Six and a half months ... quite an experience
Feb 16th 2013, 9:13 am
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 94
Six and a half months ... quite an experience
Well, were do I start. I've been dreaming about moving to Queensland ever since we got our PR's, (about 4 years). We arrived in Brisbane at the end of July, moved into temporary holiday rental on the Sunshine Coast. We, are my wife, my 11 year old son and myself, an older dad. We quickly found a great rental with no stress and moved in 3 weeks after arriving in Oz. Got my boy into the nearby state school which has a good reputation locally. Joined the local tennis club, got my boy a great tennis coach and felt we were on the right track. Also during this time sorted out medicare, car, driving licence and tax file number, although I did end up with two of those!
I was also active in looking for work, left my CV at lots of potential employers as well as applying for every job that came up within traveling distance. Unfortunately got no interest, and when I approached employers for feedback on my application they simply would not respond. Eventually a manager who worked with a friend was willing to talk to me, turns out at my advanced age, I am too expensive compared with a younger counterpart. During this period I considered alternative forms of employment, this was also a disappointing avenue of exploration, I got close with one job but eventually turned down because I was just a little too far away for their travel expectation. For those posters who say "if you want work you can get it", you could be being a little smug because you have the appropriate situation and demeanor which some of do not possess. Now Im starting to get worried. Also my boy is finding that some low level bullying at school wearing on his nerves. He is set up by a group of kids and ends up in a slight fight for the first time in his school life, the teacher swallow the groups story hook line and sinker, my boy feels he has been wronged.
So feeling stressed about the prospect of no work, taxi driving fell through due to licensing issues. A job I'd applied for in Melbourne offered me an interview, then another from Melbourne, and more. In total I was looking at two Skype interviews asking me to follow up with a live interview and another live interview! Got the job in Melbourne. Why couldn't it be Queensland? Although it is a great job the thought of the move to Melbourne was daunting, we were sad to be leaving Queensland and found our first trip to find accommodation stressful. Didn't enjoy the Glen Waverley experience at all. Estate agents representatives seemed too nonchalant and lacked empathy, didn't really feel that they wanted to be helpful. We were looking at GW because we had a good recommendation for a school. But cannot say that we felt the school was that great. We stayed with friend in Melbourne who recommended some city schools. Having checked out a couple of schools, we looked at accommodation near the city and found the agents to be much more helpful. We decided that one school was a good match for our boy and settled on an apartment near the city. All this time I had a sense of dread that we had done the wrong thing coming to Australia and I found the whole experience a great strain. At great expense we shipped our newly acquired furnishing to Melbourne and did a road trip to get the car to Victoria. Started work about the third week in January, I must say that now I'm feeling relaxed and settled. It's a great job for me, I can walk to work and fortunately we are enjoying the Melbourne experience.
Thats all so far.
Cheers, H.
I was also active in looking for work, left my CV at lots of potential employers as well as applying for every job that came up within traveling distance. Unfortunately got no interest, and when I approached employers for feedback on my application they simply would not respond. Eventually a manager who worked with a friend was willing to talk to me, turns out at my advanced age, I am too expensive compared with a younger counterpart. During this period I considered alternative forms of employment, this was also a disappointing avenue of exploration, I got close with one job but eventually turned down because I was just a little too far away for their travel expectation. For those posters who say "if you want work you can get it", you could be being a little smug because you have the appropriate situation and demeanor which some of do not possess. Now Im starting to get worried. Also my boy is finding that some low level bullying at school wearing on his nerves. He is set up by a group of kids and ends up in a slight fight for the first time in his school life, the teacher swallow the groups story hook line and sinker, my boy feels he has been wronged.
