First two months in Oz
Jun 26th 2005, 7:12 am
#16
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Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Sunshine Coast
Posts: 256
Re: First two months in Oz
Our eldest lad goes to Mountain Creek High School http://www.mtncreekshs.qld.edu.au/ and our younger two kids go to Buderim Mountain State School http://www.budemounss.qld.edu.au/
We are living in Buderim, which is near Mooloolaba and Maroochydore.
Finding rental accommodation within the Mountain Creek catchment was another bizarre experience. We went to all the Real Estate agents in Buderim and asked the same question in each. The question was "Have you got any rental homes within the Moutain Creek High School catchment area?". The reply in each one was exactly the same, "No sorry we haven't". We went away feeling a bit depressed but had been given a couple of leaflets of the available properties they did have. When we got back to our apartment we had a quick browse of the leaflets and noticed about 3 properties that were actually in the catchment for Mountain Creek. So the next day we went back to them all again and said please can you give us all the properties you have for rent. There did turn out to be a few with the right number of bedrooms and we had a look at a few and soon decided on the one we are in now. Real Estate agents here are like the ones in the UK, as much use as a chocolate teapot. Most of what we saw was either too tatty or too small. We now feel however that we are paying over the odds for it as we have since seen other equal or better properties for less than we are paying. The reason we rushed into this is because we were in a holiday apartment that was costing us a fortune and wanted to get into our long term rental asap. We were also keen to get our kids into the school asap.
A mistake to avoid if you can. It now means we are committed to paying this high rent for at least the 6 months we had to sign up for. We failed to haggle over the rent, just out of desperation to get in quick. We are pretty annoyed at ourselves for being so naive.
Our kids were enthusiastic about emigrating as they had been here before also. The 2 youngest settled into school on the very first day. They started school less than 2 weeks after we arrived in Australia. When we took them on the first morning, they said they felt sick with nerves. When we picked them up at the end of the day they were in high spirits and have enjoyed it ever since. The other day though, my younger lad said he wants to go back to the UK as his teacher is too strict and gets stressed too easy. Knowing my lad that is probably a good thing as he needs plenty of keeping on the straight and narrow. He is actually happy though, just hacked off with his teacher and we've all had teachers we hated.
As far as bringing stuff goes, like most people say, bring everything you can. If it'll fit in you container or whatever then shove it in. One thing that has been a hassle is changing plugs on electrical items. I'm an electrician and I hate changing plugs. I reckon we have about 40 to 50 plugs that need changing. I've probably only done about 20 and thats optimistic. Bring all your 4-way (or bigger) extension leads and then you can put an Australian plug on it so you can run lots of stuff with UK plugs on. That gives you time to get around to changing plugs. Remember that a lot of electrical equipment comes with a power supply built into the plug which means it has to plug into a UK socket. We have a lot of computer equipment so there are quite a few plugs there alone.
Just after we got here but before our shipment arrived it dawned on me that I couldn't remember what had happened to a Llama skin rug that we had had for years.(Can you use the word 'had' that many times in one sentence?) I started to sweat that it hadn't been included in our shipment as we had signed a declaration to say we weren't importing any animal skins. As it turns out we did ship it and either customs or quarantine had inspected the carton it was in. We know this because it had different coloured tape on it than the shipping company used. We haven't been arrested or had it confiscated.
Blimey another long post.
We are living in Buderim, which is near Mooloolaba and Maroochydore.
Finding rental accommodation within the Mountain Creek catchment was another bizarre experience. We went to all the Real Estate agents in Buderim and asked the same question in each. The question was "Have you got any rental homes within the Moutain Creek High School catchment area?". The reply in each one was exactly the same, "No sorry we haven't". We went away feeling a bit depressed but had been given a couple of leaflets of the available properties they did have. When we got back to our apartment we had a quick browse of the leaflets and noticed about 3 properties that were actually in the catchment for Mountain Creek. So the next day we went back to them all again and said please can you give us all the properties you have for rent. There did turn out to be a few with the right number of bedrooms and we had a look at a few and soon decided on the one we are in now. Real Estate agents here are like the ones in the UK, as much use as a chocolate teapot. Most of what we saw was either too tatty or too small. We now feel however that we are paying over the odds for it as we have since seen other equal or better properties for less than we are paying. The reason we rushed into this is because we were in a holiday apartment that was costing us a fortune and wanted to get into our long term rental asap. We were also keen to get our kids into the school asap.
