Grayling

Actually there are several social work jobs on that website.I had only looked at mental health.

G

sula

Thanks for that I will check it out.

Thomaz

Hello Donna and Chris, I really want to feel like you...

Sorry I have not been following your posts as, much to my regret, I have only recently discovered this site but it sounds as though you have had the same dilemma that my wife and I now have…

The four of us (we have two young children), have been here for almost six months and are not happy for various reasons. Job and location being the main ones. Nevertheless, we have only recently decided that we simply cannot stay in Wollongong… having said that it didn’t stop us going to view couple of houses for sale in the area yesterday.

Realistically though trying to make the best of a bad thing is not the way to go so we are really only left with the choice of either returning to the UK or moving somewhere else – we like Brisbane – with the hope of finding work. I too am in IT and will not see 40 again so know that it is yet another risk. More money, more upheaval especially for the kids. What do we do with our car if we move States? Do we rent furnished or unfurnished in Brisbane? Do we have the energy for it all? Is it all worth it?

It is so difficult trying to decide what to do for the best and we change our minds several times during the course of a day. I was hoping that I may get a positive reply from one of the Brisbane Employment agencies I have contacted but I’m starting to think it’s not gonna happen.

Anyway, time is running out (lease on our house) so we have to make a final decision soon and I can only hope that once we have, we feel as good about it as you seem to.

I wish you well with your return to the UK.

dotty

Bye Donna and Chris, enjoyed following your posts, make sure you update us when you get back to the UK. Thanks for many a giggle too Donna.

salonit

hey guys,

i have been following your posts too - and have appreciated your advice you have so kindly given me.
i am extremely sorry that Perth is not the place for you but you have to follow your heart and your needs.
Best of luck for your return - and hope that things work out as you want them.
take care,
Best Wishes.

Merlot

Hi there

Firstly good luck on your return, you will have to hop onto the Returning Expats page and keep us posted there.

I have to agree with all my heart to the above statement, our friends with kids (expats) all find they are more settled here for the above reasons. Us kiddie less ones not as easy.

This year is going to be a good year for Merlot adventures travelling too - it has certainly been too long between trips!!!!

All the best
Merlot

PS I have done a whole heap of travel in Oz (apart from WA) and have to admit, it all much of a muchness to a degree, though always very stunning!!!!

abergas

Hi

I have followed your posts regularly, and have to admit about the job situation in WA, my hubby has found it really hard work trying to find work, he is a gas fitter and got a job with an ozzie company, contract for only 6 weeks, then they offered him a permanent job, 4 weeks later they laid him off, just before christmas too, we have been here 9 months and i am glad to say that he starts a new job tomorrow, 3 months casual then hopefully permament, as it's with a big company I hope he gets a proper signed contract, but if this all falls through, I think I would just want to go home, we obviously have gone through our savings quite abit just on everyday living expenses, and like you say just getting any job isn't easy!! I have mixed emotions, we have made some good friends here and will miss them all dearly, but i miss friends from uk too, I don't miss the UK, just people.

don't know how many months we can carry on hoping things will get better work wise, thats our only worry, so if this job works out, and my mum makes a good recovery after her stroke, (things not too good with her at the moment) everything will be fine.

good luck with your return to the UK, hope everything works out

yve

bondipom

You came you saw, gave it a go and been honest about it. Good luck to you and hope you have no regrets.

Jack The Lad

Well I hope it all works out for you, 1 way or the other.

Knowing what you know now and how its gone would you have made the move?

Sorry to ask but I just wondered.

Florida_03

Me too...

The problem is all inside your head, she said to me
The answer is easy, if you take it logically
I'd like to help you in your struggle to just be
There must be fifty ways to rediscover

She said, it's really not my habit to intrude
Furthermore, I hope my meaning won't be lost or misconstrued
But I'll repeat myself at the risk of being crude
There must be fifty ways to rediscover
Fifty ways to rediscover

You don’t need the out-back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You need to be coy, Roy
Just let yourself be
Don’t hop on a bus, Gus
You need to discuss much
Just think of the key, Lee
And let yourself be

Ooo, don’t need the out-back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You need to be coy, Roy
Just let yourself be
Don’t hop on a bus, Gus
You need to discuss much
Just think of the key, Lee
And let yourself be

She said it grieves me so to see you in such pain
I wish there was something I could do to make you smile again
I said I appreciate that and would you please explain
About the fifty ways

She said why don't we both just sleep on it tonight
And I believe in the morning you'll begin to see the light
And then she kissed me and I realized she probably was right
There must be fifty ways to rediscover
Fifty ways to rediscover

You don’t need the out-back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You need to be coy, Roy
Just let yourself be
Don’t hop on a bus, Gus
You need to discuss much
Just think of the key, Lee
And let yourself be

Don’t need the out-back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You need to be coy, Roy
Just listen to me
Don’t hop on the bus, Gus
You need to discuss much
Just think of the key, Lee
And let yourself be

MikeStanton

I never thought I'd say this, but I agree with Meg

Whatever speeds up your integration into your new country will help.

However, there is no substitute for experience, ie living in Oz. Your feelings will change a lot (positive and negative) in the first 2 years. Unfortunately there is nothing that you can do that will guarantee you will want to stay.

abergas

Some days I wish we hadn't moved, others Im glad we did! as I said very mixed emotions. We are lucky enough to have had the chance and the money to cope without work, our list of material things we wanted have gone out the window, except my hubbys dream was to have a Harley Davidson, which he finally brought last week, it has alot of history behind it, it was the first trike registered in WA back in 1983! so he is chuffed to bits, plus it means he now has transport for getting to work and i have transport to go out an meet up with friends etc, the kids are settling, I think it's just me! some days I just worry so much. My icing on the cake would be to have hubby taken on permanently with a signed contract, my parents coming to visit and moving over here themselves, which was all part of the plan, and being able to pay the mortgage off which we can do, once regular money comes in.
I always thought like most people didn't want to grow old and wonder what if we didn't try australia, now I think, i wonder where we would have been at, if we stayed in england!!!

so all in all still early days, will stay until get citizenship and decide then.

yve

SuzeM

Hey, thats a bit generalised and unfair, my husbands works in sales and far from a crook, too honest for his own good, which is probably why we're not rolling in it!
Sue

karawara88

Thanks everyone for your comments and good luck wishes. We are not sad to be leaving.

The decision was hard because you have to go through so much to get here and spend so much money, the what if we did this, what if we did that, maybe we should try this questions creep in.

The good thing for Donna and myself is we both agreed it was not for us. I would imagine if one of us wanted to stay it would have caused problems.

Neither of us regret doing it, life is an experience, it tested our relationship to the limit, and I am pleased to say I passed the endurance test. although no doubt I will continue to endure more nagging.

I know when we we get back some of my mates will be sat in the pub and thats all they will have done for the last six months. When they ask where we have been the last six months we can say well ....................................

karawara88

Sorry Sue, it was a generalised and unfair comment. It was mainly aimed at car salesman. Although we have experienced same attitudes from other sales people here.