Expectations?
 

Hi
I've been wandering about on other forums and there seems to be some rather high expectations of some people emigrating to Australia, such as the good weather all the time, cost of living being vastly cheaper, houses are far bigger, jobs are easier to find and better paid and so on.

I'm also interested to see how many people are expecting to go and never come home, do you never think you'll return perminently to the UK or do you think you'll never be homesick?

We've lodged our 136 visa and plan to go for 2 years, rent the house out and see what happens. We want to get a different life experience for a bit but so many people are selling up and giving it there all, some who've never even been there?

This isn't meant to be antagonistic, I'm just really curious to know what people are expecting from Australia, and whether they are prepared for migration perminently or are the same as us, lets just have a change of scene for a bit.

Re: Expectations?
 

Hi - it is so nice to read your post! We have also applied for a 136 visa and plan to go for a couple of years really - exactly as you have said - for a different experience and a change of scene really. We are not planning on staying permanently and don't have kids so don't have this to consider. I think most people on here are planning on going permanently (at least I haven't come accross anyone like you who is going for a couple of years) so it's nice to know I am not the only one!

Where/When are you planning on going?

Re: Expectations?
 

we're definately planning on a perminant move, neither my husband nor i particularily like living in the uk and we're moving for a better standard of life.

We're moving to melbourne so certainly won't be expecting constant sunshine. And as science teachers will probably have a much harder time finding a job.

But... the compensations in terms of lifestyle (outdoors, cost of housing, open spaces etc) i expect to make up for this.

Re: Expectations?
 

we're hopefully heading to Sydney in August. I've been hanging around on the moving back to the UK forum and seeing all the committed to living in Aus posters desperate to get back to the UK has been a real eye opener.

I think they think all of us on here have rose tinted glasses, just seeing if we do?!

We have 2 kids and hope to give them a bit of a life experience ready to come back and start high school. Saying that we could do 6 months and love it or 2 years and vow never to return... who knows! I just don't want to burn the bridges in case it just isn't right for us.

Re: Expectations?
 

the posters on the going back forum, are as definite about their decisions as the rest of us on the goint to Oz forum.

Some are dissolusioned with Oz, it didnt meet expaectations, they didnt do their homework properly or Oz just isnt for them. Many reasons, but dont forget everybody ticks differently.

As for much cheaper living, forget it, bigger house, maybe, but if you head for Sydney or Perth take a big bag of money nowadays.

I came to Holland 20 years ago with the the idea to stay for 2 years, look at things carefully, and almost definitely go back to the UK. Im still here (only just). You never know.

Keep reading the going home posts to give you both sides of the argument. It doesnt hurt.

Re: Expectations?
 

thats true!

I'd like to think we're prepared, expecting a bumpy ride, cultural differences, homesickness, different way of working and schooling etc. But i'd like to think we're also doing it for the right reasons, enjoying the outdoors, having more family time and going to new places and meeting new people.

Time will tell no doubt which of us stay and which return home...

Re: Expectations?
 

I do read some things on here that really make me wonder if the poster has really done any proper research on life in Australia (or often, life anywhere outside the UK). Some people genuinely believe it is Utopia and it seems to me it is those people who are most likely to be disappointed and have their dreams shattered when they get there. Part of the problem is the constant way that the UK press picture the UK as such a dreadful place, as if the problems we have over here are unique to this country, rather than part and parcel of living in the 21st century in the western world (I include Australia in that). Most of the same issues exist in Australia, it's just either that they don't get reported so much or that the reports don't reach the UK.

I like to think that we are a little more realistic in our expectations, having lived in Sydney for a couple of years before. So the visa application is going in on Thursday and we're hoping to be able to spend part of the year in the UK and part in Australia, as I plan to temp and hubby may be able to run his business from anywhere in the world (we'll see how that pans out!). No doubt over time we'll come to prefer one to the other.

I reckon the Moving back to the UK section should be compulsory reading for everyone on here though, just to get a balanced perspective!

Re: Expectations?
 

The biggest mistake is to write off the UK (or wherever you live) , and start to hate it. It is never that bad !

It is just a case of people having the idea that they can have a better life elsewhere, and the reasons for this are different for everybody. I love Holland, but its time to move on. I have my reasons, if it doesnt work, in 2 years its time to pack again :ohmy:

Re: Expectations?
 

I agree. Home is always going to be the UK no matter what a visa says and I intend to enjoy Aus for its differences and keep options open.

I agree too, Moving back to the UK should be compulsary reading for everyone applying for a visa!!!:)

Re: Expectations?
 

Theoretically I'd like to say I'd try it for a couple of years but considering you may spend 6 months preparing your Visa, 12 months or more waiting to get it and several thousand pounds total to get there, then it's hard not to consider that a commitment you would try to make work.
However as a British citizen it would surely always be easier to come back if you changed your mind? (ie, not worth worrying about).

