FXtrader

Hi all, Bumped into this great website by accident, and been reading some interesting posts.
I've been in Australia nearly 9 years with several visits before coming permanently from Surrey, and I just wondered how long others had been here - haven't met many 'Long Termers' from the UK, so I'm interested to see if there are some 'Old Timers' here !
Cheers....

meelie

I'm stil green and arrived here on 1st July this year so am junior to you!

CasG

I'm fairly green too.

Arrived here 7 months ago

Cas

ABCDiamond

I got here in Dec 1986 But I went back for 4 years.., so (just checked it exactly) i've been here for 13 years and 9 months in total.

Better reduce that by the other trips home ..... make it 12 years 11 months

Bhoywonder

Very green, been here 1 month

CasG

Hi

Enjoying yourselves and settling in??

Cas

Del Boy

18 years 7 months. :scared:

ABCDiamond

Have you settled in yet ?

FXtrader

Thanks for replies, I thought maybe I was the only survivor !, Seems only a few stay more than 2 or 3 years.....do you agree / disagree..?

Del Boy

Very good ABC.

Not entirely, no.

ABCDiamond

From the statistics i've seen, the majority stay longer

They just blend into the country

CasG

Am not able to answer that - all I know at present is that I feel as though I never want to leave.

Realise that it is only earlyish days yet for us, but we both still get that kick out of living here, and feel so lucky - despite a rather large disappointment with my job I was sponsored to do (initially on 457, before getting PR last week)
So now a new chapter in my life begins....

ABCDiamond

I think it is difficult for anyone to ever settle totally, we just try to choose the place that has more positives than negatives, when compared to other alternatives.

It was easier in the early 1900's. The furthest that most people would travel would be 40 or 50 miles, so they never knew any different, hence the number of people who stayed in the one job from 15 to 65.

These days, we get to compare so much, either visiting places or just seeing it on the TV or the internet etc. Many of us can't help wanting more than we may have, and opting for changes, but then we are wanting some bits that we did have, aswell as some bits that we now have, but find it impossible to get the perfect combination (otherwise known as utopia).

So, we have to settle with less than perfection, wherever we end up

Del Boy

Wise words indeed.

kango_jack

We've been here since January 03 and would definitely call this place our home.
Can't really imagine ever wanting to go back to the UK, don't get me wrong we lived in a lovely area and it was fantastic having all the family near by (sadly you only truly realise this after you leave them).
Life seems settled now, we haven't had an easy ride since we got here - lots of problems getting a job, etc, however we feel that as a family it was definitely the best decision we made. There is so much more to offer our sons and we feel so much safer.
We are also really lucky that most of my immediate family have visited us since we have been here, and liked it so much have or are applying for visa's.
We know people who have come over to Australia and hated it, but I think it depends on what you are looking for and what your expectations are.
For us like I said this is our home, we feel we truly belong here.
Annie