View Poll Results: Have you Visited prior to Emigration
Visited proir to
73
51.77%
Not visited prior to
68
48.23%
Voters: 141. You may not vote on this poll
Emigration without a visit first
Jun 29th 2003, 9:39 am
#46
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: UK from the sandpit
Posts: 119
Originally posted by ACE
Thanks U_m,
I certainly hope you're right, i was beginning to doubt the wisdom of our decision as i have read quite a few negative posts over the months but then again we all have our ideas of what want out of the big move. We just want a quiet life with the opportunity to spend a lot of time outdoors and a lot of space, so hopefully shouldn't be dissapointed.
Ace
Thanks U_m,
I certainly hope you're right, i was beginning to doubt the wisdom of our decision as i have read quite a few negative posts over the months but then again we all have our ideas of what want out of the big move. We just want a quiet life with the opportunity to spend a lot of time outdoors and a lot of space, so hopefully shouldn't be dissapointed.
Ace
Don't follow all the doubts you hear or see on hear or any of the net.
Have personally have spent over 2 years in Oz, took a love on my first visit, and even spent month earlier this year (with my 2 yr old child) visiting and living with expats in Bris. Perth & Syd. Staying in normal houses (4+2).
I still have not seen anything to put me or my family off, gonna pick Perth, not earn as much as I could in Syd. but with the house with pool I can only dream about in UK kind of seals it for me.
And before the Pessimistic people with their own opinions start, I have lived and worked in WA and Sydney, AND LIFE IS BETTER,
PB - have you been to Midlands recently?
You talk about immigrants....trust me......you will be shell-shocked!
PB, you are a very intelligent person, and am one of the few persons on here to acknowledge that, but cant help feeling your jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.....
Jun 29th 2003, 11:08 am
#47
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Dawesville, WA
Posts: 1,192
Hi U_M,
Thanks for the words of encouragement.
From my limited knowledge of OZ life does seem better. I know that life as an immigrant or the child of an immigrant can be tough but i will encourage my children to embrace their new country as their own and appreciate what it has to offer just as my parents encouraged me to do.
I am not suggesting life is bad here in the UK it isn't, we have a very good life here but we want to give OZ a try for our children if nothing else. We will be in a position where our standard of living will improve dramatically without having to work all the hours god sends and we will have the time and the weather to enjoy life.
We will continue to read all posts positive and negative, i figure that this will prepare us for the worst case scenario which we may not have predicted as well as fueling our excitement with tales of how sweet life can be.
So for what it's worth we are going for it.
kind regards
Ace & Steve
Thanks for the words of encouragement.
From my limited knowledge of OZ life does seem better. I know that life as an immigrant or the child of an immigrant can be tough but i will encourage my children to embrace their new country as their own and appreciate what it has to offer just as my parents encouraged me to do.
I am not suggesting life is bad here in the UK it isn't, we have a very good life here but we want to give OZ a try for our children if nothing else. We will be in a position where our standard of living will improve dramatically without having to work all the hours god sends and we will have the time and the weather to enjoy life.
We will continue to read all posts positive and negative, i figure that this will prepare us for the worst case scenario which we may not have predicted as well as fueling our excitement with tales of how sweet life can be.
So for what it's worth we are going for it.
kind regards
Ace
& Steve
Jun 29th 2003, 3:16 pm
#48
Just Joined
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 4
Hi there - we moved over after my husband had spend a hurried 6 days in Melbourne checking it all out, but I hadn't been to Australia at all. We had everything geared up to emigrate to Vancouver, Canada, but he had found a job adverstised on the internet for a university in Melbourne and had been offered it after a lengthy 'phone interview, so his visit was just to complete the process. We'd done loads of trips to Canada to investigate so moving here sight unseen was a real leap of faith.
It has worked out after a year, but the initial culture shock was tremendous and its true that it really isn't like we imagined from the book and internet research we did. However, fortune favours the brave and all that, so if you can't afford to check it out first, just be prepared for everything to be different to what you know and what you think you know about Australia. Talking to people who have done it is also a really good way to get a feel for the different cities and areas, and especially costs.
What's the worst that can happen? You lose a few quid and can always go home again!
