6 months in - a Brissy Tale
Nov 29th 2008, 10:10 am
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2005
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 413
6 months in - a Brissy Tale
It seems surreal to be typing this, we've been here half a year and it's been so busy that I have hardly had time to draw breath to reflect on how I feel about our long term future in Australia.
One thing is 150% certain, Australia is now home, we have no plan to ever move long distance again. We love Brisbane and find it to be a vibrant, happy place to live (contrary to many expats who have a totally opposite view point i.e. that it's boring and provincial).
The children are happy and settled, for the most part. Our eldest son (7) sometimes misses home and his friends, but that's usually short lived.
The hubby is happy in his job - he finds the work ethic a good balance (not as full on as London but much more professional than Cape Town).
Me, I love it but I do feel like a stranger in a strange land. My biggest bugbear is not knowing my way around. Just finding a Bunnings or petrol station on some days has been a major effort. I am also finding it quite hard to manage the three children on my own without any support from family/friends. That's a small price to pay though in the grand scheme of things. I totally accept that feeling like a duck out of water for a few years is normal, so I'll roll with it. In the meantime, I have made some friends (both Aussie and expat) and I am never short of somebody to visit/chat to which is great!
We have bought a house which is currently being renovated. Wow - Aussie builders/tradies are quite a law unto themselves, but I think I have worked out how the system works now, so hopefully we'll get there sooner rather than later.
Six months in - the honeymoon period has definitely worn off. Despite this, we are still very happy with our decision to move here and luckily have not suffered from much homesickness.
One thing is 150% certain, Australia is now home, we have no plan to ever move long distance again. We love Brisbane and find it to be a vibrant, happy place to live (contrary to many expats who have a totally opposite view point i.e. that it's boring and provincial).
The children are happy and settled, for the most part. Our eldest son (7) sometimes misses home and his friends, but that's usually short lived.
The hubby is happy in his job - he finds the work ethic a good balance (not as full on as London but much more professional than Cape Town).
Me, I love it but I do feel like a stranger in a strange land. My biggest bugbear is not knowing my way around. Just finding a Bunnings or petrol station on some days has been a major effort. I am also finding it quite hard to manage the three children on my own without any support from family/friends. That's a small price to pay though in the grand scheme of things. I totally accept that feeling like a duck out of water for a few years is normal, so I'll roll with it. In the meantime, I have made some friends (both Aussie and expat) and I am never short of somebody to visit/chat to which is great!
We have bought a house which is currently being renovated. Wow - Aussie builders/tradies are quite a law unto themselves, but I think I have worked out how the system works now, so hopefully we'll get there sooner rather than later.
Six months in - the honeymoon period has definitely worn off. Despite this, we are still very happy with our decision to move here and luckily have not suffered from much homesickness.
Nov 29th 2008, 10:25 pm
#2
Just enjoying being here
Joined: Sep 2006
Location: Thornlands, Bayside Brisbane
Posts: 817
Re: 6 months in - a Brissy Tale
Glad you are having a good time - it does take quite a while to really settle - we have loved it since we arrived 17 months ago but it gets better and better as time goes by.
Nov 30th 2008, 11:55 pm
#3
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Joined: May 2007
Location: Peregian Springs, Sunshine Coast
Posts: 579
Re: 6 months in - a Brissy Tale
Dejags, I see that you are a project manager from Cape Town? I am a South African who has spent the last 8 years living on a small Caribbean Island and we will be moving to Brisbane in April-ish....
I am interseted to hear your experience of the job market......can I PM you?
Also, where do you live in Brisbane.....trying to get a feel for the areas and every new piece of info helps....
Cheers
Nix
I am interseted to hear your experience of the job market......can I PM you?
Also, where do you live in Brisbane.....trying to get a feel for the areas and every new piece of info helps....
