Any advice for me?
 

Well folks, after approx 6-7 years of posting on this forum, I am finally about to become a British / Irish expat :D

I leave the UK one week today to make the journey most of you have already made.

Any advice for me?

Please don't say, "don't do it" :eek:

Re: Any advice for me?
 

Congratulations! :thumbsup:

Bring lots of $$$$$. ;)

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If only :D

Re: Any advice for me?
 

Don't rush into buying a house. Rent and have a good look around. Don't be sucked in by big new houses in the outer suburbs - big mistake a lot of expats make and they end up thinking all Australians are cashed up bogans.

Re: Any advice for me?
 

Exciting!

My advice would be to never turn down an invitation, even if you think it's going to be crap/not your scene/worried you'll be standing in the corner like a billy no mates etc etc. Don't rent anything that doesn't have heating and aircon (especially aircon in the bedrooms). Join the Ambo's. Get a handle on/get your head around the footy - you won't be able to escape it so you may as well know whats going on. Pour sunscreen into your daily moisturizer so that you wear it every day.

x

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Be friendly to everyone - you can be more discerning later on; and try and enjoy it - not always easy, but you have to keep reminding yourself why you are going through the red tape etc!!

Re: Any advice for me?
 

By all means rush around doing important things like banks, medicare cards etc..whilst horribly jet-lagged, but also use the first week as a tourist, just stop and admire the view, pause and take in the winter sunshine and remember that although we all complain of the cold, it is still 15/16 degrees in the day!! (It is just inside that it feels colder.)

If you need a coffee/tea (and I have Yorkshire teabags as well as Earl Grey,) pm me and we'll try to meet up.

Welcome to Australia!!!:thumbsup::thumbup:

Re: Any advice for me?
 

Thanks guys! This is exactly the kind of stuff I'm after :)

Mr Kapri says hello. He's never shown any interest in BE in all these years and now, suddenly, he's thinking of joining up :rofl:

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What's the alternative then? :p:D:lol:

Re: Any advice for me?
 

Definitely agree with this.We rushed in to buying and wished we waited but I didn't have the patiences and wanted every thing sorted out quickly like there was some race on.Take time to smell the roses and enjoy your new country.It can be very daunting so dont be hard on yourself.

Good luck.:fingerscrossed:

Re: Any advice for me?
 

Some of us are cashless bogans.:p

Re: Any advice for me?
 

Enjoy the move and try not to stress, especially with the Aussie laid back "she'll be right mate" attitude.

When setting up phones, insurances etc, compete companies against each other, get a better deal that way.

Also if buying household stuff in large numbers, using one company can give you big discounts ( saved us $2000 at Harvey Norman when we arrived, albeit bought everything!)

And biggest thing I've found BEs don't seem to be aware of, if one of you is asthmatic, you DON'T need a script for Ventolin, it's over the counter med here!

Good luck with your move!

Re: Any advice for me?
 

Open your mind (and I'm not saying you don't/won't)

Many on here find that impossible to do

Re: Any advice for me?
 

:lol:

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Really? Then why have I been getting a script for DD's inhaler for the past 4.5 years???

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Don't be sucked in to buying pokey little tumbledown hovels in the inner suburbs - a big mistake a lot of aussies make and they end up thinking all Australians are hipsters.

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Really! My son is asthmatic... Had a BE boss once, been here for years and was struggling to breathe, waiting for docs appointment that arvo. She didn't believe me, and as we were working at a shopping mall, I asked her to give me $20 and I took off. Returned with Ventolin 3 mins later and she stood there :blink::blink:. She'd been getting her script for 7yrs without knowing that little fact...:unsure:

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But at least looking around before buying, OP will get an opportunity to decide on whether they want to hang out with CUB's or Hipsters. Not to mention checking out the types of recreational and educational facilities etc available to them before they're tied down to their mortgage.

Re: Any advice for me?
 

Congratulations :thumbsup:

Off the top of me noggin and your mileage/opinion/needs may differ:

1) Don't have expectations of anything
2) Join a social club, sports club, anything to get in with the 'locals'
3) Don't search out other expats deliberately
4) Don't compare anything to what you knew before, ESPECIALLY costs :)
5) Don't miss things, find other things to replace them
6) Do enjoy, a lot of people don't get the opportunity

Safe travels.

Re: Any advice for me?
 