OzOgs
It has worked out after a year, but the initial culture shock was tremendous and its true that it really isn't like we imagined from the book and internet research we did. However, fortune favours the brave and all that, so if you can't afford to check it out first, just be prepared for everything to be different to what you know and what you think you know about Australia. Talking to people who have done it is also a really good way to get a feel for the different cities and areas, and especially costs.
What's the worst that can happen? You lose a few quid and can always go home again!
OzOgs
Jun 29th 2003, 3:21 pm
#49
Guest
Posts: n/a
Originally posted by OzOgs
...the initial culture shock was tremendous...
...the initial culture shock was tremendous...
Jun 29th 2003, 5:19 pm
#50
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2003
Location: Bristol - Waitakere - ChCh
Posts: 294
[QUOTE]Originally posted by dotty Thats actually a good point as we're finding at the moment - We've been in NZ for 2 yrs with no desire to return to the UK, but husbands father has unforseen health problems and he wants to go back and see him for a couple of weeks - Now that we are used to living on NZ dollars and not pounds we are finding it a struggle to raise the cash ( also spending money) He cant just get up and go
Jun 29th 2003, 5:53 pm
#51
Banned
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Perth Arse end of the planet
Posts: 7,037
Originally posted by unrefined_mind
ACE,
PB - have you been to Midlands recently?
You talk about immigrants....trust me......you will be shell-shocked!
PB, you are a very intelligent person, and am one of the few persons on here to acknowledge that, but cant help feeling your jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.....
ACE,
PB - have you been to Midlands recently?
You talk about immigrants....trust me......you will be shell-shocked!
PB, you are a very intelligent person, and am one of the few persons on here to acknowledge that, but cant help feeling your jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.....
You have worked in wonderful Perth and know the varing states of employment , look I have only ever worked with people of different races here and plenty of them.
The face of Perth is changing at a much greater rate than the UK , the Burbs are spreading at a rate I have never seen anywhere else on the planet.
Immigration is used as a tool to keep wages down and the ecomony moving , Perth cannot absorb the rate of newcomers without also absorbing the problems that come with greater numbers seeking land and jobs.
The new faces are not just Poms I have worked with Indians , ,Arabs, East Europeans of all kinds and Asians from the far east.
Ps Hope you do not work in Engineering its a waste of time in Perth .
Jun 29th 2003, 5:56 pm
#52
Just Joined
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 4
Originally posted by The Tooth Fairy
Must admit I'm surprised. Would be interesting to hear some anecdotes.
Must admit I'm surprised. Would be interesting to hear some anecdotes.
loads of old - and protected - buildings: villages and towns with centres: interesting glowy pubs: restaurants with ambience: hitherto unappreciated TV news and documentaries: Royal Mail ( or is it still Consignia?): great road signage and roundabouts: miserable grey people: miserable grey weather: Friday night motorway car parks: extortionate house prices: violence: general boredom, off the top of my head,
and Melbourne;
strip shops and vast suburbs which all look alike: no town centres: little to no Victorian architecture remaining: no pubs outside the city centre other than those in Pokies and Tatts (gambling rooms): restaurants with geat food but no atmosphere: appalling news coverage: post that arrives at 4pm and takes less time from the UK than from NSW: road signs pointing the way just as you pass the intersection and traffic lights everywhere: cheery positive people: sunny hot summers and even rainy winter days with sunshine at some point: freeways with MOVING traffic: astonishingly good standard of living: always having something to do and somewhere to go.
Other bonuses include delicious fresh food (what DO they put in our meat and veggies in the UK?) and a general feeling of wellbeing almost as soon as you arrive. A healthy and positive outlook for kids and teenagers (who always appear to have something to do here) and elderly alike. Our two year old is thriving compared to the UK. We bought as soon as we could and our standard of living (just on one salary) is much better than we could ever have aspired to in the UK on our relatively substantial combined salaries (I can't imagine us with a pool, an enormous detached house and a large plot of land backing onto a bushland nature reserve in the UK). And we get to see flocks of colourful squabbling parrots, possums, tawny frog mouth owls etc on a daily basis here. There are trees and parks everywhere.
I'm sure I've missed out lots, but as I say, off the top of my head that'll do! Apologies for the lack of anecdotes ...
