Positive thinking????

[Guest Kay]

I have been reading the posts for a while and they seem to be getting more and more downbeat, for us lot coming over it makes pretty depressing reading, I am a realist but the things mentioned, especially cost of living are pretty much now a world wide thing. My weekly shopping bill is well over £100 a week for a family of four, diesel and petrol hover around the £1.05 per litre (in Norfolk which is expensive, I know) even a loaf of bread is at least £1.25 for a named brand. You get no return on savings (only because we are lucky enough to have sold our house, otherwise we wouldn't have any) and days out with the kids are getting few and far between. I really do think that everything now is probably comparable and when the exchange rate picks up and everyone starts converting at 2.5 again will life seem a little better?? Please someone give us a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel, it is a long journey in stress and experiences and of course the miles to travel for the end goal!!

 

If your happy and you know it clap your hands!!

[Guest jorose]

I'm clapping because despite the occasional extremely down day (which of course is perfectly normal) I still retain the strong memory of why we came here. Life for us is far superior here despite having to tighten our purse strings due to only one wage being drawn. Our quality of life is much better and our outlook on life is more positive.Additionally whilst it is part of human nature that there will be different opinions on any topic I hope that you still retain a positive outlook because coming to Australia is a positive experience for at least some.

[Diane]

Rest assured it's something that happens every year in the winter in Australia! I have been reading and contributing to the forums for nearly five years now, and every year, when it starts getting colder, those that are feeling a little miserable here start to feel much worse - especially if it happens to be sunny in England while it's cold (well, 16 degrees feels pretty cold now!) here. Many people quote the 'better weather' as one of their reasons to emigrate, and I've often seen comments in the winter from people here such as "I didn't move here to be cold' or 'I didn't move to Australia to get this much rain!'

 

There are still all the mundane things in life here - the cleaning, the cooking, the housework, bins to empty, washing up, ironing - so as someone once said on here, it's often a case of "same sh*t, shinier bucket" - and in the southern hemisphere winter, the bucket seems to lose its shine somewhat!

 

Within a few short weeks though, as we come into Spring, people will be able to get back down to the beaches and into the parks and the general tone of posts will no doubt pick up again! Give it time....

[Guest smit]

Oh yes, Adelaide is and feels a lot happier in the summer months:)

[Guest the4hopes]

I have been reading the posts for a while and they seem to be getting more and more downbeat, for us lot coming over it makes pretty depressing reading, I am a realist but the things mentioned, especially cost of living are pretty much now a world wide thing. My weekly shopping bill is well over £100 a week for a family of four, diesel and petrol hover around the £1.05 per litre (in Norfolk which is expensive, I know) even a loaf of bread is at least £1.25 for a named brand. You get no return on savings (only because we are lucky enough to have sold our house, otherwise we wouldn't have any) and days out with the kids are getting few and far between. I really do think that everything now is probably comparable and when the exchange rate picks up and everyone starts converting at 2.5 again will life seem a little better?? Please someone give us a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel, it is a long journey in stress and experiences and of course the miles to travel for the end goal!!

 

If your happy and you know it clap your hands!!

I completely agree,I was about to put up a thread for people to write down everything they love about Adelaide, when I was in the uk reading this forum I wanted positive posts to encourage me because I didn't get any encouragement from friends and family.

Yes things are different here, but it is a lovely place to be. I'm clapping my hands!

Just about to do the post now.

Laura

[Guest DawnW]

Kay

I'm not sure when you're coming over but good luck with the move.

Yes, no regrets about coming to Adelaide. The weather is amazing,

beaches lovely, people friendly on the coast. But I'd like to say also that

if someone told me before I came that you have to pay for; school

materials, ambulance insurance, some medical items that are free

in the UK, weekly food shop is more expensive etc and that certainly

dental fees are very high then it wouldn't be cheery reading but at

least maybe at that stage we'd have negotiated a higher salary

which would have cushioned all the above. I'd also suggest you

bring with you - if someone's paying for your move especially - every

electrical item, no matter how old as it's a huge start up cost to replace everything

you thought a minor item in the UK. A new plug is much more economical.

