BadgeIsBack

I like these ones.

Others:

-Just because a place or suburb looks great on the surface doesn't mean it will have any longevity as a place to live. A house may be twice the size of the one you grew up in, with all sorts of fun prospects, but it doesn't mean it has to be a great area, or, that it must therefore be some sort of celebrity or footballer's paradise. Plenty of places look like paradise to the jaded eye of a Brit - but wait until the honeymoon is over!

-A swimming pool, games room and or snooker table will not automatically plug the gap that might appear once the honeymoon is over.

Will you miss the smallest things? Don't say ever assume 'No'.

Here's another one: it's a question to answer, not so much an answer: what past experience/knowledge do you have of life, (in fact anything), outside your immediate comfort zone of self, family, home town and work?

If for example, there is little experience of getting out of a comfort zone then moving to Australia might be the first test of this.

OzTennis

That's what the world has come to - people now judge an area as to whether they are a celebs or footballers paradise.

This is why when you ask children nowadays what they want to do in life you invariably get the answer 'I want to be famous'. When you say what for they either say pardon or what do you mean.

BASHO

I haven't got 10.

The lingua franca is English , the currency is decimal and the cost of everything can be found with very little effort on the web , the rest is anecdotal.

I came here unaided in 74 with wife No 1 working on the principal that Sth Africa was an accident waiting to happen , Canada was too cold and that Australians disliked the English to varying degrees , thus Australia was the lesser of three evils and there was money to be made and a future to be had.

I'm now 64 and just lately have become a tad introspective perhaps triggered by my mothers death in the UK about a year ago.

If you stay a longish time, you may, as I am currently doing when there is no-one left wonder at what paths may have been followed in the UK had you returned earlier and at the family moments gone unnoticed.

Be warned.

ozzieeagle

I've had a good look at that as well, after 33 years here. After a lot of thinking about it, I decided it wasn't worth my mental energy.

I potentially gave up a great career, but gained a fantastic life. As for family, thats the tricky part and very much an unknown element, hence the not worth the mental energy.... for me at least.

Although in my case my parents are both still alive, my very close grand parents died way back when I first arrived ..... Plus I've 4 Aus born mature kids and still with the same partner I first set eyes on back in late 77.

Back on topic... I'll give one thing from my point of view that is very relevant... at times that "Just 24 hours and a phone call away" understates the true gulf and tyranny of distance between here and the UK... at times you may as well be on a different planet. How you deal with that is the pertinant thing.... It's not really been a major issue for me, because of my Wife and kids.

stuie83

10 things I wish I had known:

You need not worry about sharks, snakes, spiders etc.

You should worry about magpies.

When you ring the UK and ask friends 'how are you going?' they will laugh at you.

You don't need to invest in a PlayStation / X-box, you can treat the drive to work as a game in which road markings are not mandatory directions but mere suggestions.

That it would all work out ok. I would have purchased decent furniture when I first arrived if I had known. Now I can't be bothered to change it.

That my first housemate would turn out to be a moody weirdo.

I would have an ongoing internal struggle, endlessly debating whether I should buy a 4x4. My brain knows it'll eat petrol and I'll never take it off road, but I still want one.

I saw more of Australia in the 8 weeks I spent on holiday here than I got to see in the first 2.5yrs living here. (It's a big place when you've only got a weekend to explore.)

Meetup.com exists. It took me a year to discover it and as a 27yr old moving here alone it would have been great to find it earlier.

That Brisbane is all the better for knowing, and after living here for a year I'd no longer want to head South to the big cities.

shazgor

1. Enjoy the ride
2. If a headliner concert sells out in 15 mins, then there'll be another date annouced 20 mins later
3. If that concert sells out...... then See No 2
4. Black Ice and Fog Lamps are an alien dialect
5. Whatever winter (aka maybe single digits in the sun!) team sports you follow (a) You can always rock up on the day for a tix + (b) sit on the hill, with like minded opposite fans, enjoying a beer and a banter
6. It is still the New World and opportunities abound
7. You have made the leap .. embrace it
8. See Number 7
9. If you doubt your decision, invite friends/relos from UK and just showing them around will reinforce how right your were (Wot ? Drive thru bottle shops !.. Wot, you live 10 mins from the beach ?!... Wot these RSL are the beez kneez.. Wot you have a 6 burner barby and cook Sunday breakfast on it... Wot 80% of the population have never seen snow... Wot they think living in Europe is somehoe better ?!}
10. The one, very minor/trivial/minute, downside is.... Us Ocker Ozzies don"t realise how good we really have it... aka The Simpsons .. we"re under achievers and proud of it.... but if we ever decided to get off our 12,744 beaches.. and stop visiting the vast treasures of world recognised heritage sites.......... and don't get me started on the wineries... or the quality and value of restuarant food... or the fact I don"t need double glazing or central heating !! Then WE might, might look to recruit,... BUT BEWARE some of us know how good this life really is and we do not like to share

regards

Shazor

OzTennis

1st post?, Shazgor/Shazor? Jekyll/Hyde; multiple identities methinks.

paddyo

See inline in RED

Scubaemma

What he said!

I had no idea that the thing that would most terrify me (on an annual basis) here would be the frigging evil dive-bombing, blood-drawing magpies!
It's like something out of a horror film!

ozzieeagle

They are very intelligent birds, (Think dog level) and can easily differentiate between humans. They can also be befriended, however that only works with your local Magpies..... You can actually befriend them just with your voice.

http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question...5192149AAA9Uwg

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=...magpie&f=false

Amazulu

A air rifle would be perfect for training Magpies not to attack

Unfortunately you need a licence

Scubaemma

Yeah but that's no good when you want to get out for a longish run or bike ride! I frigging hate them, can't enjoy riding or running during Spring in case I get attacked (and spring would be a great time for riding and running!).

(I do still cycle to work every day, but the first few days during 'magpie season' are always a bit terrifying until I know there's no evil dive bombing birds on my route.)

Scubaemma

I've got my Glock? But I guess that would be frowned upon
And they're probably too small to taser!

Amazulu

A clock would work. You could kill all their kids if you hit the nest.

BASHO

12 gauge , two shots , get the flock.