Just to say hello

[Libby1971]

Hello

I just wanted to introduce the four of us - me, 35, secondary school teacher, Bob-45, primary school teacher, and our 2 daughters, Emily,13 and Sophie, 10.

We have just had our medicals done and hope to be on our way to Adelaide early May. We are trying to find a nice subrub not too far from the coast (less than 15mins from coast) that is not too expensive and a good place for families.

Does anyone with children have any advice for helping them to cope with the move abroad? Any advice especially for teenagers would be gratefully appreciated.

Wishing you all a great Christmas

Libby

[dglamoore]

Hi Libby and family

Welcome to the site. We are aiming for arriving end of April so similar time to you. Also looking for suburb near the coast - there seems to be a lot to chose from :D

Sorry can't help with teenagers advice as mine is only 4 so generally just taking everything in her stride.

Have a great Christmas

Lisa :D

[hayls]

Hi Libby and family,
Welcome to the site.
Well my daughters are 12 and 13 and have dragged their feet all the way ecspecially Charlotte, we have been talking about this for 2 years now so i think they thought it was never going to happen, they finished school on friday and were very upset leaving friends.
Georgia talks to a few children on here on the kids forum and one of the girls is already in oz so that really helps, Georgia asks any questions she wants to know about[I talk to their mothers so that helps me :lol: ]
We arrive in Adelaide on the 3rd so your girls could talk to mine and ask any questions they want, but Georgia has been a lot better after talking to other kids going through the same thing,we also sat last night and went through some of the links moosh has put on this site and got quite excited about the places we will be able to visit and the things we will be able to do[ swim with dolphins, cuddle a koala, whale watching, horse riding camping trips we love animals, but not spiders :lol: ]
Georgia is happy to talk to any body and its quite nice cause there is only 4 talking to each other on there at the moment.
Well good luck i wish you a speedy visa
speak to you soon
Hayls

[BJF]

Hi Libby,

You really don't need to worry too much about your daughters, their new school friends here will love them, they love the English accent. Tori is my daughter, you'll find her on the kids board.

It's actually harder for us adults to settle than it is for the chidren, I've been here two years now and still have days when I could easily get the next UK bound plane and go home but I also have days where I can't imagine ever going home.

[Libby1971]

Thank you for your replies.

Emily has been really anti the whole move to Australia. For a long time it was causing quite a bit of stress as we didn't want to do anything that would make her unhappy but were so convinced she would love it. She has recently begun to come round to the idea.

Thanks for suggesting she gets in touch with your children, she will be making touch.

My husband went to Adelaide years and years ago and the only thing he can tell me about the place that we hope to make our home is that he had a pea floater there.

We visited Brisbane in the summer for a couple of weeks which was helpful as only my husband had ever been to Aus before. We went to a school for a visit and when Emily introduced herself, the kids told her it was really cool and to say it again. She did find that funnny.

Sophie is looking forward to it all but I think she may be a bit emotional when we actually get there. My sister is due to have her second child in March and I have very mixed feelings about leaving her.

[Angela]

Hi Libby
Welcome to the site :D

My 10 year old Bradley is quite quiet, my 5 year old Thomas is fine about it all.

We went on hols to Brisbane, Gold Coast & Sydney earlier this year - we all loved it !

Now that its Xmas & our last one in the UK, emotions have been running a little high. But its more the build up to it than the past couple of days.

Bradley knows Aus is a cool place to live, both of them love the outdoors & the better weather - what more can they ask for :D
Hes said a couple of times, only recently, that hes going to miss his grandpa - thats hard :!: But not had any tears yet (thank goodness, that would really upset me to)

Me & Ashley keep trying to take each day by day, we know deep down its what we have always wanted & has been actually since Ashley was 34, 4 years ago :!: We just never got round to doing it !

Good Luck & Happy New Year to all

Angela :)

[Libby1971]

I do understand what you mean about leaving grandparents. My father died in July 2005 and that was the moment when I decided to start the process. I said that while he was alive, we would be near him. I have no relationship with my mother and I think everyone else I know will come and visit us anyway.

On this forum, I can see that the southern suburbs are popular but I was thinking of heading for the northern suburbs. Does anyone have any thoughts on this matter? I have posted on pomsinoz about this, specifically mentioning Gawler but I would be keen to know other points of view from Adelaide minded persons which we all clearly are!

