Originally Posted by sasbear

[SIZE=3][COLOR=Magenta]
Well, I have a spare moment so I thought, after reading some of the recent threads, that I would donate my information for those on the path to Australia.

I moved here with my husband (2nd marriage) and his daughter now 15 and my son now 18, in September 2004.

I had never ever visited Australia and I have no immediate family here, also I had to leave behind my daughter now 16, with her father as she didn't want to come.

I spent almost 6 years trying to get the family out of 'shitty UK' (my opinion) and when I finally got here - I was not disappointed nor am I now.

My first reactions to waking up at the farm (my husband's aunt and uncle) was one of sheet and utter panic, I admit that. I thought 'what the f*** have I done! This feeling didn't leave for about 2 months although it got lesser.

It hasn't changed my life moving here - but it has made it richer and I enjoy it more. I feel less stressed and much more relaxed.

I thought I would bullet point briefly my views on the goods and bad bits:

The laid back lifestyle - both my husband and I arrive home at approximately 4.30 each evening. No weekend work - although if he wants to - he can. I swim at the local pool 3 times a week, membership is quite reasonable for this. I couldn't find anything similar where I lived in the UK to match or compare. People are laid back and relaxed, and in general, appear much happier.

Another positive note (for me) is that I am away from the pressure of family. This doesn't mean I don't love my family (I do love them), It's just that I don't want to live my life around other people. I share everything with my husband and vice versa - I want to put us first - instead of the family then us. My mum still makes me feel guilty for coming out here, event hough I only lived 10 miles away from her in the Uk it was a struggle for her to come and visit, she always expected us to visit her. We had such a busy lifestyle in the UK it was hard to fit everything in and please everyone. Most of the time at the expense of what we (husband and kids) wanted to do with our time.

The weather is another positive for me.- Canberra is so glorious. It is like a whole group of small villages connected by good roadwork structure. And 5 or so main centres for shopping etc. The weather is similar to the UK - we have the seasons. Generally mid - October onwards to March - is the hot season - starts of quite warm (no jacket required) and heats up to about 38 - 42 degrees in January. April - June begins to cool down - warm in the day about 18 degrees and cold in the middle of the night. July - August are quite cold. You wake up and it can be minus 3 - but then by 10 am the temp rises to about 14 degrees. Temp drops down a bit at evening about 7 pm. BUT we have glorious blue skies, skies like I have never seen in the UK (don't care what my mum says about the blue skies back home) I have never seen anything as blue!

The scenery and wildlife - WOW amazing. I am so in awe of the countryside where we are. I drive to work and can't help but smile - the beautiful colours of the trees; the mountains, the entire landscape - just so breathtaking. And I never stop being amazed when I drive to the pool to see a whole field full of Kangaroos - just seems so special.

Prospects - Although I am a qualified teacher, I don't teach here. I have returned to administration work. Various reasons for this - but my choice - and I am happy with it. My husband is in a job he hates - but then again he hated every job he did in the UK - seriously - he is determined to find another job - but he is waiting for an operation on his shoulder - so will look for work later in the year. Our son made the choice to come back and finish his apprenticeship here after trying it back in UK. He doesn't really like where we are and misses his mates - but even he has realised his prospects are better here for the time being and has planned to finish his training here. Our daughter has become more confident at school and made lots of friends - although she isn't sure on what she plans to do job wise - she is definitely set on staying in oz.

My health has improved here - I am asthmatic and used a nebuliser on occasions in the UK - I haven't used it once and have only visited the doc once for medication. You can buy ventolin inhalers over the counter so you don't need to pay doctor bills. I have nearly run out of the stock pile of preventors that I shipped out - so will have to visit docs for a year prescription. But in general my Asthma has improved greatly.

I have also found that insurance for my car is cheaper here. I couldn't afford fully comprehensive in the UK. I could not have afforded to buy my son his first car and pay for the first year insurance etc back in the UK. So that is a big bonus.