A mistake to avoid if you can. It now means we are committed to paying this high rent for at least the 6 months we had to sign up for. We failed to haggle over the rent, just out of desperation to get in quick. We are pretty annoyed at ourselves for being so naive.
Our kids were enthusiastic about emigrating as they had been here before also. The 2 youngest settled into school on the very first day. They started school less than 2 weeks after we arrived in Australia. When we took them on the first morning, they said they felt sick with nerves. When we picked them up at the end of the day they were in high spirits and have enjoyed it ever since. The other day though, my younger lad said he wants to go back to the UK as his teacher is too strict and gets stressed too easy. Knowing my lad that is probably a good thing as he needs plenty of keeping on the straight and narrow. He is actually happy though, just hacked off with his teacher and we've all had teachers we hated.
As far as bringing stuff goes, like most people say, bring everything you can. If it'll fit in you container or whatever then shove it in. One thing that has been a hassle is changing plugs on electrical items. I'm an electrician and I hate changing plugs. I reckon we have about 40 to 50 plugs that need changing. I've probably only done about 20 and thats optimistic. Bring all your 4-way (or bigger) extension leads and then you can put an Australian plug on it so you can run lots of stuff with UK plugs on. That gives you time to get around to changing plugs. Remember that a lot of electrical equipment comes with a power supply built into the plug which means it has to plug into a UK socket. We have a lot of computer equipment so there are quite a few plugs there alone.
Just after we got here but before our shipment arrived it dawned on me that I couldn't remember what had happened to a Llama skin rug that we had had for years.(Can you use the word 'had' that many times in one sentence?) I started to sweat that it hadn't been included in our shipment as we had signed a declaration to say we weren't importing any animal skins. As it turns out we did ship it and either customs or quarantine had inspected the carton it was in. We know this because it had different coloured tape on it than the shipping company used. We haven't been arrested or had it confiscated.
Blimey another long post.
Jun 26th 2005, 7:56 am
#17
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: First two months in Oz
Great post mate, very useful & informative, especially for people like us who are in the 'application' stage of migrating.As for the homesickness, everybody
who I've spoken to, say that you have to give it at least 18 months -2 years before you actually decide whether or not the old life was better than the new one.I t sounds to me that you guys are pretty well organised & things are running smoothly enough ,good luck ,regards. Pete.
who I've spoken to, say that you have to give it at least 18 months -2 years before you actually decide whether or not the old life was better than the new one.I t sounds to me that you guys are pretty well organised & things are running smoothly enough ,good luck ,regards. Pete.
Jun 26th 2005, 8:15 am
#18
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: First two months in Oz
it's funny I never had the not sure what people were on about problem at all. If I did, I just asked.
I befriended a rugby league nut and he taught me all I needed to know about Australia's rugby League. I spent hours reading all his old books from the 70s and 80s etc and it never seemed a problem - helped me assimilate into the culture quicker that's all. I never followed soccer in the UK - can't even name who is in the FA cup!!!
If I don't know, I just ask- it a good way to get on - people are flattered that you are taking an interest in them, their conversations and culture and will help you out pronto.
Badge
I befriended a rugby league nut and he taught me all I needed to know about Australia's rugby League. I spent hours reading all his old books from the 70s and 80s etc and it never seemed a problem - helped me assimilate into the culture quicker that's all. I never followed soccer in the UK - can't even name who is in the FA cup!!!
If I don't know, I just ask- it a good way to get on - people are flattered that you are taking an interest in them, their conversations and culture and will help you out pronto.
Badge
Jun 26th 2005, 9:44 am
#19
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 170
Re: First two months in Oz
Originally Posted by migrantoz
Our eldest lad goes to Mountain Creek High School http://www.mtncreekshs.qld.edu.au/ and our younger two kids go to Buderim Mountain State School http://www.budemounss.qld.edu.au/
We are living in Buderim, which is near Mooloolaba and Maroochydore.