The exchange rate has made the difference between being comfortable

financially and not. It's change will make a signficant difference to our enjoyment

of SA. The last thing to say is the value of migration to one's personal experiences

in life can't be under-estimated and despite it's stressful times, it's been such an

interesting chapter. So come and enjoy, just come prepared.

[Guest nickyblue]

Hello Kay

 

I think that its all worth it! I know there are always people it doesn't work for and I think being realistic people have to remember that but there are loads of people it does work for! The weather here is undoubtably better, even in the winter - I think it's just a different type of cold (nothing here is really built for wet or cold either! lol). Jobs are out there - yes it may be a bit slower at the moment but that's not just adelaide! Some things are a bit pricer - some things are cheaper! But the thing I love about this place is the people! People are friendly and seem happier - you can actually find smiles on a rush hour bus!!! They will give you a chance and most are interested in who you are! People here still believe in community and family values! It is not quite so obsessed with Celebrity and all in all people care - no not everyone does but yes in my experience most do!

 

as an example: we are preparing to get married and a couple of weeks ago we were broken into. My partners new (just paid for) wedding band was stolen and because of a mess up on our part was not covered by insurance! We went to the shop to re-order the same ring! The assistant was so confused she asked what had happened and we explained! She was so horrified she rang her manager at home and asked him what they could do for us! She came back and said the would order the ring in and only charge us half price - she would also knock off her commission so we got it even cheaper! They will also keep it in the shop safe for us till the wedding in 7 months time! Now I'm sure there are nice people in the uk that would try and help but this blew us away! We didn't know this girl from adam and she has in effect taken money out of her own pocket to help us!

 

This is not the only time we have had great aussie people go out of their way for us and these are the types of people I want to be around and the type of place I would want to raise a family!

 

I hope this makes you smile - it does me everytime I think about it!

Good luck with the move!

nic

xx

[minty]

Dont let it discourage you we are in the same boat. But for us and our reasons its right and no ones negative comments will stop us from doing our thing and making our desicions. There are also a lot of positives on here which are always well thought out and usually in line with our positives thoughts so all in all a great site.

[Guest Martin and Val]

Here are some good things for you:

 

We paid $1.26 this week per litre of petrol

A great pub we go to does a huge Carvery for $14 on Sunday and Tuesday

It's winter and the Sun still shines

We pay less per week on a shopping than we did in England. (Some people say it's more expensive here, maybe our Tesco in Oxford over charged us)

People are happy and have the time of day for you

Shop keepers are more helpful and not just there for the hard sell.

 

Negative points: Still got to go to work.

 

In our opinion it does exactly what it says on the tin. Good luck to everybody we hope you find it as good as us.

But if you don't no harm done, put it down to experience, pick your self up dust yourself off and get on with life whatever that may bring.

 

Martin

[Guest Kay]

Days to go before the container arrives,we are a RAF family and our home has always been what we have in our boxes and take with us and so everything is coming, even the cars, the first one ships this weekend. I have a month near Portsmouth with the kids staying with my Mum (eek!) whilst my husband finishes up at work and then we all join together to fly out on the 15th Sep to stay in a holiday let for 6 weeks while we sort ourselves out. Unfortunately the RAF will only pay for us to get to Heathrow so no help financially with anything but the government doesn't normally give anything away unless you are a politician! More people on PIA have been alot more positive of late, it is difficult, we are taking it as another 'posting' and if after 3 years we don't like it we will have to take the bite financially and come back again but having been abroad backwards and forwards it is normally the 3 year point when you don't want to leave the people and you are just starting to really settle and fit in. Really looking forward to getting there, your weather is better this Winter than our Summer, not looking forward to creepy crawlies but I am looking forward to getting the kids outdoors to parks and beaches and exploring supermarkets, finding butchers and greengrocers/markets. We used to love trawling the markets in Holland and suffering the interesting fashion in Germany, life is a learning curve but it will be interesting to see if I am singing from the same hymn sheet in a couple of years time!!! I'll be the mad one down the beach with a bottle of gin!!!