British Expats - Life so far in mellie (4 months)

About us.

Its me Mrgaret (43), Hugh (43), our kids, Emily (15), and Lorna (8)

Well i would say approx 2 years ago we decided let just bloody go for it, we went through all the usual arguments at this stage, life is too short!! we are not getting any younger, lets give the kids new experinces, am sure you all know the script.............

We knew we would be emigrating with limited funds, we done our research , we saw the house prices, the cost of living, the price of bananas and school unifroms , but on we went, we sold our small house...........which i loved, i knew i would miss it , i knew i would miss my neighbours, but we didn't have the luxury of keeping it we needed the dosh
When I closed the door to my house for the last time it was one of the saddest moments of my life, we had stayed their for 13 years, it felt like someone had snatched it all away, i know its silly but its the way i felt, i cried and someimes still do over it (crying writing it actually)

Furniture and possesions

this was a strange thing for me , we didnt have a big house or lots of posessions so it wasn't worth shipping, but it got to the stage i just coudn't bear to throw or give anything else away, so its stilled stored in scotland, at a bargain price of 50 quid per month at killie removals, we had sold our white good with the house

Why emigrate???

Why indeed?? does anyone know why they do, we knew we might not be better off, I knew i would neve be posting 'our house build', or 'how much to buld a swimming pool', so why, ..........well apart from our midlife crisis .............we were rotting away, we were doing the same things day in day out...

So off we went and bloody done it and right now am going to bed and will continue my diary

Strange times indeed

The feelings emotions I have had since arriving have been ........well........not good Support comes from the strangest of places , from people i had never met, who have given me help and support and became my friends, people on here i have still to meet Once i was in the salvos and the old lady behind the counter was scottish , she asked me how i had settled in, i started to cry, after several cups of tea, i finally left, think she thought she was going to have to adopt me Willj for driving over with a mattress) (I had never met her before )when we had nothing to sleep on.
Also my bros, and my sister, i expected my bros to hit the roof when we told him we were emigrating, but he has been a star, and is still helping us with loose ends in scotland, my sister whom is in the usa (has been for over 20 years), and will support me know matter what, and best thing is she is going to try to visit at xmas

However i have been saddened even angered by people i knew before arrival, i wasn't looking to live in their pockets, i would have been happy with the odd phone call even a txt, did it happen ehhhhhhhhh no, they met me once, perhaps twice then silence One couple in particular i have known for years and years, i think its a case of 'am all right jack', i know am a bit of a hot head , but when things are 'not alright jack', then they will find my door firmly closed

As some of you know i went through endless torment with my teen , she came validated her visa and then returned to scotland, then she came back, i was really uptight over this period also work was not going well, and hubby not working. One night we went to an expats house , me , the kids, and Jane, my good friend whom i met at the campsite where we first stayed. On leaving teen and i had an argument, and i thought 'I cant take it anymore', and ran away, literally ran away, leaving my kids with Jane the frightening thing was i only came back because i knew i had to, i actually didn't want to, but again with the help and support of my good friends Jane and Sharon (Shazmac), I think i am a bit saner again, during these times you find out who will be your real friends.

Work
Hated it from the minute i walked in, this was and still is when i feel the most homesick, as i lived in a small town and worked in the hosp for years and years, i knew most people there, some of them my friends and neighbours, some my childrens friends parents. I have had to work longer hours and work harder than i have ever done in my life, i knew i had to keep going, we needed the money, but again things are getting better, i am still there (but only coz i have a lovely boss, who again has supported me when i was down). I have now joined a nursing agency and will eventually leave the hosp i am in, the agency if great and professional, plus the money is great, and it is already opening up doors for me, they have offered to pay towards a teaching course for me at tafe, so i am really excited about that.

Relationship with hubster
It has been frought to say the least, money worries, me being mental and worrying myself sick about teen, him not working me feeling bitter coz i had to , the agreement was he didn't work until the kids were settled, but i felt he wasnt even looking or makin an effort to find out what was out there, but he is now working , he went for an interview last monday and they told him to start on tuesday (he's a printer), the money is rubbish, but as people who are here know you gotta start somewhere. More importantly he is enjoying it and says the guys he's working with are brand new, they were getting him to show them kilmarnock on goole earth. Gotta mention here also , my husband phoned his old boss last night and he still hasn't found anyone to replace him his actuall words were 'anyone i have interviewed wants megabucks when i explain what you did at work', we dont feel angry about this george is a fab guy and we know for a fact he paid hugh what he could afford, otherwise it would be another business folding in scotland. Once is wife won some money and gave me £300 of it to buy myself some clothes they are a lovely, genuine couple.

My children
Well Lorna (8), settled down no problem, school going well and she is happy.
Teenager also doing well, she has put her best foot forward, I am so proud of her, she saw how upset i was and how guilty i felt, she also missed us like mad when she returned to scotland to sit exams and spent 9 weeks without us. School is going well for her, and she is turning into a big aussie footy fan, was at a game today with some mates from school which is great as she has only been at school since around july 16th, she even threatening to start playing herself . Her sport is gymnastics and she eventually joined a club here, but we are having trouble getting her there due to the hrs we work, but we'll work something out. She even admitted last night she can see the attraction of melbourne and that its booming compared to poor ole scotland

Melbourne
Love it more each day, and i think this will continue its fabulous, so much to do, so much still to find out about it and the opportunities out there for us and our children, you just gotta keep looking

Think thats about it from me so far, but things are difficult to begin with ,still are, i expected this and people on here and be had told us this, you gotta be prepared for at least six months of hell i think, and then its up and up

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret3 (Post 5205487)

Great post. I wish you and your family all the best for the future! I hope you continue to love Melbourne...