Nearly 3 years in Perth!
Nov 16th 2011, 3:25 pm
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 157
Nearly 3 years in Perth!
Not really posted on here for a while, but do really enjoy reading posts when I get chance.
Just had a quick read of my previous updates and thought a more recent update was well overdue. Well, we have been here for nearly 3 years now - myself, husband and 3 boys. Can't believe it really, didn't think we would last to be honest as I was never really that keen on moving here and we had a tough first year. I gave up so much to move here and it felt like a bereavement for a long time - great job I'd had for 18 years, amazing family and friends, lovely (affordable) house, fantastic lifestyle, on-hand babysitters for cheeky weekends away, never being too far away from the hustle and bustle of a busy City Centre, "take that" concerts
.
But, I knew that our future would be far better here and more importantly for our children. My husbands work had really started to dry up in the UK and we knew we had to act before it got worse, I dread to think what it would have been like if we'd stayed!
But the guilt of hurting family does really stick and I do think that has got worse the longer we have been here, still breaks my heart when I speak to my mum and dad and they end the call with "love you and miss you all so much" but that's probably because we haven't been back yet. Had loads of visitors though, but mainly from my husbands side so not really the same. In fact the mother in law is about to arrive for 3 months!!!!
I have to admit Perth is not for everybody, and we have struggled far more than I thought we would with lack of work, illness, lots of injuries and broken bones (3 boys), schools, the shock at the cost of owning a home here!!!
We are still renting and not sure when or if we will buy, just can't bring ourselves to pay over $500k for a house that still needs doing up and not even in a suburb we want to be! Oh, and the fact my husband went from self employed to contract work just before we would have qualified for a mortgage!!! He now wants to move to the South West because he works at Collie most of the time and houses are much more affordable there plus he wouldn't have to stay away from home as much. He has been home for 4 days in the past 8 weeks!!!! Which is so hard on all of us, he does shutdown work so although its on the mines he doesn't do the normal rosters and can be away for weeks at a time home for a day or two then off again, not great but it's work and we are grateful for that plus I know he is doing it for us and a better future and its not forever, hopefully!
We do feel a bit trapped though as we can't really move anywhere for 3 years as my eldest son is in Year 9 and I just couldn't move him again, he is so settled and happy at high school and doing really well, loads of great friends, lovely girlfriend, rugby, beach, cinema just across the road etc. To think he has now exactly what we wanted for him and what you dream of giving you children so the risk of taking all that away and starting again we just couldn't do it. We are so proud of how he has adapted and he is happy.
My other 2 are only young so they adapt easily. In fact I have just been offered a place for them both at my eldest son's school which is fantastic because I was told there was no room, I have doubts about leaving them at the primary they are at, it has become so big so quickly yet there doesn't seem to have been any forward planning carried out to accommodate the increase. It does annoy me though that we have to consider paying for decent schooling here or pay a small fortune for a house to get into a catchment for a decent public school. (They don't tell you that on Wanted Down Under).
I do have to pinch myself sometimes when I see the indian ocean on a sunny day (which is most of the time really) and think we live here! The open spaces on a weekend that are home to local cricket, afl or rugby is great. I like the fact there isn't really a class system but at the same time think sometimes they need one, the sights you see even Jerry Springer would be speechless But on the whole I think we are lucky as Australia has been very good to us, for us the only downside is affordability (oh, and dreadful driving standards - what is it with aimless driving in the right hand lane? Thought it was for overtaking and turning right)!!
Am I glad we have made the move, Yes! I think anybody that takes the risk and moves their family to the other side of the world should be proud of trying to take the best of what life has to offer.
Just had a quick read of my previous updates and thought a more recent update was well overdue. Well, we have been here for nearly 3 years now - myself, husband and 3 boys. Can't believe it really, didn't think we would last to be honest as I was never really that keen on moving here and we had a tough first year. I gave up so much to move here and it felt like a bereavement for a long time - great job I'd had for 18 years, amazing family and friends, lovely (affordable) house, fantastic lifestyle, on-hand babysitters for cheeky weekends away, never being too far away from the hustle and bustle of a busy City Centre, "take that" concerts
.But, I knew that our future would be far better here and more importantly for our children. My husbands work had really started to dry up in the UK and we knew we had to act before it got worse, I dread to think what it would have been like if we'd stayed!
