One Year On.......
Feb 12th 2007 | 6:56 am
#16
Thread Starter
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 881
Re: One Year On.......
Thanks for all your supportive responses everyone.
cheers, lj
cheers, lj
Feb 12th 2007 | 7:54 am
#17
Happy migrant
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,756
From: Newcastle , NSW
Re: One Year On.......
What a brilliant post! It really captures the highs and lows of emigrating.
I'm glad you finished on some highs too
I'm glad you finished on some highs too
Feb 12th 2007 | 8:56 am
#18
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,307
From: UK 2 Singapore 2 Sydney 2 Brisbane.....here to stay!
Re: One Year On.......
Hiya LJ
Great to read your list! I did think there was one thing missing though.....
High.....to have a fantastically clean car........low......to realise it was costing you as much as a decent haircut!!!!!!
Hope the job is going well. We still miss your fab sense of humour at the FTC, you are irreplaceable!
Take care
Love
Rudi
xxx
Great to read your list! I did think there was one thing missing though.....
High.....to have a fantastically clean car........low......to realise it was costing you as much as a decent haircut!!!!!!
Hope the job is going well. We still miss your fab sense of humour at the FTC, you are irreplaceable!
Take care
Love
Rudi
xxx
Feb 12th 2007 | 10:52 am
#19
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 25,277
From: Gold Coast
Re: One Year On.......
What a fantastic post
I'm sat here with a big grin on my face - just brilliant, so happy for you all
I'm sat here with a big grin on my face - just brilliant, so happy for you all
Feb 12th 2007 | 4:35 pm
#20
Thread Starter
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 881
Re: One Year On.......
Hiya LJ
Great to read your list! I did think there was one thing missing though.....
High.....to have a fantastically clean car........low......to realise it was costing you as much as a decent haircut!!!!!!
Hope the job is going well. We still miss your fab sense of humour at the FTC, you are irreplaceable!
Take care
Love
Rudi
xxx
Great to read your list! I did think there was one thing missing though.....
High.....to have a fantastically clean car........low......to realise it was costing you as much as a decent haircut!!!!!!
Hope the job is going well. We still miss your fab sense of humour at the FTC, you are irreplaceable!
Take care
Love
Rudi
xxx
(the car.....not my hair!)there was more i could have added - but wanted to keep it short!!!
Feb 13th 2007 | 2:35 am
#22
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,693
Re: One Year On.......
[
L-j[/QUOTE]
Excellent post.
L-j[/QUOTE]
Excellent post.
Feb 15th 2007 | 9:00 pm
#24
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 262
Re: One Year On.......
Well we made it to the one year mark – but to say it’s been a rollercoaster ride is so very true! Here are some of the “Highs†and “Lowsâ€
HIGH - seeing the Sydney Opera House & the Harbour Bridge for the first time…and thinking “Wow – we’re in Sydney!â€
LOW – cooking dinner, then seeing a cockroach scurry across the worktop
LOW – seeing my children all excited for their first swimming carnival…………then having to console them when they came last in every race. (Aussies living by the ocean learn to swim at birth!)
HIGH – walking along the beach (Northern Beaches) after school most days
LOW – applying for several jobs I thought I was capable of ……then not hearing anything
HIGH – picnics on the beach, bushwalking
LOW – only being able to afford a rental that was upstairs (20 wooden steps– to be exact) no AC or flyscreen on the door. One door in – one door out. Teenagers living downstairs that enjoyed late night parties!
HIGH – making some great friends in Sydney – Aussie, German, NZ, Brits – even a family of expats* from my hometown in Manchester!
HIGH – ordering Robbie Williams tickets for December in Sydney
LOW – turning up at my first interview for Night fill at Kmart…….to be told “ The interview is tomorrowâ€â€¦(when I knew it was TODAY)
HIGH – seeing my children make some great friends
LOW – going out on my first “Girl’s Nite Out†since arriving in Oz…….only to return home at 8pm as I didn’t feel confident enough to be out. (I was a very confident person in the UK)
LOW - realising that people in the Uk don't always keep in touch!
HIGH – seeing my children having fun swimming in the many rockpools by the ocean
LOW – seeing my OH happy at work for the first time in ages………………but realising that the wages are not enough for a Northern Beaches lifestyle.
LOW - cockroaches
LOW – nits (that you don’t need a magnifying glass to see!), worms, nosebleeds, impetigo, verrucas (apparently all due to change in weather!)
LOW – more cockroaches!
LOW – getting letters from school requiring money for “this and that†and realising we don’t have any!
LOW – cockroaches!
LOW – deciding we just can’t afford to live in Sydney – so do we cut our losses and return to UK…or try somewhere else?