Finding rental accommodation within the Mountain Creek catchment was another bizarre experience. We went to all the Real Estate agents in Buderim and asked the same question in each. The question was "Have you got any rental homes within the Moutain Creek High School catchment area?". The reply in each one was exactly the same, "No sorry we haven't". We went away feeling a bit depressed but had been given a couple of leaflets of the available properties they did have. When we got back to our apartment we had a quick browse of the leaflets and noticed about 3 properties that were actually in the catchment for Mountain Creek. So the next day we went back to them all again and said please can you give us all the properties you have for rent. There did turn out to be a few with the right number of bedrooms and we had a look at a few and soon decided on the one we are in now. Real Estate agents here are like the ones in the UK, as much use as a chocolate teapot. Most of what we saw was either too tatty or too small. We now feel however that we are paying over the odds for it as we have since seen other equal or better properties for less than we are paying. The reason we rushed into this is because we were in a holiday apartment that was costing us a fortune and wanted to get into our long term rental asap. We were also keen to get our kids into the school asap.
A mistake to avoid if you can. It now means we are committed to paying this high rent for at least the 6 months we had to sign up for. We failed to haggle over the rent, just out of desperation to get in quick. We are pretty annoyed at ourselves for being so naive.
Our kids were enthusiastic about emigrating as they had been here before also. The 2 youngest settled into school on the very first day. They started school less than 2 weeks after we arrived in Australia. When we took them on the first morning, they said they felt sick with nerves. When we picked them up at the end of the day they were in high spirits and have enjoyed it ever since. The other day though, my younger lad said he wants to go back to the UK as his teacher is too strict and gets stressed too easy. Knowing my lad that is probably a good thing as he needs plenty of keeping on the straight and narrow. He is actually happy though, just hacked off with his teacher and we've all had teachers we hated.
As far as bringing stuff goes, like most people say, bring everything you can. If it'll fit in you container or whatever then shove it in. One thing that has been a hassle is changing plugs on electrical items. I'm an electrician and I hate changing plugs. I reckon we have about 40 to 50 plugs that need changing. I've probably only done about 20 and thats optimistic. Bring all your 4-way (or bigger) extension leads and then you can put an Australian plug on it so you can run lots of stuff with UK plugs on. That gives you time to get around to changing plugs. Remember that a lot of electrical equipment comes with a power supply built into the plug which means it has to plug into a UK socket. We have a lot of computer equipment so there are quite a few plugs there alone.
Just after we got here but before our shipment arrived it dawned on me that I couldn't remember what had happened to a Llama skin rug that we had had for years.(Can you use the word 'had' that many times in one sentence?) I started to sweat that it hadn't been included in our shipment as we had signed a declaration to say we weren't importing any animal skins. As it turns out we did ship it and either customs or quarantine had inspected the carton it was in. We know this because it had different coloured tape on it than the shipping company used. We haven't been arrested or had it confiscated.
Blimey another long post.
We are living in Buderim, which is near Mooloolaba and Maroochydore.
Finding rental accommodation within the Mountain Creek catchment was another bizarre experience. We went to all the Real Estate agents in Buderim and asked the same question in each. The question was "Have you got any rental homes within the Moutain Creek High School catchment area?". The reply in each one was exactly the same, "No sorry we haven't". We went away feeling a bit depressed but had been given a couple of leaflets of the available properties they did have. When we got back to our apartment we had a quick browse of the leaflets and noticed about 3 properties that were actually in the catchment for Mountain Creek. So the next day we went back to them all again and said please can you give us all the properties you have for rent. There did turn out to be a few with the right number of bedrooms and we had a look at a few and soon decided on the one we are in now. Real Estate agents here are like the ones in the UK, as much use as a chocolate teapot. Most of what we saw was either too tatty or too small. We now feel however that we are paying over the odds for it as we have since seen other equal or better properties for less than we are paying. The reason we rushed into this is because we were in a holiday apartment that was costing us a fortune and wanted to get into our long term rental asap. We were also keen to get our kids into the school asap.
A mistake to avoid if you can. It now means we are committed to paying this high rent for at least the 6 months we had to sign up for. We failed to haggle over the rent, just out of desperation to get in quick. We are pretty annoyed at ourselves for being so naive.
