Hummy

Hi all!

I just wanted to say hi and tell you what an intersting and helpfull forum this looks like.

My parents gave me the link to the ex-pats site as they figured it would help with my application migrate to Oz.

I have had my TRA assessment passed and now completing my application for Skilled Independant as an Mechanical Engineer and hopefully heading for Perth within a year and a half. (That's according to my migration agent).

I still have a long way to go but hopefully will get there in the end.

I may well be asking for advice from time to time (in the right parts of the forum!) and if i can help anyone then of course i will try.

Thanks and lets hope that C4 program shows some positive sides to migrating rather than just good telly!

Marc

podgypossum

Welcome Marc

sky

Hi Marc and Welcome

carryon

Welcome hummy, from another essex boy, good luck with it all, we aint started yet, but have been told could be fast tracked in possibly 5 months, still swaying back and foward as to whether to go or not, having a month out there in march, good luck again, look foward to some daylight, it's been dark in witham for 3 days!!!!

Hummy

Hey carryon, you don't need to remind me of the weather in Witham as i live there too!!!! Haha small world eh?!?

I am going out again in March/April to show my girlfriend what its like but i am already committed to the cause.

I would go tommorow if i could.

Good luck with your application.

Marc

carryon

Hi ya Hummy, we went to perth 10 years ago, thought it was beautiful, wifes workmate has just emigrated last month, have you been there?. we will be flying to Sydney, then motorhome down to Melbourne, on to Adelaide, fly up to Brisbane, drive back to Sydney. all this in 4 half weeks {i hope}. wife wants to see whats on offer before commiting,she is a nurse so no probs on the job front, but need to get as much info as poss, got friends in sydney so they can give us all the pros and cons of life down under. Has your girlfriend not been before? SHE WILL LOVE IT. although holidaying is not living and working is it. Have a great trip out, if your still on here next year, we can compere notes, good luck mate. shopping in witham ,here i come!!!!!!!!!!!

Hummy

Yep i went to Oz nearly 2 years ago now. Geez i does not seem that long ago when i think about it!

I went to Perth for initially 3 weeks and stayed 6. I have family friends that are a similar age to me and stayed with them. They lent me a car and i came and went as i pleased. I was bowled over by the just how friendly everyone was!

I'm not talking about my friends but just everyone i met when travelling. It was something that only really hit when i came back to England.

After Perth i stayed in Sydney for 2 weeks with another friend. Then i backpacked for the next month and half up the Gold Coast. I went to the usual suspect places i.e. Byron Bay, Airlie Beach, Fraser Island etc.etc. (I got my PADI divers licence on the Barrier Reef, sailed round the Whitsunday Islands and White Water rafting on the Tully River) The final destination was Cairns and a trip to Cape Tribulation. (Beautifull beaches but a shame u cant swim in the sea due to the box jellyfish!!)

I then went on to NZ and visited close friends in Christchurch and Wellington. I also did my first and last bungee on the Kawaru Bridge (home of the bungee jump)

To finish off i eneded up at my best mates wedding in Las Vegas! with twenty good mates. oh and the World Cup was on at the time too so as you can imagine it was a boozy event!!

Thats a very quick resume of my trip. It was amazing (and expensive) but i did get to see a bit of Oz. I started considering migrating there and then but have only been going through the motions in the last six months.

I just have to send the main application off now and then see what is next on the list to do.

You should have no problems getting in quickly as your missus is a nurse. An ex of mine decided she wanted to go as i kept banging on about it and now she is out there and i am not!

Still i would rather get out there for the right reasons although its just a bit ironic!

My girlfriend has never been but she needs to come out with me to see if it would interest her. It is a big ask for her to give up her family/friends so she needs to see the place to make her mind up.

Good luck with the shopping in Witham! It should take about 20 mins

Take it easy

Marc

carryon

Hi marc, weve been researching for just over a year now, so we aint going in with our eyes closed. Last summer my wife was all for proceding, then after a visit from her mum and gran went abit quite about the whole thing, said the missing family bit would be so hard. but she still keeps checking things out, i.e jobs and contacting hospitals, she was offered a paediatric post in Alice springs, flights paid for the 3 of us, and free accomadation for 3 months, not bad , but what the hell would i do in Alice springs?. It's such a bloody hard decision, maybe after our trip things will be slightly easier to decide, exchange rate is crap at the moment too! had the idea of buying right out but prices have gone up 20% in the last 8 months, spaek to you again! SIMON. {no sunlight again in witham}.

Hummy

Hi Simon,

I think you answered the question at the end. Go out on a visit and see how you all feel afterwards.

I have never been to Alice Springs so can't really comment but i am sure some other peeps on here would know more about the place.

Well there was sun here today but it was freezing!

I'm off to Hungary on business for 2 days tomorrow. 5.30am start and back 11pm Weds! It all sounds great but you end up seeing nothing other than airports and meeting rooms!

Take it easy and speak soon

Marc