But the guilt of hurting family does really stick and I do think that has got worse the longer we have been here, still breaks my heart when I speak to my mum and dad and they end the call with "love you and miss you all so much" but that's probably because we haven't been back yet. Had loads of visitors though, but mainly from my husbands side so not really the same. In fact the mother in law is about to arrive for 3 months!!!! I have to admit Perth is not for everybody, and we have struggled far more than I thought we would with lack of work, illness, lots of injuries and broken bones (3 boys), schools, the shock at the cost of owning a home here!!!
We are still renting and not sure when or if we will buy, just can't bring ourselves to pay over $500k for a house that still needs doing up and not even in a suburb we want to be!
Oh, and the fact my husband went from self employed to contract work just before we would have qualified for a mortgage!!! He now wants to move to the South West because he works at Collie most of the time and houses are much more affordable there plus he wouldn't have to stay away from home as much. He has been home for 4 days in the past 8 weeks!!!! Which is so hard on all of us, he does shutdown work so although its on the mines he doesn't do the normal rosters and can be away for weeks at a time home for a day or two then off again, not great but it's work and we are grateful for that plus I know he is doing it for us and a better future and its not forever, hopefully!We do feel a bit trapped though as we can't really move anywhere for 3 years as my eldest son is in Year 9 and I just couldn't move him again, he is so settled and happy at high school and doing really well, loads of great friends, lovely girlfriend, rugby, beach, cinema just across the road etc. To think he has now exactly what we wanted for him and what you dream of giving you children so the risk of taking all that away and starting again we just couldn't do it. We are so proud of how he has adapted and he is happy.
My other 2 are only young so they adapt easily. In fact I have just been offered a place for them both at my eldest son's school which is fantastic because I was told there was no room, I have doubts about leaving them at the primary they are at, it has become so big so quickly yet there doesn't seem to have been any forward planning carried out to accommodate the increase. It does annoy me though that we have to consider paying for decent schooling here or pay a small fortune for a house to get into a catchment for a decent public school. (They don't tell you that on Wanted Down Under).
I do have to pinch myself sometimes when I see the indian ocean on a sunny day (which is most of the time really) and think we live here! The open spaces on a weekend that are home to local cricket, afl or rugby is great. I like the fact there isn't really a class system but at the same time think sometimes they need one, the sights you see even Jerry Springer would be speechless
But on the whole I think we are lucky as Australia has been very good to us, for us the only downside is affordability (oh, and dreadful driving standards - what is it with aimless driving in the right hand lane? Thought it was for overtaking and turning right)!!Am I glad we have made the move, Yes! I think anybody that takes the risk and moves their family to the other side of the world should be proud of trying to take the best of what life has to offer.
Nov 17th 2011, 2:41 am
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2011
Location: WA PingPonger Maybe
Posts: 110
Re: Nearly 3 years in Perth!
Good post, can relate to most of that.
Nov 17th 2011, 3:52 am
#3
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Perth WA
Posts: 209
Re: Nearly 3 years in Perth!
Great Post thanks for sharing 
Nov 17th 2011, 5:51 am
#4
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 20,821
Re: Nearly 3 years in Perth!
Nice update. Hope it gets better and better for you all. :sunglasses:
Nov 17th 2011, 9:21 am
#5
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 168
Re: Nearly 3 years in Perth!
Not really posted on here for a while, but do really enjoy reading posts when I get chance.
Just had a quick read of my previous updates and thought a more recent update was well overdue. Well, we have been here for nearly 3 years now - myself, husband and 3 boys. Can't believe it really, didn't think we would last to be honest as I was never really that keen on moving here and we had a tough first year. I gave up so much to move here and it felt like a bereavement for a long time - great job I'd had for 18 years, amazing family and friends, lovely (affordable) house, fantastic lifestyle, on-hand babysitters for cheeky weekends away, never being too far away from the hustle and bustle of a busy City Centre, "take that" concerts.
