Update from Perth
 

Hello,

I haven't posted on BE for months! Anyhow here goes...

I have lived with my family in Perth for what will be 3 years this July. We recieved our Australian citizenship this week (yey!) which was just...can't think of a word to describe it except fantastic. :)

I feel that myself and my family have been through so much and just to get it and feel so very settled is a real milestone. For me, it hasnt been easy journey. You think that applying for the visa is hard...hell it hasnt even begun. I suffered homesickness like you wouldn't believe and I was very depressed in the early months. When we got here my husband did have a job however the pay was pretty crap and I wondered how we would survive. Not long after he moved on and got a better job at another place and although he was working all the hours God sent it wasnt long before he was promoted and he loves it now. My kids have coped incredibly well as they have had to take a step back in their education (it is behind the UK, has to be said) but its working out well and they have settled very well. As for me I went back to college for a while, made friends, joined a gym, made more friends and low and behold got a job and made even more friends.

My advice to anyone making the move (and what has been an incredible roller-coaster of a change in my life) is to when you get to where you want to go, dont expect it to be bed of roses. It isnt. I felt very, very isolated in those early months. No one came to visit (obviously!) and my phone stopped ringing after those first couple of weeks. It was awful...:( and when I think back now...:( Given time though things started falling into place and before long I actually felt like I was beginning to settle.

We rented for a year in Lesmurdie but living in the hills just wasn't for me. But it helped as we bought a 900 square meter block and built our own house and we have just more or less finished it! We bought the land in October 2005 and the pad went down in March 2006. By July 2006 we had the keys. We built a 4 x 2 home and we have a 9.5 x 5 swimming pool and lovely back garden and patio. The builders were brill and it took 18 weeks from the pad going down to hand over. I know it sounds unreal as most in WA take 18months but this builder was fantastic. (Yes we are in the metro area.) We have recommended them to other people and they have had the same time scale. And in case you are wondering who it is...can I say on here?? Not sure, so I wont...sorry!

I am buying a business soon too, so life is pretty damn good now.

Best wishes to everyone embarking on the move to Australia and to those going through homesickness, stick with it, you will settle, and for those at a simalar stage to me....G'day mate! :thumbup:

Anyhow myself and my family are very proud to say we are Australian Citizens! And I really feel like I belong here...ahhh....Perth is my home and I love it. :D

Thankyou for reading and hope it didnt send you :zzz:!

TigerFeet.

Re: Update from Perth
 

And for anyone remembers Cheeky.....its me...;)

Re: Update from Perth
 

Hi

That was a lovely thread, we are just in the processes of finally trying to get over to Perth.

You thread gives me great hope that we will get settled. We are hoping to be fairly near the city along the Hillary's coast line but prices are so high.

We want the kids to go to a catholic school which is proving difficult, my daughter will start kindy 2009 and my son is just 7.

So are the school behind ? I had a friend go over to Perth who's boys went to private schools here, mine son doesn't here, a good catholic primary, but she found the boys were very behind, she lives in the Rossmoyne area.

I wonder what my son will find.

Thank you again, really really glad things worked out so well, I would love to build my own home but with land prices being so high I doubt that dream will come true.

Congrats on being "real Aussies" now.

Take care :)

Re: Update from Perth
 

:DHi

I just wanted to say thankyou so much for you lovely post on here.
I really enjoyed reading it and it gave me alot of hope that things will work out great.

We are moving to Perth and at the min are waiting on a visa grant or whatever way they choose to go:rofl::rofl:

I just want to wish you continue success in your life and thankyou again for a very real post.

Nadine

Re: Update from Perth
 

glad things are working out for you all - good luck to the future

vicky

Re: Update from Perth
 

TigerFeet.[/QUOTE]

Excxellent post ,well done.

Dave

Re: Update from Perth
 

Lovely update & glad life is going well for you:thumbsup:

Re: Update from Perth
 

Thankyou for all your lovely replies.

Everyone has their own unique experiences and their own story to tell, good, bad, all sorts.

The thing to remember is whatever happens its ok. If you settle here, then great but if not, what the heck, you can always go back. So what... at least you tried it. My advice is try and stick it out if you are feeling crappy. And get out there, get involved in what you can and make friends. Chances are it wont all fall into place straight away but it will begin to fall into place given time.

Best of luck,
TF

Re: Update from Perth
 

Hi tigerfeet,

Your post is great, it states what life will be like for most of us at the beginning, but your success story just proves to us to stick with it, it will get better. Thank you.
Leanne

Re: Update from Perth
 

Nice post!!!
It hows that at the beginning things arent all plain sailing, I think a lot of us hit low times due to homesickness and other issues!!!
Good on ya!!!

Re: Update from Perth
 

Agree with you on this - it ain't easy at first, but it can get a lot, lot better :)