Yes it's two years today since we stepped off the plane to start our new lives here in WA, I'm not much into posting "updates" but who knows some of you may find it useful

We arrived with 2 kids, a labrador and a 28 week bump. We quickly found ourselves a rental and got stuck in to our new lives. Our 3rd little boy arrived 3 months later, our own little aussie

We had a good standard of living in the UK, but came here with very little. We had no house to sell and no big chunk of money to take with us, we don't live in the fanciest suburb, we don't have a huge house, but we have plenty space for us and a pool out back for the kids (and ourselves!). We have survived with 1 car until about 6 weeks ago when we splashed out on another one (13 years old!).

What we have here is a great life, we have many very good friends who i love dearly, we have a great social life and a much better family life. Our kids love their school (a local government one) they have bloomed academically, socially and discovered sport. Weekends are no longer spent saying "what will we do" but now its "what will we have to miss out because we don't have time". It doesn't matter to people here where you come from, what you have, what you drive etc, we have found people just take you at face value and that is one of the things we have found most refreshing.

We have never felt homesick, we felt settled from the very start, but i'm sure having a baby 3 months into our new lives made things different for us than for most people. Plus having visited many times we knew what we were coming to. Day to day life is still the same, i still have to do the school run, do the shopping and fit in 100 other things i don't have time for, just like everyone else wherever they are in the world. The plus side for me being that in between all the daily grind i have a wonderful city to experience.

We love our lives here and i could never imagine going back, nothing is forever and who knows maybe in a few years i'll get itchy feet and move on somewhere else but it would have to be pretty special to tempt me from my paradise.

I decided 21 years ago that i wanted to make Perth my home, I'm so glad i never gave up on my dream. But if i could change one thing...... it would be those long chilly winter nights

Lynn

thank you Lynn for sharing that what a wonderful and uplifting story.

I can't wait to be over there, I can't wait to have a life

lots of hugs Lace xxx

Good on ya and ling may it continue

Thanks for a good post. I agree that having a new baby is a passport to meeting new people. I hope I feel the same as you when I post my "2 years in Perth".

nice post - glad to hear you have all settled!!

blimey, i can remember your posts when you were leaving!!!!!
is it really 2 years!!???

good luck to you lynn......

sue x

[lovely post and thanks for sharing.

it sounds as if you were meant to be there!


debbie x

Hi Lynn , glad you are happy, sounds like us, i have done 1 yr post. Doesnt time fly though, Denise

Long chilly winter nights?

You sure you're from the U.K? I didn't own a coat the whole time I lived in Perth.

What are you comparing them to?

Thanks Lynn,

I hope, and am sure, I will be as happy as you after 2 years.

Shorty

Fantastic........great post. Good for you !

Would like to thank all those who have posted updates recently - it's really good to read life experiences and what sometimes seem like strange things people miss. In all these stories it seems that soon as some normality returns to your way of life, people are settled.

There is no underestimating the fact that not everyone settles, but nice to read people have had a bloody good go and eventually reached a peaceful contented stage to this immigration thing.
Angela

Think she was only joking

Nice post!....I am currently having minor trauma worrying that we are going over with very little as we also dont have house to sell (was planning on selling my body but would end up in debt :-) and ebay wont let me sell one of my kidneys) so its nice to hear someone in the same boat who has made a real good go of it!

Good 'on ya!

Hope so.

I still have all the whinging from W.A. residents going on in my head about what a horrible winter they were having only a couple of months ago.

Bearing in mind this is still officially Autumn in the U.K., and we live in the south, my office had a fire drill today. Nobody had time to grab a coat and we stood outside for 20 minutes - fekkin froze my n@ds off.

Lovely.

Hi thanks for sharing your wonderful story its so upliftingto hear that you have settled well and you are so happy in Perth. I cant wait to get to Oz.
Good on you mate!!! enjoy the sun and everything else.