vicky o

Here is another family jumping into the deep end. We're heading to Perth. Our best friends have just emigrated there and we're missing them like heck!

vicky o

Here is another family jumping into the deep end. We're heading to Perth. Our best friends have just emigrated there and we're missing them like heck!

vicky o

Ooops!!

Larissa

We haven't been either - all up for a bit of adventure and don't have a lot of ties here. If we don't settle, we'll move on!

wombat

We have never been before either,
moving to Brisbane 29th june
lucy

peppi

I shall probably get shot down in flames for this...."but I think your all mad....!"
Moving to somewhere you've never been

Oz wouldnt be for everyone...as far as I see it....

anne wilson

We came without having been to Oz before - couldnt be happier. I agree that the money spent on a "pre-visit" is a lot better spent elsewhere.

If you dont like it you can always get the plane back!!!

bondipom

As long as you all see it as a high risk venture that can go wrong you should be prepared. The homesickness gets a lot of people and they never expect it to hit like it does. Attitude will get you a long way but if Oz is not for you there is nout you can do about it but return home.

That is not a failure but you came, gave it a go and won't be thinking if only I had tried Oz. Another thing a lot of people do not realise leaving the UK is that life is not that bad in either country.

Just prepare yourselves that you couldl be returning to the UK.

Bix

Most people think we are all bloody mad not to visit first.
Not just the peeps already out there but the ones we will be leaving too.
You may personally think the same but you have allowed us a lot of respect for our decision.
Nice words BP - thanks.

bondipom

The mad emigrant is the one who thinks Oz will 100% work for them so they burn their bridges. If it doesn't work out for them then the disappointment and reluctance to admit its not working is all the harder to deal with.

A pre visit will help someone decide where to settle. I doubt many can make up their mind from a 1 month visit that the place will become a new home.

Megalania

And then comes the failure of recognition of homesickness and maladaptation, followed hot on the heels by projection of the blame - manifested as baying to the moon - commonly called whinging.

Whinge

Pollyana

I had visited Oz about 6 times, over 5 years, the longest visit being for 6 weeks, before I actually emigrated. None of those were pure "holidays" - they were all spent living in ordinary houses, with people going to work each day, going to the supermarket, all that kind of everyday thing. I think that gave me some idea of how things work out here - banks, post office etc, however, even these experiences didn't really give any idea of what it is like to LIVE here. There really IS only one way you will learn that, by actully doing it.
By all means, come for a visit if it helps you to decide which area to live in, and just to get a general idea of how life works here. BUT be prepared for it to be different when you are actually living here, when you can no longer say "oh, I'll do that when I go home, its easier there".

BP is right when he says a 1 month visit cannot help you decide whether this can feel like home. Only living here - for several months, maybe a year, can help you decide that.
And don't come with the idea that you will love it all, and it will be everything you expected - it won't. Some bits will be better, some worse, you won't know till you try.

And even if it doesn't work out - as lots of people moving back will agree, its till an amazing experience, from which you will learn a lot.

Badge

I lived in Straya for a year, but knew within a week I wanted to live there, and the rest of the year just confirmed it.

To get a balance of 'real life', I was unfortunate enough to not only have to look after kids, work 9-5, live in a dry household for 1 month, but I didn't even have the luxury of my own rental or house :-( I also took some pretty tough jobs that would probably have killed me if they weren't shift based. ;-)

For you guys who have never been, you have a head start already. You are reading this forum! Have a scan on the Moving back to the UK forum and tou will discover the negative things about this island of ours. Many of the dislikes come down to biggies like:

i) perceved racism
ii) perceived sexism
iii) weather
iv) YOUR marketibility and value in the Australian job market
(There are many people who come from high income admin jobs in the UK who have earned these high salaries from many years of increments in long service and have been irreplacible, who suddenly find themselves on 'only' 20-30K here.)
v) Isolationism. Some believe Australia is backward due to its isolationism. (I think its a wonder Australia does as well as it does! The RTA is cool, signature free EFTPOS is cool, more shops, less people in them ;-) )

There are a few things that come to light after the honeymoon period which you should consider:

i) homesickness
ii) real cost of living (although many migrants use the initial purchasing power of their pounds to fund and counter this. ie lower mortgage, no mortgage, in a home 2-3 times the size).

