here but I'm scared that if we get out there I would have left them behind and be on my own. My husband has family but only sees his Mum regularly and the kids love her. I'm also worried that my husband has been in business for just over a year and it is going well, he's a self-employed electrician, and he will have to go back to working for someone else again and leave his business behind. Will we be "better off" there? We aren't rich but we do ok. Will the children settle, will my husband, although he is up for it big time! Will I settle!! Ahhh, such a big decision to make about the families future, it's scary.

We have never been to Australia but like the sound of Queensland with it's lovely weather, beaches and job opportunities but I need to settle into a nice community where the people are friendly and there aren't any spiders if that's possible?!!! My friend had watched a programme about the red back spider and said with it only being small the kids could be quite attracted to it which scared me, I don't really know what to touch and what not to touch so how would they?

I could go on but I'll probably bore you but any feedback would be really appreciated.

Thanks

Emma.

Quokka

Don't know if you'll settle here but I wouldn't worry about redbacks.
There have been lots around our house while I've brought up 2 kids and they don't even rate a mention.

Danger to your kids lies elsewhere:
2004 stats- Redbacks 0 , Road deaths 1598

Michelle & Chris

Hi Emma

Saw your thread, have you got your visa all sorted?

What can I say, you don't sound like your very happy where you are now. My husband and 2 girls (4 &12) are just starting out on the long visa journey. So I know what you mean about making that decision on leaving. I feel we're much like your self. We're doing ok, not living like rocka fella but just rubbing along. I personal feel that all I seem to do is go to work and come home again. I know longer feel that the UK has much to offer. On the one hand its not a bad place but I certainly think that life could improve. The big one has to be just what will the UK be like for our kids. Its certainly gone down hill since I was young so what will it be like in another 10-20 years, I don't see things improving.

My brother and sister in law have recently moved to Brisbane and they are loving it. They often comment just how much there is to do for kids. The cost of living is certainly cheaper. On the whole the people on BE seem so up beat and positive about there experiences. Nothing is ever going to be perfect but I certainly believe that it can be better, why shouldn't it. As for trades men my brother in law says that they get paid alot more in OZ than in the UK. So maybe a little more cash, some sun shine and cheaper cost of living might help with not being your own boss. And it doesn't have to be for ever. I believe that as long as you employ OZ people you can have your own biz.


You'll make friends, hard not to with 3 kids, and hey if we get there we'll do coffee.

All I have to do is convince my husband not to accept a job in New Zealand if its offered, I prefer Oz, deep down.

Chin up , it could be wonderful, and if not there's no shame in coming home. Some would never be brave enough to try.

Michelle

molesey

Don't worry you are not the only one feeling like this.
We are due to go to oz sometime next year, and one half of me know's its the right thing to do and i'm really excited but the other half is panicking, willl i be able to adjust, am i going to get depressed because ive left my home, my job, my friends, my family, my two 18 month old adorable nephews and one niece or nephew due in 10 days time,all behind and we are going to be a newly married couple, is all of this going to put us under pressure to succeed.
I have spoken to a few people who are in the same boat, i think its a natural thing to feel the way you are, all you have to remember when you are felling down and missing england, the reason WHY you decided to leave,
I hope ive helped?
good luck

Perthforme

My sister got biten by one and they gave her a very stong antihistimen shot
and she was fine its like a bad bee sting !
But in a year i had there never even saw one but guess easy to find if you want to .

Ransi

Awwww....wish I could help...I thought you were on about the series Cold Feet...

kimi

Hi

I think everyone gets cold feet to a sort of degree.

I think you should sit down and think what made you first think of coming downunder and go from there. Maybe a holiday out here would help first so you could see what its like first hand.

Good luck thought with whatever you decide.

Kim

meelie

I understand your problem very well we have been in Aus only 1 month and have been looking to settle in QLD for the last 3 weeks. We have been lucky because friends have put us up here during our time.

Our situation is unique perhaps because although we have 2 kids already 7 & 9 my wife fell pregnent unexpectantly and is due at Christmas, as you can imagine this has put extra pressure on our situation.

What I shall do is try to answer some of your quiries. Firstly I am in a very similar situation to your husband (a SE carpenter). Its very hot up here in QLD only spring and we are expecting temperatures or 36 degrees C today and averaging 33 throughout the summer up until easter. I for one do not look forward to Working in these conditions. There is plenty of work, but in my area the pay is a little less than I am used too 25-30$ph.

House prices are high throughout NSW and here in QLD expensive if you want nice beaches and good schools. We hoped for all you do, a better life to be morgage free perhaps etc.. Rental where we would like to settle (sunshine coast) is relativelyhigh too, we put 2 applications in yesterday in Mountain Creek near Budrim, Mooloolaba and Maroochydore (good state school catchment area and great beaches not too far away) 4 bed Bungalo no aircon 310-330aus$.

My wife and I, for these and many other reasons, are thinking of returning to the UK before we lose our house there (the sale is yet to complete). and before our shipping leaves. We have to make a decission by Monday before we get in too deep.

Dave..


as for the wildlife we've not seen anything deadly since we arrived.

