Originally Posted by 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 .

Originally Posted by wendywoo

I was interested to hear you had trouble finding work my husbands also a welder / fabricator - by the sounds of it we like you were lead to believe there was loads of work for him - our PR visa was rushed through because of the lack of skilled workers

Originally Posted by Grayling

This has cropped up loads of times in the past.

Many people have found it difficult to find work despite the supposed lack of skilled workers.

Much seems to depend on where you plan to live and if the jobs are in that area.

G

Originally Posted by Dreamaway 10

Just to say that I have been reading these posts and agree with how everyone feels.
I went through a rough patch a few weeks ago and started to get cold feet.
The whole migration process is one long rollercoaster of emotions from start to end.
I was telling one of my friends how I felt and they said you would not be feeling as bad as this if you had sold your house by now.
Its true as the house sale has dragged on and on I feel as though we are never going to get there and then statrt thinking maybe its not meant to be.
You are certaintly not alone there are loads of us who go through the same and particuarly it seems to be the women who feel it most.

Originally Posted by phoenixinoz

Spot on!

We went through the same ups/downs and should we/shouldn't we.

It's normal.

We got here.....and we LOVE it

So don't worry

Originally Posted by 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

Originally Posted by 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

Originally Posted by 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 .

Originally Posted by Ransi

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

Originally Posted by Grayling

This has cropped up loads of times in the past.

Many people have found it difficult to find work despite the supposed lack of skilled workers.

Much seems to depend on where you plan to live and if the jobs are in that area.

G

Originally Posted by 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

Originally Posted by emmieshaw19

Hi,

Thanks for that!! Alot of people say if you look for them you'll find them and others say they have the big ones sat in the corner of their bathroom and leave them to eat the cockroaches, errr!!