Originally Posted by Dorothy

We didn't come with much either. By the time we moved over from Adelaide we had about $50 in the bank and put the $5000 move on our credit card. Thankfully hubby got paid his first month's wages the week after I arrived here in Perth so we could put money down on a house and buy some groceries. No matter, we're happy and that's all that matters. In the past year we've paid off the card and managed to actually get some savings together again. It's hard work, but it can be done.

Originally Posted by Professional Princess

I wouldnt complain

I laugh when people say 'How much did you get for your house sale?'

What house? We rented.

Then is the look of horror on peoples faces when they realise you don't have a house AND a car.

Originally Posted by glittababe

Good on you for being honest Sam! we didn't come cashed up either - can make it difficult but we've coped! On our first move out here to brisbane we came out with........wait for it....... 3000 GBP (no pound sign on my keyboard)! And we are a family of 5! We travelled and camped our way up the east coast - we had fun doing it - no plush hotels for us, just a $19 tent from Crazy Clarkes (that leaked of course) and a membership for Big4 campsites (that we won)! We got down to ooooo less than a $1.00 in the bank - we even had family telling us they'd send money over (we refused as we're very proud - ish)! Well done Sam, and give me a call sometime we've got some catching up to do XXXXX

Originally Posted by Professional Princess

I shall give you a ring tonight - is that OK?

I tell you one thing though, never underestimate how valuable expat friendships can be.

I remember going through some of the darkest times of my life, when Mum was given 6 weeks to live, I was sleeping on the floor in the dayroom of Hemel hospital and I remember Gobbyjock calling me almost ever night.

I remember Sorchar phoning me as well - I will never forget that, those two girls got me through that.

And its down to the help of the Expats that I reckon we are as 'ok' as we are, unlike many others, we had a damn good friend to stay with - Gobbyjock who made us feel so welcome and settled.

I loved and still do, her no-nonsense approach to emigrating and reckon I have learned alot from her.

I reckon if homesickness tried to bite Gobbyjock on the bum, she would kick it right back.

If anyone emigrating has the chance to forge links with other Expats, do so because they have been there, done that and they know what is what.

Saying that friendships take years and years to forge, thinking about it that isn't always so.

I haven't known Gobbyjock or Sorchar for that long really - a couple of years but I already consider them to be good friends.

I suppose it is the person themselves that makes a good friend and a country should be no barrier to that.

Originally Posted by Professional Princess

We landed in Perth on 8th March, Sam picked us up (thanks for that Sam, that meant a hell of alot to us:

Singapore Airlines had left one of Mr PPs suitcases behind, but Customs gave us $100 for the inconvenience and the case was taxied to us a couple of days later.

Gobbyjock had kindly offered to let us stay with her - which was so bloody kind of her, we ended up staying a month by the time we could move into our rental - thanks Gobbyjock, you know how much you helped us and we will never forget it and we never ever stopped worrying about getting in your way - as you kept telling us off for worrying.

When the plane landed in Perth I thought 'Jesus Christ what have we done' - and immediately wanted my shabby little flat in West London and everything familiar to me.

We were going to put a deposit on a house in Port Kennedy and when we went to the estate agent in Freo, found another agent who offered to drive us around Fremantle and we saw a house - only from the outside as she hadn't planned on a viewing. Took a gamble, liked what we saw and put in an application.

She was shocked that we did that after peering through the windows But as there had been over 8 people apply, we never believed we would get it. Several hours later we were informed we had got it - the rent is $370 a week.

Streaks and her SIL helped us move into our house and drove all of our stuff which we had gradually built up and Mr PP was already in the house when we rocked up

Well the gamble paid off as the house is really nice and we unloaded everything.

All of our furniture that we had ordered turned up, except the bed and that came the next day - the sofa bed did us well mind you.

The phone was already connected and the internet - thanks to Westnet, and the gas/electric sorted.

Streaks drove me to Byford Kennels after the first weekend in the house and we collected Gordon and brought him to his new home - he took a good week to settle but is now doing well.

Mr PP had been offered a job on the 4th day with a restaurant in North Fremantle, they were shite and still owe him half of his wages and won't pay him.

He is now working somewhere else and is happy.

I had lots of interviews with temp agencies, typing tests etc, the usual. I thought I was helping bringing references with me, I suppose I was but employers still email your references in the UK to back up what you have brought with you - fair enough.