So feeling stressed about the prospect of no work, taxi driving fell through due to licensing issues. A job I'd applied for in Melbourne offered me an interview, then another from Melbourne, and more. In total I was looking at two Skype interviews asking me to follow up with a live interview and another live interview! Got the job in Melbourne. Why couldn't it be Queensland? Although it is a great job the thought of the move to Melbourne was daunting, we were sad to be leaving Queensland and found our first trip to find accommodation stressful. Didn't enjoy the Glen Waverley experience at all. Estate agents representatives seemed too nonchalant and lacked empathy, didn't really feel that they wanted to be helpful. We were looking at GW because we had a good recommendation for a school. But cannot say that we felt the school was that great. We stayed with friend in Melbourne who recommended some city schools. Having checked out a couple of schools, we looked at accommodation near the city and found the agents to be much more helpful. We decided that one school was a good match for our boy and settled on an apartment near the city. All this time I had a sense of dread that we had done the wrong thing coming to Australia and I found the whole experience a great strain. At great expense we shipped our newly acquired furnishing to Melbourne and did a road trip to get the car to Victoria. Started work about the third week in January, I must say that now I'm feeling relaxed and settled. It's a great job for me, I can walk to work and fortunately we are enjoying the Melbourne experience.
Thats all so far.
Cheers, H.
Feb 16th 2013, 10:12 am
#2
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Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 20,821
Re: Six and a half months ... quite an experience
Feb 17th 2013, 8:50 am
#3
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 244
Re: Six and a half months ... quite an experience
Well, were do I start. I've been dreaming about moving to Queensland ever since we got our PR's, (about 4 years). We arrived in Brisbane at the end of July, moved into temporary holiday rental on the Sunshine Coast. We, are my wife, my 11 year old son and myself, an older dad. We quickly found a great rental with no stress and moved in 3 weeks after arriving in Oz. Got my boy into the nearby state school which has a good reputation locally. Joined the local tennis club, got my boy a great tennis coach and felt we were on the right track. Also during this time sorted out medicare, car, driving licence and tax file number, although I did end up with two of those!
I was also active in looking for work, left my CV at lots of potential employers as well as applying for every job that came up within traveling distance. Unfortunately got no interest, and when I approached employers for feedback on my application they simply would not respond. Eventually a manager who worked with a friend was willing to talk to me, turns out at my advanced age, I am too expensive compared with a younger counterpart. During this period I considered alternative forms of employment, this was also a disappointing avenue of exploration, I got close with one job but eventually turned down because I was just a little too far away for their travel expectation. For those posters who say "if you want work you can get it", you could be being a little smug because you have the appropriate situation and demeanor which some of do not possess. Now Im starting to get worried. Also my boy is finding that some low level bullying at school wearing on his nerves. He is set up by a group of kids and ends up in a slight fight for the first time in his school life, the teacher swallow the groups story hook line and sinker, my boy feels he has been wronged.
So feeling stressed about the prospect of no work, taxi driving fell through due to licensing issues. A job I'd applied for in Melbourne offered me an interview, then another from Melbourne, and more. In total I was looking at two Skype interviews asking me to follow up with a live interview and another live interview! Got the job in Melbourne. Why couldn't it be Queensland? Although it is a great job the thought of the move to Melbourne was daunting, we were sad to be leaving Queensland and found our first trip to find accommodation stressful. Didn't enjoy the Glen Waverley experience at all. Estate agents representatives seemed too nonchalant and lacked empathy, didn't really feel that they wanted to be helpful. We were looking at GW because we had a good recommendation for a school. But cannot say that we felt the school was that great. We stayed with friend in Melbourne who recommended some city schools. Having checked out a couple of schools, we looked at accommodation near the city and found the agents to be much more helpful. We decided that one school was a good match for our boy and settled on an apartment near the city. All this time I had a sense of dread that we had done the wrong thing coming to Australia and I found the whole experience a great strain. At great expense we shipped our newly acquired furnishing to Melbourne and did a road trip to get the car to Victoria. Started work about the third week in January, I must say that now I'm feeling relaxed and settled. It's a great job for me, I can walk to work and fortunately we are enjoying the Melbourne experience.
Thats all so far.
Cheers, H.