Yeah, actually I was being sarky because everyone's needs, desires, circumstances and limits are different. There are quite a lot of advantages to a big home in the suburbs - it all depends on what the balance of factors are for you. Anyhow, I end up going into the city for trips out, etc. anyway - so transport communications are more important than location. Not getting swayed by what sways the aussies is a distinct win AFAIC.

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Yep, each to their own. I lot of the negative stuff about Australia on here strikes me as people having chosen the wrong place for their lifestyle. Even as an Aussie, when we moved from WA to QLD, we rented for years until we knew the city really well before we bought.

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Yes take both sides of this argument onboard and do what suits you Kapri .....

Although this is a catylyst for a thread Gary :) Not here in this one.

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Not interested in going over it, again. Just in answering the original statement and showing its not necessarily so

As far as Kapri is concerned - get a short term rental for when you arrive and look around lots of places before renting for a year or so, minimum. You'll be living out a suitcase for a while, so make sure you get a ticket with someone who gives a good baggage allowance (or cheap extra luggage). I ran with a laptop with a TV dongle for quite a while, TV, phone, etc. in one. Got a UK phone number on a SIP account before I came, so people could ring a UK number to talk. Also gave sis a VPN endpoint before I left, so I could login and download UK TV. Bought a printer when here for applications, fax, etc. A sim card suitable for your phone frequency on a PAYG (prepay) is simple.

Scan everything and keep the PDFs on a USB stick, including passport, visas, CVs, docs, references, etc.

Obviously the perennial 'send out multiple 4-way extension blocks with you' holds true. Personally I'd also say buy and sent out a new lawnmower with your boxes (they are silly price here). Also don't be surprised if you get fleeced at this end for inspection of your boxes, it's a con.

Oh, and finally, remember to find the most picturesque spot to take a pic to send back to all family and friends when you get here.

Re: Any advice for me?
 

This man, he speaketh sense (on this occasion anyway)

This is THE most important bit of advice.

There's really no point going through all the stress, angst and anxiety (not to mention expense) if you can't be all smug and braggy to the poor unfortunates you left behind.

Good luck, Kapri!

Re: Any advice for me?
 

Could it be because they're about $15 over the counter and around $8.70 with a script ? (in QLD) , in NSW and The NT you have a count card that the chemist fills in each time you buy, the costs are around the same as QLD, in the rest you see the local Gadicha man and they'll fix you right up , or in other words --I dunno :)

Re: Any advice for me?
 

Best wishes!

Re: Any advice for me?
 

Thanks everyone. The last few weeks have been stressful and emotional but I am really looking forward to arriving in Aus and finding somewhere to live :thumbup:

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Generic version of Ventolin is called Asmol and is about $8 over the counter (Qld).

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Just remember it is a foreign country. Have fun xx

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Come and visit Perth soon!!

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Will definitely get ove there as soon as I can. Looking forward to meeting up for a few glasses of :drinkwine:

Re: Any advice for me?
 

In VIC Ventolin over the counter is about $8. Sometimes they do quiz you as to why you need one.

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I think Deadvim's post was spot on. Enjoy your first few months!!

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Not sure but I have a different (turbo) inhaler and can get that over the counter too. May depend if you can get a discount by doing it your way.

Re: Any advice for me?
 

Good luck Kapri, and do keep us updated on how you get on!

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I get one whenever I'm heading home for a while (anti-cat protection!!) and I only ever pay about $8 over the counter. Less hassle than buying flipping codeine!

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Actually that's one very important thing - I always regret not being a tourist for a couple of weeks. I was on the internet job hunting within three hours of landing, no "honeymoon" period, it was sheer hard work and everyday life from day one. I sometimes think that's one reason I don't like the place - I never had the chance to enjoy it before plunging into the rat race.

Re: Any advice for me?
 

Even better if you have time to take a week or more's holiday en route.;)

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There isn't any winter sunshine at the moment- still raining. Think we have had over 250ml in the last couple of days. Going to drain the pool now as it is full to the brim.

Out in my boots and pj's -very Aussie!

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The only thing I regret is that (because I am an anxious person and a worrier!) I didn't relax and enjoy the moving experience. I was so pleased to arrive but was so caught up in the worry of both of us finding jobs, putting my two teenage boys in school etc that it spoiled it for me. Also, we had to rent to start with which took about six months for me to get used to, as I had been a home-owner since I got married at 19, and I felt really vulnerable living somewhere that was not mine. We had money in the bank from the sale of our house in England and had done well on the exchange rate, so I just if I could turn back time I would just have chillaxed a bit!