Seabird

I'm in Adelaide, where property prices are alot cheaper than many other places in Oz. Compared to paying 575 pounds a month in rent for a 3 bedroom semi in Ipswich, 100 pounds a month in council tax and 40 pounds a month in water rates, here it costs me $250 a week for a three bedroomed bungalow in its own grounds with a garage and no council tax or water rates. My wages are only slightly less than what I was earning in the UK.

Couple that to just how wonderful people are at offering support and help and you have a society that makes you happy and settled.

Will leave more details later as off for an appointment.

haydn2tracie

hiya claire, im just in the process of moving to adelaide but am finding it very scary about moving on my own with my son. any advice or any thing that i should know?? what made you decide to go, think i just need reassurance that im doin the right thing for us. tracie x

zoe13

hi

i am a relative newbie in adelaide (november last year) and have a nearly 5 month old little chap. i have a partner but i feel like a single parent most of the time cos of his job and his shifts and as we have no family here. if you need help let me know and i will see what i can do! im on adelaide brits too, same name as here. whereabouts in adelaide are the other mums reading here??

Seabird

Tracie

Have sent you a pm, as the reply was rather longer than expected!!

Claire.

Seabird

Okay, can't send a personal message as you can on Adelaide Brits, sorry..

Heres the long reply (sorry all)

Hi Tracie

I love Adelaide and for us it has been wonderful. It gets hard at times, but I am told I'm a very strong and independant person, so maybe I find it easier than many people would do to make this type of move. To me the hardest thing is leaving two grown up children and grandson in England, but I was sinking financially and morally in England and felt that things could only get better.. and they did... beyond my dreams.

My circumstances were favourable as I had a job to go to so had instant income and people to meet on arrival. Additionally I was given a financial head-start by my father who helped me to pay off all my debts in the UK before I left and a few thousand pounds to start me off. I think without these things it would have been alot harder. I feel I fit in well here as I am very laid back and easy going and like a laugh.

How old is your son? I notice your name is Haydn 2 Tracie, are you a music fan?? If so Adelaide is outstanding for your child. My daughter is on the Special Music Program at Brighton School and gets to do 10 hours a week in curriculum time on music and around 5 hours a week outside hours! They get fantastic opportunities for first rate teaching, travel and performance we dream of in UK schools. The music schools were the other factor behind our move to Adelaide, i had my daughter's place secured at Brighton before we left the UK. And don't be fooled into thinking the other subjects get neglected, manty of the music students go onto med or law school or to teach.

The health service leaves the UK standing somewhere in a Tesco's queue. You can see a GP free of charge at any time from 7 am until 10 pm Monday to Saturday and 11 to 7 on Sunday without an appointment! GPs think a 3-week wait to see a specialist is an embarassment and spent 10 minutes apologising when my daughter had to wait 4 weeks to see a consultant, when I told them the same wait was 8 months in the UK so they were dumbstruck.

I pay $250 a week for my house (nice 3-bedroomed quite basic) phone is $60 a month, no council tax or water rates, electricity and gas over the entire summer three months cost me around $120 in total!! Dreading the winter bill though as we can't set up biduget accounts like we could in the UK. For me it is cheaper here for most things (except bread and bananas!), although food is a similar price overall. I fitted out my completely empty house for $3000 including appliances using secondhand shops and cheap stores. Transport is a must, I paid $2400 for my large wagon and it has been wonderful.

The teaching is less project-based at this age and more looking at a blackboard which I think my daughter has found a hard transition. However, she has made friends more easily here than the UK and would probably kill me if I said we were going back. The wonders of swimming with you child at sunset over pastel skies, seeing the dolphins in the water as you dry off and then sitting in the warm dark evening with a portion of chips is an experience that has been priceless.

Make sure you get in touch with Adelaide Brits as well, as they organise quite a few social functions. I have made a very good friend through Adelaide Brits, although I have also made friends with Aussies.

I obviously realise that not everyone has the same experiences and that for some people who come without jobs or contacts it can be alot harder. I love seeing the kids going to School with their bucket hats, surfing shorts and teeshirts as opposed to ties and shirts, and I really appreciate the opportunities in the better Schools.

Only you can decide what your heart feels is right, and I wish you all the best with the move. By all means pm me if you need any other advice.

Claire

desperate2go

Hi

I havent been on for a while but was lookin thru and had to reply to your post.I was in exactly your position. I came over 6 months ago, single parent with an 8 yr old daughter and, like you, i was very apprehensive about my decision.

It is such a huge upheaval ESPECIALLY when you are coping by yourself and have a small child to support. This site will be an absolute godsend to you....believe me. I also went skilled independant & did the whole process by myself . i also had to get it done quickly before i turned 35 and did not have enough points!! So i had to do the lot in 4 months. It was stressful i can tell you :scared:

I can only speak from personal experience but i can honestly say that most of my fears were pretty unfounded. I have not really been particularly homesick(although at home i was extremely close to my mum and best friend seeing them at least once a week sometimes up to 3 times!) Strangely enough i am probably less lonely here than i was at home with my friends around me, as they were all very busy with their lives, partners, kids etc and organising nights out seemed to take months
Anyway...best decision i ever made. We have a much better lifestyle out here- not stuck indoors for 6 months of the year and if money is tight there is no better place to be than in the sun on the coast

I do not regret it for a moment and it has inspired me in so many ways....just to realise that i am the sort of person that can do all that by myself has made me believe in myself so much more- i feel quite invincible and what a great role model for our children. Sorry if im blabbin on but i have the utmost admiration for anyone in that position so bite the bullet and go for it girl. As everyone kept tellin me....you can always come back(although i doubt very much if you will )

If you want any advice at all please feel free to message me...and if not keep me posted on your journey. It will be a f***ing rollercoaster believe me but im pretty sure youll be glad you got on.

Take care and the best of luck to ya

Rachel x

Mrs Rangersman

Try the nursing forum for anything related to nursing questions or queries.