I'm sorry to put a dampner on things, but emmigrating is one big big step.

a

stevereed

If you have the visa, get out there, get your citizenship and then consider your options. If you don't come, you'll probably regret it for ever, regarding one of the other posters remarks, house prices are not anywhere near UK ones, and if you have a fair amount of equity from a UK sale you can buy a reasonable place, but maybe a little way out of town. Depends whatyou want. 3 bed houses in Coffs Harbour NSW can be picked up for under $300000, (£130000 UK pounds)

But quality of life is not purely dependent on being mortgage free.

We're in NSW, 2 hours drive from the coast (which is nothing, we do day trips) and life is great.

You'll learn about potential dangers when you get here, just adjust your behaviour accordingly and you won't get into trouble.

Don't mess up a such an opportunity without trying it, you can always go home after 2-3 years with citizenship, and come back if you want to.

stevereed

you won't find ANYWHERE without spiders, but they really are no problem, just teach your kids whats same and whats not

jad n rich

Just one thing I'd be the last person to try and deny its hot working here in summer, partners a builder and sons an electrician who has to work outside covered head to foot in safety gear but try and remember this weather is not normal for this time of year, its about 10 above average, it could be this hot in summer sometimes but dont think it will be like this every day cause it wont

Good luck with your decision

AndyD

Hi Emma

We are planning to move out to Perth in November and I am feeling much the same as you at the moment. You're right it is scary, but its also exciting. My kids (11 and 14) really are against the whole thing and don't want to go. I think mainly they don't want to leave their friends etc and start new schools. I have to keep trying to convince them that it will be a better life and explain all the good things we will be able to do that we just can't do here.

It is a big risk and I wonder what we do if the kids don't settle easily. I already feel guilty for up-rooting them, so I will feel much worse if it doesn't work out. But I feel if we don't take the risk now we never will. Its sounds as though your kids are younger so they will probably settle in quicker anyway.

With regard to my husband and myself we don't have a big social circle here anyway. We have a few good friends that we see regularly, and my husband has family, but they are not that close. I think as long as you go out to Oz with a positive attitude and make a real effort to make friends etc you will be fine. That is what I'm planning to do. With 3 kids you are bound to come into contact with lots of parents around the same age as you.

My husband has just sold his share in a carpentry and Joinery business here. He tooks years to build it up and these last few years it has been doing really well and we were like you, not rich, but comfortable. He will have to go back to working for someone else, but he's looking forward to not having the responsibility of having his own business.

As for the spiders, I'm not really thinking about them too much. Its something that we will deal with when we get there and hopefully get used to.

Go for it.

Kim

wendywoo

I feel exactly the same - we're due to leave for Melbourne in 12 weeks the house is up for sale and we've sold loads of our things that we're not taking and now i get cold feet we have a good life here we both have good jobs and although not rich we don't want for much have great friends / family and I'm starting to look round and wonder why i would want to give it all up for the so called "new life down under" i know if we don't go I'll regret it
maybe its just fear of the unknown although we have spent 7 months over there already so know what its like - like you say cold feet

richyrocker

hi
been in Ozz , Tasmania, Melbourne, geelong, for 8 weeks now.
1st impressions ....

Traffic is extreme at all hrs specially in the cities , beware of overtaking , undertaking and getting boxed into a lane , there,s no forgiving on the roads.
House prices though slightly cheaper are still expensive for what you get , remember most are thrown up in a couple of weeks and are basic timber framed buildings with brick or weather board cladding , do yourself a massive favour a build your own , most can be bought as kits , easy peasy.
Work , Ive found it extremely difficult to get a job even though i am a timed served engineer, welder,fabricator and was fast tracked state sponsored ?
Most job agency's are useless , only a hard knock and personal handing out of CV,s to businesses has brought any results, even then they try and get you cheap .
Ive had to take job in a trade i gave up 10 years ago for the same pay as i was earning 15 years ago in the UK , Ive had to take it as funds are getting low.which brings me onto the next subject ....
You need to know exactly where you want to live
ideally you need to stay with friends or do the complete sell up and move.
most brits Ive met out here wish they toured the country before they bought a home .
If you hope of finding work while travelling as a permanent resident its nigh on impossible , they like you to have a fixed address within the are or suburb and unless you are lucky and find work outside the city's or towns be prepared for a commute with heavy traffic.
sorry to sound so pessimistic but this has been our 2 months experience so far , hopefully things will get better as we get wiser .
just be prepared for every eventuality .
best luck I'm sure everyones experiences are different so dont see it as all negative .

stevereed

maybe the city isn't the place to be, people should consider regional centres instead. traffic no problem, friendships being formed all the time, I've got employers keen to employ me, and I'm only part way through my accounting degree.

Waiting for a PR visa grant so that I can take a job, but I've got a number to choose from.

I wouldn't want to live in a conventional brick built house again, not much character. Kit homes are relatively cheap and a pretty good option. How about going down the sustainable building route, strawbale, stone, mudbrick, rainwater and solar power?

After moving from the SE of the UK, city living and traffic congestion are not on my list of wants. I love the city, but like to leave it after a trip and go home to peace and tranquility.