The down side....
the wages here aren't that great - the teaching wages were good - but otherwise...My husband works a 38 hour week and takes home approx $630 - however - in his profession back in the UK - you can't find any work for the 38 hours - and almost all jobs back there for him where a minimum of 60 per week. Saying that - you cut your cloth accordingly - and we aren't about to whine about the low wages as such.

Homesickness - yes i know I said it was a positive to get away from the family pressure - but homesickness is a very strange. I sometimes miss places, food, culture and people. I miss my daughter like having a hole bitten from my heart at times. I miss my grandma so much - that it hurts at times. I miss not being able to drive up on a weekend and buy her groceries. I worry about my grandma and how she copes. I worry what will happen hen she dies - will I be able to afford to go back for the funeral - I worry about all that sort of stuff.

Dentists/doctors - doctors aren't too bad - you claim some back from the Medicare - bulk billing and Canberra - oxymoron I think! Cost about $50 to see doc and get sorted - then get about $30 back from Medicare shop close by. Dentists - lets just say - if you have small children with braces etc. BLOODY hell - glad my kids had all the work done back in the UK - this can get very pricey - no free treatment for kids here!

And lastly - but this is only a temporary transitional problem - the routine/general practices out here. For instance, knowing what procedures to follow when buying a car - changing the plates from Victoria to ACT - registering car, tax/stamp duty on car. General procedures that you take for granted - like daughter was going to school on bus - so I was paying her fare daily for a full term - then found out you could buy a term ticket - saved $120 wow - stuff like you know in the UK but not here - but learning quickly now

Life is what you make it - and it is too short living it to please others - I had a dream when I was growing up - I still have that dream - and am just about to start fulfilling it - maybe this time 4 years from now I will have fulfilled it completely

Thanks for reading

Originally Posted by zx10r_aus

Good post mate, we must get together for a drink or 2.

ZX....

Originally Posted by sasbear

[SIZE=3][COLOR=Magenta]
Well, I have a spare moment so I thought, after reading some of the recent threads, that I would donate my information for those on the path to Australia.

I moved here with my husband (2nd marriage) and his daughter now 15 and my son now 18, in September 2004.

I had never ever visited Australia and I have no immediate family here, also I had to leave behind my daughter now 16, with her father as she didn't want to come.

I spent almost 6 years trying to get the family out of 'shitty UK' (my opinion) and when I finally got here - I was not disappointed nor am I now.

My first reactions to waking up at the farm (my husband's aunt and uncle) was one of sheet and utter panic, I admit that. I thought 'what the f*** have I done! This feeling didn't leave for about 2 months although it got lesser.

It hasn't changed my life moving here - but it has made it richer and I enjoy it more. I feel less stressed and much more relaxed.

I thought I would bullet point briefly my views on the goods and bad bits:

The laid back lifestyle - both my husband and I arrive home at approximately 4.30 each evening. No weekend work - although if he wants to - he can. I swim at the local pool 3 times a week, membership is quite reasonable for this. I couldn't find anything similar where I lived in the UK to match or compare. People are laid back and relaxed, and in general, appear much happier.

Another positive note (for me) is that I am away from the pressure of family. This doesn't mean I don't love my family (I do love them), It's just that I don't want to live my life around other people. I share everything with my husband and vice versa - I want to put us first - instead of the family then us. My mum still makes me feel guilty for coming out here, event hough I only lived 10 miles away from her in the Uk it was a struggle for her to come and visit, she always expected us to visit her. We had such a busy lifestyle in the UK it was hard to fit everything in and please everyone. Most of the time at the expense of what we (husband and kids) wanted to do with our time.

The weather is another positive for me.- Canberra is so glorious. It is like a whole group of small villages connected by good roadwork structure. And 5 or so main centres for shopping etc. The weather is similar to the UK - we have the seasons. Generally mid - October onwards to March - is the hot season - starts of quite warm (no jacket required) and heats up to about 38 - 42 degrees in January. April - June begins to cool down - warm in the day about 18 degrees and cold in the middle of the night. July - August are quite cold. You wake up and it can be minus 3 - but then by 10 am the temp rises to about 14 degrees. Temp drops down a bit at evening about 7 pm. BUT we have glorious blue skies, skies like I have never seen in the UK (don't care what my mum says about the blue skies back home) I have never seen anything as blue!

