Toryglen-Boy

so, i finish up my job next week, and fly out on the 17th from Heathrow, and still i am in two minds as to go or not! everyone says its a great opportunity, and they would love it. But now it comes down to it, i keep thinking of all i will miss here, my friends and family, a decent pint and the premiership!!

is this just nerves? did others who went out there get this?

what do you suggest?

confused !!

crystal113

You've come this far and must have spent a fair bit of money. It's natural to still feel doubts but if you don't follow it through you will regret it forever. Just give it a go - if it doesn't work out it's only 24hr back to blighty!! Good Luck (not that you'll need it!!)

phoenixinoz

Well, you've already given up the job and booked the flights...so what have you got to lose?

Yes, it's nerves. EVERYONE who makes this move suffers the same thing in one way or another. I had a few rum n cokes to calm the nerves before I got on the plane. I'll never know how they got me off the wings

Joking apart, you'll be OK mate. Lets face it, it's a bloody life changing experience and if you weren't apprehensive then you'd be bloody stupid

All the best and good luck in your new life

Wendy

Yep, I agree.

I'm feeling a bit that way myself today and I'm really looking forward to it, so it must be normal

Yesterday I had no problems at all, but today I thought OMG I'm going in about 6 weeks :scared: :scared:

weeman111

Hi.I have been getting these sorts of feelings as well,as we dont have a lot of money to take with us, I am worried about not getting a job,wife is very close to her mum so there will be a lot of tears,my dad is not in best of health now,dont know if he will be fit to travel that far again,but one of my mates said to me,I wish it was me!So in a way I feel lucky to have options,you can always come back,but Iam sure all will be well,it is natural to be nervous about change,all the best Dave

phoenixinoz

Yep, I know exactly what you mean.

When going through the DIMIA process you spend all your time
1) watching anything Australian
2) Reading anything Australian
3) Being on Expats
4) Accosting the postman for news
5) Clicking on your email Inbox every 5 mins

Then the house goes up for sale and you get distracted tidying up, throwing crap out, painting, decorating, showing folk round, putting the sale sign up /selling it / taking the sale sign down / putting it up again cos some dick-head has pulled out of the deal....then blah..blah...blah...until the house is sold again

Then the fun begins.

House sold, packers in, house emptied.....and you stand there with a few suitcases thinking "well, this is it, what have we done:scared: "....and then it becomes VERY real.

Amongst this there are the goodbyes to friends and family, giving up work, paying last minute bills,booking flights, booking accommodation and wondering what the bloody hell you have done at this point in your life

And then you get to the airport and you are numb. And excited. And numb.

Then then you land in Aus. And you are numb. And excited. And numb.

Then you sleep from exhaustion and the next day go into auto pilot and sort out the practicalities like longer term accommodation, cars, Medicare, Tax file numbers, jobs....and then you wonder why in between all this all you want to do is for the stress or for the exhaustion and it all feels very strange.

It's not a holiday feeling nor is it a "I'm living here" feeling....it's a weird "where do I belong" feeling ....and you still feel excited. And numb. And excited. And numb.

And then.....as time moves on, and you start to get things together, and you find somewhere perm to live, and get a job, and start to accept and understand the differences, and speak to family "back home".......you become a little less numb....and a little less excited...and then things start to return to some kind of normality...and you stop referring to UK as "back home" .....

Then before you know it Aus becomes home. Life becomes normal. People in the UK stop asking when you are coming back, or if you are still happy, and you stop having to justify why you like living here...and you start thinking "yeah.....I really do live here".

Soon you forget what it was you missed about "home".....and you feel comfortable, and you realise you have friends, not the long term kind of friendships you had in UK, after all they took years to build, but none the less lovely friends who already in this short time have become people who you have leaned on .......and vice versa.....

And then, you stop feeling insecure and you stop feeling nervous and you stop worrying about where life is taking you to. And you stop thinking about what everyone else is doing "back home" and you only think about them weekly rather than daily.....and you learn to love them from a distance instead of the ache to see, touch, feel them. The need for that emotional support becomes a fond memory rather than a heartbreaking need.

And then you know you live here.

And then, and only then, do you stop worrying that you did the right thing

Downies

Wow - brought tears to my eyes! Fantastic post - putting into perspective - will save this and read it when I get to the stage of the heebie jeebies.

Paula

Wendy

That's a fantastic post hun, I'd send Karma but I have to spread

Only thing that will be different for us is that we are going to go from Brisbane down to Adelaide, so will be taking about a months holiday before we have to start all the practical stuff. I'm hoping that will make it a bit easier on the hubby and kids.

Also we have no really close friends here as they live in different parts of the country so see them very rarely anyway, so apart from my Son there is no-one here to miss.

Knowing my son, I won't hear from him for weeks on end, he only lives half a mile down the road at the minute and I never see or hear from him now.

When he comes over to Australia at christmas etc, we will probably spend more time together than we ever have here.

Cheetah7

I had a wavering moment today.

I met my Dad for lunch and we had a drink. As I hugged him goodbye, I watched him go.

At nearly 70 years old, he still works full time and he looked so old and hunched as he went off down the street, I wanted to cry.

Asking myself why, when he only works down the road from me, havent I spent more time with him making the most of him.

Why does it seem ages for our visa to come, yet my Dad has aged so quickly?

And more to the point, am I able to leave him?

Manc

Get on the plane you soft sod

Quokka

if you are a football fan, don't leave till 10th July - Serious

tum

Great post, I've send you some karma!!

Miranda

wargod

Too late if you've jacked your job, just go for it things will fall into place

ozzymaz

Knowing my son, I won't hear from him for weeks on end, he only lives half a mile down the road at the minute and I never see or hear from him now.




Same here!! He is 19 and I am going to miss him soOOOOO much.....my other son is married and lives in Wales so much more settled so don't worry about him as much. Hopefully once he has finished his apprenticeship here my youngest will join us in Oz.

By the way .....great post Phoenixinoz

mand8002

What a great post, it certainly sums up the emotional rollercoaster and I can say I went through most of that too.