HIGH – OH finds a job in Brisbane, and a lovely rental – so we decide to give it a go!
LOW – realising I might have to miss the Robbie concert in Sydney
HIGH – getting tickets for the Robbie concert in BRISBANE!
LOW – saying Goodbye to all the great friends I’d made in Sydney
LOW – watching my kids saying goodbye to all their friends
LOW – arriving in Brisbane…..and having no friends (apart from the ones from our hometown (see above*) who relocated in Brisbane just before us!
LOW – attempting to make friends in the playground – only to be “snubbedâ€
HIGH – not seeing any cockroaches in the rental – Hoorah!
LOW – seeing lots of ANTS…Boo!
HIGH – turning to BritishExpats for help…and receiving an offer to someones house for a BBQ – Thank-you, you were a lifesaver
HIGH – The Robbie Williams concert
LOW – my children saying they’ve got no friends…..why did they have to leave UK?….why did they have to leave Sydney? (Oh the guilt!)
HIGH – parents arriving UK for Christmas, bearing gifts….and lots of love
LOW – saying goodbye at the airport
HIGH – in-laws arriving 2 days later
LOW – missing the ocean on our doorstep
HIGH – seeing the childrens faces of delight at the Theme Parks
HIGH – watching the children enjoy a “Dolphin Experience†at Sea World
HIGH – all enjoying the water slides at Wet n Wild
HIGH – enjoying a relaxing Sunday at South Bank
HIGH – OH “enjoying†(I use the term loosely) his new job
LOW – consoling my son…when he said that all the kids in the avenue have fell out with him because “they don’t play with people who still believe in Santaâ€
LOW – hearing my son on the phone to his Grandma in the UK….saying he’d had the worst Christmas ever….because of the above (he asked us to tell him “the truthâ€)
HIGH - seeing my children playing out in the avenue with all their new friends
HIGH - realising that my friends from Sydney can still be my friends....just by fone or e mail
HIGH – getting a job….which I love….with all school holidays off (Yipee)
HIGH – getting letters from school for money….and it’s all so much cheaper than when in Sydney
HIGH – having a romantic meal overlooking the Brisbane river, followed by the Scissor Sisters concert in the open air…….and finally realising…..Life is Great!
And just yesterday…………….
HIGH – eldest son coming home…saying he’s been elected as “Class Captain†(not bad for 8 weeks at the school) …………..and saying he came 3rd in the Swimming Carnival
HIGH – other son coming home ………..and saying he came 3rd in one race….
and FIRST in another…..at the Swimming Carnival
So that’s it………one year in a nutshell. Hope you enjoyed this brief snapshot.
Now …off to wet n Wild to have some fun.
Have a great weekend everyone,
L-j
HIGH - seeing the Sydney Opera House & the Harbour Bridge for the first time…and thinking “Wow – we’re in Sydney!â€
LOW – cooking dinner, then seeing a cockroach scurry across the worktop
LOW – seeing my children all excited for their first swimming carnival…………then having to console them when they came last in every race. (Aussies living by the ocean learn to swim at birth!)
HIGH – walking along the beach (Northern Beaches) after school most days
LOW – applying for several jobs I thought I was capable of ……then not hearing anything
HIGH – picnics on the beach, bushwalking
LOW – only being able to afford a rental that was upstairs (20 wooden steps– to be exact) no AC or flyscreen on the door. One door in – one door out. Teenagers living downstairs that enjoyed late night parties!
HIGH – making some great friends in Sydney – Aussie, German, NZ, Brits – even a family of expats* from my hometown in Manchester!
HIGH – ordering Robbie Williams tickets for December in Sydney
LOW – turning up at my first interview for Night fill at Kmart…….to be told “ The interview is tomorrowâ€â€¦(when I knew it was TODAY)
HIGH – seeing my children make some great friends
LOW – going out on my first “Girl’s Nite Out†since arriving in Oz…….only to return home at 8pm as I didn’t feel confident enough to be out. (I was a very confident person in the UK)
LOW - realising that people in the Uk don't always keep in touch!
HIGH – seeing my children having fun swimming in the many rockpools by the ocean
LOW – seeing my OH happy at work for the first time in ages………………but realising that the wages are not enough for a Northern Beaches lifestyle.
LOW - cockroaches
LOW – nits (that you don’t need a magnifying glass to see!), worms, nosebleeds, impetigo, verrucas (apparently all due to change in weather!)
LOW – more cockroaches!
LOW – getting letters from school requiring money for “this and that†and realising we don’t have any!
LOW – cockroaches!