Fuel, eating out, taking out the kids, (or yourselves) and houses are cheaper. If they more, then they are inner city locations and are as expensive as SW London, Putney, Clapham yet bigger etc Sure, there may be less to do comparing Melbourne to London, but by the times your kids notice they will be on the playstations etc!

Arguably these things are important in quality of life so it may stack well for you.

Groceries, cars, electrical equipment will probably cost more.
The upside of this is that cheap kids and adult clothes from Target, Kmart and Best for Less are great. Just buy a few nice things from RM Williams up in the city etc for 'best'.

(For me personally, my income means that all the things that are more expensive in Australia are now the same as the UK).

iv) Australian education.

At early stages, say 5-13, it seems to focus on the all rounder. Many people compare and find their kids are ahead coming from the UK, but then Australian kids tend to have better social skills - I find this very evident myself. By year 10 all kids everywhere will have learnt the important stuff, and it all seems to equal out in the end, otherwise Aussies would not be able to come to Europe and take many high end jobs.

Take a kid out of the Strayan system and put them in to the UK system may cause problems - for a while. However the home environment is just as important.

v) TV is poor. More adverts, many are bad. The upside is that there is plenty of sport, and the adverts are at least funny.

vi) Lack of cheap flights to Europe. True. However there are cheapish flights to Adelaide (Barossa Valley), tropical QLD - ie. Caribbean quality beaches (better than sunny Spain anyday!) , Sydney and Melbourne for cafe culture and museums. People speak English too. No personal comments either way.

vi) Australia's 'self confidence' as shown in male social gatherings, sport(!), in the country's image etc may grate after a year. However, the other side of this, is if you are 'self confident' yourself and can 'compete', then it will just reflect the sort of country you want to live in :-)

Personally, I love this, as I am quite sporty and so feel at home amongst all the barracking, in the UK I was always having to play down my sports, 'why do you want to be fit for?', here it is 'good on ya' (regardless of how uninterested, or how much people do themselves :-) On the other side, if you have low self esteem, are sensitive, then you may find this 'confidence' hard to keep up with. If you are an allrounder then you will be fine.

It must be said, Australia has its fair share of 'fatties', just like anywhere in the Western world. If you believe yourself to live in an area where there are a fair amount of 'fatties', then people on this forum have suggested that it is due to lots of fast food, and warm weather makes people do less.

There are also a few minor things that only you people can decide whether or not will effect you, and going by people's experiences on this forum, it CAN:

i) less range in the supermarkets
(people say they have more fresh ingredients, after 15 months I still haven't noticed!)
Less 'treats'.
Less ready meals.
(No comments on all these. I'll leave these up to you).

ii) Availability of 6 and 8 cylinder cars may annoy you as it creates a car culture. My opinion: bugger(!).

Badge

bondipom

Badge your point about the moving back to UK forum is good. 20 mins spent in there is probably worth more than 20 hours in the enthusiasm on here.

The obesity point is important. Australians are just as fat as the Brits. For those inclined to exercise and sports this place is good but for the rest I am not so certain that your family will become fitter and healthier.

I have been guilty of accusing people of being mad for coming here without visiting. Hopefully I have refined my opinion here and apologise if I have seemed like a dream knocker. I just think a lot of people do not realise what they have until they leave it.

The one area I would suggest people to reconsider emmigrating is when the kids are 16 17 or 18. The difference between HSCs and uni entry is very different between the countries. Changing systems and schools at this age can be very disruptive. Get the visa and validate so the opportunity is there.

Rosie n family

we went for a validation trip last easter- we could only make a month and I couldnt bring myself to make the big decision to emigrate, leaving family friends horse, dog, jobs) So we came back & put up with crap brit weather and have now decided to rent house here and go for a year in June. This way We can get used to it and who knows - Im glad we went for a pre-visit the reality when you are there is very scary! but with 3 kids it isnt cheap - ....Good Luck