Hello - get together required!

[catherine.c]

Hi All

This is my first time on poms. My husband and daughter have been using it and I have finally taken the plunge - I am 48 and have never used a forum before!

We have been here now for one month and we are broke!

Luckily we are both working so is only hopefully for the short term. Like many others we have not sold our house in the UK and am renting it out so did not have much money to bring. We borrowed money for our car which obviously needs paying back asap (family member) and we need to find $9000 before jan / feb for our daughters university fees! I have come over on a 457 visa and this means my daughter is classed as an international student. I can apply for permanent residency in December (with exemption for age) but I dont think that will give enough time for her to be classed as a domestic student.

Our other daughter is still in the UK with her husband and 3 children - they are still waiting for their visa which apparently takes longer than ours, so am missing them very much.

We also have no furniture even though it was packed about a month before we left the UK - we still do not know whether it has even left - keep being told that not many ships going to adelaide because people unable to sell so nothing being sent. This has added to our financial woes and our house looks very bare!

This all sounds very negative but really its not! We are enjoying it very much, the weather is great, we are in Glenelg so near the beach, we are 20 mins tram ride from city, there are also the adelaide hills and we have walked / climbed from waterfall gully to mount lofty which was great. Work is fine (nurse in ashford hospital) and everyone has seemed very friendly and helpful.

I would really like to meet up with some people to pick your brains about things I do not understand (inc. the health service even though I work in it!) and also just to have a natter about anything. We could go for a drink / have a coffee / go for a walk / any other suggestions! This is what I miss most by coming to a country where I do not know anyone.

Look forward to you replies

Catherine

[Guest Tracey Smith]

Hi Catherine,

 

Welcome to PIA, I too have only been using this site for a little while and have never used a forum before. I too am 48 and would love to meet up with someone of the same age group. We have been here a year now but still feel quite new. We have not met anybody from the site as not really sure how to go about it.

 

Our daughter of 21 arrived this week as she was still at uni in Nottingham when we left so she is finding things a bit strange with no friends or job. Our son is nearly 18 and has settled well with lots of new friends via school.

 

I work Monday to Friday 8.30 to 5.30 in Wayville but would love to meet for a coffee/drink but really enjoy walking as well as the beach.

 

PM me if you would like to get together.

 

Tracey

[Guest donna T]

Every Friday (although not next week being school holidays) a group of us meet opposite the Seacliffe Hotel on the esplanade and walk along the beach road to Brighton where we stop for a natter and a coffee before walking back.

 

Everyone is welcome - the group varies week to week depending on who can make it so just turn up. Age group varies enormously, some alone some with kids, babies etc but everyone is pretty friendly!

 

We leave a 9.15 every Friday from opposite the Seacliff hotel

 

Hope to see you there

 

Donna x

[Guest swampo]

Hi all, If you want to meet folks why not come to the meet arranged for 15th November at Henley Beach, 2pm- see on Socialisings forum. There have been loads of replies so hopefully lots of ex-pats to meet up with and make some friends with. Look forward to seeing you all there.

Mall

[Guest dave&jacky]

Hi Catherine

 

I have only been here since the end of August and arrived on my husbands 457 visa, I am not working yet but looking for a job. We live at Henley Beach and I often come into Glenelg for shopping or the post office box! I too would appreciate having a coffee and chat with someone, if you want to meet up please send me a PM. Jacky

[Guest sjs]

Every Friday (although not next week being school holidays) a group of us meet opposite the Seacliffe Hotel on the esplanade and walk along the beach road to Brighton where we stop for a natter and a coffee before walking back.

 

Everyone is welcome - the group varies week to week depending on who can make it so just turn up. Age group varies enormously, some alone some with kids, babies etc but everyone is pretty friendly!

 

We leave a 9.15 every Friday from opposite the Seacliff hotel

 

Hope to see you there

 

Donna x

 

ooohhh ! this sounds lovely - need to bear it in mind for when we arrive on nov 1st

 

all the best

 

sjs

[ozzieclare2be]

hi catherine im a fellow nurse at same hospital. I often go for coffee with a couple of pommies ive met since been here so if you fancy meeting up pm me hun x. How u finding ashford? Ivepm'd you hun x clare

[Guest HALT]

Hi I am always up for meeting new people, i live up in the hills but love glenelg. Will be 40 next year Ahhhh!!!!!

