1 Year Update Glasgow to Gold Coast
Jun 9th 2009, 9:51 am
#1
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Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Benowa, Gold Coast
Posts: 252
1 Year Update Glasgow to Gold Coast
Hi All, a year ago we left Glasgow to start a our new life so thought I would give a quick update. As per the name was going to Sydney first as my brother lives there but changed our mind so ended up on the Gold Coast having never been here before fortunately we love it! Wont bore you with all the details but some random thoughts are:-
1. Lifestyle - we seem to do a lot more than we did at home mainly due to the weather. We still do the same things but we feel as though we are on holiday at the weekends which is great. My son is 12 and the he is thriving on all the sporting activities he does here and going to watch him playing football on a Saturday is great in comparison to back home. I definitely feel that the sporting opportunities are great for kids, in fact, it is a great country to bring up young kids.
2. Work - Alan is a ceramic tiler and he got work quickly. He got his license fairly quickly and has more or less worked constantly for the year. The recession has kicked in here but we came not expecting to be at the same level as we were at home but he is building up his contacts. It did take me a couple of months to get a job mainly due to the lack of Oz experience but I have since moved to a better job with prospects, not unlike the one I had at home. In general, I find Aussies are hard working and for all those with a Glaswegian accent they do understand you!
3. Home -we moved in to our first Aussie home this weekend!!!
It's fab and it def makes me feel like I am home. There are loads of gorgeous houses in the GC but we loved central and as the kids go to school here so we have bought in Benowa. I found the house looking/buying process stressful but I think it is anywhere in the world. But we did a lot of research and viewed loads so had a good feel of the market. Just have to pay the mortgage now!
4. Homesickness - We have been fortunate that we have had a lot of visitors from the uk - especially for New Year! However, sometimes when you least expect it, that feeling hits you. I think it is just something as an expat you will always have to live with. At the beginning the kids were homesick but we were quite firm with them and now they hardly mention their friends back home now. We use skype a lot which is great. We don't really miss food etc as I have found you can get most things here, sometimes, though would love to be in a Glasgow pub rather than a Tavern!
5. Birds and Insects - I've hardly seen any spiders and you kind of get used to cockroaches and ants! Thank God for mortein spray! The fact that the birds attack you in September was a shock but overall I love seeing all the strange birds and the odd kangaroo etc jumping about.
We have really enjoyed our first year and I think this one will be the hardest. We feel as though we can really start to enjoy it here now. It is not eutopia and crime and bad things happen here too and I would advise just be realistic.
We have been fortunate to have some really great friends here too and all the expats we have met through BE have been great. So a big thank you to BE and plse if anyone needs any advise just ask.
Michelle&Alanx
1. Lifestyle - we seem to do a lot more than we did at home mainly due to the weather. We still do the same things but we feel as though we are on holiday at the weekends which is great. My son is 12 and the he is thriving on all the sporting activities he does here and going to watch him playing football on a Saturday is great in comparison to back home. I definitely feel that the sporting opportunities are great for kids, in fact, it is a great country to bring up young kids.
2. Work - Alan is a ceramic tiler and he got work quickly. He got his license fairly quickly and has more or less worked constantly for the year. The recession has kicked in here but we came not expecting to be at the same level as we were at home but he is building up his contacts. It did take me a couple of months to get a job mainly due to the lack of Oz experience but I have since moved to a better job with prospects, not unlike the one I had at home. In general, I find Aussies are hard working and for all those with a Glaswegian accent they do understand you!
3. Home -we moved in to our first Aussie home this weekend!!!
It's fab and it def makes me feel like I am home. There are loads of gorgeous houses in the GC but we loved central and as the kids go to school here so we have bought in Benowa. I found the house looking/buying process stressful but I think it is anywhere in the world. But we did a lot of research and viewed loads so had a good feel of the market. Just have to pay the mortgage now!4. Homesickness - We have been fortunate that we have had a lot of visitors from the uk - especially for New Year! However, sometimes when you least expect it, that feeling hits you. I think it is just something as an expat you will always have to live with. At the beginning the kids were homesick but we were quite firm with them and now they hardly mention their friends back home now. We use skype a lot which is great. We don't really miss food etc as I have found you can get most things here, sometimes, though would love to be in a Glasgow pub rather than a Tavern!