I was also active in looking for work, left my CV at lots of potential employers as well as applying for every job that came up within traveling distance. Unfortunately got no interest, and when I approached employers for feedback on my application they simply would not respond. Eventually a manager who worked with a friend was willing to talk to me, turns out at my advanced age, I am too expensive compared with a younger counterpart. During this period I considered alternative forms of employment, this was also a disappointing avenue of exploration, I got close with one job but eventually turned down because I was just a little too far away for their travel expectation. For those posters who say "if you want work you can get it", you could be being a little smug because you have the appropriate situation and demeanor which some of do not possess. Now Im starting to get worried. Also my boy is finding that some low level bullying at school wearing on his nerves. He is set up by a group of kids and ends up in a slight fight for the first time in his school life, the teacher swallow the groups story hook line and sinker, my boy feels he has been wronged.
So feeling stressed about the prospect of no work, taxi driving fell through due to licensing issues. A job I'd applied for in Melbourne offered me an interview, then another from Melbourne, and more. In total I was looking at two Skype interviews asking me to follow up with a live interview and another live interview! Got the job in Melbourne. Why couldn't it be Queensland? Although it is a great job the thought of the move to Melbourne was daunting, we were sad to be leaving Queensland and found our first trip to find accommodation stressful. Didn't enjoy the Glen Waverley experience at all. Estate agents representatives seemed too nonchalant and lacked empathy, didn't really feel that they wanted to be helpful. We were looking at GW because we had a good recommendation for a school. But cannot say that we felt the school was that great. We stayed with friend in Melbourne who recommended some city schools. Having checked out a couple of schools, we looked at accommodation near the city and found the agents to be much more helpful. We decided that one school was a good match for our boy and settled on an apartment near the city. All this time I had a sense of dread that we had done the wrong thing coming to Australia and I found the whole experience a great strain. At great expense we shipped our newly acquired furnishing to Melbourne and did a road trip to get the car to Victoria. Started work about the third week in January, I must say that now I'm feeling relaxed and settled. It's a great job for me, I can walk to work and fortunately we are enjoying the Melbourne experience.
Thats all so far.
Cheers, H.
Feb 21st 2013, 9:19 pm
#4
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 78
Re: Six and a half months ... quite an experience
Thanks for your update. I hope that now you have a job you can finally settle down and enjoy Australia. It must have been a very stressful time for the whole family.
Feb 22nd 2013, 8:46 am
#5
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Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Sydney, NSW
Posts: 7,580
Re: Six and a half months ... quite an experience
Glad it is starting to work out with you. Is your son enjoying the new school??
Feb 25th 2013, 4:14 pm
#6
Happy migrant
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: Newcastle , NSW
Posts: 6,756
Re: Six and a half months ... quite an experience
Thanks for your update. I am arriving To a Job but I worry about my OH as he is nearly 47 and it will take a while to get his skills updated.
I'm glad things have worked out for you.
What line of work are you in?
I'm glad things have worked out for you.
What line of work are you in?
Last edited by Kapri; Feb 25th 2013 at 4:15 pm. Reason: Blinking iPad
Feb 28th 2013, 9:04 pm
#7
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Joined: Oct 2008
Location: Brisvegas
Posts: 460
Re: Six and a half months ... quite an experience
What a journey! and congratulations for being so persistent and not giving up. 
So glad you've found something in Melbourne. I'm in a similar position as you were - unable to find proper work in Brisbane - it's a tough state, with high unemployment, despite its natural beauty - and I often post on the site for people to be aware that jobs are not easy to find here, particularly with UK experience, and if you're a little older...
So glad you've found something in Melbourne. I'm in a similar position as you were - unable to find proper work in Brisbane - it's a tough state, with high unemployment, despite its natural beauty - and I often post on the site for people to be aware that jobs are not easy to find here, particularly with UK experience, and if you're a little older...
Mar 2nd 2013, 12:22 am
#8
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Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 94
Re: Six and a half months ... quite an experience
Thanks for the encouragement. I'm a teacher and being older makes it impossible to get an interview in Queensland. In Victoria it was the opposite, got interviewed and was sort after. My boy is doing well at school, but find the endemic foul language creates a bad impression. Although we were sad to leave Queensland, we are finding that Melbourne has a lot of positives and we are feeling very settled.
Cheers, H.
Cheers, H.
