wholeworldwindow

OK. An honest view point of the not so rich and famous! We migrated to Gold Coast area almost 2 years ago. We came with 12 FULLY loaded suitcases and $11,000. 2 kids under 10 but with all the positive vibes in the world. We also brought camera equiptment with us to fall back on wedding videos if all else failed. (which we start in a few weeks!) We got down to our last 69 cents! Then hubby got a job in retail. He was a bouncer for 5 years in UK, a cameraman for 1 year and a full time dad for 2. As some of you know - I had 7 p/t jobs in UK, doing lecturing at Uni, youth work, tv work, teaching toddlers music, singing lessons and sold all we owned on e-bay 4 years prior to the move. 2 years down the line and we are still "just" surviving. Hubby has a full time job in retail, he pulls in only $520 a week and I work 3 days as a Media Co-ordinator/Back up Director for a Kindy and pull in $380 a week. $100 a month on mobile phone, $300 a month on food, $100 odds on elec, $100 on telephone bill and we had to get loans to buy cars $400 a month for loans. Trust me - little is left every single bloody week. Our rent is $290 a week for a 3 bedroom house up the mountain. No frills, but lucky for us the steepness of the drive was too high to use as a double garage - so we have a fabby large living room and a balcony. Not posh ...but feels like a home. And we just ADORE living up here. We would buy it tommorrow if we could. Worked on a famous TV show here 12 hour a day shifts - through hell every day - had a team of 12 underneath me and had some MAJOR responsibilities - I got $15 an hour for that job! The job I do now have training & meetings once a month, we don't get paid for that, Christmas dinner - we have to pay for, no bonuses, no frills. We are currenly in a rush period and are expected to work around an extra hour each day over what we are paid for. 1st job ever that we got our Christmas and new year pay late instead of early! I like the job, but there is no respect or loyalty here. They truly use and abuse here and that works both ways - the staff treat the job disrespectully too - but that seems to be common here. Hubby and I both had to start casual positions - which means you are on-call for shifts and if they don't want you, they don't call.....so you can never plan to do anything as as soon as you do you'll be called in. I have a small business too now, but trying to convice Aussies to give a new idea a go is hard. They generally think about things for a long time and are in no rush to make decisions - you need to badger them to remember who you are. Possibly only my area of business but I don't think so.
All I am trying to get over is that, it is friggin hard to come with no money. Hubby has applied for the police force - I pray he gets it. That would suit him to a tee. I really like my job, but just it is expected and taken for granted that you have to give so very much. Gold Coast working life if pretty hard going for those in unusual areas or not in easily transferrrable higher paid jobs. I was hopeing to buy a home here as we never owned one in UK. Hubby is 40, me 36 - unless we get a real good breakthrough soon, it's not going to happen - as we would have to pay at least double our rent on a mortgage. Not like in UK where it's cheaper to buy! I can't understand how people buy and rent out here - rental is by far cheaper! Had to put my camera in the pawn today as the kids start school on Monday and we havn't got uniform or books yet! The owner knows us well now, lol! But it's kept us ticking over - borrow from Peter to pay Paul. SOOO NOT looking for sympathy, just wanted to tell how it is for the other side of the coin. So many on here have finances to back up their move. Please don't bother with negitivity either - he made our choices and I do not regrett one minute of this beautiful place. We were in a housing estate in UK and have such a better standard of living here....with sun too! Yippeee
Truly, my whole family love it here to bits. Wouldn't dream of going back. I have a reoccuring dream that I go back to visit my parents and I can't get back to OZ and I awaken with such sadness, before I open the curtains and look at the parots and breath a huge sigh of relief! Just is hard is all! Harder than I had hoped!

Brisben

A wonderfully emotional post. It goes to show that having loads of money doesn't buy you happiness. You seem to have found happiness through all your troubles, hard work and determination. I hope that life becomes easier for you financially as times goes by.

Very good post..

Wendy

Lovely post mate

I'll keep my fingers crossed for your hubby getting this job

breezeboylan

Fantastic post. It's great to here from someone who didn't have much and is still really positive about their decisions. Hope Hubbie gets into the police
Tracie

wmoore

Fantastic. Made me smile

renth

Great positive post, hope you OH gets that job in the police force.

Centurion

Very nice post. Thanks for sharing. All the very best to your family.

iPom

Great post. I hope the Police job works out and that your business takes off.

Good luck.

steandleigh

An excellent post and refreshingly honest too. Wishing you and your family all the best and good luck to you both with work

Stitch

Go girl We're not too far behind you in the money stakes but we had to give it a go. It's been tough but it's worth it I think!. Got my fingers and everything crossed for you guys. With your drive and determination and scottish spirit you'll get there

Cheers

Ginny

wholeworldwindow

Cheers guys, all of you. I so thank you for each and every input. I don't take lightly the honour of living here. And thank you for recognising that. Onwards and upwards! x

wholeworldwindow

P.S - best of all to you guys in a similar position! Wishing you all you wish for yourselves. xxx

P.P.S.S - couldn't have smiled as much through his were it not for my amazing family who have made me smile every day on my life - even if just for a moment. I am the luckiest person I know - I owe my world to them x x x

curly

Wishing you luck for your hubby's job application for the police

You sound really happy, sending you karma, you sound as if you've had it tough, lots of luck for the future

magic.no7

Real posts like this are great, better than the 10 pager £3,000 to fly poochy.
Best of luck to both in work and all the best as a family, you seem to have a have a go attitude, keep it up.
M&M

brido

Im glad things are starting to go your way and hope you get the Business flourishing soon.Good luck to your husband too and i hope he gets the job with the Police.
Its great to hear you are all happy in Australia and feel settled there.
I hope lady luck smiles on you all from now on.