LOW – deciding we just can’t afford to live in Sydney – so do we cut our losses and return to UK…or try somewhere else?
HIGH – OH finds a job in Brisbane, and a lovely rental – so we decide to give it a go!
LOW – realising I might have to miss the Robbie concert in Sydney
HIGH – getting tickets for the Robbie concert in BRISBANE!
LOW – saying Goodbye to all the great friends I’d made in Sydney
LOW – watching my kids saying goodbye to all their friends
LOW – arriving in Brisbane…..and having no friends (apart from the ones from our hometown (see above*) who relocated in Brisbane just before us!
LOW – attempting to make friends in the playground – only to be “snubbedâ€
HIGH – not seeing any cockroaches in the rental – Hoorah!
LOW – seeing lots of ANTS…Boo!
HIGH – turning to BritishExpats for help…and receiving an offer to someones house for a BBQ – Thank-you, you were a lifesaver
HIGH – The Robbie Williams concert
LOW – my children saying they’ve got no friends…..why did they have to leave UK?….why did they have to leave Sydney? (Oh the guilt!)
HIGH – parents arriving UK for Christmas, bearing gifts….and lots of love
LOW – saying goodbye at the airport
HIGH – in-laws arriving 2 days later
LOW – missing the ocean on our doorstep
HIGH – seeing the childrens faces of delight at the Theme Parks
HIGH – watching the children enjoy a “Dolphin Experience†at Sea World
HIGH – all enjoying the water slides at Wet n Wild
HIGH – enjoying a relaxing Sunday at South Bank
HIGH – OH “enjoying†(I use the term loosely) his new job
LOW – consoling my son…when he said that all the kids in the avenue have fell out with him because “they don’t play with people who still believe in Santaâ€
LOW – hearing my son on the phone to his Grandma in the UK….saying he’d had the worst Christmas ever….because of the above (he asked us to tell him “the truthâ€)
HIGH - seeing my children playing out in the avenue with all their new friends
HIGH - realising that my friends from Sydney can still be my friends....just by fone or e mail
HIGH – getting a job….which I love….with all school holidays off (Yipee)
HIGH – getting letters from school for money….and it’s all so much cheaper than when in Sydney
HIGH – having a romantic meal overlooking the Brisbane river, followed by the Scissor Sisters concert in the open air…….and finally realising…..Life is Great!
And just yesterday…………….
HIGH – eldest son coming home…saying he’s been elected as “Class Captain†(not bad for 8 weeks at the school) …………..and saying he came 3rd in the Swimming Carnival
HIGH – other son coming home ………..and saying he came 3rd in one race….
and FIRST in another…..at the Swimming Carnival
So that’s it………one year in a nutshell. Hope you enjoyed this brief snapshot.
Now …off to wet n Wild to have some fun.
Have a great weekend everyone,
L-j
thankyou for the reality check, saralou
Feb 16th 2007 | 12:14 am
#25
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,217
From: Poole, Dorset
Re: One Year On.......
Feb 19th 2007 | 11:51 am
#26
Banned
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,614
From: Manchester-Sydney August 07 and maybe Brisbane or Melbourne 08
Re: One Year On.......
Well we made it to the one year mark – but to say it’s been a rollercoaster ride is so very true! Here are some of the “Highs†and “Lowsâ€
HIGH - seeing the Sydney Opera House & the Harbour Bridge for the first time…and thinking “Wow – we’re in Sydney!â€
LOW – cooking dinner, then seeing a cockroach scurry across the worktop
LOW – seeing my children all excited for their first swimming carnival…………then having to console them when they came last in every race. (Aussies living by the ocean learn to swim at birth!)
HIGH – walking along the beach (Northern Beaches) after school most days
LOW – applying for several jobs I thought I was capable of ……then not hearing anything
HIGH – picnics on the beach, bushwalking
LOW – only being able to afford a rental that was upstairs (20 wooden steps– to be exact) no AC or flyscreen on the door. One door in – one door out. Teenagers living downstairs that enjoyed late night parties!
HIGH – making some great friends in Sydney – Aussie, German, NZ, Brits – even a family of expats* from my hometown in Manchester!
HIGH – ordering Robbie Williams tickets for December in Sydney
LOW – turning up at my first interview for Night fill at Kmart…….to be told “ The interview is tomorrowâ€â€¦(when I knew it was TODAY)
HIGH – seeing my children make some great friends
LOW – going out on my first “Girl’s Nite Out†since arriving in Oz…….only to return home at 8pm as I didn’t feel confident enough to be out. (I was a very confident person in the UK)
LOW - realising that people in the Uk don't always keep in touch!