Have got kids at school and hopefully should be working next month part-time. Let me know a time and a place and i'll be there.

[Scousemouse]

Hi Catherine,

 

just read your post; and i would like to pick your brains, if i may.......

 

I am just waiting for my 457, getting conflicting info on it too; how long did your visa take to process?

2) I was told that i couldn't apply for PR whilst on the 457, unless the employer sponsors the change over, and that i had to be at least 6 months in to do it.............

seems like a little white one on the timing!

 

As for shipping, we have been told about 8-10 weeks from removal........slap bang over Christmas if we send it 1st week in November.........so add another 3 weeks then?

 

Anyway, hope all goes well,

Take care

J

[catherine.c]

Hi J

In answer to you questions -

On interview my employer agreed to sponsor me for PR after 3 months probationary period.

About 3 weeks after my nomination, Immigration sent mr email asking whether I had done my medical yet. I replied saying that I had not been asked to - had medical and within another month was granted visa. My employer had asked them for me to start in May which probably helped - also I am a nurse and I believe medical staff have some priority.

As for shipping - our furniture was picked up on the 16th July and we still do not know that it has left the UK. This has been blamed on the credit crunch - nobody moving while they cannot sell their houses.

Fed up about that!

All the best

let us know how you get on

Catherine

[catherine.c]

Thanks everyone for your replies - hopefully I will meet up with you all soon. It was great to get such a good response. The walks sound great as does the get together in November - hope to see you all there!

Cheers

Catherine

[Scousemouse]

Hi Catherine,

thanks for the info....really useful.

 

My recruitment agent said the migration agent would submit the application as soon as reg was active.....that was weds this week.....

Medicals were done in June and sent over in July; again the agent had us do them early, one hopes i dont have to repeat the process! Cost me over !200 gbp, so really can't afford a repeat!!

 

Watch this space

 

Jane

[jo_marnes]

Hi Mum!

 

Wish I could come for a walk and coffee :-(

 

Miss you loads,

 

Jo xxx

[catherine.c]

Hi

Thats a great idea - we will definitely try to be there

Catherine

[Guest woolmerdj]

Hi Catherine and others on this threat

I have been in Adelaide for two months with my husband Dave and two kids, Oliver 18 and Lizzie 12. We

[Guest woolmerdj]

Sorry, I will carry on with my email!!!!! laptops are a pain sometimes. We have met some lovely people in Adelaide, which is a really nice place, but we are still very homesick. We have been really lucky to have found a lovely house 6 KM from the city.I would love to meet other ex-pats and I will convince my other friends to meet-up too. I am also a nures, but am not working yet. I will try and make the 15 Nov meet at Henley beach, but if you do get together count me in

Ta

Jane

[Guest texas]

Hi All

This is my first time on poms. My husband and daughter have been using it and I have finally taken the plunge - I am 48 and have never used a forum before!

We have been here now for one month and we are broke!

Luckily we are both working so is only hopefully for the short term. Like many others we have not sold our house in the UK and am renting it out so did not have much money to bring. We borrowed money for our car which obviously needs paying back asap (family member) and we need to find $9000 before jan / feb for our daughters university fees! I have come over on a 457 visa and this means my daughter is classed as an international student. I can apply for permanent residency in December (with exemption for age) but I dont think that will give enough time for her to be classed as a domestic student.

Our other daughter is still in the UK with her husband and 3 children - they are still waiting for their visa which apparently takes longer than ours, so am missing them very much.

We also have no furniture even though it was packed about a month before we left the UK - we still do not know whether it has even left - keep being told that not many ships going to adelaide because people unable to sell so nothing being sent. This has added to our financial woes and our house looks very bare!

This all sounds very negative but really its not! We are enjoying it very much, the weather is great, we are in Glenelg so near the beach, we are 20 mins tram ride from city, there are also the adelaide hills and we have walked / climbed from waterfall gully to mount lofty which was great. Work is fine (nurse in ashford hospital) and everyone has seemed very friendly and helpful.

