Ashleigh

Hi Laura, I am 27, we moved from England 3 years ago and have a 5 year old daughter - pm me if you would like to meet up x

Hi, Is this still available?

So, we're 2.5 years into our Australian adventure. There's me, (28) my husband (35) and our 5 year old daughter. So overall really enjoyed the last 2 and a half years and really like Adelaide. Our daughter has settled really well, initially went to childcare (which i find so expensive! We paid $250 a week after the rebate that everyone is entitled too) Then we enrolled her into Kindy 5 days a fortnight along side childcare which she loves and is ready to start school in January. She is so happy here, has really adapted to Australia and has a full Australian accent! I know the job front is hard but i managed to get a temporary job after 3 weeks of being here in admin, which turned permanent and i left there 13 months ago for the admin job i am in now which is great and really enjoying it. Husband had his own business for the first 12 months, went ok but was too hard with clients not paying on time, so eventually jacked that in and is now full time perm with another company which has worked out a lot better for us and a lot less stress! I love how sociable everyone is here, feel like there is always something to do come wind, rain or shine and i love finishing work in the summer and being able to go to the beach for a couple of hours in the sun shine! We have met some really great people both Australian and English and feel glad we put ourselves out there so to speak, we would never of done that in the UK. So things i miss, i recently went back to England for 3 weeks for my sisters wedding, it was so hard leaving and i questioned if i was doing the right thing coming back, felt so down for about a week but i feel ok now and just thankful for Skype, Facetime and Facebook. I do have days every now and again where i feel like i just want to go 'home' but then i look how happy our daughter is and the lifestyle she has (and that we have too) to know we made the right decision. I just wish it wasn't so far away! Missing family will always be hard where ever you are i think. I miss Europe, and miss being able to go on holiday to another country and it not costing an arm and a leg...butttt on a positive note we have seen so many beautiful things here in SA and other parts of Australia. Christmas....just not the same in the sun, not as big a build up i find...so one day hoping for us all to go back to the UK for Christmas. Anyway, just a bit of an update, not all rosy but overall we are really happy here and will definitely be going for our citizenship in 18 months x

http://www.alpinewintervillage.com.au/ This looks brilliant! I am from Manchester and loved the Manchester Christmas Markets so i think this is definitely something to go to!

It feels like Christmas more than it does in December - that is why i love it.

Thanks all, we have booked the package at Hotel Grand Chancellor!

Can't believe it has been over 2 years since we had our 190 granted!

omg this seems like a life time ago! FYI medical was absolutely fine, no issues at all!

Good luck, this site was a god send when we did our visa! Been here 2 years now and i still come on every now and again!

I took my near on 5 year old to Woodcroft Library today and it was brilliant for kids. Lots of activities going on, reading corners, a little soft play area, toys out to play with, toys to 'lend' and take home as well as books, Wii console, computers to use with kids programs, Lego competition, Minecraft, DVD's and CD's to take home. I have heard most Onkaparinga Libraries have all of this going on, so great for a couple of hours :-)

Reynella Family Care also bulk bill near on everything :-)

Rydges seem pretty good! http://www.rydges.com/accommodation/adelaide-sa/adelaide-cbd/meeting-and-events/events/christmas-in-july/

It's ok i have found someone now and repair is lower than what the excess would be! :-) If anyone is looking for a mobile repairer Express Paint and Detail have given me a really good price.

Can anyone recommend a mobile crash repairer?

It's nearly that time again! Any suggestions aside from Mount Lofty and Glen Ewin as been there so want to try something different! :-)

Hi Everyone, I am looking for some mummy friends to have play dates with for my little girl who is 4 and a half, I work full time so could do evenings, I have one day off a fortnight too so could do the odd midweek day here and there! I am in Morphett Vale but can travel :-)

I would recommend just having a look at different suburbs yourself, everyone can offer opinions but for me personally I can only say somethings right for me once I've seen/been there. I used to work in the city from the southern suburbs and I did the express bus which took about 40 mins, about an hour in the evening with the traffic, I did that for 18 months and hated it lol but if you live near a train line you could take that, I wish I had off but with Childcare drop off etc it wasn't possible for me.

I did not even think to do this! Thanks will be getting onto this!

Once we signed our lease agreement we contacted them straight away to arrange everything and if I remember rightly it took a couple of days to sort out so we stayed with friends until all was connected. I am not sure about setting up prior but worth a call

We set up with NAB before we arrived nearly 2 years ago, it was really easy and we have never had any issues with them.

We are on a PR state sponsored visa, my husband was self employed for the first 18 months we were here and no issues at all so you will be fine, that is not an issue.

My instructor was English, he was really good. I can give you details if you need :-)

I did my licence here last year, i did my learners and then my p's. I am 26 so a late driver! Learners you have to go into the service centre and answer 8 multiple choice questions, you need to get all these correct to pass. I then did my lessons, they were $65 per hour, i did my test in Christies Beach, it was ok, not too difficult. The only thing is here if he passes he will be on a provisional licence like me for 3 years before he can get his full licence where as if he was to pass in UK he would get a full licence here straight away. x

I was just going to say on my 190 visa grant letter there are no visa conditions listed!

Child care is so expensive. Our costs are $500 a week for a full time place, we get the rebate which everyone is entitled too, so we pay $250 or $1000 a month as our out of pocket costs. You may get some child care benefit which bring your costs down further but we don't get that. We're Counting down the days to school!our daughter has been in childcare since she was 2 here and now she is coming up to 5 and will start full time school in January and I do think it has benefitted her. In terms of child care there is no age limit, and I am pretty sure you still get the rebate for OSHC.