Guest Chezza Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 Hi Barry7 and everyone. I just found Poms in Oz today and want to say how much I agree with your sentiments. Ive been in Adelaide for 15 years now and I love it here. Ive had an English friend come and go back and can't for the life of me understand why. I totally agree with your ideas of letting England go. Oz has so many great things and you will learn to love the new stuff. Hell, I even got over the M & S undies thing. I do still get cravings for English lollies though - I miss Minstrels terribly but there is always the chocolate frog!:biggrinxmas: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Polegate Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 Hi Kernow 43 Thank you so much for your reply. We spent two weeks in Redcliffe earlier this year which we really enjoyed. We are visiting our daughter again at the end of February next year. We are coming for five weeks. First week in Brisbane, then spend time with our daughter and her family whilst doing a reccie around the surrounding areas of North Lakes, which will include Redcliffe and Murrumba Downs. Thanks for the offer of giving us some information as we need it - much appreciated. Your long term experience will be very helpful. Thanks. David & Jackie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TESSASTEVEN Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 Hi there Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast is a really great area as well Tessa x:coolxmas: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TESSASTEVEN Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 Hiya Did you get up to the Sunshine Coast, I have lived in Mooloolaba for 5 years and love it. Back in Bolton for Chrissie at the mo and freezing. Any questions I can help with - just ask!!! Tessa x AUSTRALIA DVDs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest thistles and gum trees Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 Thanks for your messages Barry. We came over here a little over a year ago. We had been in Cyprus (serving the with RAF) for a few years before we came over and initially we really missed the Cyprus culture - and I guess still do a little. However we really wanted to give this move 100% and never camer over with any thoughts of it being temporary..... But - I must confess even after 14 months I still miss my family so very much, expecially at Christmas - having no grandparents for the children makes it feel so hard. It was our choice so we cannot complain about our loss but it still doesnt take away that emptyness. How long will it take?? Yes we still miss our friends from Cyprus and the UK very much but we have met some very lovely people here in Australia and our missing of all things home does not reflect in any way on the lovely Aussies we have come across. We know this was a good decision for our family and our children are very happy here (even better of they could have their grandparents here though ) but we just wonder at what point do you feel like this country actually becomes "home"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaniaColin Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 Hi Barry7 and everyone. I just found Poms in Oz today and want to say how much I agree with your sentiments. Ive been in Adelaide for 15 years now and I love it here. Ive had an English friend come and go back and can't for the life of me understand why. I totally agree with your ideas of letting England go. Oz has so many great things and you will learn to love the new stuff. Hell, I even got over the M & S undies thing. I do still get cravings for English lollies though - I miss Minstrels terribly but there is always the chocolate frog!:biggrinxmas: Hi Chezza just wanted to welcome you to the forum, hope you enjoy it Tania X:emoticon-signxmas: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tomatohead Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 hi matey and welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Barry7 Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 Thanks for your messages Barry. We came over here a little over a year ago. We had been in Cyprus (serving the with RAF) for a few years before we came over and initially we really missed the Cyprus culture - and I guess still do a little. However we really wanted to give this move 100% and never camer over with any thoughts of it being temporary..... But - I must confess even after 14 months I still miss my family so very much, expecially at Christmas - having no grandparents for the children makes it feel so hard. It was our choice so we cannot complain about our loss but it still doesnt take away that emptyness. How long will it take?? Yes we still miss our friends from Cyprus and the UK very much but we have met some very lovely people here in Australia and our missing of all things home does not reflect in any way on the lovely Aussies we have come across.We know this was a good decision for our family and our children are very happy here (even better of they could have their grandparents here though ) but we just wonder at what point do you feel like this country actually becomes "home"? Mate, 14 months is a drop in the ocean. You are like a new car engine, not run in yet. I can't put a time on it for you, I missed my family also and my conversion happened over a period of 7 years. Unlike you, I didn't have the advantage of Emails, and more importently, SKYPE or MSN where with the aid of a camera you can not only talk to your family you can see them in real time as you talk and they can see you and do it for free. I had to rely on recording a reel to reel tape and sending it accross and getting one back. I know this may sound stupid and soppy, but I recall watching my FA Cup finals for the first few years and as soon as they started singing 'Abide with me' the tears started rolling down my cheeks. Sentiment is a powerfull force. These days I can't be bothered watching the FA cup or any soccer match as it drives me crazy watching them pass