The scenery and wildlife - WOW amazing. I am so in awe of the countryside where we are. I drive to work and can't help but smile - the beautiful colours of the trees; the mountains, the entire landscape - just so breathtaking. And I never stop being amazed when I drive to the pool to see a whole field full of Kangaroos - just seems so special.

Prospects - Although I am a qualified teacher, I don't teach here. I have returned to administration work. Various reasons for this - but my choice - and I am happy with it. My husband is in a job he hates - but then again he hated every job he did in the UK - seriously - he is determined to find another job - but he is waiting for an operation on his shoulder - so will look for work later in the year. Our son made the choice to come back and finish his apprenticeship here after trying it back in UK. He doesn't really like where we are and misses his mates - but even he has realised his prospects are better here for the time being and has planned to finish his training here. Our daughter has become more confident at school and made lots of friends - although she isn't sure on what she plans to do job wise - she is definitely set on staying in oz.

My health has improved here - I am asthmatic and used a nebuliser on occasions in the UK - I haven't used it once and have only visited the doc once for medication. You can buy ventolin inhalers over the counter so you don't need to pay doctor bills. I have nearly run out of the stock pile of preventors that I shipped out - so will have to visit docs for a year prescription. But in general my Asthma has improved greatly.

I have also found that insurance for my car is cheaper here. I couldn't afford fully comprehensive in the UK. I could not have afforded to buy my son his first car and pay for the first year insurance etc back in the UK. So that is a big bonus.

The down side....
the wages here aren't that great - the teaching wages were good - but otherwise...My husband works a 38 hour week and takes home approx $630 - however - in his profession back in the UK - you can't find any work for the 38 hours - and almost all jobs back there for him where a minimum of 60 per week. Saying that - you cut your cloth accordingly - and we aren't about to whine about the low wages as such.

Homesickness - yes i know I said it was a positive to get away from the family pressure - but homesickness is a very strange. I sometimes miss places, food, culture and people. I miss my daughter like having a hole bitten from my heart at times. I miss my grandma so much - that it hurts at times. I miss not being able to drive up on a weekend and buy her groceries. I worry about my grandma and how she copes. I worry what will happen hen she dies - will I be able to afford to go back for the funeral - I worry about all that sort of stuff.

Dentists/doctors - doctors aren't too bad - you claim some back from the Medicare - bulk billing and Canberra - oxymoron I think! Cost about $50 to see doc and get sorted - then get about $30 back from Medicare shop close by. Dentists - lets just say - if you have small children with braces etc. BLOODY hell - glad my kids had all the work done back in the UK - this can get very pricey - no free treatment for kids here!

And lastly - but this is only a temporary transitional problem - the routine/general practices out here. For instance, knowing what procedures to follow when buying a car - changing the plates from Victoria to ACT - registering car, tax/stamp duty on car. General procedures that you take for granted - like daughter was going to school on bus - so I was paying her fare daily for a full term - then found out you could buy a term ticket - saved $120 wow - stuff like you know in the UK but not here - but learning quickly now

Life is what you make it - and it is too short living it to please others - I had a dream when I was growing up - I still have that dream - and am just about to start fulfilling it - maybe this time 4 years from now I will have fulfilled it completely

Thanks for reading

Originally Posted by sasbear

Good idea - let me know when you are around Canberra...

Originally Posted by zx10r_aus

We live in Richardson, we are home most weekends. Happy to meet up any where.

ZX....

Originally Posted by sunshinesarah

Lovely post.

Know EXACTLY what you mean about the blue skies.

But don't keep us in suspense. What's the dream you mentioned at the end? And do you think it will be more achievable living in Australia?

SUnshine Sarah

.