HIGH – seeing my children having fun swimming in the many rockpools by the ocean
LOW – seeing my OH happy at work for the first time in ages………………but realising that the wages are not enough for a Northern Beaches lifestyle.
LOW - cockroaches
LOW – nits (that you don’t need a magnifying glass to see!), worms, nosebleeds, impetigo, verrucas (apparently all due to change in weather!)
LOW – more cockroaches!
LOW – getting letters from school requiring money for “this and that†and realising we don’t have any!
LOW – cockroaches!
LOW – deciding we just can’t afford to live in Sydney – so do we cut our losses and return to UK…or try somewhere else?
HIGH – OH finds a job in Brisbane, and a lovely rental – so we decide to give it a go!
LOW – realising I might have to miss the Robbie concert in Sydney
HIGH – getting tickets for the Robbie concert in BRISBANE!
LOW – saying Goodbye to all the great friends I’d made in Sydney
LOW – watching my kids saying goodbye to all their friends
LOW – arriving in Brisbane…..and having no friends (apart from the ones from our hometown (see above*) who relocated in Brisbane just before us!
LOW – attempting to make friends in the playground – only to be “snubbedâ€
HIGH – not seeing any cockroaches in the rental – Hoorah!
LOW – seeing lots of ANTS…Boo!
HIGH – turning to BritishExpats for help…and receiving an offer to someones house for a BBQ – Thank-you, you were a lifesaver
HIGH – The Robbie Williams concert
LOW – my children saying they’ve got no friends…..why did they have to leave UK?….why did they have to leave Sydney? (Oh the guilt!)
HIGH – parents arriving UK for Christmas, bearing gifts….and lots of love
LOW – saying goodbye at the airport
HIGH – in-laws arriving 2 days later
LOW – missing the ocean on our doorstep
HIGH – seeing the childrens faces of delight at the Theme Parks
HIGH – watching the children enjoy a “Dolphin Experience†at Sea World
HIGH – all enjoying the water slides at Wet n Wild
HIGH – enjoying a relaxing Sunday at South Bank
HIGH – OH “enjoying†(I use the term loosely) his new job
LOW – consoling my son…when he said that all the kids in the avenue have fell out with him because “they don’t play with people who still believe in Santaâ€
LOW – hearing my son on the phone to his Grandma in the UK….saying he’d had the worst Christmas ever….because of the above (he asked us to tell him “the truthâ€)
HIGH - seeing my children playing out in the avenue with all their new friends
HIGH - realising that my friends from Sydney can still be my friends....just by fone or e mail
HIGH – getting a job….which I love….with all school holidays off (Yipee)
HIGH – getting letters from school for money….and it’s all so much cheaper than when in Sydney
HIGH – having a romantic meal overlooking the Brisbane river, followed by the Scissor Sisters concert in the open air…….and finally realising…..Life is Great!
And just yesterday…………….
HIGH – eldest son coming home…saying he’s been elected as “Class Captain†(not bad for 8 weeks at the school) …………..and saying he came 3rd in the Swimming Carnival
HIGH – other son coming home ………..and saying he came 3rd in one race….
and FIRST in another…..at the Swimming Carnival
So that’s it………one year in a nutshell. Hope you enjoyed this brief snapshot.
Now …off to wet n Wild to have some fun.
Have a great weekend everyone,
great highs and lows.
itd be boring any other way!!
more highs than lows tho
L-j
HIGH - seeing the Sydney Opera House & the Harbour Bridge for the first time…and thinking “Wow – we’re in Sydney!â€
LOW – cooking dinner, then seeing a cockroach scurry across the worktop
LOW – seeing my children all excited for their first swimming carnival…………then having to console them when they came last in every race. (Aussies living by the ocean learn to swim at birth!)
HIGH – walking along the beach (Northern Beaches) after school most days
LOW – applying for several jobs I thought I was capable of ……then not hearing anything
HIGH – picnics on the beach, bushwalking
LOW – only being able to afford a rental that was upstairs (20 wooden steps– to be exact) no AC or flyscreen on the door. One door in – one door out. Teenagers living downstairs that enjoyed late night parties!
HIGH – making some great friends in Sydney – Aussie, German, NZ, Brits – even a family of expats* from my hometown in Manchester!
HIGH – ordering Robbie Williams tickets for December in Sydney
LOW – turning up at my first interview for Night fill at Kmart…….to be told “ The interview is tomorrowâ€â€¦(when I knew it was TODAY)
HIGH – seeing my children make some great friends
LOW – going out on my first “Girl’s Nite Out†since arriving in Oz…….only to return home at 8pm as I didn’t feel confident enough to be out. (I was a very confident person in the UK)
LOW - realising that people in the Uk don't always keep in touch!