Jun 29th 2003, 6:02 pm
#53
Banned
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Perth Arse end of the planet
Posts: 7,037
[QUOTE]Originally posted by OzOgs
Not many interesting anecdotes, I'm afraid; mostly just shock over fundamental cultural differences between Oxford;
loads of old - and protected - buildings: villages and towns with centres: interesting glowy pubs: restaurants with ambience: hitherto unappreciated TV news and documentaries: Royal Mail ( or is it still Consignia?): great road signage and roundabouts: miserable grey people: miserable grey weather: Friday night motorway car parks: extortionate house prices: violence: general boredom, off the top of my head,
and Melbourne;
A TERRIFIED family claim they were driven from their home after police used it to spy on slain gangster Jason Moran.
Moran is alleged to have threatened to harm the neighbours' children and bomb their $500,000 home when he discovered he had been watched.
Up to 1000 mourners are expected to attend Moran's funeral service today, but his father won't be among them.
Prison authorities said it would be too dangerous to escort Lewis Moran from his jail cell to his son's final farewell.
Moran and an associate were executed in a car nine days ago at a junior footy clinic. Five children, including Moran's twin son and daughter, were in the vehicle.
Prison authorities said this was a factor in deciding it would be too risky to allow Lewis Moran to be taken from Port Phillip Prison, at Laverton, to the funeral at St Mary's church in West Melbourne.
"Given the circumstances and the nature of Mr Jason Moran's death in
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/com...55E661,00.html
VICTORIA'S Police Minister has called for tighter security at nightspots after two men were stabbed at Salt nightclub at the weekend.
A group of nightclub vandals were thrown out of the South Yarra nightclub minutes before a security guard and another man were attacked outside the venue early yesterday morning.
The stabbings come less than a year after three men died in a confrontation that began in the nightclub.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/com...5E2862,00.html
Melbourne Weather
Monday
Cloudy with rain at times. Moderate to fresh east to southeasterly wind.
Current Temperature: 13 C
Forecast Max: 13C
Wind Direction & Speed: ENE at 6 knots
Humidity: 76%
Pressure: 1008.5 hPa
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 Day Forecasts:
Tuesday
Cloudy with a few showers.
Min: 8C Max: 13C
Wednesday
Shower or two.
Min: 7C Max: 13C
Thursday
Morning fog then fine.
Min: 5C Max: 13C
Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Mainly fine. Wind increasing. Generally cool.
No give me Oxford.
Not many interesting anecdotes, I'm afraid; mostly just shock over fundamental cultural differences between Oxford;
loads of old - and protected - buildings: villages and towns with centres: interesting glowy pubs: restaurants with ambience: hitherto unappreciated TV news and documentaries: Royal Mail ( or is it still Consignia?): great road signage and roundabouts: miserable grey people: miserable grey weather: Friday night motorway car parks: extortionate house prices: violence: general boredom, off the top of my head,
and Melbourne;
A TERRIFIED family claim they were driven from their home after police used it to spy on slain gangster Jason Moran.
Moran is alleged to have threatened to harm the neighbours' children and bomb their $500,000 home when he discovered he had been watched.
Up to 1000 mourners are expected to attend Moran's funeral service today, but his father won't be among them.
Prison authorities said it would be too dangerous to escort Lewis Moran from his jail cell to his son's final farewell.
Moran and an associate were executed in a car nine days ago at a junior footy clinic. Five children, including Moran's twin son and daughter, were in the vehicle.
Prison authorities said this was a factor in deciding it would be too risky to allow Lewis Moran to be taken from Port Phillip Prison, at Laverton, to the funeral at St Mary's church in West Melbourne.
"Given the circumstances and the nature of Mr Jason Moran's death in
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/com...55E661,00.html
VICTORIA'S Police Minister has called for tighter security at nightspots after two men were stabbed at Salt nightclub at the weekend.
A group of nightclub vandals were thrown out of the South Yarra nightclub minutes before a security guard and another man were attacked outside the venue early yesterday morning.
The stabbings come less than a year after three men died in a confrontation that began in the nightclub.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/com...5E2862,00.html
Melbourne Weather
Monday
Cloudy with rain at times. Moderate to fresh east to southeasterly wind.
Current Temperature: 13 C
Forecast Max: 13C
Wind Direction & Speed: ENE at 6 knots
Humidity: 76%
Pressure: 1008.5 hPa
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 Day Forecasts:
Tuesday
Cloudy with a few showers.