I would really like to meet up with some people to pick your brains about things I do not understand (inc. the health service even though I work in it!) and also just to have a natter about anything. We could go for a drink / have a coffee / go for a walk / any other suggestions! This is what I miss most by coming to a country where I do not know anyone.

Look forward to you replies

Catherine

 

 

Hi Catherine - Welcome!!

 

I am also 48 (well will be iin three weeks time!) We arrived a week ago and we are living temporarily in Glenelg. We were lucky that we were sponsored by my husbands new employers. We already have friends who migrated before us and my husband has some family, but it is strange as he went to work for the first time today and I am home alone with our ten year old!!! Although I am looking forward to venturing out looking at houses later on. We have been to Mount Lofty and Bridgewater Mill and Harndorff. We have also been on the dolphin cruise, but all this is because my husbands cousin took us out and around the first few days after we arrived to give us a sense of where everything is. We have not found a school for our son yet as we don't know where we will be living, but would love to meet for a coffee one of the days you are not working but would have to bring Alfie with me!! Look forward to hearing from you.

 

Carole

[Guest Mick and Helen]

Hi Catherine, Snap I am also a Nurse at Asford but only one day per week. I am more than happy to meet up for a coffee and a chat and I do not live that far from you at Glenelg.

If you would like to PM your contact details or let me know what ward you are working on at Ashford.

Speak soon Helen

[Guest the staffords]

Hi Catherine, Snap I am also a Nurse at Asford but only one day per week. I am more than happy to meet up for a coffee and a chat and I do not live that far from you at Glenelg.

If you would like to PM your contact details or let me know what ward you are working on at Ashford.

Speak soon Helen

 

 

 

catherine...danger!!!keep away from helen...she just wants to bbq all your pets!!!

and anyway...you wouldnt understand a word...shes from walsall you know!!!

[Guest jan&andy]

Hi Catherine (and anyone else reading this thread),

 

We arrived in Adelaide at the beginning of September and didn't know anyone. We've met up with Jane & David (who have also posted earlier), but would love to make some new friends. We are Jan and Andy (both 43) and girls, Melita (16) & Zoe (14) and are renting in Grange. I'm working in the CBD Monday to Friday, but if anyone would like to meet up in the evening or at the weekend send me a pm.

 

Jan

[delbart]

Hi Catherine (and anyone else reading this thread),

 

We arrived in Adelaide at the beginning of September and didn't know anyone. We've met up with Jane & David (who have also posted earlier), but would love to make some new friends. We are Jan and Andy (both 43) and girls, Melita (16) & Zoe (14) and are renting in Grange. I'm working in the CBD Monday to Friday, but if anyone would like to meet up in the evening or at the weekend send me a pm.

 

Jan

Hey I just noticed your names and just thought it was weird I am Jan and my hubby is Andy. I am 44 and hubby is 43, just thought it was really strange to see someone with same names and similar age! We are not yet in Adelaide so won't be at the meet up but saw your names and then read you post! Jan

[catherine.c]

catherine...danger!!!keep away from helen...she just wants to bbq all your pets!!!

and anyway...you wouldnt understand a word...shes from walsall you know!!!

 

??? bbq my pets? I'm intrigued - tell me more

catherine

[catherine.c]

Hi All

I have met some of you individually and some in a group, others I have not met yet but hope to soon, so I was thinking, how about having a bbq so you can all meet each other and partners as well.

How about the 8th of November?

pm me if interested and I will give you my telephone number and address

cheers

Catherine

[Guest the staffords]

??? bbq my pets? I'm intrigued - tell me more

catherine

 

helen...bless her little cotton socks..seems to think that because we are selling our turtle tank,that we fed her"the turtle" at our last bbq!....and then seems strangely interested in one of our cats!!!but she is from walsall!!!

paul.

[smallwoods]

Hi Catherine

 

We have been here for 7 weeks now and we live in Glenelg!

 

My name is Tracy (42), my husband is Andrew (43) and our children are Alex (15) and Kate (11).

 

Like you, we have spent a fortune since we arrived as we were unable to sell our ouse in the UK and have rented it out furnished. We have some personal stuff being shipped over, which is late too.

 

I can't help you with your $9000!! but we would love to meet you if you fancy getting together?

 

We love socialising and will talk to anyone!

 

Look forward to hearing from you soon.

 

Tracy