Re: Expectations?
 

When/if NO WHEN ;) we get our visas it is for life! Selling house and moving lock stock and barrel. It will work. if it doesnt work in one place then i will move somewhere else - australia is big enough to do that hey.
I am pretty certain that financially i will be worse off in australia and i wont be able to own my own house like i do here for a good few years, BUT i know all of that and i dont care. Im not going to get rich in terms of money, and i will probably have to work longer hours than i work here BUT long term i believe it will offer my children a better future and if that means i have to struggle then so be it. Rather struggle there than here :D

Re: Expectations?
 

Sensible post - we made the move in September and nearly 6 months in to date ive had 5 days work and my wife is still waiting for her official Teacher registration from queensland.
Started my own Computing repair business (www.Croccomputers.com) made nothing. Nearly skint - cant afford to go back and wouldnt want to anyway.

Keep your house on - come here get established then sell is the best advice I can give.

We moved to the sunshine coast and there is no IT work whatsoever going on - may have to move to Brisbane. Can't move yet until we know whats going on with her teaching.
Getting the visa is the easy bit - starting your life from scratch is the hardest part.
Australians are friendly people, will make you feel welcome, they just wont use you in business (old boy -network who you know not what you know).
Bureaucracy is unbelievable - never ending red tape - my wife had to turn a a supply teaching post down this morning as she needs to register her stuff with another office - which is a 50 page form and we are waiting on stuff from queensland education authority.
The left hand here doesn't know what the right hand is doing - think england in the 80's - and thats how things work here.
2 weeks ago my wife applied for a telephonists Job for money that wouldnt match our rent and was told she wasnt qualified.
I went for a computer consultancy/ technician job up at Noosa and the guy asked me how much my rent was - i told him $410 (not really his business to ask) - he offered me the job and offered me $400 a week.
Can't get any lower and I feel that we will get there it just is sooo hard.
The place is beautiful (been raining for 3 days now) - we arent going back to england.
Weigh it up - expect to earn half what you did in england but trade it against how beautiful the beaches are and theres still plenty you can do for free.

Too Easy - yeah Too hard

Re: Expectations?
 

I think it is wise to go and check out oz first before burning all your bridges. We spent 12 months there last year and loved it but i certainly wouldnt be going back their unless we sampled the lifestyle somthing that cant be done on a three week holiday. Oz is a great place but it does also have its very bad points but you couldnt tell me one place on this planet that dosnt in one form or another. For me moving to oz would be not just for us but to start a family somthing i wouldnt do in england. I cant wait to get there but i also know in a lot of senses oz wont change me. Its not the country its the person and what that person makes of experiences. For example when travelling we would have people tell us dont bother going to say uluru its just a rock in the ground, but we went and loved it. Or dont go here go there one thing i did learn is that everyone has there own opinion what is good for them aint necessary good for you. For me its about going to live the dream and i will and if it dosnt work out il try somwhere else or even uk mmmmm nah been there once for 30 years that was enough haha only joking rule brittania and all that.

Re: Expectations?
 

interesting post! well, i'm off to Sydney monday week!:ohmy:
My plan is also to give it two yrs and see how it all works out. Im fortunate as i've lived there before -only as a backpacker mind, but i've got a load of mates out there who have already got me a job and place to live so its a start. There is a huge expat community in Sydney as i imagine to be in all the main cites and when you first arrive somewhere its always good to be with your own till you get settled. The work i have is for a Londoner too which is bonus as the thought of getting pom this, pom that, all day might bring me to extreme violence! ;) Also, as i work for myself here i dont expect to earn as well however e-mails from my mate suggest the pay is far better than i expected so i'll have to see when i arrive.
I do love London and it will always be my home even if i do rant about it from time to time -i'm allowed to 'cos i live there. I know i'm gonna miss the place even though it is a bit gritty and a bit dirty and a few murders most weekends! lol, I always know i'll end up back here one day but for the next two yrs?, roll on down under.

Re: Expectations?
 

We are here permanently.

I'd never been to Oz before we emigrated and I had no expectations, that way I wasnt disapointed.

I dont "hate" the UK, I just feel it has nothing to offer me and we are living a much happier life here.

You certainly need to do a fair bit of research before you come, about cost of living and all that side of things, but there's only so much you can from the other side of the world.

There's all sorts of reasons why people go back, homesickness is probably a major one, but there are some who seem to think by moving here they'll be living on long holiday. At the end of the day it is LIFE here, unless you're rich you'll stil have to go to work, still have bills to pay etc.

I agree with what Mick said, getting the visa is the easy bit....