Just in case I am not back till January,

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE.

TO AUSTRALIA AND BEYOND (think buzz lightyear)

Libby

[Angela]

Hiya

We to have thought about the north now, theres a lot of new housing at the moment & you do seem to get more for your money.

On realestate if you look at how far some north suburbs are to Adelaide, you will find that in comparison the southern suburbs are almost as close but more expensive, unless you go really south like Aldinga.

We would like to be near the beach but as long as its no more than 30 mins max then we would be happy. We currently have to drive 2 1/2 hours to get to any coastline :!:

We like the sound of:
Paralowie
Para Vista
Modbury
Highbury

Angela :)

[hayls]

Hi Libby,
You mention Gawler in your post we have been looking at that area as Cameron has spoke to a english guy there about a job[he has been there 20 years]so we just started researching and Charlotte actually e-mailed some of the schools and got some great replys from the head teachers and the schools sounded wonderful, animals too look after ,learning how to make wine it just seemed so friendly so we will be going for a reckie as the houses seem quite a decent price as well, but like Angela i keep thinking ,im not going all that way to be too far away from the coast so i wll have to wait and see just thought i would mention this as i have not heard any body mention gawler before :lol:
speak to you soon
Hayls

[donna T]

Hi Libby

Welcome to the site. My kids are too young really to know what is going on - a bonus in many ways but helish for the plane journey (they are 5 and 2)
Can't decide on suburbs - really like the look of Fulham GArdens but think it may be a bit too pricey. We fly on 2nd MArch so think we will wait and see when we get there - don;t much fancy dragging the two little ones around from suburb to suburb for days on end though!

[Libby1971]

Hi

I have just spent most of the day (I know I know, where is my life?) on the totally fabulous adelaidebound website (thank you Lisa from the bottom of my heart).

I have found oddles of information that has been really helpful.

We are stuck in the middle of Oxfordshire, miles and miles away from the nearest whiff of a beach and I want to be within half an hour of one when we move to Oz. I also, being totally greedy, want as big a house as I can for as little money as I can spend without taking out another mortgage. Gawler seemed quite good, 30mins from Adelaide central.

I had dismissed the southern areas as too expensive without even looking to be honest. However, Aldinga, Sellicks Beach, Port Noarlunga and Willinga (spelling???) all seem really great. Certainly for me they are affordable and judging from the information, they seem great for families. Beaches look great, loads of building that I can afford.

Libby

[Angela]

Hi Donna & Libby

I am dreading driving around the suburbs, my 2 boys were okay when we were last in Australia, but my little one Thomas, hes 6 is travel sick, we did give him a couple of pills to help but I think he gets nausea & tired, which triggers the sickness :cry: The eldest is fine though :)

To be honest I want to be mortgage free, if we stay grounded & not to greedy we can still have a nice house, not even bothered about the 4th bedroom as most have double garages which can easily be converted in our spare time :!: but when you look around the display villages its VERY tempting, believe me we looked at the Gold Coast & Brisbane, you pay a BIT more & get another room, more land or spa bath - the list is endless when do you stop :wink:

Got my meds next Tuesday so trying to be good on the food front :lol: Yeah right I have just eaten for 2 over Xmas, need to burn up some calories QUICK :?

Happy New Year

Angela

[ste n sasha]

Hi Libby&family,
Like you we have two girls aged 13&10.
Luckily for us paige the 13 year old is really excited now, at first she was really not bothered about going.She has now found this web site and she has spoken to other children doing what we are :D and has come round :D Immogen just thinks it great just a big adventure which is good :D
Like you we havent decided where to go there is so much to look at :?
Sasha :D

[Libby1971]

well I thought it was all looking to good to be true...

We have a case officer, the meds have been done although the police checks only arrived to day but they are being sent off tomorrow.

I think we are all starting to feel the presure...the eldest is stroppy generally, no telling if it is to do with hormones or not. The youngest is starting to get emotional - what happens if I don't make friends? The hubbie is trying to be supportive - don't worry it won't be a problem. And I am ready to scream and forget the whole thing.

I feel like I am losing my mind...has anyone else been through this? Any words of wisdom?

Hope the New Year brings us all exactly what we hope for

Libby

[dglamoore]

Hi Libby

We all have ups and downs and I think when you get to that final stage with a Case Officer suddenly it starts to become real that you should have that visa pretty soon.