back to the goaly all the time. To be honest you are suffering from a form of grieving, just like having a death in the family but not as virulent. It passes with time. If you want Christmas with the Grandparents, pay for one or both fares for them to come out for Christmas, I paid for my parents on a number of occassions, on these occassions my kids volunteered to give up their annual holiday for that year and to use the money for their Grandparents fares. So instead of two weeks on the Gold Coast they got three months of Gran and Grandad. Not a bad swap on my opinion. As for missing friends from UK and Cyprus, well, strange as it may seem, I used to see all my 'old friends' when I went back on one of my many holidays and found that I was a '5 minute wonder' with them. After the usual 'remember whens', and 'Do you remember so and so's" it gets a bit quiet and the more so the longer you are out here because you find that you have nothing more in common, you are leading two different lifestyles. I also believe that life is like a train journey. You get on the train with a number of people, you travel on your journey with these people and the train stops, some of those people get off and a few others get on. At the next stop the same happens, people get on and people get off and this happens throughout your train journey of life. If you are very, very lucky you may finish your journey with just a few of the people you started with or picked up along the way, but you rarely forget those who did part of the journey with you but fell along the wayside. I have been out of the RAF now for alamost 40 years. I have been able, through the internet, to catch up with some of my old mates, but again, after all these years you have little in common because that's life. I recently caught up with a lass that I went through primary and Secondary school with, we were together 10 years as school chums. I found out after almost 40 years that she lived 30 ks away from me here in Sydney so I got in touch with her, visited her twice and had nothing in common so we don't bother anymore. Hope that answers your questions re 'Friends'. The hardest time for me was in 2000 when my elderly father was seriously ill, I returned for a week just to see him, I couldn't get longer as the Sydney Olympics was on and I was a copper and all police leave was cancelled. a month after I got back he passed on. I didn't go back as I had said my goodbyes during that week. I ring my Mother every week and my sister every two weeks and have done so for almost 40 years. Bottom line is this. After leaving the RAF my wife and I decided not what was the best for us, but what we believed was best for our kids. We migrated to Oz. My four wonderfull kids received a good education, all have great jobs, have wonderfull marriages, are paying off their own homes and have given us 10 fantastic Grandkids. The main thing is that they are happy with their lives in Australia and as parents we can't ask for more than that because that is what we came here to achieve. Hope this helps. :emoticon-signxmas: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Polegate Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 Hi Tessa We had a really enjoyable day earlier this year in Mooloolaba. My husband went swimming with the grandchildren - I watched. We had a lovely meal in an Italian restaurant which was on a corner facing out to sea in the main shopping area. We liked Mooloolaba very much but a bit too far from North Lakes where the family are. Thanks for replying. Hope you are not feeling the cold tooooooo much in Bolton. Happy Christmas. :biggrinxmas: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest markstruthy Posted December 19, 2008 Share Posted December 19, 2008 Hi all, I've just joined and read all this great thread....I live in the UK although am and Aussie. I've been here 10 years a not one of them has passed without wanting to really be home in Aus. I love the UK, even in troubled times - the people I've met here are some of the warmest I know.....but....I am an Aussie and as the girl once said, (in my case), there is no place like home. I know how hard it is being a newie in a strange place, but to all of you making the move, hang in there.....it is most definately worth the wait....and we really aren't that bad...give as good as you get, and you will settle in no worries! good luck everyone! Struthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnes Posted December 20, 2008 Share Posted December 20, 2008 Barry and everyone else. what fantastic posts, I think this is just what we all need to hear. I just wish you were in Brisbane which is where we are hoping to be next year. To those of you who are in Brizzie we were thinking about the springfield lakes, collingwood part area to live, any advice would be greatly appreciated. My sister and brother in law who are coming out at the same time are looking at Manly but that looks a bit too expensive for us. I will be working at the Mater Hospital in Brisbane so need to be close enough to commute with not too much trouble. Cant wait to get there and after reading these posts wil be better prepared for it. lynne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lissa Posted December 20, 2008 Share Posted December 20, 2008 Hi Barry7 and everyone. I just found Poms in Oz today and want to say how much I agree with your sentiments. Ive been in Adelaide for 15 years now and I love it here. Ive had an English friend come and go back and can't for the life of me understand why. I totally agree with your ideas of letting England go. Oz has so many great things and you will learn to love the new stuff. Hell, I even got over the M & S undies thing. I do still get cravings for English lollies though - I miss Minstrels terribly but there is always the chocolate frog!:biggrinxmas: Oh - no Minstrels!!! what am I going to do when I get there??? :biggrinxmas: lol - ooohhhh I cant wait to move to Australia!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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