Interested

We all know that moving to a new country can be quite an experience!

I'm wondering if any one has any helpful advice or tips for a smooth transitions to a new plcae. I'm not talking about finding the right shipping company, more along the lines of how to make new friedns, get over homesickness etc.

I'll start with one....

try not to dwell on your life in England too much and compare it, because you have a new life now and you have to make the best of it and it will be different, but thats part of the fun !!

Thanks,
Interested

Mandy Bale

I just remind myself why we emigrated here in the first place, that works every time. Never lose sight of your dreams or dwell on the past. Also, looking at photo's of your past life in UK doesn't help as in photo's you always look like you are having a good time!! My husband phoned me up the other day, he was spending his lunch hour in Darling harbour and he said to me 'I just realised why we came here, its a fantastic place'!!

Mandy

Mandy Bale

oh I forgot to add, I've found it easy to make new friends as I have kids in school. I help out at the school and meet other parents. I've also met a few british immigrants who have been here only a few months and have kids in the same class as mine so they are now my new friends. You just have to get out there and say 'Hi' to some people!!

Mandy

yafm

Arrive in australia with an open MIND an open HEART and a SMILE they all go a long way to getting started well. Don't look back - wait until you are old and decrepid for that

denhim

you have a great atitude. but no dowt by this time tomorrow the `minority` who already live there and continue to post negatives will have of torn your thread to bits..

anzen12

Nice idea.

One common mistake is to constantly covert dollars to pounds. It doesn't work because of wage/tax differences, but it's very tempting.

yafm

Join a club.... Any club. RSL Tennis Bowles Bridge anything you can thinlk of that way you will make contact with some people in the very beginning that have something in common with yourself and you will also continue to enjoy your 'sport' or 'hobby'

mx5rabbitohs

Couldn't agree more - i divided by two which was my personal exchange rate - based for me on what I could realistically earn in Aus compared to UK...ie i earn 30k here, could earn 60k in OZ

pommie bastard

The best thing is to make excuses for the drawbacks as most do on this forum , less wages well that because its cheaper in Australia , poor jobs well who wants a good one , stuck in some nowhere suburb well its a bigger house , no family or friends to call on well the suns shining the list is endless.
If this fails do what most do go the doctors and get drugged up , this is the easy way to get into the lifestyle.

pommie bastard

Yeah less in your pay packet not easy to come to terms with , no wonder the Poms think its cheap here with a good exchange rate and they take more home in readies every week with less to pay out rich bastards.

Megalania

Poms In A Pickle!

Herman

From what I have read on many posts today I am apparently a loser for returning to the UK and what I say is irrelevant. Luckily, I know better and such comments are water off a ducks back!

Things that worked for us in the first year were:

Join a club. We joined a tennis club and made some good friends there, despite our total lack of ability relative to the locals.

Dont necessarily accept the first job offer that comes your way. Stick with it, something better usually comes along. My wife very nearly made this mistake and she would have earned 50% less than she ultimately ended up earning. Go for jobs in global branded companies if you can - we found these paid more plus were willing to offer a decent position to a non-Australian. Also, try to Austrialianise (eh?) your resume - put "HSC equivalent" when describing qualifications so that the super brains who populate HR departments can understand.

Go to night school. Night schools in Oz (Sydney) are excellent and cheaper than the UK equivalent. A great place to make friends. We have studied languages, south american dance and photography here and have many friends, Australians who are into bettering themselves (dont believe everything you read - not all of them watch TV in their stained singlets with a VB in their hands every night) from these classes.

Do some sport that the locals do. Some of the real Aussie, sports mad, guys at work had no respect and not a single word to say to me until I ran the Sydney city to surf race (in a decent time). Suddenly I had respect. Its sad but true, you must prove your sporting prowess to the Aussie male or you'll "do it tough".

Put yourself out for people. Have parties/BBQ's and invite people you barely know, offer favours, lend people things, help people out. Basically put time and effort into making new friends. It may feel slightly awkward after years of comfort zone living, surrounded by old friends but it really works and is absolutely essential.

Travel, explore. We've had great fun exploring and have had some great weekends away.

Keep in touch with friends and old colleagues in the UK. Dont be short sighted and decide you dont need these people anymore. You never know what will transpire. However, try not to piss them off with over-excited emails about how absolutely wonderful everything is. In the first 6 months you'll want to, but trust me, resist!

Thats it, a few things that helped us, learned from prior overseas experience. Good luck.

Megalania

Good Herman. Always the sensible poster.

pommie bastard

You are giving good advice but its wasted on your average Brit on this forum who have more in common with the VB singlet Aussie than your good self .
If they are not sporting now arrival in Australia does not change that as does having the know how to mix with people of all back grounds .
Most have contempt for their fellow Brits so your advice about keeping in touch will go over their heads , you are right most in the UK careless about the arse end of the world and bulling it up puts their backs up plus old friends are the best you can have.
The real failures are stuck here and cannot afford to move anywhere , freedom of movement is for only successful people near do wells are chained to one place.

karawara88

One thing that I made a mistake with is diving in to quick. If you can afford to, take time to climatise, dont get out there and try and do everything in the first week. IE. jobs houses etc.

Get over the stress and excitement of moving, chill for a bit then look for work etc.

I know its easier said than done if you have a limited budget but it will pay dividends.