5. Birds and Insects - I've hardly seen any spiders and you kind of get used to cockroaches and ants! Thank God for mortein spray! The fact that the birds attack you in September was a shock but overall I love seeing all the strange birds and the odd kangaroo etc jumping about.
We have really enjoyed our first year and I think this one will be the hardest. We feel as though we can really start to enjoy it here now. It is not eutopia and crime and bad things happen here too and I would advise just be realistic.
We have been fortunate to have some really great friends here too and all the expats we have met through BE have been great. So a big thank you to BE and plse if anyone needs any advise just ask.
Michelle&Alanx
Jun 9th 2009, 12:26 pm
#2
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 63
Re: 1 Year Update Glasgow to Gold Coast
great read, i am now feeling a little more positive about the whole process of moving to oz.
carla
carla
Jun 11th 2009, 1:35 am
#3
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Joined: Oct 2006
Location: Pere Lachaise Cemetary, plot 666
Posts: 1,381
Re: 1 Year Update Glasgow to Gold Coast
Well done Michelle & Alan. Good luck with the new house.
Jun 12th 2009, 8:44 am
#4
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Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Ormeau, Gold Coast, Qld
Posts: 368
Re: 1 Year Update Glasgow to Gold Coast
Hi All, a year ago we left Glasgow to start a our new life so thought I would give a quick update. As per the name was going to Sydney first as my brother lives there but changed our mind so ended up on the Gold Coast having never been here before fortunately we love it! Wont bore you with all the details but some random thoughts are:-
1. Lifestyle - we seem to do a lot more than we did at home mainly due to the weather. We still do the same things but we feel as though we are on holiday at the weekends which is great. My son is 12 and the he is thriving on all the sporting activities he does here and going to watch him playing football on a Saturday is great in comparison to back home. I definitely feel that the sporting opportunities are great for kids, in fact, it is a great country to bring up young kids.
2. Work - Alan is a ceramic tiler and he got work quickly. He got his license fairly quickly and has more or less worked constantly for the year. The recession has kicked in here but we came not expecting to be at the same level as we were at home but he is building up his contacts. It did take me a couple of months to get a job mainly due to the lack of Oz experience but I have since moved to a better job with prospects, not unlike the one I had at home. In general, I find Aussies are hard working and for all those with a Glaswegian accent they do understand you!
3. Home -we moved in to our first Aussie home this weekend!!! It's fab and it def makes me feel like I am home. There are loads of gorgeous houses in the GC but we loved central and as the kids go to school here so we have bought in Benowa. I found the house looking/buying process stressful but I think it is anywhere in the world. But we did a lot of research and viewed loads so had a good feel of the market. Just have to pay the mortgage now!
4. Homesickness - We have been fortunate that we have had a lot of visitors from the uk - especially for New Year! However, sometimes when you least expect it, that feeling hits you. I think it is just something as an expat you will always have to live with. At the beginning the kids were homesick but we were quite firm with them and now they hardly mention their friends back home now. We use skype a lot which is great. We don't really miss food etc as I have found you can get most things here, sometimes, though would love to be in a Glasgow pub rather than a Tavern!
5. Birds and Insects - I've hardly seen any spiders and you kind of get used to cockroaches and ants! Thank God for mortein spray! The fact that the birds attack you in September was a shock but overall I love seeing all the strange birds and the odd kangaroo etc jumping about.
We have really enjoyed our first year and I think this one will be the hardest. We feel as though we can really start to enjoy it here now. It is not eutopia and crime and bad things happen here too and I would advise just be realistic.
We have been fortunate to have some really great friends here too and all the expats we have met through BE have been great. So a big thank you to BE and plse if anyone needs any advise just ask.
Michelle&Alanx
1. Lifestyle - we seem to do a lot more than we did at home mainly due to the weather. We still do the same things but we feel as though we are on holiday at the weekends which is great. My son is 12 and the he is thriving on all the sporting activities he does here and going to watch him playing football on a Saturday is great in comparison to back home. I definitely feel that the sporting opportunities are great for kids, in fact, it is a great country to bring up young kids.
