Moving permanently

kkelly77

Hello all,

I'm trying to find info or people's experience from those who have made a permanent move to OZ but all I can find are threads from backpackers and those who are there for working holidays.

I'm interested in those who have packed up everything and made the big change. I want to hear all the good AND bad things that are involved with such a huge life change. All information greatly received Thanks.

K.

Xavi6

Have a read of these threads.

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055396696&highlight=perth

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055406215&highlight=perth

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055350163&highlight=perth

I've posted my opinions in them.

dSTAR

With any big move there is always going to be pros and cons. Here's a few that I noticed...

Pros:

Lifestyle (lots of sports and activities)
Chance to set up a new life
Good weather (altho' long hot spells can be a drag sometimes)
Good food and wine (and the beer is tops too!)
Great place to bring up children
Unique Australian wildlife/beaches/countryside
Aussies are easy going and have a good sense of humour
Low crime (Australia is a relatively safe country)

Cons:

Distance from home
Loss of family/friends network
Christmas in summer (after nearly a decade I still can't used to it)
Suburbia can be a nullifying
Watered down European/American culture
Can't do weekend visits to the UK/Europe

The Sweeper

I did the permanent move.

Like dStar, I'll say:

Pros:

Lifestyle change - I got a change of pace that I simply wouldn't have been able to access in the UK or Ireland because they weren't affordable. I got to build my own new 4-bed home here, on a 1230m2 block so nice big garden; I work part time and he works full time and we can afford to function on those salaries, and we're a one-hour drive outside the CBD. A similar location to lifestyle goal in the UK or Ireland were out of my price range and pretty much always would be.
Children If I ever wanted them, here's where I'd have them. We've grown to hate our kids in the UK and Ireland. They're unwelcome in restaurants, in public parks and gardens, they're bored and distracted, huge numbers of us never eat dinner together with them any more - when they're little we feed them at 6pm and eat our own dinner after they've gone to bed and so on. Down here it's more like it was in the 1970s and 80s in the UK/Ireland in terms of how kids are raised. There's more tolerance towards them.
Weather It has to be said, the better weather helps a LOT. I find I look forward to Autumn and Winter because I know they won't last a million years. Christmas and such like is a bit weird, but I work at a hospital and it's nice that the Aussies don't get the depressed misery of tonnes of old people dying alone over Christmas because the winter blues don't get 'em.

If I had to sum up Australia, it feels like somewhere that I didn't miss the boat, for once.

Cons

Distance from family and friends is a big one, but don't underestimate the power of Skype. I talk to my parents twice a week for an hour each time and it costs pennies. I'm probably more in touch with them now than I used to be when I lived an hour's bus ride from them.

You WILL miss the childhoods of any nieces or nephews you have, and that can sting, but rest assured - when they're dysfunctional western european teenagers, they'll probably get shipped off to you for a summer and you'll get more than enough of them then.

There is a lack of ancient culture. Sometimes it would be nice to go to a pub that's been there for 700 years and sit sipping a brew and talking to some fixture at the bar who looks like he's been there for 700 years right along with the pub.

The proliferation of 'cheap and chinese' in terms of material goods is depressing. Everywhere is like 'the pound shop'.

The media here is RUBBISH. It's americanised tabloid media at its worst. Then again, change your homepage to the BBC and you'll keep up with what's going on in the world.

Zambia

Not here long enough but cant argue with the above both excellent posts

dachubba

hi,

can i ask all of the above how ye obtained the necessary visa type over in Australia? Are ye sponsored by your employers?