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have we made the right decision???

have we made the right decision???

Old Nov 18th 2009, 1:19 am
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Default Re: have we made the right decision???

Originally Posted by tonyandwendy
my partner and i with our 2 girls 6 +8 are in perth-(ellenbrook) on a 4 year 457 visa and have been here for 5 months. our best mates moved here 4 years ago(henley brook) and we live about 4 k's away from them-see them about once a week. i am a spray painter and not really enjoying my job, my partner is having difficulty finding a job so on my $720 a week, $360 a week goes on rent and the remainder is well short on living costs even though we try to economise. we are feeling very isolated and now not sure if we made the right choice-god we miss our family and friends
we do love it here & we know its been the right thing to move here for a better life but at a considerbly heavy cost, again family. we are fully aware the uk has become a s..t hole and is sinking fast but we are considering moving back

does anyone else feel like this??

any positive feedback will be welcomed
thanks for taking the time to read this
the thing i would advise you to do is try and get PR as fast as you can ,as you are missing out on probably $200 + centrelink as well which would make a big difference,Ellenbrook is a nice area,moving to a shitty area will do you no good the rent you are paying is not expensive for a reasonable area.
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Old Nov 18th 2009, 1:27 am
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Default Re: have we made the right decision???

Originally Posted by tonyandwendy
my partner and i with our 2 girls 6 +8 are in perth-(ellenbrook) on a 4 year 457 visa and have been here for 5 months. our best mates moved here 4 years ago(henley brook) and we live about 4 k's away from them-see them about once a week. i am a spray painter and not really enjoying my job, my partner is having difficulty finding a job so on my $720 a week, $360 a week goes on rent and the remainder is well short on living costs even though we try to economise. we are feeling very isolated and now not sure if we made the right choice-god we miss our family and friends
we do love it here & we know its been the right thing to move here for a better life but at a considerbly heavy cost, again family. we are fully aware the uk has become a s..t hole and is sinking fast but we are considering moving back

does anyone else feel like this??

any positive feedback will be welcomed
thanks for taking the time to read this
That is a very low income for a family with 2 kids - no wonder you are under a lot of stress. Your family needs a 2nd income but at this time of the year jobs are hard to find. The economy is improving and early next year hiring always picks up. If you can hold on until then you should be okay.
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Old Nov 18th 2009, 1:58 am
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Default Re: have we made the right decision???

Has your wife tried the Vines Hotel? I'm sure coming up to the holiday season they may be looking for extra staff. Or what about private cleaning? She could advertise in the shopping centre. A friend of mine gets $25 per hour.
I would say don't give up just yet.
If your wife wants to meet for a coffee, give me a shout
Tracey

Last edited by nightnurse2; Nov 18th 2009 at 2:02 am.
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Old Nov 18th 2009, 3:22 am
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Default Re: have we made the right decision???

Originally Posted by nightnurse2
Has your wife tried the Vines Hotel? I'm sure coming up to the holiday season they may be looking for extra staff. Or what about private cleaning? She could advertise in the shopping centre. A friend of mine gets $25 per hour.
I would say don't give up just yet.
If your wife wants to meet for a coffee, give me a shout
Tracey
That.s a nice friendly reply and one of the best sides to forums like this.
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Old Nov 18th 2009, 6:41 am
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Default Re: have we made the right decision???

Why the majority of Brits move to the most isolated part of Oz is still a major mystery to me. Why do you do it as most Aussies wouldn't live there?
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Old Nov 18th 2009, 7:16 am
  #21  
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Default Re: have we made the right decision???

TBH I think between 3 to 6 months is when reality sinks in that you are here to live, it's not a holiday. I remember those days.... and even though I have never once regretted moving here it is easy to get whistful about the old life, esp friends. It takes time to build up friendships here, in the early months you wont have many and it makes the distance from your old ones feel even bigger.

I can certainly understand how not having much spare money makes you feel low but I think you need to concentrate on the fun aspects like making new friends and socialising as it will make it all so much easier to bear. Are there any sports you or your OH are into where you can join a club? Or maybe take up a new hobby/craft and join a club? Join anything just to get to know people - and preferably Aussies rather than just the expat brigade as if you meet someone else who's feeling crap about living here it can rub off.

Hope that's some help....
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Old Nov 18th 2009, 8:05 am
  #22  
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Default Re: have we made the right decision???

I remember the second thoughts really hit me after I had been in Bermuda for six months, before then it was just fun getting settled. I guess you have reached that point too. I think you need to give it longer, perhaps you agreed a set time to give it before making any decisions about coming back. If you do I would stick to that and if you didn't perhaps do that now. I think it is only the really lucky ones that have a ball from day one and never a down moment.

I think striving for PR would be a good idea, then maybe your wife would find it easier to find work and also you might be able to find something you enjoy more. Is there any chance of that?

