Big 'X'

Hi, We are now in the final stages of applying for PR to Oz, (just waiting for the visa, flight booked for 15th Jan 04 !!) but after reading many of the posts on here we are now seriously worried if we have made the right decision.

We never believed it would be the promised land but it appears the cost of living is high, our good UK credit rating useless, life appears anything but the one we are hoping for!

What's all this about tv's? don't the ones we have already work in Oz? mobile phones, health cover, computer costs......aagh !

Surely there are somethings better than living in the UK (please say there is or my wife will never speak to me again, yes it was my decision to go!!)

Thanks

Amazulu

You'll never know if you never go. Just do it.

cherry6

Experience it for yourself. Dont judge your decisions on what you read on this forum. There are people here who love living in Aus, and those that cant see a thing right with it. I love Aus, but am able to see the good and bad of it from being there previouly. Weighing up pros and cons its the right choice for me, but that doesnt apply to everybody. Its a personal thing.

maxpaxx

The recent negative posts are alarming but you only have to look around you now to see just how many people there are who would never make a go of it in a million years because it's going to take time and lots of effort. You sound like you have your head screwed on and don't think it's the land of milk and honey!

Remember some people get their visas quickly with no real effort and don't even stop to think how it will affect them or wether they can really do it. While most of us on this forum have many many months prior to and while waiting for the visa to weigh it all up in a rational and logical way.

You know you have to give it a year - it won't be easy - but it will be worth it! Australia has always felt like home to me and the weather ain't so bad!

Get on that flight and enjoy the excitement and anticipations of a new chapter in your lives!

Best of Luck to you both

Maxine

cinderella

Hey you must give it a go, if it is not place for you and your family you can always come back. I know that would be a very expensive experiment, but if you don't go you will never know if it could have been the right thing to do or not. Good Luck.

bondipom

Have you ever been to Oz and are you the types to get homesick? What are you leaving in the UK. Credit ratings can be rebuilt quickly but family and social networks take time to rebuild.

What are you looking for wherever you go in Oz.

The recent negative post by Linni is what might be alarming a lot of people. Be prepared as that happens to a lot of pommie migrants. Only you can decide how much you are gambling and how much you intend to gain.

Pollster

Calm down, calm down, as they say in the 'pool!

You are suffering from the 'ohmygodweareemigratingthereissomuchtodoandthinkab outwhyarewedoingthistoourselves' symdrome - which is currently rampant in our house too!!

If you try and cover everything before you go you will end up in a right tizz - try and chill and treat each thing as it comes and you will be fine.

(So says the woman who woke up this morning and decided that the base of the shed -which has been rotting for the three and half years we have been here - absolutely needs doing before we go and so ended up at Homebase buying the relevant materials and forcing a reluctant hubby who wanted to listen to Villa-Man U on the radio to do the job. AS well as adding fourteen other 'to do' items to my to do list and having a minor paddy about whether to take the telly/video etc or leave it for prospective tenants.)

Big 'X'

Went to Oz 1990 (1yr) but on my own so I had a slightly different view to what we are doing now.(wife & 2 kids)

Looking to live North Sydney suburbs (bit expensive though!)

Not sure how the wife will respond to being away from her family (plenty of tears no doubt)

Mark

Big 'X'

So much to do!...i've got a 'to do' list that literally goes on & on & on.....

it all seems very daunting now that the time is getting close!

bondipom

Northern Beaches are nice. The housing is expensive to buy and for a house you will probably need at least $700,000 AU.

I enjoy living in Sydney and make use of the outdoors lifestyle and the great food this city has to offer. It all depends on what you are looking for in Australia/Sydney. If you are good the work is here, even for IT.

The key to the homesickness is to get a new social network that you can fall back on. It is a key factor in a lot of peoples decisions to return to the UK.

Wheresthesense

Hey, there are days we think the same. We've been here since May last year and it's difficult some days.

There's a lot to do both before and after you leave the UK. Make a plan and agree on who does what and do something on the list every day at least. It soon goes. Oh and prioritise the stuff you really must do.

My tips:

Set up an Aussie bank account
Get Car Insurance No claims bonus statements from your insurers
Buy and pack extension leads for plugs (into the container) so that you can reduce the number of adaptors for electricals you ship over.
Credit rating is easy to fix. I got a Gold card straight away. Just apply once you are working.
Get someone to give references who is based in Oz if you can.
Bring some cash over and get your debit card in your first week in Oz from your Oz bank.
Buy a local map e.g. Melways in Melbourne.
Bring a PC/laptop
Get internet access straight away.
Buy a phone card from the Oz Post Office (e.g. Card Call) to allow you to phone the UK cheaply.

Once you have access to money, get a car and insured, can communicate home, find places to eat and visit and can login you are made!

Cheers

Steve

Big 'X'

Cheers Steve,

Thanks for the list of tips to do, (already printed off ready!)

I imagine for you having done these things it all looks staight forward, but it feels like i'm trying to sort out the worlds problems there seems to be sooo many things to do here before we leave!

There are a few things that we're still unsure about ; will our tv's / mobile phones work in Oz?

Is it worth obtaining our no claims discount proof prior to leaving?

Is it worth buying a pc in the UK before travelling to Oz?

and how do you decide on an internet provider, there seems to be hundreds?

Thanks

Mark

Simone

Hi MArk,

If you do a search (see top right corner) on those things you'll find heaps of info.

Just type in "tv" or "no claims proof" or "internet providers"

Good luck

ABCDiamond

Everyone can see things differently, just look for the positives, and you will see they outweigh the negatives.
Petrol at 75c a litre
Rump Steak at $5.99 a kilo
Warm weather, sometimes too warm, so jump in the pool

You have already read about negatives so I wont go into them.....
But you mention TV's. It may work it may not, but in the whole scheme of things, how important is the TV ? Compared to $500 for a new one IF needed.

There is a web site foir comparing ISP's, but I can't remember it now. Bondipom has posted an address for broadband a few times, try a quick search for that. Also try a search for Dial up, I am sure it has also been discussed.

And I also think that computers are just as cheap over here.

Big 'X'

Thanks Simone82,

I'll give it a try