2. Work - Alan is a ceramic tiler and he got work quickly. He got his license fairly quickly and has more or less worked constantly for the year. The recession has kicked in here but we came not expecting to be at the same level as we were at home but he is building up his contacts. It did take me a couple of months to get a job mainly due to the lack of Oz experience but I have since moved to a better job with prospects, not unlike the one I had at home. In general, I find Aussies are hard working and for all those with a Glaswegian accent they do understand you!
3. Home -we moved in to our first Aussie home this weekend!!!
It's fab and it def makes me feel like I am home. There are loads of gorgeous houses in the GC but we loved central and as the kids go to school here so we have bought in Benowa. I found the house looking/buying process stressful but I think it is anywhere in the world. But we did a lot of research and viewed loads so had a good feel of the market. Just have to pay the mortgage now!4. Homesickness - We have been fortunate that we have had a lot of visitors from the uk - especially for New Year! However, sometimes when you least expect it, that feeling hits you. I think it is just something as an expat you will always have to live with. At the beginning the kids were homesick but we were quite firm with them and now they hardly mention their friends back home now. We use skype a lot which is great. We don't really miss food etc as I have found you can get most things here, sometimes, though would love to be in a Glasgow pub rather than a Tavern!
5. Birds and Insects - I've hardly seen any spiders and you kind of get used to cockroaches and ants! Thank God for mortein spray! The fact that the birds attack you in September was a shock but overall I love seeing all the strange birds and the odd kangaroo etc jumping about.
We have really enjoyed our first year and I think this one will be the hardest. We feel as though we can really start to enjoy it here now. It is not eutopia and crime and bad things happen here too and I would advise just be realistic.
We have been fortunate to have some really great friends here too and all the expats we have met through BE have been great. So a big thank you to BE and plse if anyone needs any advise just ask.
Michelle&Alanx
Allyson
Jun 14th 2009, 8:05 am
#6
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Joined: Feb 2006
Location: Chermside West, Brisbane
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Re: 1 Year Update Glasgow to Gold Coast
Did Alan play for Stedfast? If so I know a lot of the boys at Stedfast and some of them are mates!
Jun 14th 2009, 8:27 am
#7
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Location: Benowa, Gold Coast
Posts: 252
Jun 14th 2009, 12:49 pm
#8
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I'll send him a PM. I put 2 and 2 together and got 4!
Jun 14th 2009, 5:29 pm
#9
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Re: 1 Year Update Glasgow to Gold Coast
glad everything is going your way, enjoyed your update
Jun 14th 2009, 11:06 pm
#10
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,322
Re: 1 Year Update Glasgow to Gold Coast
great post Michelle
Looking forward to that party after your fab bbq!
xxxx
Looking forward to that party after your fab bbq!
xxxx
Jun 15th 2009, 7:43 am
#11
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Jun 15th 2009, 9:37 am
#12
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Re: 1 Year Update Glasgow to Gold Coast
great update, good luck with the next 12 months!
Jun 17th 2009, 10:19 am
#13
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Joined: Oct 2006
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 1,492
Re: 1 Year Update Glasgow to Gold Coast
Hi All, a year ago we left Glasgow to start a our new life so thought I would give a quick update. As per the name was going to Sydney first as my brother lives there but changed our mind so ended up on the Gold Coast having never been here before fortunately we love it! Wont bore you with all the details but some random thoughts are:-
1. Lifestyle - we seem to do a lot more than we did at home mainly due to the weather. We still do the same things but we feel as though we are on holiday at the weekends which is great. My son is 12 and the he is thriving on all the sporting activities he does here and going to watch him playing football on a Saturday is great in comparison to back home. I definitely feel that the sporting opportunities are great for kids, in fact, it is a great country to bring up young kids.