Mar 2nd 2013, 12:34 am
#9
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,374
Re: Six and a half months ... quite an experience
Well, were do I start. I've been dreaming about moving to Queensland ever since we got our PR's, (about 4 years). We arrived in Brisbane at the end of July, moved into temporary holiday rental on the Sunshine Coast. We, are my wife, my 11 year old son and myself, an older dad. We quickly found a great rental with no stress and moved in 3 weeks after arriving in Oz. Got my boy into the nearby state school which has a good reputation locally. Joined the local tennis club, got my boy a great tennis coach and felt we were on the right track. Also during this time sorted out medicare, car, driving licence and tax file number, although I did end up with two of those!
I was also active in looking for work, left my CV at lots of potential employers as well as applying for every job that came up within traveling distance. Unfortunately got no interest, and when I approached employers for feedback on my application they simply would not respond. Eventually a manager who worked with a friend was willing to talk to me, turns out at my advanced age, I am too expensive compared with a younger counterpart. During this period I considered alternative forms of employment, this was also a disappointing avenue of exploration, I got close with one job but eventually turned down because I was just a little too far away for their travel expectation. For those posters who say "if you want work you can get it", you could be being a little smug because you have the appropriate situation and demeanor which some of do not possess. Now Im starting to get worried. Also my boy is finding that some low level bullying at school wearing on his nerves. He is set up by a group of kids and ends up in a slight fight for the first time in his school life, the teacher swallow the groups story hook line and sinker, my boy feels he has been wronged.
So feeling stressed about the prospect of no work, taxi driving fell through due to licensing issues. A job I'd applied for in Melbourne offered me an interview, then another from Melbourne, and more. In total I was looking at two Skype interviews asking me to follow up with a live interview and another live interview! Got the job in Melbourne. Why couldn't it be Queensland? Although it is a great job the thought of the move to Melbourne was daunting, we were sad to be leaving Queensland and found our first trip to find accommodation stressful. Didn't enjoy the Glen Waverley experience at all. Estate agents representatives seemed too nonchalant and lacked empathy, didn't really feel that they wanted to be helpful. We were looking at GW because we had a good recommendation for a school. But cannot say that we felt the school was that great. We stayed with friend in Melbourne who recommended some city schools. Having checked out a couple of schools, we looked at accommodation near the city and found the agents to be much more helpful. We decided that one school was a good match for our boy and settled on an apartment near the city. All this time I had a sense of dread that we had done the wrong thing coming to Australia and I found the whole experience a great strain. At great expense we shipped our newly acquired furnishing to Melbourne and did a road trip to get the car to Victoria. Started work about the third week in January, I must say that now I'm feeling relaxed and settled. It's a great job for me, I can walk to work and fortunately we are enjoying the Melbourne experience.
Thats all so far.
Cheers, H.
I was also active in looking for work, left my CV at lots of potential employers as well as applying for every job that came up within traveling distance. Unfortunately got no interest, and when I approached employers for feedback on my application they simply would not respond. Eventually a manager who worked with a friend was willing to talk to me, turns out at my advanced age, I am too expensive compared with a younger counterpart. During this period I considered alternative forms of employment, this was also a disappointing avenue of exploration, I got close with one job but eventually turned down because I was just a little too far away for their travel expectation. For those posters who say "if you want work you can get it", you could be being a little smug because you have the appropriate situation and demeanor which some of do not possess. Now Im starting to get worried. Also my boy is finding that some low level bullying at school wearing on his nerves. He is set up by a group of kids and ends up in a slight fight for the first time in his school life, the teacher swallow the groups story hook line and sinker, my boy feels he has been wronged.