Min: 8C Max: 13C
Wednesday
Shower or two.
Min: 7C Max: 13C
Thursday
Morning fog then fine.
Min: 5C Max: 13C
Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Mainly fine. Wind increasing. Generally cool.
No give me Oxford.
Last edited by pommie bastard; Jun 29th 2003 at 6:17 pm.
Jun 29th 2003, 6:10 pm
#54
Guest
Posts: n/a
Originally posted by OzOgs
Not many interesting anecdotes, I'm afraid; mostly just shock over fundamental cultural differences between Oxford;
loads of old - and protected - buildings: villages and towns with centres: interesting glowy pubs: restaurants with ambience: hitherto unappreciated TV news and documentaries: Royal Mail ( or is it still Consignia?): great road signage and roundabouts: miserable grey people: miserable grey weather: Friday night motorway car parks: extortionate house prices: violence: general boredom, off the top of my head,
and Melbourne;
strip shops and vast suburbs which all look alike: no town centres: little to no Victorian architecture remaining: no pubs outside the city centre other than those in Pokies and Tatts (gambling rooms): restaurants with geat food but no atmosphere: appalling news coverage: post that arrives at 4pm and takes less time from the UK than from NSW: road signs pointing the way just as you pass the intersection and traffic lights everywhere: cheery positive people: sunny hot summers and even rainy winter days with sunshine at some point: freeways with MOVING traffic: astonishingly good standard of living: always having something to do and somewhere to go.
Other bonuses include delicious fresh food (what DO they put in our meat and veggies in the UK?) and a general feeling of wellbeing almost as soon as you arrive. A healthy and positive outlook for kids and teenagers (who always appear to have something to do here) and elderly alike. Our two year old is thriving compared to the UK. We bought as soon as we could and our standard of living (just on one salary) is much better than we could ever have aspired to in the UK on our relatively substantial combined salaries (I can't imagine us with a pool, an enormous detached house and a large plot of land backing onto a bushland nature reserve in the UK). And we get to see flocks of colourful squabbling parrots, possums, tawny frog mouth owls etc on a daily basis here. There are trees and parks everywhere.
I'm sure I've missed out lots, but as I say, off the top of my head that'll do! Apologies for the lack of anecdotes ...
Not many interesting anecdotes, I'm afraid; mostly just shock over fundamental cultural differences between Oxford;
loads of old - and protected - buildings: villages and towns with centres: interesting glowy pubs: restaurants with ambience: hitherto unappreciated TV news and documentaries: Royal Mail ( or is it still Consignia?): great road signage and roundabouts: miserable grey people: miserable grey weather: Friday night motorway car parks: extortionate house prices: violence: general boredom, off the top of my head,
and Melbourne;
strip shops and vast suburbs which all look alike: no town centres: little to no Victorian architecture remaining: no pubs outside the city centre other than those in Pokies and Tatts (gambling rooms): restaurants with geat food but no atmosphere: appalling news coverage: post that arrives at 4pm and takes less time from the UK than from NSW: road signs pointing the way just as you pass the intersection and traffic lights everywhere: cheery positive people: sunny hot summers and even rainy winter days with sunshine at some point: freeways with MOVING traffic: astonishingly good standard of living: always having something to do and somewhere to go.
Other bonuses include delicious fresh food (what DO they put in our meat and veggies in the UK?) and a general feeling of wellbeing almost as soon as you arrive. A healthy and positive outlook for kids and teenagers (who always appear to have something to do here) and elderly alike. Our two year old is thriving compared to the UK. We bought as soon as we could and our standard of living (just on one salary) is much better than we could ever have aspired to in the UK on our relatively substantial combined salaries (I can't imagine us with a pool, an enormous detached house and a large plot of land backing onto a bushland nature reserve in the UK). And we get to see flocks of colourful squabbling parrots, possums, tawny frog mouth owls etc on a daily basis here. There are trees and parks everywhere.
I'm sure I've missed out lots, but as I say, off the top of my head that'll do! Apologies for the lack of anecdotes ...
Jun 29th 2003, 9:22 pm
#55
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Dawesville, WA
Posts: 1,192
Originally posted by pommie bastard
You have worked in wonderful Perth and know the varing states of employment , look I have only ever worked with people of different races here and plenty of them.