2. Work - Alan is a ceramic tiler and he got work quickly. He got his license fairly quickly and has more or less worked constantly for the year. The recession has kicked in here but we came not expecting to be at the same level as we were at home but he is building up his contacts. It did take me a couple of months to get a job mainly due to the lack of Oz experience but I have since moved to a better job with prospects, not unlike the one I had at home. In general, I find Aussies are hard working and for all those with a Glaswegian accent they do understand you!
3. Home -we moved in to our first Aussie home this weekend!!! It's fab and it def makes me feel like I am home. There are loads of gorgeous houses in the GC but we loved central and as the kids go to school here so we have bought in Benowa. I found the house looking/buying process stressful but I think it is anywhere in the world. But we did a lot of research and viewed loads so had a good feel of the market. Just have to pay the mortgage now!
4. Homesickness - We have been fortunate that we have had a lot of visitors from the uk - especially for New Year! However, sometimes when you least expect it, that feeling hits you. I think it is just something as an expat you will always have to live with. At the beginning the kids were homesick but we were quite firm with them and now they hardly mention their friends back home now. We use skype a lot which is great. We don't really miss food etc as I have found you can get most things here, sometimes, though would love to be in a Glasgow pub rather than a Tavern!
5. Birds and Insects - I've hardly seen any spiders and you kind of get used to cockroaches and ants! Thank God for mortein spray! The fact that the birds attack you in September was a shock but overall I love seeing all the strange birds and the odd kangaroo etc jumping about.
We have really enjoyed our first year and I think this one will be the hardest. We feel as though we can really start to enjoy it here now. It is not eutopia and crime and bad things happen here too and I would advise just be realistic.
We have been fortunate to have some really great friends here too and all the expats we have met through BE have been great. So a big thank you to BE and plse if anyone needs any advise just ask.
Michelle&Alanx
1. Lifestyle - we seem to do a lot more than we did at home mainly due to the weather. We still do the same things but we feel as though we are on holiday at the weekends which is great. My son is 12 and the he is thriving on all the sporting activities he does here and going to watch him playing football on a Saturday is great in comparison to back home. I definitely feel that the sporting opportunities are great for kids, in fact, it is a great country to bring up young kids.
2. Work - Alan is a ceramic tiler and he got work quickly. He got his license fairly quickly and has more or less worked constantly for the year. The recession has kicked in here but we came not expecting to be at the same level as we were at home but he is building up his contacts. It did take me a couple of months to get a job mainly due to the lack of Oz experience but I have since moved to a better job with prospects, not unlike the one I had at home. In general, I find Aussies are hard working and for all those with a Glaswegian accent they do understand you!
3. Home -we moved in to our first Aussie home this weekend!!!
It's fab and it def makes me feel like I am home. There are loads of gorgeous houses in the GC but we loved central and as the kids go to school here so we have bought in Benowa. I found the house looking/buying process stressful but I think it is anywhere in the world. But we did a lot of research and viewed loads so had a good feel of the market. Just have to pay the mortgage now!4. Homesickness - We have been fortunate that we have had a lot of visitors from the uk - especially for New Year! However, sometimes when you least expect it, that feeling hits you. I think it is just something as an expat you will always have to live with. At the beginning the kids were homesick but we were quite firm with them and now they hardly mention their friends back home now. We use skype a lot which is great. We don't really miss food etc as I have found you can get most things here, sometimes, though would love to be in a Glasgow pub rather than a Tavern!
5. Birds and Insects - I've hardly seen any spiders and you kind of get used to cockroaches and ants! Thank God for mortein spray! The fact that the birds attack you in September was a shock but overall I love seeing all the strange birds and the odd kangaroo etc jumping about.
We have really enjoyed our first year and I think this one will be the hardest. We feel as though we can really start to enjoy it here now. It is not eutopia and crime and bad things happen here too and I would advise just be realistic.
We have been fortunate to have some really great friends here too and all the expats we have met through BE have been great. So a big thank you to BE and plse if anyone needs any advise just ask.
Michelle&Alanx
Deb x
Jun 17th 2009, 9:45 pm
#14
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Jun 21st 2009, 1:36 am
#15
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Joined: Feb 2004
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Re: 1 Year Update Glasgow to Gold Coast
magic post and glad to hear your in that house you can call your own. heres to the rest of your life in Oz