Marisawright
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Everything posted by Marisawright
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The other question is whether it's worth importing the vehicle, or whether it might make more financial sense to sell it and buy over there. Have you checked that?
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We had the same experience.
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I went back after 30 years and I didn't settle either. To be fair, my family are scattered all over the south of England, so it was never a case of being able to see them every week. But I found that they all had their own lives and I was lucky if I saw one or two of them once a month! My former friends all had new lives (and they didn't live nearby either) so those friendships were never revived. So in the end, it was like being in another strange country, having to make new friends all over again. If you can go back to your home town, and your family and old friends are all still there in close proximity, then that would be a totally different story.
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That comes across as a wee bit harsh, I assume unintentionally. I agree that some people make good travellers and some don't, but it's not always about "retreating back to a safe bubble". Many people who don't settle either mention missing family and friends, or you can read between the lines and see that's their real issue Those people probably think us independent travellers are downright heartless, being able to abandon our nearest and dearest without a second thought, and happily not see them for months or even years on end!
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Congratulations! You sound like you've got the right attitude. All the best for the next stage of your adventure.
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No, I don't think you're in the minority at all. So much depends on where you've settled. If I think of Sydney, for instance, I can imagine that someone who settled in St Ives could think everyone was cliquey and standoffish, because it's a very upper class neighbourhood. Whereas I had a work colleague who moved out to Bankstown and nearly fell over when his neighbour spoke to him... However LKC also has a point, about the difference between people being friendly and open, and people being willing to form deeper friendships.
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I agree 100%, there are friendly and unfriendly people in every country. However I do think it depends where you live, to some extent. For instance, I think it's a fairly well-established phenomenon that the more crowded-together people are, the more likely they are to protect their privacy - and one way to do that is to "keep themselves to themselves".
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So you're saying you're right and I'm wrong and all Australians are unfriendly stand-offish etc? Or are you agreeing with me that there are friendly and unfriendly people all over the world, depending on where you live?
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You're absolutely right, people are much more genuine and down to earth IN YOUR VILLAGE than they were IN BRISBANE. Whereas I've found people much more genuine and down to earth IN MELBOURNE than they were in SOUTHAMPTON. And we're BOTH right. It's totally about the city, town or village where you end up, regardless of country. Some cities, towns and villages in Australia are friendly, some are more clique-y and stand-offish. Some cities, towns and villages in the UK are friendly, some are more clique-y and stand-offish. The same thing would be true of France, Italy, whichever country you care to name. It doesn't have to be about one country being better than the other.
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There are large parts of Sydney where that's entirely typical. It's the same in parts of London and I suspect it's the same in many big cities around the world. That's why I was so surprised to find it's different in Melbourne. I'd like to say it's a big city phenomenon and moving to a smaller town is the solution - however I found exactly the same thing in Southampton (UK), people were very anti-outsiders. So it's hard to predict where it happens.
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I felt settled almost at once, but then I was in a country town. It's not an Australian problem though, it's a city by city/town by town thing. I spent a year in Southampton (UK) and really put myself out there - clubs, activities, you name it - and I had exactly the same problem with cliques and not feeling welcome. My sister has the same problem in Aberdeen. Whereas I'm sure there are cities and towns in the UK where I would've been made welcome. As for Australia - I left the country after a year but I'm still friends with some of the people I met then. Whereas I lived for 30 years in Sydney, and though I enjoyed my time and had a wide circle of acquaintances, I never made a "best friend" - and when I left that city, I never heard from any of them again. Now I'm in Melbourne, and I've made more friends in 18 months than I did in all my time in Sydney! And I can sense they're the kind of friends who would keep in touch if I decided to move on. The trouble is, of course, that you can't keep moving from city to city until you find one where you do feel welcome.
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I think the length of time is an important factor. The OP has been away 7 years - you were away for 28 years. Your children had grown up and become Aussies - the OP's child is still a toddler. That's why I think that if they do have a hankering now, they should move and not leave it till they're in your situation! They'll be young enough to uproot and come back if it doesn't work out, and then they'll know the answer to that niggling question.
