Originally Posted by binbird

Yes, it is exactly 12 months since we landed on Australian soil, me, hubby and three young daughters. Anybody who has children will know how quickly a year goes by but this year has been quicker than any previous year!

All the things that you have to do when you first get here seem so much of a distant memory (i.e medicare, tax file number, sorting out somewhere to rent, cars to buy, schools etc etc). The most stressful thing was finding a rental but that is because I am very choosy and maybe down to the fact that neither of us had jobs. Offering to pay six months in advance soon did the trick for us though.

Hubby had a complete career change from financial services to car sales and I went back to work (part time) after 8 years of being at home with the children. We are busier than we ever were in the UK which is possibly why there hasn't been any time for homesickness. On the whole life is good though I am still adjusting to hubby not being about as much as he used to be as he works weekends on a rota.

I must admit to feeling the cold over the winter - I really didn't think it got cold in Australia - how wrong could I be?! Temperature wise it really hasn't been that cold, it's just the houses aren't built with the insulation or heating systems that we are used to. But even on a "cold" day you still get that huge clear blue sky (most of the time!)

My experience of schools and the education system so far is all positive. My girls are 8, 7 and 5 and go off each day very happily. There seems to be so many fun-packed activities, projects and excursions that I feel that my children are really being allowed to relish their childhood much more than they could in the UK. Long may it continue as kids are not kids long enough in my mind.

We are wrapping up our first year with a house purchase - we take possession of our new home next Monday (18 September). I should really be packing another box instead of typing this up but I am preparing for computer withdrawal symptoms as we will be without the internet for 3-4 days next week!

I feel so lucky to have settled in such a lovely spot and our new house is only a 10 minute drive from where we have been renting so everything that we have spent the last year getting acquainted with will still be on our doorstep.

There are lots of things that are "different" here of course, but I have coped with "different" on all the foreign holidays we have ever been on. It never got me down for that 2 or 3 week period which is why I just accept that you make your choices from what is available here. OK, so I whinged about not being able to get "night-nurse" but I was sick so in my books that's allowed!

In summary, I am really pleased with the way our first year has turned out and I feel even more excited about the year to come in our own home.

Hope this gives anyone waiting for visas or for the house to sell before you can move (like we had to wait), a taste of your new life waiting just around the corner. . . .

Binbird