Take a deep breath and remember your reasons for wanting to go in the first place. We all have wobble days so just remember you are not alone :D

Lisa :D

[Tyke]

Hi Libby

Unfortunately this is all part of the process of moving here.

Bad days and good days come and go.

I reckon it is a test of your commitment to living in this country

:)

Keep your spirits up........it's like falling into a huge funnel I'm afraid - once you sit down on that plane you will really start to look forward to your new life here.

Most of us have been through this,I know it's bad at times but worth it this end for us.

Can I be personal and give you a cyberhug????

(((((((((((((((((((((((Libby)))))))))))))))))))))) )))))))))))

[Angela]

Hi Libby

I have just had the same thing with Bradley, hes 10. Our meds were on Tuesday & he had quite a big session, tears & all. He said that he did not want to go to AUS & that he would come back when he was old enough!

It was an awful day, then my 6 yr old cried thinking we were leaving his big bro here :cry: honestly all this because he was nervous about the meds & everything went fine.

It was a tough couple of days, I knew one thing for certain I still wanted to emigrate but I did not know how to handle the tears / emotion - still don't really but I am taking one day at a time.

Now the meds are done, hes fine again & even said he wanted to take his favourite footy shirt (Notts County) with us to AUS, bless him.

So like Lisa says I think wobbly days can be expected & even more so for us with children a little older.

It will all be fine, stay strong, you know deep down why its the right thing to do 8)

Angela :)

[Libby1971]

Thanks Lisa, Tyke and Angela for your support.

And Tyke feel free to cyberhug me any time you like!

I know wobbles are to be expected and I am expecting them by the truckload in Oz but I was disappointed in myself not to feel more I suppose.

My husband is ecstatic and I suppose that is the problem. We all look at him and don't get it. Sophie is excited coz she wants a dog, Emily has begun to see that Australia offers her more although she doesn't want ot leave her friends) and I don't feel particularly strongly either way.

I worry that because I don't feel strongly then I won't have the motivation to persevere when we are there and times are tough. Then again I think maybe things won't be so tough becuase I won't care as much about what I am leaving as others do.

Thanks guys xx

Libby

[Angela]

Hi Libby

Chin up girl, think of all the good things that await you.
I know its hard I have been feeling the same way at times but I do know for certain that I will regret it if I don't do it. What is the worse case? You come back, not that difficult at least you will have tried.

I don't think it hurts to show emotion but its good to stay positive & strong for the sake of the kids, I keep telling them we will spend more time together, have weekend fun at the beach, maybe even get a dog to when we are settled. :) Needless to say with 2 boys the latter definitely did the trick :wink:

Take care
Angela

[taylor family]

:D Hi libby :D
As the song says dont worry :cry: be happy :lol: I dont think you read the replie I sent you on saturday on the migration section that last week I found out that my application for police checks went missing in the post on first of December and the sale of my house fell through. with that we are 40 days of getting police checks so wont get to oz until may :shock: but who cares I have been twice and traveled most of the country and know I am doing the right thing for my family so chin up girl. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D alan and laura.

[Libby1971]

Thanks for your support.

I can't imagine how frustrating it must have been for you waiting for your police checks back only to find they hadn't received them! Mine came back on Friday and they emailed to Oz today. Our house has been sold and we are in rented accommodation for the moment which is okay.

I feel a bit better today about everything. Sophie is excited again about having a dog which we have said we hope to get when we get there. And my husband is very positive about it all. We went to Oz in the summer, courtesy of the BBC, but it all seems very real now. I know there are so many more benefits to going to Oz than staying here and I definitely want that lifestyle change which I hope will keep me motivated.

As you say Angela there are so many more good things to look forward to...I would hate to be ten years down the line from ehre and have ht e'if only we had done this or done that'. I don't think we should have regrets about this.

Thanks again guys
Libby x

[Libby1971]

Just realised I can't type!!!

[dglamoore]

We went to Oz in the summer, courtesy of the BBC, but it all seems very real now. I know there are so many more benefits to going to Oz than staying here and I definitely want that lifestyle change which I hope will keep me motivated.

Thanks again guys
Libby x

Libby good to see you are feeling a bit better. Places like this are great when are feeling down as you realise everyone else goes through it too and it is normal and part of this horrible looooong process.