So feeling stressed about the prospect of no work, taxi driving fell through due to licensing issues. A job I'd applied for in Melbourne offered me an interview, then another from Melbourne, and more. In total I was looking at two Skype interviews asking me to follow up with a live interview and another live interview! Got the job in Melbourne. Why couldn't it be Queensland? Although it is a great job the thought of the move to Melbourne was daunting, we were sad to be leaving Queensland and found our first trip to find accommodation stressful. Didn't enjoy the Glen Waverley experience at all. Estate agents representatives seemed too nonchalant and lacked empathy, didn't really feel that they wanted to be helpful. We were looking at GW because we had a good recommendation for a school. But cannot say that we felt the school was that great. We stayed with friend in Melbourne who recommended some city schools. Having checked out a couple of schools, we looked at accommodation near the city and found the agents to be much more helpful. We decided that one school was a good match for our boy and settled on an apartment near the city. All this time I had a sense of dread that we had done the wrong thing coming to Australia and I found the whole experience a great strain. At great expense we shipped our newly acquired furnishing to Melbourne and did a road trip to get the car to Victoria. Started work about the third week in January, I must say that now I'm feeling relaxed and settled. It's a great job for me, I can walk to work and fortunately we are enjoying the Melbourne experience.
Thats all so far.
Cheers, H.
My two children went to a school in GW (not GW secondary college, as being over 90% chinese and over 2,000 pupils it didn't feel right for our kids).
We have been here almost six years and i have no real complaints with the school, (unless you can afford private), I reckon its about as good as it gets.
Recently my youngest has been diagnosed with ADD and the school has been superb, and with the schools help she is back on track academically. As they say you cant judge a book by its cover.
In saying that as soon as my child has finished school here, then we are outta this suburb, i love it, but I find it expensive.
I agree with your comment about the estate agents though
, but you soon learn how to play them!I'm sure the longer your in Melbourne the more you'll love it.
I think through time you'll realize all the pain was for the best. Goodluck
Last edited by Margaret3; Mar 2nd 2013 at 12:42 am.
Mar 2nd 2013, 12:35 am
#10
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Joined: Oct 2008
Location: Brisvegas
Posts: 460
Re: Six and a half months ... quite an experience
Thanks for the encouragement. I'm a teacher and being older makes it impossible to get an interview in Queensland. In Victoria it was the opposite, got interviewed and was sort after. My boy is doing well at school, but find the endemic foul language creates a bad impression. Although we were sad to leave Queensland, we are finding that Melbourne has a lot of positives and we are feeling very settled.
Cheers, H.
Cheers, H.
Mar 2nd 2013, 12:44 am
#11
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,374
Re: Six and a half months ... quite an experience
I'm not sure if its in demand here, i cant imagine it not being as there are gazillion of schools, however i believe (no real facts on this), that there is an oversupply of primary school teachers.
Mar 2nd 2013, 6:50 am
#12
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Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 94
Re: Six and a half months ... quite an experience
When I was in Queensland, I applied for every job that came along for which I felt I was qualified. But my age and experience made me more expensive than a much younger applicant. Here in Melbourne I applied for five posts and was interviewed for three, invited to an interview for a fourth. Offered two jobs and turned down the fourth interview because I accepted one of the early offers. I think I got that right. We are also really taking to Melbourne, although we need to make more effort on the social scene. Anyone interested in a meet up in the Melbourne area do let us know.
Cheers. H
Cheers. H
Mar 2nd 2013, 11:17 am
#13
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Joined: Nov 2008
Location: NSW
Posts: 402
Re: Six and a half months ... quite an experience
Phew was reading your update with my teeth gritted............. so glad things are looking up now, good luck and enjoy 
May 28th 2013, 5:06 pm
#14
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Joined: May 2013
Location: South Yorkshire, England
Posts: 20
Re: Six and a half months ... quite an experience
Wow, what a trip! You are settled now though so that is good, and there is no bullying in your sons new school I hope.
May 29th 2013, 7:48 am
#15
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Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 94
Re: Six and a half months ... quite an experience
Hi Stephia, I see you're from Preston, I'm originally from Southport. My boy's doing really well in school, although we all feel he gets too much homework. He attends one of the many Catholic schools, so far no real bullying, some minor issues but nothing he couldn't sort out by himself.
Melbourne has quickly grown on all of us and we are quite settled. We have made some really good friends. We like this region of the world. Where in Australia are you heading?
Cheers, H.
Melbourne has quickly grown on all of us and we are quite settled. We have made some really good friends. We like this region of the world. Where in Australia are you heading?
Cheers, H.