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Managing Followed Content / Notifications
Marisawright replied to Cerberus1's topic in Forum Announcements, Q and A
Thanks. Which one turns off the notice for "someone reacts'? Is it the "reputation" one? -
Managing Followed Content / Notifications
Marisawright replied to Cerberus1's topic in Forum Announcements, Q and A
I've set mine up to get a daily digest and that's working just fine - EXCEPT for one thing. I get an individual email every time someone "reacts" to one of my posts. How can I turn that off? -
Only you can decide, but my gut feeling says, go for it, and the sooner the better. From reading these forums, the most common reason people go home is because they miss family. I see a lot of people for whom it wasn't an issue when they emigrated - but as soon as you have a child of your own, it changes your whole attitude. Once you start to feel that way, the feeling seems to get stronger as time goes by - so even if you put it off, you'll probably end up going eventually, so why not bite the bullet. Right now, your daughter is tiny and she will adapt to life in the UK without a qualm. You won't have all the angst of moving schools and leaving friends. Delay your move until she's, say, 10 or 12 or 15, and she'll have rosy memories of her life in the sun, so when she's grown up she's more likely to head back to Oz, leaving you behind (of course, she may go anywhere in the world, but an attachment to Oz makes it more likely). A lot of people don't settle back in the UK, but that's often because they were discontented with life in the UK before, and they go back to the same problems. You say that's not an issue, so it sounds like it should be fine.
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where is the best place to live for joint problems !!
Marisawright replied to judyq's topic in Aussie Chat
Not true. Melbourne got a lot of publicity when it had an "asthma thunderstorm" recently, but it was a very rare event. Depending on your allergy triggers, Melbourne will actually be a lot better for some people than other places in Australia. If you're allergic to pollens, you may find that Melbourne isn't good for you, because the wind brings pollens down from inland Australia. However, if you're allergic to dust mites, you'll find that Sydney and anywhere northwards along the coast will be far, far worse than Melbourne. That's because dust mites thrive in humidity, so they multiply massively in the East Coast climate, and the winter never gets cold enough to kill them off. When I first arrived in Australia, I lived in country Victoria and my asthma was fine. I even got income protection insurance with no conditions, because my asthma was so minor. Then I moved to Sydney, and within a few months, my asthma was severely out of control. However, the OP is not asking about allergies, I'm only answering that comment because I don't like to see myths take hold. -
This may be a silly question, but is there anything to stop you transferring your pension into a SMSF as cash, then after a suitable interval, closing down the SMSF and transferring it all into an industry super fund?
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Oatley Postcode - 2223 Oatley is part of the St George area in the southern suburbs of Sydney, 18km from the CBD. The population is around 10,000 to 15,000 people. The area is popular with young families because of its primary schools, easy transport to the CBD and convenience to the huge shopping hub of Hurstville. Unusually for a Sydney suburb, Oatley has a tranquil village-style feel, complete with village green (Oatley Memorial Gardens), pub and clock tower. Property To buy - You can view a listing of property for sale in Oatley here To rent - View current properties to rent in Oatley here Median property prices in Oatley are distorted by the high prices commanded by riverfront properties. Away from the river, there are more affordable townhouses and flats on offer. Neighbouring suburbs Mortdale and Penshurst offer cheaper prices while still being in easy reach of Oatley. In all these suburbs, be cautious of property near the railway line, since freight trains run regularly throughout the night. * Median property prices for Oatley Schools Oatley Public School Oatley West Public School St Joseph's Catholic School Georges River College Oatley Senior Campus Transport Train: Oatley is on the Illawarra Line. Journey time to the CBD is about 40 minutes, the service is reliable and because Oatley is an early station, it's usually easy to get a seat. In the other direction on the same line, Oatley is approx. 