diddy

One of our major concerns with moving to Oz is that we'll just transport our UK life for a similar one in OZ ie. I'm at work all day doing 9 till 5 whilst Nicole chases around after the kids all day, sometimes feeling quite isolated.

How has it worked out for everyone else?

How do make sure that life changes for the better in Oz?

Paul and Nicole.

darkless

In my opinion, you are always going to transport some elements of your life. At the end of the day unless you are retiring or have loads of money then you will need to work and these days to be honest 9-5 are good hours. Just because you are off to OZ dont expect that eveyone works a 5 hour day and buggers off to the beach at 2pm - it doesnt happen.

Where I hope that my life will improve is that outside of those hours I will have more oportunities to do more with our lives and even if just sitting at home we will have a nicer time a) in a bigger house and b) with a pool enjoying the outdoor lifestyle.

I am sure others will disagree, but they are my current thoughts.

Dave

diddy

Darkless, Yeah, I agree with that. One thing I did find out there was that generally work was less of a hierarchical (spelling) culture and employers weren't so anal.

I think I'm hoping for work culture that's less stressful, but that may be more down to me than work.

darkless

Hi Diddy,

I guess that in a large way it depends on what you are doing prior to moving out there. I have worked in London doing shed loads of hours at work (and earning decent money) and I have worked in less demanding jobs near where I work in Essex.

I hope that in OZ I will be able to get a job I enjoy which is of sufficient responsibility and pressure such that it keeps me interested but which is not so pressured that I may as well have kept working in London!!

Hope it all goes welll

Dave

diddy

Dave,

I think you've hit the nail on the head.

I commute about 1 hr 20 mins each way, which though less than alot of others is something else I wanna avoid.

I also think that by moving out there I'll generally be less career orientated, with life away from work becoming alot more fun.

Paul.

Handyandy180

January 2004 I was sat on the pier Palm Cove (Cairns) trying to catch the elusive barramundi, Andrea trying to catch whatever shade she could. Anyhow a chap soon approached and asked how the fishing was going? On replying and on him hearing my Yorkshire accent he was in his element. Explaining with great gusto that he had left the UK some 25 years ago!!!
His hair was unkempt, he was in need of a new razor blade, wearing shirt and jeans and an original pair of base ball boots (not everyone will remember them, but for those who do and need proof of their originality, They still had the rubber white ankle pad)!!!!
It was great to hear his tales about his travels around australia. How he had been just about everywhere with his campervan, which was probably older than him. He was a great chap and a dentists dream!!!
So having listened to him for a good two hours and still not got a bite I decided to join my loved one and head back to our accomodation and a home cooked Barramundi (Very nice it was too washed down with a cold glass of Beer).
I left him still trying to catch his supper, something he does everynight... I suppose he sometimes goes hungry and sometimes he doesn't. One thing I will say about this bloke he was very genuine, down to earth and more importantly he seemed VERY VERY happy.
It made us think that there is a better life to be had. You just have to have the guts to follow your dreams.
True we still will have to work for a living but we are determined that this move will change our lives (hopefully i won't have to fish for our supper, or there will be a very thin couple in Melbourne, especially as Andrea is veggie inc fish) for the better. I am quite fond of certain things on the tv for instance but if I never saw another prog i would not be bothered. I would much prefer to talk to my partner, if this was to happen whilst walking hand in hand on an isolated beach then so much the better.
I hope that everyone who puts themselves through the agony of the immigration process are determined to change ther lives.
How sad it would be if we all rushed home after a hectic day at work to switch the tele on so we didn't miss neighbours!!!!
Good luck to all that are trying.
Regards Chris and Andrea

Hels

That....is one of the best posts I have seen on here

Not much else to add to that....except Good luck to you both!! I have a feeling you will find the paradise that you are dreaming of no matter where you go.

Cheers

Hels

HUP

It really depends what you do but the majority of people I know do not have a less stressful time at work.

The work ethic can be different but not necessarily different better.

We have pretty much transported our working lives from the UK. Yes we do regret not making a break but when you have to settle your whole family it is important to bring some stability to your lives.

diddy

that was a fantastic post, I know that we will have to work in Oz but I am truely hoping that our lives will become far more enriched by living there. paul and I often work opposite shift patterns here, the most that I might see of him is about 20 minutes sometimes between work - I am hoping that in australia we will be able to spend more time as a family doing family things - at the moment the week seems to be about work and the short weekends about going to town - from my experience of Australia there seemed to be a alot more to do - i am hoping that living life rather than just living to work will be the change - any other views
Nicole (Paul is asleep)

diddy

Hup

would you say that you are having a better life there than you had in the u.k. - ?

Hels

I think my Paul and I are in a similar situation. I work minimum of 10 hours per day. Paul works a split night shift. He has left for work before I get home. He gets in about 8.30pm and is home again till about 2am then goes out until about 5.30am...by the time I get up in the morning, he is in bed already. We get about an hour a night together.

By us moving back to Australia and taking the money that we have, we will have alot less expenses and will be able to afford for me not to have to work unless I want to. Although we now have a really good start for possibly starting a family. We would never have been able to afford for me to be a stay at home Mum over here.

Thats our dream, anyway

diddy

Hels,

that the sort of thing that we are thinking - we already have the twins and we hope that by moving to Australia we will be able to give them a better life, I was hoping that Paul could have more of role in the childrens daily lives - do you know whether it is possible to get flex hours there and four day weeks impossible?

Cheers
Nicole

Hels

What sort of work do you both do?

renth

There's every chance you'll end up working just as hard for less than in the UK.

Statistic - only 36% of workers in Australia took their full leave entitlement last year.

Unless you come here and "downsize" in the process you almost certainly will work as hard.

The office environment is very political and competitive here too.

You could always turn out like that Yorkshireman in Cairns and try to catch dinner every night, if that's what makes you happy.

Vegemite Kids

Dont know where you are headed in OZ but here in Perth I see quite a few part-time jobs advertised (dont know how easy they are for folks to get though, could be lots of newly arrived brits chasing these jobs )