Just to say hello

[Guest 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

[Guest 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.

[Guest 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

 

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

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

[Guest 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

[Guest 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

[Guest 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!

[Guest 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

 

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

[Guest 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 and has come round Immogen just thinks it great just a big adventure which is good

Like you we havent decided where to go there is so much to look at :?

Sasha

[Guest 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

[Guest Guest75]

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

 

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

 

Take care

Angela

[Guest taylor family]

Hi libby

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. alan and laura.

[Guest 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

[Guest Libby1971]

Just realised I can't type!!!

[Guest 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

[Guest dglamoore]

Hi Libby

 

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

 

Lisa

[Guest 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!!!!!!!! :?

[Guest 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

 

What made you change from Brisbane to Adelaide?

 

Lisa

[Guest 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

[Guest 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!!

[Guest 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...

[Guest Guest75]

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.