But, I knew that our future would be far better here and more importantly for our children. My husbands work had really started to dry up in the UK and we knew we had to act before it got worse, I dread to think what it would have been like if we'd stayed! But the guilt of hurting family does really stick and I do think that has got worse the longer we have been here, still breaks my heart when I speak to my mum and dad and they end the call with "love you and miss you all so much" but that's probably because we haven't been back yet. Had loads of visitors though, but mainly from my husbands side so not really the same. In fact the mother in law is about to arrive for 3 months!!!!
I have to admit Perth is not for everybody, and we have struggled far more than I thought we would with lack of work, illness, lots of injuries and broken bones (3 boys), schools, the shock at the cost of owning a home here!!!
We are still renting and not sure when or if we will buy, just can't bring ourselves to pay over $500k for a house that still needs doing up and not even in a suburb we want to be! Oh, and the fact my husband went from self employed to contract work just before we would have qualified for a mortgage!!! He now wants to move to the South West because he works at Collie most of the time and houses are much more affordable there plus he wouldn't have to stay away from home as much. He has been home for 4 days in the past 8 weeks!!!! Which is so hard on all of us, he does shutdown work so although its on the mines he doesn't do the normal rosters and can be away for weeks at a time home for a day or two then off again, not great but it's work and we are grateful for that plus I know he is doing it for us and a better future and its not forever, hopefully!
We do feel a bit trapped though as we can't really move anywhere for 3 years as my eldest son is in Year 9 and I just couldn't move him again, he is so settled and happy at high school and doing really well, loads of great friends, lovely girlfriend, rugby, beach, cinema just across the road etc. To think he has now exactly what we wanted for him and what you dream of giving you children so the risk of taking all that away and starting again we just couldn't do it. We are so proud of how he has adapted and he is happy.
My other 2 are only young so they adapt easily. In fact I have just been offered a place for them both at my eldest son's school which is fantastic because I was told there was no room, I have doubts about leaving them at the primary they are at, it has become so big so quickly yet there doesn't seem to have been any forward planning carried out to accommodate the increase. It does annoy me though that we have to consider paying for decent schooling here or pay a small fortune for a house to get into a catchment for a decent public school. (They don't tell you that on Wanted Down Under).
I do have to pinch myself sometimes when I see the indian ocean on a sunny day (which is most of the time really) and think we live here! The open spaces on a weekend that are home to local cricket, afl or rugby is great. I like the fact there isn't really a class system but at the same time think sometimes they need one, the sights you see even Jerry Springer would be speechless But on the whole I think we are lucky as Australia has been very good to us, for us the only downside is affordability (oh, and dreadful driving standards - what is it with aimless driving in the right hand lane? Thought it was for overtaking and turning right)!!
Am I glad we have made the move, Yes! I think anybody that takes the risk and moves their family to the other side of the world should be proud of trying to take the best of what life has to offer.
Just had a quick read of my previous updates and thought a more recent update was well overdue. Well, we have been here for nearly 3 years now - myself, husband and 3 boys. Can't believe it really, didn't think we would last to be honest as I was never really that keen on moving here and we had a tough first year. I gave up so much to move here and it felt like a bereavement for a long time - great job I'd had for 18 years, amazing family and friends, lovely (affordable) house, fantastic lifestyle, on-hand babysitters for cheeky weekends away, never being too far away from the hustle and bustle of a busy City Centre, "take that" concerts
.But, I knew that our future would be far better here and more importantly for our children. My husbands work had really started to dry up in the UK and we knew we had to act before it got worse, I dread to think what it would have been like if we'd stayed!
But the guilt of hurting family does really stick and I do think that has got worse the longer we have been here, still breaks my heart when I speak to my mum and dad and they end the call with "love you and miss you all so much" but that's probably because we haven't been back yet. Had loads of visitors though, but mainly from my husbands side so not really the same. In fact the mother in law is about to arrive for 3 months!!!! I have to admit Perth is not for everybody, and we have struggled far more than I thought we would with lack of work, illness, lots of injuries and broken bones (3 boys), schools, the shock at the cost of owning a home here!!!
We are still renting and not sure when or if we will buy, just can't bring ourselves to pay over $500k for a house that still needs doing up and not even in a suburb we want to be!