Cheers
Nix
Dec 1st 2008, 8:52 am
#4
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Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2005
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 413
Re: 6 months in - a Brissy Tale
Dejags, I see that you are a project manager from Cape Town? I am a South African who has spent the last 8 years living on a small Caribbean Island and we will be moving to Brisbane in April-ish....
I am interseted to hear your experience of the job market......can I PM you?
Also, where do you live in Brisbane.....trying to get a feel for the areas and every new piece of info helps....
Cheers
Nix
I am interseted to hear your experience of the job market......can I PM you?
Also, where do you live in Brisbane.....trying to get a feel for the areas and every new piece of info helps....
Cheers
Nix
By all means. I have tentatively looked into jobs quite recently, so I might be able to shed a bit of light.
Dec 4th 2008, 9:12 am
#5
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: SOUTH SIDE BRISBANE
Posts: 1,364
Re: 6 months in - a Brissy Tale
Good luck hope all goes well for you,been here 2yr now and wouldn't move back to the uk 
Mar 16th 2009, 12:15 pm
#6
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 219
Re: 6 months in - a Brissy Tale
It seems surreal to be typing this, we've been here half a year and it's been so busy that I have hardly had time to draw breath to reflect on how I feel about our long term future in Australia.
One thing is 150% certain, Australia is now home, we have no plan to ever move long distance again. We love Brisbane and find it to be a vibrant, happy place to live (contrary to many expats who have a totally opposite view point i.e. that it's boring and provincial).
The children are happy and settled, for the most part. Our eldest son (7) sometimes misses home and his friends, but that's usually short lived.
The hubby is happy in his job - he finds the work ethic a good balance (not as full on as London but much more professional than Cape Town).
Me, I love it but I do feel like a stranger in a strange land. My biggest bugbear is not knowing my way around. Just finding a Bunnings or petrol station on some days has been a major effort. I am also finding it quite hard to manage the three children on my own without any support from family/friends. That's a small price to pay though in the grand scheme of things. I totally accept that feeling like a duck out of water for a few years is normal, so I'll roll with it. In the meantime, I have made some friends (both Aussie and expat) and I am never short of somebody to visit/chat to which is great!
We have bought a house which is currently being renovated. Wow - Aussie builders/tradies are quite a law unto themselves, but I think I have worked out how the system works now, so hopefully we'll get there sooner rather than later.
Six months in - the honeymoon period has definitely worn off. Despite this, we are still very happy with our decision to move here and luckily have not suffered from much homesickness.
One thing is 150% certain, Australia is now home, we have no plan to ever move long distance again. We love Brisbane and find it to be a vibrant, happy place to live (contrary to many expats who have a totally opposite view point i.e. that it's boring and provincial).
The children are happy and settled, for the most part. Our eldest son (7) sometimes misses home and his friends, but that's usually short lived.
The hubby is happy in his job - he finds the work ethic a good balance (not as full on as London but much more professional than Cape Town).
Me, I love it but I do feel like a stranger in a strange land. My biggest bugbear is not knowing my way around. Just finding a Bunnings or petrol station on some days has been a major effort. I am also finding it quite hard to manage the three children on my own without any support from family/friends. That's a small price to pay though in the grand scheme of things. I totally accept that feeling like a duck out of water for a few years is normal, so I'll roll with it. In the meantime, I have made some friends (both Aussie and expat) and I am never short of somebody to visit/chat to which is great!
We have bought a house which is currently being renovated. Wow - Aussie builders/tradies are quite a law unto themselves, but I think I have worked out how the system works now, so hopefully we'll get there sooner rather than later.
Six months in - the honeymoon period has definitely worn off. Despite this, we are still very happy with our decision to move here and luckily have not suffered from much homesickness.
open a bank account, register with a doctors and dentist, find a job etc.
so my question is when you left to go to OZ what did you do about your doctors and dentist as in all your files do i tell them im emergrating and will they give my my medical history or do they send it out to you once you have registered with a doctors in OZ? i am aware you can open a bank account before you leave which is what i will do as i will transfer money into it what about getting a driving licence once im out there do i have to take a test? is it easy to join medicare? and i assume you need to get some kind of national insurance type number so that you can work? any tips you can give me or anything i have missed out would be gladly recieved?