Do you know which date you will be on tv???

Lisa :D

[dglamoore]

Hi Libby

Looks like thats you on tv on Mon 29th????

Lisa :D

[Libby1971]

Errr, yes it is me!!!!!! :shock:

Where did you manage to find that out? I had a look on BBC and couldn't find us yet.

One of the students I teach is also going to Oz after she has taken her GCSEs and she was saying how hard it is. her family have been talking about this for nearly 8 years and she has found it is so clsoe and yet so far away still from her.

I know how she feels!!!!!!!! :?

[MummyJarvo]

Hi

We are the Jarvis family. I'm 43 and a teacher in a special needs school, hubby is 44 and a lift engineer and we have three daughters Rachael 15, Samantha 11 and Emma 9. We have our visas for Adelaide and hope to be out by August 07. It would be nice to have contact with other people going/already there so that we wont feel quite so alone when we arrive.


The two younger girls are really keen to go the older is a bit more dubious (she was the one who didn't want to come home when we flew out to validate the visas so we are hoping that she will come round when we eventually get there!) :?

[dglamoore]

Errr, yes it is me!!!!!! :shock:

Where did you manage to find that out? I had a look on BBC and couldn't find us yet.

One of the students I teach is also going to Oz after she has taken her GCSEs and she was saying how hard it is. her family have been talking about this for nearly 8 years and she has found it is so clsoe and yet so far away still from her.

I know how she feels!!!!!!!! :?


hehehehe i have my spies :lol: :lol:

No I just read the description on the radio times website and it gave your name :lol: Can't wait to see you :D

What made you change from Brisbane to Adelaide?

Lisa

[dglamoore]

Hi

We are the Jarvis family. I'm 43 and a teacher in a special needs school, hubby is 44 and a lift engineer and we have three daughters Rachael 15, Samantha 11 and Emma 9. We have our visas for Adelaide and hope to be out by August 07. It would be nice to have contact with other people going/already there so that we wont feel quite so alone when we arrive.


The two younger girls are really keen to go the older is a bit more dubious (she was the one who didn't want to come home when we flew out to validate the visas so we are hoping that she will come round when we eventually get there!) :?

Hi MummyJarvo

Welcome to the site.
We are a nice friendly bunch on here and all in the same boat so whatever you are feeling or worried about there is always someone on here to chat too :lol:

There is a kids section on here where a few of the younger ones chat so might be worth your daughters having a read too :lol:

Lisa

[MummyJarvo]

Hi Libby

We have three daughters 9,11 & 15. Like your teenager mine didn't want to go she didn't want to leave school, friends, boyfriend etc. We went over to validate the visas in August and by the end of the 3 weeks she was begging us to leave her there while we came back to sell the house.

The youngest really couldn't care one way or the other although the koala bears and dolphins are swinging her towards Australia. Middle daughter really wants to go and is busy convincing us all to go as we had a major wobble on our return and decided not to go. Having watched 'Wanted Down Under' in Adelaide we are now on the verge of putting the house on the market.

I have never been so confused and mixed up in my life - I am half wishing we hadn't been accepted the decision made for me!!

[Libby1971]

Hi Lisa

I am so worried I said something stupid! But it was such a great opportunity, especially as I had never been to Australia before I went with the BBC.

Hi MummyJarvo, I read somewhere else on this site that you live in my old neck of the woods. I spent much of my childhood and after toing and froing from Eltham where we lived for a while and where some of my family still live. I used to go to Chislehurst pond every Sat morning fishing for tadpoles!

I have no problem with living abroad, I spent 7 years on and off living in the Middle East. I think it is the permanency of it that bothers me although I know we can leave. I am very aware that this is a better life for all of us (in the words of Del Boy, you know it makes sense). I just don't want to do the emotional goodbyes, that's what I am really trying to put off. I don't have much family - a sister and her family, my aunt, a cousin and her family. I have almost no relationship with my brother and I have nothing to do with my mother. My dad died 18 months ago and that was the shove I needed. So this all started...

[Tyke]

Hi Lisa

I am so worried I said something stupid! But it was such a great opportunity, especially as I had never been to Australia before I went with the BBC.