Our kids were enthusiastic about emigrating as they had been here before also. The 2 youngest settled into school on the very first day. They started school less than 2 weeks after we arrived in Australia. When we took them on the first morning, they said they felt sick with nerves. When we picked them up at the end of the day they were in high spirits and have enjoyed it ever since. The other day though, my younger lad said he wants to go back to the UK as his teacher is too strict and gets stressed too easy. Knowing my lad that is probably a good thing as he needs plenty of keeping on the straight and narrow. He is actually happy though, just hacked off with his teacher and we've all had teachers we hated.
As far as bringing stuff goes, like most people say, bring everything you can. If it'll fit in you container or whatever then shove it in. One thing that has been a hassle is changing plugs on electrical items. I'm an electrician and I hate changing plugs. I reckon we have about 40 to 50 plugs that need changing. I've probably only done about 20 and thats optimistic. Bring all your 4-way (or bigger) extension leads and then you can put an Australian plug on it so you can run lots of stuff with UK plugs on. That gives you time to get around to changing plugs. Remember that a lot of electrical equipment comes with a power supply built into the plug which means it has to plug into a UK socket. We have a lot of computer equipment so there are quite a few plugs there alone.
Just after we got here but before our shipment arrived it dawned on me that I couldn't remember what had happened to a Llama skin rug that we had had for years.(Can you use the word 'had' that many times in one sentence?) I started to sweat that it hadn't been included in our shipment as we had signed a declaration to say we weren't importing any animal skins. As it turns out we did ship it and either customs or quarantine had inspected the carton it was in. We know this because it had different coloured tape on it than the shipping company used. We haven't been arrested or had it confiscated.
Blimey another long post.
All your information really does help in planning our move as I am a bit worried about my 13 year old.
Thanks again
Sheila
P.S Can anyone please tell me how to stop having the previous message come up ?!!!!
Jun 26th 2005, 1:21 pm
#20
Superfreak!!
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Thornlie, Perth, W.A.
Posts: 1,177
Re: First two months in Oz
Originally Posted by midlife crisis
P.S Can anyone please tell me how to stop having the previous message come up ?!!!!
Jun 27th 2005, 7:41 am
#21
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Sunshine Coast
Posts: 256
Re: First two months in Oz
Originally Posted by midlife crisis
Thanks for that, I'm really please to hear that your children are settling in well. I was just wondering how your 15 year old has managed with their options. Was it a problem moving schools at that stage or has it been difficult starting new courses they have not studied before.
All your information really does help in planning our move as I am a bit worried about my 13 year old.
Thanks again
Sheila
P.S Can anyone please tell me how to stop having the previous message come up ?!!!!
All your information really does help in planning our move as I am a bit worried about my 13 year old.
Thanks again
Sheila
P.S Can anyone please tell me how to stop having the previous message come up ?!!!!
Jun 27th 2005, 8:47 am
#22
Gone surfin'
Joined: Apr 2005
Location: Bangkok & Perth
Posts: 206
Re: First two months in Oz
Originally Posted by Badge
If I don't know, I just ask- it a good way to get on - people are flattered that you are taking an interest in them, their conversations and culture and will help you out pronto.
Badge
Badge
Jun 27th 2005, 8:50 am
#23
Sand, sea and serenity
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: Sydney
Posts: 189
Re: First two months in Oz
Originally Posted by migrantoz
It was a little tricky choosing his options as they didn't have exactly the same options he took in the UK, in fact there were less options than were available at his UK school. I think that may be a good thing as he will probably get a better quality of teaching over less subjects. I did think that he was taking rather a lot of subjects in the UK which means he would know little about everything. He seems pretty impressed with what they are teaching him here and feels he is actually being taught more useful info. He may have just been lucky I don't know. It took him a little longer than our younger 2 to settle in at his new school. The reason for this is that at Secondary school he doesn't spend the whole day with the same pupils due to his different options. He has found the kids there are generally better behaved than at his UK school, particularly during lessons. I don't think he has found anything difficult just a little strange at first as you would expect.
Nice post by the way
Marie