All the phonecalls came in at once regarding jobs and after doing some temp work, I now have a permenant job with more money than I was on in the UK, the job description is more involved and a bit daunting, the people are nice. But I am sure I will be OK once I learn the ropes, confidence in new jobs has never ever been my strong point if you check my blog

Everything seems to have fallen into place with us living in Fremantle - Gobbyjock you were right - that's all I am saying.

I miss my friends and family terribly, Dad calls me all the time which is nice and Facebook is a godsend for keeping in touch. I upload video messages for my Dad and photos and stuff.

Mr PP and I have met up with Gobbjock and her family which was brilliant - her daughter is fab (sorry for teaching her the farting finger trick
Oh yes, Mr PP saw a Lazyboy chair the other day reduced and said if he had the money he would by it for Lil Stewie!!!!!

Most of the time I feel totally at home/peace with Fremantle/Australia, other times I feel like a stranger - people everywhere yet I don't know any of them - if that makes sense.

It took time, getting used to thongs was torture - blister inducing bastards and I hate them, only saving them for the house. I wear sandals now!

Even going to the GP for my flu jab and trying to navigate medicare, or sorting out dental insurance/ambo cover was an experience.

We have made suncream 'the new black' and have bottles of the stuff everywhere and are quite good at putting it on each day after a shower.

Bagone(?) is our best friend and we have four cans of the stuff and I am now the Cockroach Murdering Cowbag and can kill a papa roach at twenty paces - I was phobic of them before.

I also had awful feelings of guilt having Gordon in quarantine, I never anticipated that and thought it would be a breeze - well it isn't and it was very hard for me to visit him and leave him knowing that he was out of my control. Although Gobbyjocks husband drove us up there one day - thanks for that Stewie!

I was brave enough to make my own way to Byford and it took me hours, one nice lady from South Africa who was visiting her dogs, offered to drive me back to Bull Creek - thus shaving ages off my journey.

Talking of Gordon, he is now trained in the fine art of killing silverfish but won't touch the spiders - fair enough and better to be safe than sorry, at least until he has studied what is poisonous to him or not.

I remember walking through Rockingham shopping centre, every smell seemed alien to me, the money was alien, even the language was alien - pants are trousers? pantyhose for tights?

The slightest thing that didn't go smoothly could have been taken the wrong way, but we just let it wash over because we had to. We learned that things could easily have gone a different way for us had we not been careful.

I have found working the hardest, Mr PP said at his first job the head chef said 'You are not in England now you know!' - Mr PP had found some out of date and stinking beef and wanted to chuck it and Chef wouldn't let him.

For me it was like watching a team that got on well and I was on the outside, not completely clicking and being quite jealous of how they got on yet being realistic that I wouldn't be 'in their circle' because they didn't know me (this was when I did some temping).

Friendships are not built in a day though I guess and I would have felt like that in London in any job and all my friends lived miles away from me and they were more 'phone friends' anyway.

I get absurdly excited each and everytime I see the wildlife - I did that in England as well.

Now for a little bit of info to hopefully encourage others.

We had plans to bring a certain sum of money with us to Australia. With me giving up Uni, being out of work when Mum died and having to pay back the bursary, things didn't quite come off.

Now I have read the 'Is £250,000 enough' type of posts and I have read the responses.

Many are scared to put down the real amount that they emigrated with for fear of being judged.

Well judge me all you like guys because we came with under £10,000 - I won't say anymore than that.

We have bought furniture, settled ourselves and we still have a bit left.

We probably would not have managed it without the help of Gobbjock and her family, or not managed as well - who knows?

It can be done, you have to want it, plan it and be prepared to sacrafice.

Yes, I still need stuff and some of our boxes are not unpacked but we will get there slowly.

Do not be daunted by the amounts of cash that other people have migrated with. It is their money and their situation, their needs could be different to yours.

Be one track minded with the amount that you bring and what you can afford.


Thanks to Gobbyjock and family, Streaks and her SIL, Dorothy (for giving me those contacts), Sam and everyone else who has supported us.

Mr PP said to me the other day that he doesn't know how we have managed, he thought we would have to use the tiny bit in our UK account and cannot for the life of him work out how we have done it.


But we have and we are enjoying where we are and long may that continure. Neither of us know what will happen in the future, but as long as we have somewhere to live, a job and are enjoying where we are living - then that is all we can ask for.

Originally Posted by thpinkpussycat

Sam,

Your journey to get here has been a long hard one, but you are here now so enjoy.

Hopefully we will get chance to meet up again and maybe replay that drunken night at the Travel Lodge after the Ascot Oz Expo!! Worzel still gets a funny look when you mention cream horns

Sam

Originally Posted by mancfamily

This was a great read PP