Oh, and the fact my husband went from self employed to contract work just before we would have qualified for a mortgage!!! He now wants to move to the South West because he works at Collie most of the time and houses are much more affordable there plus he wouldn't have to stay away from home as much. He has been home for 4 days in the past 8 weeks!!!! Which is so hard on all of us, he does shutdown work so although its on the mines he doesn't do the normal rosters and can be away for weeks at a time home for a day or two then off again, not great but it's work and we are grateful for that plus I know he is doing it for us and a better future and its not forever, hopefully!We do feel a bit trapped though as we can't really move anywhere for 3 years as my eldest son is in Year 9 and I just couldn't move him again, he is so settled and happy at high school and doing really well, loads of great friends, lovely girlfriend, rugby, beach, cinema just across the road etc. To think he has now exactly what we wanted for him and what you dream of giving you children so the risk of taking all that away and starting again we just couldn't do it. We are so proud of how he has adapted and he is happy.
My other 2 are only young so they adapt easily. In fact I have just been offered a place for them both at my eldest son's school which is fantastic because I was told there was no room, I have doubts about leaving them at the primary they are at, it has become so big so quickly yet there doesn't seem to have been any forward planning carried out to accommodate the increase. It does annoy me though that we have to consider paying for decent schooling here or pay a small fortune for a house to get into a catchment for a decent public school. (They don't tell you that on Wanted Down Under).
I do have to pinch myself sometimes when I see the indian ocean on a sunny day (which is most of the time really) and think we live here! The open spaces on a weekend that are home to local cricket, afl or rugby is great. I like the fact there isn't really a class system but at the same time think sometimes they need one, the sights you see even Jerry Springer would be speechless
But on the whole I think we are lucky as Australia has been very good to us, for us the only downside is affordability (oh, and dreadful driving standards - what is it with aimless driving in the right hand lane? Thought it was for overtaking and turning right)!!Am I glad we have made the move, Yes! I think anybody that takes the risk and moves their family to the other side of the world should be proud of trying to take the best of what life has to offer.
Nov 18th 2011, 1:29 am
#6
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Joined: Mar 2006
Location: Riverland, SA - Beds/Cambs/Nhants was home in UK
Posts: 1,503
Re: Nearly 3 years in Perth!
It's nice to know that whilst it's been hard you feel you've achieved what you set out to achieve, happy children!
Nov 19th 2011, 7:09 am
#7
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Joined: Nov 2005
Location: Yorkshire - Queensland - NSW
Posts: 843
Re: Nearly 3 years in Perth!
Congrats on the 3 years 
Here's to the next 3
Here's to the next 3
Dec 4th 2011, 7:07 pm
#8
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2011
Location: Perth
Posts: 4
Re: Nearly 3 years in Perth!
Thanks for posting! I moved to Perth 18months ago with my aussie wife; Perth & Australia has been fairly good to us and we have a lifestyle that is the envy of many of our friends.
Due to a family bereavement, I had to return home on my own recently and was genuinely shocked at the parlous state of the UK economy. In my home town and in Edinbrugh it was sad to see so many businesses closing down.
However, it is the pull of family that sometimes make the move difficult- having returned it is taking some time to settle again.
Anyway, thanks for the note of hope.
Due to a family bereavement, I had to return home on my own recently and was genuinely shocked at the parlous state of the UK economy. In my home town and in Edinbrugh it was sad to see so many businesses closing down.
However, it is the pull of family that sometimes make the move difficult- having returned it is taking some time to settle again.
Anyway, thanks for the note of hope.
Dec 6th 2011, 1:55 am
#9
Chan eil aon chànan gu le
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: On the ning nang nong
Posts: 22,437
Re: Nearly 3 years in Perth!
I'm still choking from the "MIL arrives for 3 months soon" 
Christ, I thought I was hard done by when mines came from 5 weeks! 
On a serious note, great read and all the best. The first year is the hardest, I swore every day I was going home 'as soon as'.
Christ, I thought I was hard done by when mines came from 5 weeks! On a serious note, great read and all the best. The first year is the hardest, I swore every day I was going home 'as soon as'.
Dec 8th 2011, 8:33 pm
#10
Banned
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1
Re: Nearly 3 years in Perth!
I love perth! x
