3 and a half years on the Gold Coast!
Sep 22nd 2007, 11:07 am
#1
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Location: Gold Coast, Australia
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3 and a half years on the Gold Coast!
Well where do I start, firstly we would never have settled half as good without the people and information from this forum, I don't post much anymore as priorities change when you start a new life, but I will be forever grateful to Britishexpats.com
2002-2003 had been the worst 2 years of my personal life, Australia was calling me for a new life, new start, we had never been to Oz, it was a big decision to just pack up and go to somewhere we really knew nothing about except from the internet and this forum, but we knew if all else failed we could always come back home. So in Nov 2003 We applied for our PR in Scotland as hubby is a Joiner (carpenter here), our application was gone for 3months we thought it would be underway, when shock horror
we got it back in the mail as we had not signed the declaration!!!!! after 3 months to say we were dissapointed was an understatement. We just wanted to get to Oz, so we started to look at other ways. In Feb 04 we applied for a student visa, I was going to do a hairdressing course, which would be a fall back if for some reason we couldn't get PR once we arrived in Oz through my hubbys trade. 4 Weeks later my student visa was granted and we arrived on the Gold Coast at the end of March 2004. As soon as we arrived I started my course, my hubby got work, my eldest daughter who was 6 at the time started school and my youngest who was 4 started kindy, we also applied for our PR. Finances were quickly running out, as we were living on 1 wage while I done my course, we got a rental in Arundel where we stayed for 3 years.
The first year had its ups and downs, we loved it here and met some great friends but had a lot of homesickness, we spent our first christmas just the 4 of us and that was hard, but I still would never have swapped it for anything, we had such a great quality of life. In may 2005 we were granted our PR, I finished my course that year, we had met loads of brilliant friends, a lot from this site through meets, life was great. My hubby has never been out of work as a carpenter here, he loves being able to get up at 6am the sun is shining and the birds are singing. I ended up getting a job in retail and was very lucky to get part time school hours, which fits in brill with the girls, I still keep my hand in at hairdressing by doing friends and family.
This year we built our own house, just behind Pacific Pines, something I could never have dreamed of doing in Scotland, my girls are just little ozzies and are so into the way of life, they really don't know how lucky they are! we have had so many visitors in the past 3 years, and its always hard when they go home, but we just get in the car have a drive around and take in everything that we now take for granted on a daily basis. I don't have 1 single regret in moving to Australia, it's the best thing I have ever done.
To anyone out there who is finding it tough, just stick in as it's all worth it, go to the meets and talk to people, I guarantee there will be 10 people you will have nothing in common with but there might be that one or 2 that will just click and change everything about your life here. I know we wouldn't have the life we do without the people we have met.
On Monday we have our Citizenship interview, we can't wait to become Citizens and give something back to this fantastic country!
Lisa X
2002-2003 had been the worst 2 years of my personal life, Australia was calling me for a new life, new start, we had never been to Oz, it was a big decision to just pack up and go to somewhere we really knew nothing about except from the internet and this forum, but we knew if all else failed we could always come back home. So in Nov 2003 We applied for our PR in Scotland as hubby is a Joiner (carpenter here), our application was gone for 3months we thought it would be underway, when shock horror
we got it back in the mail as we had not signed the declaration!!!!! after 3 months to say we were dissapointed was an understatement. We just wanted to get to Oz, so we started to look at other ways. In Feb 04 we applied for a student visa, I was going to do a hairdressing course, which would be a fall back if for some reason we couldn't get PR once we arrived in Oz through my hubbys trade. 4 Weeks later my student visa was granted and we arrived on the Gold Coast at the end of March 2004. As soon as we arrived I started my course, my hubby got work, my eldest daughter who was 6 at the time started school and my youngest who was 4 started kindy, we also applied for our PR. Finances were quickly running out, as we were living on 1 wage while I done my course, we got a rental in Arundel where we stayed for 3 years. The first year had its ups and downs, we loved it here and met some great friends but had a lot of homesickness, we spent our first christmas just the 4 of us and that was hard, but I still would never have swapped it for anything, we had such a great quality of life. In may 2005 we were granted our PR, I finished my course that year, we had met loads of brilliant friends, a lot from this site through meets, life was great. My hubby has never been out of work as a carpenter here, he loves being able to get up at 6am the sun is shining and the birds are singing. I ended up getting a job in retail and was very lucky to get part time school hours, which fits in brill with the girls, I still keep my hand in at hairdressing by doing friends and family.
This year we built our own house, just behind Pacific Pines, something I could never have dreamed of doing in Scotland, my girls are just little ozzies and are so into the way of life, they really don't know how lucky they are! we have had so many visitors in the past 3 years, and its always hard when they go home, but we just get in the car have a drive around and take in everything that we now take for granted on a daily basis. I don't have 1 single regret in moving to Australia, it's the best thing I have ever done.