On the other hand, and I am going to be devils advocate here. You say you are happy but you didn't really sound it. And you say you are after a better life but it is no fun trying to survive on a low income and at some point maybe you really have to think IS it really a better life. I do know there are more important things than money and in fact we left extremely lucrative jobs in Bermuda because happiness had to come first. I don't think UK is a s*hole and Australia is utopia either. Most countries have their good points and their problems.
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Old Nov 18th 2009, 8:25 am
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Default Re: have we made the right decision???

Originally Posted by nightnurse2
Has your wife tried the Vines Hotel? I'm sure coming up to the holiday season they may be looking for extra staff. Or what about private cleaning? She could advertise in the shopping centre. A friend of mine gets $25 per hour.
I would say don't give up just yet.
If your wife wants to meet for a coffee, give me a shout
Tracey
What a lovely lady

Some very nice positive posts that will hopefully lift you're spirits a bit and helpful ppl willing to help out an loan you a shoulder or two.
All these little things help.

I really do feel for you all
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Old Nov 18th 2009, 10:30 am
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Default Re: have we made the right decision???

Would it be any better in the UK? Work is not great back there at the moment and times are really hard for a lot of people.
It can be so hard here at times, I know we had 7 weeks with no money coming in and 3 kids to feed and there where times I just cried and thought what have we done but things do get better, you won't be on a 457 for ever and once your wife gets work everything will start to come together, then it will be worth it.
It is a funny place you really have to proove yourself before people give you a chance, it make take time but someone will and that's all you need.
Remember you are creating a brand new life for you and your family, unless you are lucky enough to have brought shed loads of money with you which I don't actually think many people do at the moment, it is going to be hard for a while.
Good luck
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Old Nov 18th 2009, 10:51 am
  #25  
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Default Re: have we made the right decision???

Originally Posted by bluekipper
No one can tell you the right thing to do, its your decision, we went to Adelaide 2006, with a few set backs we decided to stay at least a year and get an experience, but as we neared the end of the year, we realised we were settling in, then hubbys mum died and made me very unsettled again, so we all headed back to the UK, intending to stay for good, even on the plane coming home it felt wrong, but I pushed them feelings aside, bought a house, got jobs, & now were trying to get back to Adelaide, cant sell house now but theres always a solution so we may rent it out, what I am saying is, it may be the answer coming home, but ask yourself why you went in the 1 st place, you knew you would miss family, its hard but think all the good things that are there for you in OZ.

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Grass is always greener...

When I was in Oz, there were many things I liked about the country but knew that it couldn't replace the UK, not least because I always felt a closer affinity to British expats in Oz than the native Australians. Now I'm back in the UK I sometimes wish I was still out there (not sure other members of my family feel the same way as I do) but I know in my heart of hearts the UK is right for me.

Wish I was rich enough to retire and have a property in both countries and live 6 months in Oz from Oct - Mar and Apr - Sept in the UK.

ps Adelaide's ok - don't let anyone knock it.
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Old Nov 18th 2009, 10:56 am
  #26  
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Default Re: have we made the right decision???

Originally Posted by hanjack
I sorta know where u are at.We are Aussie's living in the Uk-been here 10 years now and hopefully will travel back to OZ(home next year) if the pound rebounds.At times over here it has been a real wrench.No matter where u are you are going to miss family and friends.I dont think the UK is a shithole at all.However,we live in Rural Devon and my wife has a great job but I have never been more homesick than the last 12 months.Our last trip to OZ - Xmas last year really hit it home for my wife and I . And although we have made a lot of friends here and its going to be really hard to say goodbye- we are going-its just a matter of when.
Australia can be a shithole as well-Poms think that its going to be like neighbours on tv and it never rains.OZ can be just as bad and sometimes worse because u are often more isolated there(this is coming from an Ausie!)We dont have the problems that u have now but when we go back we will start all over again and its daunting but believe me when i say it-Australia will always be home(even after 10 years) to us and like it or not the UK will probably be for u as well.
You are sooooo right...the grass is never greener and shit is shit wherever you are!!
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Old Nov 18th 2009, 11:11 am
  #27  
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Default Re: have we made the right decision???

Originally Posted by JenJen
Everyone finds it hard, god knows I did. But only you know wether moving back is going to be the right thing for your family, taking into account costs etc would you be better off.
You say you love your life there too though despite shortage of money, are the kids happy?

At the end of the day you need to look at the IMPORTANT things like work and family life, forget that your friend is there and you only see them once a week and don't focus on missign family and friends back home as any of those relationships can change with those people or not be what you were missing should you return (speaking from experience)
Are you likely to have a better home and work life balance in the UK or OZ,
if you look at all the factors in just those two things then you need to do whats best if it's UK you need to return if it's Oz then you need to stick it out. Everyone will tell you really 5 months isn't very long, however it is long to feel how you do now, there may be something round the corner it may be about giving it time.
Or maybe looking at those two factors maybe Oz just isn't the place you should be.

Ask away for opinions by all means but everyone can only say what THEY think you should do. Sit and do the math with your other half and decide where YOU should be for the best life - you only have 1
thanks for your advice
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