1 year in Adelaide

[kjc79]

On Saturday we will have been in Adelaide a year. It seems to have gone so quickly but it feels like we have been here ages.

 

A couple of weeks in I posted an update here about how we were just busy busy busy getting cars, furniture, tfn's medicare and a rental and a school sorted and from then on its just been a hard slog.I had three jobs effectively now I only have two and my OH wanted to come here and get out of the office work life and decided to become a brickie so went to TAFE and got the qualifications to find noone would hire him on an apprenticeship due to his age although the employer gets grants to help with a slightly higher wage for the first couple of years. so after finishing the course and 4/5 dissapointments of apprenticeship offers decided that he just needed A job. He applied to so many jobs i cant remember everything from aircon man (no exp needed) , a bus driver to a funeral assistant but to no avail.

He has finally got work (knowing people) within new home maintenance which he, altough enjoys the work is getting rather down with the cack wage for the hours he works and the almost constant verbal abuse he gets but he is sticking at it for now, bless him, as the available job situation here is not that great. we will have to see what the future holds of being in the right place at the right time???

 

We came here for a better life for the kids and in so many repects it has been successful there. Only within a couple of months did my eldest not want to return and live back in the uk. just return sometime for a holiday. My youngest though has found it harder to settle as he seemed to miss his one ''best friend''. but where we are renting he has now found a fair few school friends on our estate and has made more friends too and i was so happy when for the first time he stated that he wants to live here now. this being a major breakthrough.

 

Arriving in June being winter was a quiet time and having to purposfully make friends was hard for us as we are, well were, not all that out going but for people who know us from then till now we are now a lot more out going.Especially my OH:biglaugh: It gets definately easier to just meet up with strangers as you do realise that everyone is in the same boat and you just get on with it. We have met some absolutely fab people who if any of them decided to leave we would be upset and miss them loads already.In such a short space of time forming such good friendships you can even trust your kids with anytime any day has helped a lot.

We have done cleland, harnorff, victor harbour ,road trip to melbourne (advisable to give yourselves longer than 3 days though)haha and seen other various places and towns and beaches and still not done most of the things we want to see or do yet.

 

We have already had a couple of visiters. We have had my brother in law stay with us for 5 months and my mother in law for a month which was a bit of a squish in a 3 bed house but it worked in the end.My bother in law has decided he would like to stay in oz for a bit and is hopefully looking into avenues that will help him get the needed visa with work etc...

I have my mum and dad coming out in october for my birthday and have booked a now 19 person 3 day break to the goldcoast end of august with our new ozzie friends so there is lots to look forwrd to and plan for which keeps us going.

 

We had so may hypethetical plans and hopes of where we would be work wise and finacially by this time into our adventure but things havent turned out that way for example to be honest I cant see even a faint light at the end of a very long tunnel that we will be able to buy a house anytime soon but ho hum. everything happens for a reason and we will get there in the end:unsure:

 

The summer weather is great and being able to pick the kids up from school and go to the beach and have tea watching the sunset is just beautiful.although those dolphin sightings are a myth i have decided lol.

Having the kids enjoy going to school and not have shed loads of homework for the weekend is great to see. Seeing both my kids being able to swim well and my youngest just being able to swim is fantastic and letting them be able to have the freedom to bike it to thier mates houses and just be boys. climing trees getting muddy..........these are the things we came over for and that has so far been a success.

 

There are times (usually when i have had a couple of wines) when i miss my best friends and I am getting excited about seeing my mum and dad, We didnt really do the crying thing when we left so i am preparing for then, but i dont miss england as a place to live. I certainly havet wanted to return and the short time i have been here the unfamilier things and places are becoming familer so feeling more settled. I hate driving when theres lots of traffic ie:going into the city and when i get off the express way or pass noarlunga its just round abouts and clear you get that I'm nearly home feeling. We have chilled out now which was strange at first and seemed 'boring' but you soon get into the swing of things and i even went to the shop today in my slippers.!

 

I have down times but theres no need to dwell as i cant change things at the minute as there just arent more hours in the day to work. I will probably think of other things that I want to add once this has been posted and appologies for my waffling.

kathx

[Guest Bakers]

Kath great post & so honest congratulations on your 1st year as I have had the pleasure of your company for goss & coffee & looking forward to the day out Sat i can hopefully say we are friends & i look forward to getting to know you better, after 7 months i'm seeing the light very very faint but it's there & great having a smoking partner lol see you soon

[Guest ReadyPenny]

Great post! Congrats on the first year. We have only been here 3 months but can relate to most of what you have said. Except for one thing I have to disagree on. Dolphins DO exist!!!! LOL I saw two of them frolicking about down at Brighton Beach a couple of weekends back, when we were down there having a Sunday afternoon stroll, and fish, chips and ice cream of course, with a really good friend, whom I met through this site.