To anyone out there who is finding it tough, just stick in as it's all worth it, go to the meets and talk to people, I guarantee there will be 10 people you will have nothing in common with but there might be that one or 2 that will just click and change everything about your life here. I know we wouldn't have the life we do without the people we have met.
On Monday we have our Citizenship interview, we can't wait to become Citizens and give something back to this fantastic country!
Lisa X
Sep 22nd 2007, 3:14 pm
#2
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,187
Re: 3 and a half years on the Gold Coast!
What a lovely post. I am so glad that you are all happy and that everything seems to be working out for you.
Mandy
Mandy
Sep 22nd 2007, 3:58 pm
#3
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Re: 3 and a half years on the Gold Coast!
Lovely post, puts my mind to rest reading post like yours, as I wasnt half scared moving to Adelaide as I am moving to GC or maybe bayside.
Now that we have to move again due to work, no job for the OH since we have been here & I'm so scared that I might not like it as much as I like it here.
Now that we have to move again due to work, no job for the OH since we have been here & I'm so scared that I might not like it as much as I like it here.
Sep 23rd 2007, 5:57 am
#4
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: 3 and a half years on the Gold Coast!
Great post Lisa. You definitely get out what you put in. Well done.
Sep 23rd 2007, 7:57 am
#5
Work to Live!
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Gold Coast Australia
Posts: 1,006
Re: 3 and a half years on the Gold Coast!
Well where do I start, firstly we would never have settled half as good without the people and information from this forum, I don't post much anymore as priorities change when you start a new life, but I will be forever grateful to Britishexpats.com
2002-2003 had been the worst 2 years of my personal life, Australia was calling me for a new life, new start, we had never been to Oz, it was a big decision to just pack up and go to somewhere we really knew nothing about except from the internet and this forum, but we knew if all else failed we could always come back home. So in Nov 2003 We applied for our PR in Scotland as hubby is a Joiner (carpenter here), our application was gone for 3months we thought it would be underway, when shock horror we got it back in the mail as we had not signed the declaration!!!!! after 3 months to say we were dissapointed was an understatement. We just wanted to get to Oz, so we started to look at other ways. In Feb 04 we applied for a student visa, I was going to do a hairdressing course, which would be a fall back if for some reason we couldn't get PR once we arrived in Oz through my hubbys trade. 4 Weeks later my student visa was granted and we arrived on the Gold Coast at the end of March 2004. As soon as we arrived I started my course, my hubby got work, my eldest daughter who was 6 at the time started school and my youngest who was 4 started kindy, we also applied for our PR. Finances were quickly running out, as we were living on 1 wage while I done my course, we got a rental in Arundel where we stayed for 3 years.
The first year had its ups and downs, we loved it here and met some great friends but had a lot of homesickness, we spent our first christmas just the 4 of us and that was hard, but I still would never have swapped it for anything, we had such a great quality of life. In may 2005 we were granted our PR, I finished my course that year, we had met loads of brilliant friends, a lot from this site through meets, life was great. My hubby has never been out of work as a carpenter here, he loves being able to get up at 6am the sun is shining and the birds are singing. I ended up getting a job in retail and was very lucky to get part time school hours, which fits in brill with the girls, I still keep my hand in at hairdressing by doing friends and family.
This year we built our own house, just behind Pacific Pines, something I could never have dreamed of doing in Scotland, my girls are just little ozzies and are so into the way of life, they really don't know how lucky they are! we have had so many visitors in the past 3 years, and its always hard when they go home, but we just get in the car have a drive around and take in everything that we now take for granted on a daily basis. I don't have 1 single regret in moving to Australia, it's the best thing I have ever done.
To anyone out there who is finding it tough, just stick in as it's all worth it, go to the meets and talk to people, I guarantee there will be 10 people you will have nothing in common with but there might be that one or 2 that will just click and change everything about your life here. I know we wouldn't have the life we do without the people we have met.
On Monday we have our Citizenship interview, we can't wait to become Citizens and give something back to this fantastic country!