20 minutes to the excellent beaches at Cronulla, and about 30 minutes to Waterfall or Heathcote which give access to bush walks in the National Park. Buses to other parts of Sydney can be accessed from the bus interchange at Hurstville. Shopping The main shopping area in Oatley has two butchers, two bakers, a patisserie, an award-winning pie shop, a deli, a florist, four cafes, two women's fashion stores, a gym, two doctor's surgeries, two pharmacies, two hairdressers, a massage therapist and a Commonwealth Bank. There is a Coles supermarket on the other side of the railway line in Oatley West, along with a few restaurants. For other shopping, Hurstville has all the other services you might need including a large Westfields shopping mall, banks, health funds, etc. Pubs and Clubs The Oatley pub is a well-known landmark and attracts visitors from a wide area for its food and live entertainment. During the day it is popular with families and couples thanks to its good food and its large beer garden spread over three levels, the top level with sunshades. On Fridays and Saturday nights it is a mecca for young people from around the area and can get extremely crowded, noisy and rowdy (bouncers are employed). It also runs comedy nights and Sunday afternoon jazz. The Oatley RSL Club is a quiet family club with a bistro, bar, trivia quizes and occasional entertainment. Out and about Oatley Memorial Gardens is a long park running right through the centre of Oatley village. Not far away is Oatley Park, a large area of natural bushland with paths and play areas, similar to a British country park. Another popular walk is the walk from Oatley to Como across the former railway bridge. The attraction for children is the riverside baths, while adults go there for the excellent food and gorgeous views at the historical Como pub. -
The most important thing to look into is what fees you'll have to pay at college or university in the UK. Just because you were (I assume) born in Britain doesn't mean you'll be treated like a local: you may be classed as an international student and have to pay international fees, which can be horrendous. You have to be resident in the UK for a certain period of time before you're eligible to be treated as a local. I'm not sure of the rules myself but I'm sure someone will be along to confirm them. What course were you thinking of doing and where?
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My understanding is that they can't refuse them entry if you can prove they're British citizens. As Quoll says, they'll likely give you a hard time on principle but they can't turn you away.
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Unfortunately I don't think your experience is relevant to the OP, Gary. You still have your own healthy kidney. Statistically, it's been proved that people with only one kidney are no more likely to die prematurely or suffer poor health than people with two kidneys, so Immigration wouldn't have been worried about your future health costs. The OP has had a kidney transplant. Unfortunately a transplanted kidney doesn't last forever. The current record is 40 years I think, but for many it's more like 12 years, which means she'll need another transplant in her 30's or 40's - and if she has migrated to Australia, the Australian taxpayer will have to pay for it. That's what Immigration will be worried about. Because we're so used to free health care in the UK, we don't realise how much these big operations actually cost. I had a spinal op in Australia a couple of years ago which involved 5 hours of surgery, a day in intensive care and three days in hospital. If I'd had to pay for it, it would've cost $35,000. So I'd imagine a kidney transplant would cost that and more, and there's the threshold practically blown already, without counting the cost of immunosuppressant medication. So I don't think it looks good. If I were in the OP's shoes, I wouldn't be paying that agent another cent. If he knew his job, he would be aware that her health condition is a big problem. Instead, I would be getting in touch with one of the agents who specialises in people with medical conditions and getting their opinion.
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Pardon my ignorance, what's so special about haddock? I've never been able to discern much difference in the flavour of white fish. It's the texture that I like - so for instance, I love a real bit of barramundi, nice and fat and juicy. Can't stand anything that's just a thin fillet.
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When you apply to migrate with a health issue, Immigration looks at how much you're likely to cost the Australian tax-payer over your lifetime. They have a threshold, and if your costs go over that threshold, you won't be approved. In your case, they'd look at the cost of your immunosuppressant drugs, and the cost of a further transplant in the future, for instance. I'd say you should consult a migration agent who is experienced in looking after cases with health issues.
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I'm sure it's not worth shipping my car, but my curiosity is getting the better of me, so I have to ask. Would it be worth shipping a Ford Focus hatchback 1.6 Zetec 2009, automatic, only 40,000 miles on the clock.
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How old is your daughter? If you're thinking of something like a Sixth Form College, they do exist in the big cities but I'd be surprised if there is one in a small place like Pt Macquarie. I'm afraid you may have to consider a change of career, as there are few large companies in or near Port Macquarie as far as I know. Seek.com.au is the main website to check for job opportunities.