 

Hope you see some soon!

Mandy

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

An excellent post, its a pretty awesome feeling getting that 1st year under your belts.

 

We did ours in april, and were half way through June now its scary how quick time goes here, heres to the next 1,5,10.

 

HG

[minkyme29]

Kath, I really enjoyed reading your very honest post, thanks for sharing your experiences of your new life. It does take time to establish a life here and for most it takes longer than we could have ever expected but the answer is to have a positive attitude most of the time, not always easy I know. There will always be ups and downs but as you say things happen for a reason and quite often you've been spared something hideous if things don't pan out quite how you expected them too.

 

Good luck for the future, I hope it continues to grow in the right direction.

 

Best wishes

Dette

 

PS I agree with ReadyPenny, dolphins are out there - come to HC, we see them lots here, plus the other day the seals were frolicking in the breaking waves - awesome (oh blimey turning into my daughter!)

[andy and lindsey]

Kath - What a great post! Have to say that Gordon and you are the sort of people who Andy and I take our hats off to. We know that things haven't been easy for you financially since you came but you really get out there and graft. Three jobs and running a home is no mean feat - it makes me tired just thinking about it! Everytime I see you, you are smiling, never heard you utter a negative word about your situation here. You deserve to live the Aussie dream, I hope that things continue to improve for you. Congratulations on your anniversary!

 

We are glad that we have had the privelege to meet you - keep it up:notworthy:

[Guest theforrests]

Fab post Kath - and congrats on reaching your year.

 

Sarah :-)

[Liz and Kris UK]

Congrats on the 1 year mark.

 

Kris

[kjc79]

thanks for your lovely replies. All i can say is i try to be optimistic and smile as things can only get better?

I do moan sometimes and wish someone/something somewhere would just give us a break but soon get over it and carry on as our time for house buying and more comfort things will come in the end. I had the same worries in the uk about finances but there are people over here with less and people over here with more so we do what we have to do at this time in our lives........

 

There is more to aim for here i feel that is possible to achieve than the life that i thought was set out in the uk. My social life is sometimes to the point of needing a rest inbetween the working(not that i complain about that lol) and I have no idea where i will be at retirement age now where as in the uk i had visions of being sat in the local saying 'i wish i had...and if only' well we have and i am determined to make it work and well

kathx

[Guest kangomik]

Well done on a difficult first year, nice to everyone settling.

I think the dolphins are further north.. grange and semaphore and the kids and missus sometimes get 10 foot off the cheeky one that grabs crabs and tosses them around at low tide.

 

I reckon you guys see more roo's than us oop north!

[sueoc]

Yes,lovely post,honest and a pleasure to read,all the best you.

[The Monaghans]

Kath, congratulations to you, Gordon and the boys on your first year here. I don't know anyone who's worked as hard as you to make ends meet here. I truly think you're inspirational and what's more you're a fabulous hairdresser! I wish you and Gordon all the best for the future, here's hoping Gordon finds a great job very soon, with an employer who treats him well.

 

xx

[kjc79]

Well done on a difficult first year, nice to everyone settling.

I think the dolphins are further north.. grange and semaphore and the kids and missus sometimes get 10 foot off the cheeky one that grabs crabs and tosses them around at low tide.

 

I reckon you guys see more roo's than us oop north!

 

i dunno, it took me 7 months to see roos on seaford meadows when my brother in law saw them on the day he arrived:biglaugh:

everything seems to hide from me

kathx

[Guest Guest75]

Smashing post Kath.

 

My best wishes to all of you - certainly giving it a go!!!

 

BTW - Dolphins do exist;)

[Guest Guest75]

i dunno, it took me 7 months to see roos on seaford meadows when my brother in law saw them on the day he arrived:biglaugh:

everything seems to hide from me

kathx

 

Saw the Roos yesterday ,going south just after the first roundabout coming from the Onk River on the left.Smack in the middle of that big field.

[scooterdan]

Congrats on the year..... Been great reading your post!!

 

Dan