HIGH – seeing my children having fun swimming in the many rockpools by the ocean
LOW – seeing my OH happy at work for the first time in ages………………but realising that the wages are not enough for a Northern Beaches lifestyle.
LOW - cockroaches
LOW – nits (that you don’t need a magnifying glass to see!), worms, nosebleeds, impetigo, verrucas (apparently all due to change in weather!)
LOW – more cockroaches!
LOW – getting letters from school requiring money for “this and that†and realising we don’t have any!
LOW – cockroaches!
LOW – deciding we just can’t afford to live in Sydney – so do we cut our losses and return to UK…or try somewhere else?
HIGH – OH finds a job in Brisbane, and a lovely rental – so we decide to give it a go!
LOW – realising I might have to miss the Robbie concert in Sydney
HIGH – getting tickets for the Robbie concert in BRISBANE!
LOW – saying Goodbye to all the great friends I’d made in Sydney
LOW – watching my kids saying goodbye to all their friends
LOW – arriving in Brisbane…..and having no friends (apart from the ones from our hometown (see above*) who relocated in Brisbane just before us!
LOW – attempting to make friends in the playground – only to be “snubbedâ€
HIGH – not seeing any cockroaches in the rental – Hoorah!
LOW – seeing lots of ANTS…Boo!
HIGH – turning to BritishExpats for help…and receiving an offer to someones house for a BBQ – Thank-you, you were a lifesaver
HIGH – The Robbie Williams concert
LOW – my children saying they’ve got no friends…..why did they have to leave UK?….why did they have to leave Sydney? (Oh the guilt!)
HIGH – parents arriving UK for Christmas, bearing gifts….and lots of love
LOW – saying goodbye at the airport
HIGH – in-laws arriving 2 days later
LOW – missing the ocean on our doorstep
HIGH – seeing the childrens faces of delight at the Theme Parks
HIGH – watching the children enjoy a “Dolphin Experience†at Sea World
HIGH – all enjoying the water slides at Wet n Wild
HIGH – enjoying a relaxing Sunday at South Bank
HIGH – OH “enjoying†(I use the term loosely) his new job
LOW – consoling my son…when he said that all the kids in the avenue have fell out with him because “they don’t play with people who still believe in Santaâ€
LOW – hearing my son on the phone to his Grandma in the UK….saying he’d had the worst Christmas ever….because of the above (he asked us to tell him “the truthâ€)
HIGH - seeing my children playing out in the avenue with all their new friends
HIGH - realising that my friends from Sydney can still be my friends....just by fone or e mail
HIGH – getting a job….which I love….with all school holidays off (Yipee)
HIGH – getting letters from school for money….and it’s all so much cheaper than when in Sydney
HIGH – having a romantic meal overlooking the Brisbane river, followed by the Scissor Sisters concert in the open air…….and finally realising…..Life is Great!
And just yesterday…………….
HIGH – eldest son coming home…saying he’s been elected as “Class Captain†(not bad for 8 weeks at the school) …………..and saying he came 3rd in the Swimming Carnival
HIGH – other son coming home ………..and saying he came 3rd in one race….
and FIRST in another…..at the Swimming Carnival
So that’s it………one year in a nutshell. Hope you enjoyed this brief snapshot.
Now …off to wet n Wild to have some fun.
Have a great weekend everyone,
great highs and lows.
itd be boring any other way!!
more highs than lows tho
L-j
syd then bris lol
we are on purposely going to snub everyone we meet in the 6 months in sydney, that way i wont miss them, lol
you sound like your having a great time
all the best
alk and clare
Feb 20th 2007 | 8:38 am
#27
Thread Starter
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 881
Re: One Year On.......
Have a good day, Lj
Feb 20th 2007 | 9:44 am
#28
Banned
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,614
From: Manchester-Sydney August 07 and maybe Brisbane or Melbourne 08
Re: One Year On.......
we probaly will love sydney but we aint no fools!
id rather have less days at work in a mortgage free house than slog my guts out for a mortgaged property we coulkdnt afford.
It simply is down to ecomnomics over heart. And brissie is great.
Been there 5 times now and lover the place too. Sydney just has the edge cool wise, but ill find a part of brissie to suit.
We are only going to oz cause of the weather. Anything is better than manc weather for a biker!!
Shallow i know but i dont care.
keep in touch
al
Feb 20th 2007 | 11:03 am
#29
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 5,170
From: Rockingham, Perth
Re: One Year On.......
At the end of a phone when ever these lows hit ya.
You know that
Hugs Lace xxxxxx
You know that
Hugs Lace xxxxxx