Thanks
Mar 16th 2009, 1:23 pm
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Hervey Bay at last!!!
Posts: 175
Re: 6 months in - a Brissy Tale
It seems surreal to be typing this, we've been here half a year and it's been so busy that I have hardly had time to draw breath to reflect on how I feel about our long term future in Australia.
One thing is 150% certain, Australia is now home, we have no plan to ever move long distance again. We love Brisbane and find it to be a vibrant, happy place to live (contrary to many expats who have a totally opposite view point i.e. that it's boring and provincial).
The children are happy and settled, for the most part. Our eldest son (7) sometimes misses home and his friends, but that's usually short lived.
The hubby is happy in his job - he finds the work ethic a good balance (not as full on as London but much more professional than Cape Town).
Me, I love it but I do feel like a stranger in a strange land. My biggest bugbear is not knowing my way around. Just finding a Bunnings or petrol station on some days has been a major effort. I am also finding it quite hard to manage the three children on my own without any support from family/friends. That's a small price to pay though in the grand scheme of things. I totally accept that feeling like a duck out of water for a few years is normal, so I'll roll with it. In the meantime, I have made some friends (both Aussie and expat) and I am never short of somebody to visit/chat to which is great!
We have bought a house which is currently being renovated. Wow - Aussie builders/tradies are quite a law unto themselves, but I think I have worked out how the system works now, so hopefully we'll get there sooner rather than later.
Six months in - the honeymoon period has definitely worn off. Despite this, we are still very happy with our decision to move here and luckily have not suffered from much homesickness.
One thing is 150% certain, Australia is now home, we have no plan to ever move long distance again. We love Brisbane and find it to be a vibrant, happy place to live (contrary to many expats who have a totally opposite view point i.e. that it's boring and provincial).
The children are happy and settled, for the most part. Our eldest son (7) sometimes misses home and his friends, but that's usually short lived.
The hubby is happy in his job - he finds the work ethic a good balance (not as full on as London but much more professional than Cape Town).
Me, I love it but I do feel like a stranger in a strange land. My biggest bugbear is not knowing my way around. Just finding a Bunnings or petrol station on some days has been a major effort. I am also finding it quite hard to manage the three children on my own without any support from family/friends. That's a small price to pay though in the grand scheme of things. I totally accept that feeling like a duck out of water for a few years is normal, so I'll roll with it. In the meantime, I have made some friends (both Aussie and expat) and I am never short of somebody to visit/chat to which is great!
We have bought a house which is currently being renovated. Wow - Aussie builders/tradies are quite a law unto themselves, but I think I have worked out how the system works now, so hopefully we'll get there sooner rather than later.
Six months in - the honeymoon period has definitely worn off. Despite this, we are still very happy with our decision to move here and luckily have not suffered from much homesickness.
Bobbie
Mar 18th 2009, 9:17 pm
#8
The Mango King
Joined: Nov 2005
Location: Pullenvale, Brisbane
Posts: 246
Re: 6 months in - a Brissy Tale
Great post!! Glad your enjoying Brisbane. We've been here for three and a half years now and would not live anywhere else in Australia. I travel all over Oz for work, but still get excited when I get back on that plane and head home to Brissie!!
Mar 18th 2009, 10:31 pm
#9
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Tropical North QLD
Posts: 21,434
Re: 6 months in - a Brissy Tale
Good post!
Glad things are going well for you
Glad things are going well for you
Mar 19th 2009, 9:41 pm
#10
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 2,949
Re: 6 months in - a Brissy Tale
Fab update Dejags! We're northside as well,where abouts are you? Good luck with the house renovation 
