Mrs Kiwi

Arrived here in Hervey Bay in April 2009. As my previous 2 update threads state, I loved it straight away. I am lucky enough to have my brother and his Australian wife here, its fab to have family nearby when living in a new country.

When we first arrived my two biggest pre-arrival fears - unemployment & not making friends - were thankfully not realised, we both found jobs straight away, my hubby is a spraypainter and I work in a bank. There is a large group of expats here and the social life is great.

So for the first year I absolutely had a blast. But in April this year, we had literally just celebrated our 1st anniversary here and the worst thing happened, I had "that" call from the UK, my lovely uncle who I was extremely close to (gave me away at my wedding, etc) had been diagnosed with cancer and been given 6 weeks to live. I was back in England within a few days, and how bloody grateful I am that we have the money to be able to do that and that my work were fab.

Being back in the UK to spend time with my uncle was so bittersweet. Saying goodbye to him to come back here, knowing that I would never see him again, was the most awful, awful thing. And then being back here in Oz, wishing I could be back in the UK with him and my family was bloody, bloody, bloody hard. My uncle held on for 2 months, from April to June, and I don't know how I held it together during those 2 months. Having daily tearful morning conversations with my uncle or my mum (when it was night time for them in the UK) and then having to go to work for the day, was awful. I'm definitely still grieving now, but I accept this is normal and I'm going easy on myself.

I also stopped enjoying my job at the bank around this time. The reason, I believe, is because I went from a casual relief role filling in at several branches and having no responsibilities, to a permanent role where they have piled on additional projects for me. There is just so much corporate crap even at local rural branch level. I used to be able to play the game quite happily, but find that I simply can't anymore. I came to Oz for a lifestyle change and I have found one in every aspect of my life except my job. But I am a firm believer in changing something if you're not happy. So I've gone down to 4 days a week, I'm learning to say NO and I'm looking a graduate courses at the local uni with a view to training for a career change. Slowly, slowly, I will do something else. Thanks to everyone on here who urged me not to leave the bank and rush into the wrong job just for the sake of leaving.

The third "bad" thing that happened in the last 6 months is our best friends here are moving back to the UK. To "lose" the friendship of a couple that we have become extremely close to will be bloody tough. But I am learning that it is only to be expected that people will move on in life, and just to embrace people while we have them. Jojo and Andy, I wish you all the happiness in the world back in the UK, you and the boys are fab.

So, after an idyllic first year, the last 6 months have seen some pretty bad lows. But you know what? Never has my love of life here wavered, even when I wished I was back in the UK while my uncle was dying. I desperately wanted to be there then, but not to live. I'm over the moon that despite a bloody tough few months the only place I want to live is here.

And when things are tough, you have to keep looking forward. Hopefully in my 2 year update which I will do in 6 months time I will be able to report that we have sold our UK home and will finally be buying our own home in Oz. Exciting! Then I can stop being a serial Saturday morning Open Home pest, as my real estate brother here likes to call me!!

My motto through the last few months of bloody tough moments at work as well as personally has been "Keep Calm and Carry On", that famous wartime slogan. Thankfully it has worked.

Thanks for reading.

Wendy66

Good update, we arrived in April 2009 and went amongst a lot of other places up to Hervey Bay in late April to look at housing, sounds like your on the right track and are strong together

Sally Simpson

Well Mrs K, well done you for getting through what really must have been such a bad 6 months & to still be positive in your outlook.
Glad to read that you have made a decision about your work that you feel happy with.
Look forward to your 2 year update

johnknight001

hi
sounds as though you are doing well now, we had that call a few weeks ago about my wifes nephew (lukemia), its a tuff one to deal with so i know how you feel, were camping up at hervey bay for over the new year period, never been up there before so looking forward to that one. anyway good luck with things.
john

Buzzy--Bee

Thanks for sharing Kelly and opening your heart. I'm really glad you're settled.

BB

LINZI

Sorry to hear about your ups and downs but glad things are starting to work out also good luck on selling the house

Cookster

That was a lovely post Kelly.......... keep your pecker up!!
Angela