jandjuk

I'd be really interested to know what brand new visitors to this forum think it is that they're going to in NZ and Aus... (and for those that have been here a while - think back to when you too were a Britishexpats virgin)

I mean, before you read all the negative and positive stories on here, what was/is your preconceived notion of what lifestyle and culture is like in Aus and NZ?

Some of you would have visited Aus and NZ already, and used that as a basis for your decision to migrate, so what elements of your visit encouraged you to migrate?

Are you expecting there to be:

less crime?
less drugs?
less people?
less theatre?
less pollution?
better/worse education?
bigger houses and swimming pools?
more bbqs?
less rain?
friendly people?
better 'lifestyle'?
a UK with more sunshine?

What??

There is a lot of talk on this board disputing the myths, but what exactly are the myths which are attracting you in the first place? Do these myths really exist in people's minds?? Or did you all just go for the experience & adventure??

Shouldn't we all just be experiencing life and emigrating with our eyes wide open - prepared for whatever journey lies ahead - rather than being hung up on whether Perth, Tauranga or wherever is too hot, too cold, too boring or whatever??

Before everything else, what was the VERY first thing that inspired you to emigrate?

Jon

Larissa

Mates of ours emigrated there, with their young daughter. He is an Aussie and they had loads of hassle getting her into the country as she is Thai (the authorities were unsure about the marriage!!!?). They kinda sowed the ideas in our minds and we wanted an "adventure" of a kind - figure we don't have much to lose etc. So, our friends were the first to encourage us to go, but it took a year before we thought seriously about going.

hevs

Fell in love with it when visiting family when i was 12. Each time i go its harder to come back. Took me this long to persuade Matt!

jandjuk

Larissa, so were you chasing any kind of 'myth'?

or just pure adventure

Larissa

Well, I'm nearly 30 now and would like to get out of Pompey soooooon! I really fancy the idea of moving on, especially when the kids are little. My mum and dad have emigrated to Greece and have quite inspired me. Life has been hard for them in Greece sometimes - everywhere has its ups and downs. If it doesn't work out, we'll come back or perhaps try somewhere else!

sky

I always wanted to emigrate dont really know why just for the adventure I suppose but husband not keen, then about xmas time his sister was telling him about friends of theirs in Christchurch, we got in touch with them and now my husband wants to go as much if not even more than I do.
I just think...you only live once....and I dont want to look back when Im old and wrinkly with regrets

Pollyana

I had the idea that I would like to live in Oz when I visited a friend in Tassie nearly 5 years ago, then I fell in love with an Aussie - combination of Bloke and country was just toooooo perfect to resist

However, I think the first seeds were sown when I was about 3! I remember having a "Teddy Bear Weekly" Christmas Annual - must have been either 1965,66 or 68, and unfortunately I no longer have it. There were some pictures of how other countries celebrate Christmas, and I remember a double page spread of a family on the beach, taking a full Christmas dinner out of a hamper and spreading it on a rug.....! Very stereotyped, but obviously made a BIG impression on me!
If anyone has a copy of that annual, pleeeeeese let me know!

tinaj

I have wanted to go since I was 18. I wanted to go then, but it never worked out.

I have never been happy with the way life is in the UK. There is nothing particularly wrong with the country, more nothing about it I like!

We are outdoor go-getting people and we love the sun and sea and the climate does play a large part in it for us. I would not move to Aus is the weather was the same or worse than here!!

We also get bored very easily and always have a couple of things on the go at once. Aus will give us new opportunities to try and make a success of things out there.

I think there are a lot more opportunities out there for us. we are lucky to be taking a fair amount of money , hopefully we can invest it well!!

karawara88

Think thats a very true.

What made me first decide ? ex. partner had family over here and plans that did not include me, but needed me for visa. !! Another of lifes little experiences. but like most things just around the corner was a new challenge and I met and married Donna.

Pretty much how I view life really, everything happens for a reason and no matter if the experience turns out to be good or bad there is always a new challenge or experience waiting round the next corner.

Except of course driving North in WA where there is nothing but trees and another expanse of road around the corner.

steve-n-jo

My brother has lived in Adelaide for 10 years now. We first went for 4 weeks two years ago and went again fo 4 weeks last year. We've got two girls aged 10 & 8 and a very unexpected, unplanned baby due in February, if only I'd known before the visa application went in and Adelaide took our payment. A case number ain't much use when everything is on hold for 6 months.
But I digress..........................

I want no mortgage, possible thanks to buying at the right time here.

Its not about beaches for me, I already live 5 minutes from the
beach in Poole and believe me theres some great views locally.

I like the way people live in Oz, its relaxed and outdoor. Sometimes thats impossible here, even in the summer. I know not everyone lives like that - it depends on your standard of living but we can have a good standard there. I'm never going to knock the UK, its thanks to the life here we can afford to go to Oz but I do want something different to traffic jams, drug dealers, crappy local council and the government we have. We have our own business here and I'm sick of employees tax and then employers tax. If they can find a way to tax us, they've done it and I know the tax rate is high in Oz !!!!

Oh and I miss my brother and really want to spend loads & loads of time with him. Finally my kids seem totally unfazed about the whole thing and are up for it.

Jo

Blimey, thats a bit deep for me, what was the question???

karawara88

Hope SA is different to WA, they seem to be ahead of the game in tax and money extraction. wonderful thing called stamp duty. Not sure about drug dealers, drugs are rife and most public toilets have syringe disposal boxes, but you dont hear about dealers like you do in UK.

Watt Dabney

However, I think the first seeds were sown when I was about 3! I remember having a "Teddy Bear Weekly" Christmas Annual - must have been either 1965,66 or 68, and unfortunately I no longer have it. There were some pictures of how other countries celebrate Christmas, and I remember a double page spread of a family on the beach, taking a full Christmas dinner out of a hamper and spreading it on a rug.....! Very stereotyped, but obviously made a BIG impression on me!
If anyone has a copy of that annual, pleeeeeese let me know! [/QUOTE]


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had that annual, and it made the same immpression on me. I was captivated by this family!!!!!
Wasn't it something like an Ozzie xmas inside the front cover and a Uk xmas inside the back cover - maybe? But I remember the picture
printed in shades of blue, white and black ink.
I havn't got the annual, I have got a picture of the 2 teddies my mum did for me and had framed which is now in my daughters bedroom.

Back to the subject matter apart from that picture I put the rest down to Billy Connolly and having a huge rebelious streak.


Paula

karawara88

Billy has a lot to answer for. !! When visiting the Pinnacles I had an overpowering urge to run naked between them as Billy did in one of his vids. But I managed to restarin myself, more due to the fact that Donna had the camera, plus it wouldnt have been a pretty site. !

Sandra

Holiday in 98!

Mother in Law took kids for three weeks...we took rucksacks and visited his mates!

It is all her fault.....!!

you never met a happier chap...22 years in print, he needed a reason to change...hence we are now in AUS. Long may the happy last....me I am go anywhere be anywhere and still moan about it!

Cheers

steandleigh

I wanted to travel/experience new things in my teens and never got around to it, Then I met my hubby who had lived and travelled all the way around the world and got EXTREMELY jealous of his tales and photos!!! He always wanted to return to Oz ( he spent a year there ) and I wanted to visit. we had a trip out there, the u.k got worse ( in our eyes ), we had children to raise and we thought " sod it - lifes for living ". Adventure here we come.....!