Lisa X
2002-2003 had been the worst 2 years of my personal life, Australia was calling me for a new life, new start, we had never been to Oz, it was a big decision to just pack up and go to somewhere we really knew nothing about except from the internet and this forum, but we knew if all else failed we could always come back home. So in Nov 2003 We applied for our PR in Scotland as hubby is a Joiner (carpenter here), our application was gone for 3months we thought it would be underway, when shock horror
we got it back in the mail as we had not signed the declaration!!!!! after 3 months to say we were dissapointed was an understatement. We just wanted to get to Oz, so we started to look at other ways. In Feb 04 we applied for a student visa, I was going to do a hairdressing course, which would be a fall back if for some reason we couldn't get PR once we arrived in Oz through my hubbys trade. 4 Weeks later my student visa was granted and we arrived on the Gold Coast at the end of March 2004. As soon as we arrived I started my course, my hubby got work, my eldest daughter who was 6 at the time started school and my youngest who was 4 started kindy, we also applied for our PR. Finances were quickly running out, as we were living on 1 wage while I done my course, we got a rental in Arundel where we stayed for 3 years. The first year had its ups and downs, we loved it here and met some great friends but had a lot of homesickness, we spent our first christmas just the 4 of us and that was hard, but I still would never have swapped it for anything, we had such a great quality of life. In may 2005 we were granted our PR, I finished my course that year, we had met loads of brilliant friends, a lot from this site through meets, life was great. My hubby has never been out of work as a carpenter here, he loves being able to get up at 6am the sun is shining and the birds are singing. I ended up getting a job in retail and was very lucky to get part time school hours, which fits in brill with the girls, I still keep my hand in at hairdressing by doing friends and family.
This year we built our own house, just behind Pacific Pines, something I could never have dreamed of doing in Scotland, my girls are just little ozzies and are so into the way of life, they really don't know how lucky they are! we have had so many visitors in the past 3 years, and its always hard when they go home, but we just get in the car have a drive around and take in everything that we now take for granted on a daily basis. I don't have 1 single regret in moving to Australia, it's the best thing I have ever done.
To anyone out there who is finding it tough, just stick in as it's all worth it, go to the meets and talk to people, I guarantee there will be 10 people you will have nothing in common with but there might be that one or 2 that will just click and change everything about your life here. I know we wouldn't have the life we do without the people we have met.
On Monday we have our Citizenship interview, we can't wait to become Citizens and give something back to this fantastic country!
Lisa X
Sep 23rd 2007, 10:04 am
#6
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Re: 3 and a half years on the Gold Coast!
Thanks everyone, Moneypen you are so right!
Brido
we can be choosy once we are ozzies!!!! 
Brido
we can be choosy once we are ozzies!!!!
Sep 23rd 2007, 7:39 pm
#7
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Re: 3 and a half years on the Gold Coast!
Great feel good l post 
So nice to hear you have made Australia your home, and you have enjoyed your 3 years there hears to the next 3 years and may you continue to carry on living the dream,
So nice to hear you have made Australia your home, and you have enjoyed your 3 years there hears to the next 3 years and may you continue to carry on living the dream,
Sep 23rd 2007, 9:09 pm
#8
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Re: 3 and a half years on the Gold Coast!
Thanks, I am living the dream as much as I can!
Sep 24th 2007, 3:36 am
#9
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Re: 3 and a half years on the Gold Coast!
Hi Lisa
Glad to hear that things have turned out well for you. Good luck with the citizenship interview.
We still have to meet up for that coffee
Debs
Glad to hear that things have turned out well for you. Good luck with the citizenship interview.
We still have to meet up for that coffee
Debs
Sep 24th 2007, 6:07 am
#10
Made the move -
Joined: Apr 2004
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 2,910
Re: 3 and a half years on the Gold Coast!
great post Lisa !! glad things have worked out so well for you
we had our citizenship ceremony a couple of months ago and it was brill, im proud as anything to say we're aussies (well scossies actually)
heres to another 3 years
we had our citizenship ceremony a couple of months ago and it was brill, im proud as anything to say we're aussies (well scossies actually
)heres to another 3 years
Sep 24th 2007, 9:11 am
#11
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Re: 3 and a half years on the Gold Coast!
[ Lisa X[/QUOTE]
Excellent ! really pleased its been a success for you.
Dave
Excellent ! really pleased its been a success for you.
Dave
Sep 25th 2007, 4:24 am
#12
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Re: 3 and a half years on the Gold Coast!
t's good to see all the familiar names again, Hope everything is going well for you, we will need to meet up for that coffee, you should come along to the next meet on the 27th Oct, there is so many expats on the GC now, but its always good to put names to faces.
Take care
Lisa
Sep 25th 2007, 4:26 am
#13
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Re: 3 and a half years on the Gold Coast!
Our interview went really well so we are hoping to do our ceremony on Australia day, can't wait for that, any excuse for a few drinks!!!! Hows things going for you?
Keep in touch
Lisa
Sep 25th 2007, 9:10 pm
#14
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Re: 3 and a half years on the Gold Coast!
Great post, Lisa. Glad the interview went well. See you soon Michelle and gang x
Michelle and gang x
Sep 25th 2007, 11:32 pm
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Re: 3 and a half years on the Gold Coast!
Lovely update and all the best for the future!
Debbie
Debbie