The face of Perth is changing at a much greater rate than the UK , the Burbs are spreading at a rate I have never seen anywhere else on the planet.
Immigration is used as a tool to keep wages down and the ecomony moving , Perth cannot absorb the rate of newcomers without also absorbing the problems that come with greater numbers seeking land and jobs.
The new faces are not just Poms I have worked with Indians , ,Arabs, East Europeans of all kinds and Asians from the far east.
Ps Hope you do not work in Engineering its a waste of time in Perth .
You have worked in wonderful Perth and know the varing states of employment , look I have only ever worked with people of different races here and plenty of them.
The face of Perth is changing at a much greater rate than the UK , the Burbs are spreading at a rate I have never seen anywhere else on the planet.
Immigration is used as a tool to keep wages down and the ecomony moving , Perth cannot absorb the rate of newcomers without also absorbing the problems that come with greater numbers seeking land and jobs.
The new faces are not just Poms I have worked with Indians , ,Arabs, East Europeans of all kinds and Asians from the far east.
Ps Hope you do not work in Engineering its a waste of time in Perth .
I am a little alarmed as my husband works in engineering do you mean chemical/petroleum engineering, operation and production control, as there does appear to be a lot of work in this area, or are you refering to another area of engineering.
Kind Regards
Ace
Jun 30th 2003, 12:13 am
#56
Guest
Posts: n/a
For what it's worth it seems to me that the oft talked about "visit" is often pointless as in my opinion you need 3 months to decide whether or not you will fit in in Australia..
haing said that even a few weeks will give you an "idea"...what everything looks like - the shops etc
haing said that even a few weeks will give you an "idea"...what everything looks like - the shops etc
Jun 30th 2003, 1:09 am
#57
Just Joined
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 4
[QUOTE]Originally posted by pommie bastard
[QUOTE]Originally posted by OzOgs
About Moran - he chose his profession.
Its winter here, which is mercifully short.
Unlike Oxford's.
[QUOTE]Originally posted by OzOgs
About Moran - he chose his profession.
Its winter here, which is mercifully short.
Unlike Oxford's.
Jun 30th 2003, 5:42 am
#58
Brisbane
Joined: May 2003
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 87
I am taking my family over whilst I study for a Masters Degree for 18 months in Adelaide.
I trust that will be long enough to find out whether we like it or not!!!
I won't be able to get a Graduate Skilled Visa when I've finished my masters, as the rules have changed, but you never know the rules might change again.
We are thinking of the whole experience as a very long and expensive holiday, plus it will give me something to put on my CV when I get back to the UK!
Good luck everyone!!
Trayla
I trust that will be long enough to find out whether we like it or not!!!
I won't be able to get a Graduate Skilled Visa when I've finished my masters, as the rules have changed, but you never know the rules might change again.
We are thinking of the whole experience as a very long and expensive holiday, plus it will give me something to put on my CV when I get back to the UK!
Good luck everyone!!
Trayla
Jun 30th 2003, 11:48 am
#59
Banned
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Perth Arse end of the planet
Posts: 7,037
Originally posted by ACE
Hi PB,
I am a little alarmed as my husband works in engineering do you mean chemical/petroleum engineering, operation and production control, as there does appear to be a lot of work in this area, or are you refering to another area of engineering.
Kind Regards
Ace
Hi PB,
I am a little alarmed as my husband works in engineering do you mean chemical/petroleum engineering, operation and production control, as there does appear to be a lot of work in this area, or are you refering to another area of engineering.
Kind Regards
Ace
Last edited by pommie bastard; Jul 1st 2003 at 12:36 pm.
Jun 30th 2003, 11:51 am
#60
Banned
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Perth Arse end of the planet
Posts: 7,037
[QUOTE]Originally posted by OzOgs
[QUOTE]Originally posted by pommie bastard
Melbournes Winter is 9 months of the year so I am told , a friend who lives there did say its great weather for Poms 4 seasons in one day.
[QUOTE]Originally posted by pommie bastard
Originally posted by OzOgs
About Moran - he chose his profession.
Its winter here, which is mercifully short.
Unlike Oxford's.
About Moran - he chose his profession.
Its winter here, which is mercifully short.
Unlike Oxford's.
Last edited by pommie bastard; Jul 1st 2003 at 12:36 pm.