Hi MummyJarvo, I read somewhere else on this site that you live in my old neck of the woods. I spent much of my childhood and after toing and froing from Eltham where we lived for a while and where some of my family still live. I used to go to Chislehurst pond every Sat morning fishing for tadpoles!

I have no problem with living abroad, I spent 7 years on and off living in the Middle East. I think it is the permanency of it that bothers me although I know we can leave. I am very aware that this is a better life for all of us (in the words of Del Boy, you know it makes sense). I just don't want to do the emotional goodbyes, that's what I am really trying to put off. I don't have much family - a sister and her family, my aunt, a cousin and her family. I have almost no relationship with my brother and I have nothing to do with my mother. My dad died 18 months ago and that was the shove I needed. So this all started...



I think it is fantastic to take the opportunity the Beeb offered.

Don't worry about saying something stupid - we won't remind you - honest ;-)

Looks like you are ready to move.
The death of my Father prompted me - he never lived some of the dreams he was saving up for.

[Libby1971]

Hi Tyke

My dad didn't live to see some of his dreams come true either and some of the dreams he did fulfil turned out to be disasters! He said you only get one life and while he was alive, I suppose I delayed some of mine.

After he died I just had a moment of clariy and thought this is it. Make your life simple and the life you want. So off we went.

ANd my good news is this. About an hour and a half ago we had call from our agent to inform us that the Aussie treasury have asked us to pay our bond money!!!!!!! This is it, our visa is in sight.

Libby

[Angela]

Congratulations Libby, thats excellent news

It won't be long for you now :)

Good luck

Angela

[dglamoore]

Hi Lisa

I am so worried I said something stupid! But it was such a great opportunity, especially as I had never been to Australia before I went with the BBC.

I have no problem with living abroad, I spent 7 years on and off living in the Middle East. I think it is the permanency of it that bothers me although I know we can leave. I am very aware that this is a better life for all of us (in the words of Del Boy, you know it makes sense). I just don't want to do the emotional goodbyes, that's what I am really trying to put off. I don't have much family - a sister and her family, my aunt, a cousin and her family. I have almost no relationship with my brother and I have nothing to do with my mother. My dad died 18 months ago and that was the shove I needed. So this all started...


Libby I am sure you will be fine :D I am lucky ???? in that I am not close at all to my family so have no strong emotional ties here. I will miss my Grandma as we have always been close but she thinks what we are doing is great and would be cross with me if I did not go!

I think anything that is worth doing cannot be easy or there would be no sense of achievement when done :lol: :lol:

Lisa

[BJF]

We had our family leaving party in the september but didn't leave UK until the November, I think it made it easier for us to leave, plus we lived just under 200 miles away from all our family. We drove to London on the sunday, family all phoned us at the hotel sunday night but we'd told everyone that no-one was to ring us on the monday morning (we left the hotel for the airport about 11am), from then on we only had contact with my mum and that was only via text and she passed messages on to and from family. We arrived in Brisbane on the thursday morning and then spoke to family again over the weekend.

Our leaving party with friends was on the friday night before we left on the sunday afternoon, it was a double celebration, well triple celebration really, our leaving do, Trev's 40th plus as it was children in need day I'd decided to make sure no-one forgot me by going out in a blaze of glory (great song btw) by having my pony-tail cut off if at least GBP200 was raised in our local that night, GBP213. was raised so I went home minus 16 inches of hair.

[taylor family]

:D :lol:
well done cant wait for them to ask us for the cash keep us informed how long it takes to get visa as we are on the same visa.
alan and laura 8) :lol: :D

[Libby1971]

Hi

I do know what you mean about family. Only my aunt knows I have applied for this visa. She is supportive because she knows it is what i want to do but doesn't want us to go at all. My sister doesn't know and I haven't even thought how I am going to tell her. She is pregnant and I am using that as the excuse not to tell her. I don't want to upset her and the baby is due mid March.
No-one else in my family needs to know. We haven't decided about a leaving party yet but will make a decision soon.

For those interested, our skills assessment went in April, came back early May.
The 136 visa application (job not on MODL) went in and was received 22nd May.
Medical request was sent 22nd November. Medicals sent to them 14th December.
Police checks emailed through on Tuesday 16th January.
Bond request emailed Friday 19th January.

Oooh, does anyone know the sizes for the beds in Oz? We are going to apply for OAA and need to take bedding with us if we get it. I think bed sizes are different

Libby