hope73 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 I have said to my husband that i'd really like to consider moving to Australia. We have a 20mth old daughter and are planing on having another child soon. His reply was simply: "persuade me" as he hasn't got the headspace to look into it right now. I myself grew up in NZ and my reasons for wanting to move to Aus are as follows (we currently livein England): * I want my children to have an outdoor lifestyle and more sporting opportunities than they seem to have here (I'm a primary teacher and have been shocked by how early girls in particular tend to opt out of sport) * I'd like to live somewhere warmer and prettier * My husband loves sport so he'd love the way Australians follow it so keenly * We'd like a more relaxed lifestyle *We'd like more space * I'd like to be closer to my own family (although can't quite bring myself to live in NZ as it's a tad too cold for me!) * I am not impressed with the school system in England and am under the impression the Aus school system is more similar to NZ * the health system seems better * We think we'd lead a healthier lifestyle * My brother lives out there so it'd be lovely to live near him * My personal opinion is that in England females grow up thinking they're nothing more than clothes horses, whereas in Aus and NZ girls grow up feeling better about their body because they're usually into some kind of sport. Having a daughter in England scares me as most girls seem to be obsessed with shopping, fashion and celebrity and that is about it! So I just wondered if those of you who have moved from England to Aus would think I was under the correct impressions and if you had anything to add? The down sides are: * we have lovely family and friends here (but we also have lovely friends and family in NZ too and I know we'd make friends easily in Aus as you just do when you have small children) *hubby has a secure job with good promo prospects and is concerned about security. * I'm a primary teacher so I am on the skills list but more crucially, we don't think hubby does fit on the skills list as he's a business analyst in an IT dept, but is no IT wizz. * I like the option of being able to go somewhere amazing on holiday, like EuroDisney etc etc (but I think you can access amazing places in Surfer's Paradise can't you?) Thoughts and first steps would be appreciated. huge thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LukeSkywalker Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Crikey. What a wonderful post! Your dilemma mirrors mine. Except I am English trying to get my Aussie wife to move back. The one thing I will tell you for sure is that IT jobs are not as easy to come by in Australia, and the ones I have seen pay less and are less challenging. In terms of your downsides - the thing I would say is that everyone says to me "Europe is on your doorstep, how lovely". BUT how many times do people actually have a "weekend getaway" etc? Once you have kids the answer is usually never. It simply costs too much. Air tax is set to double courtesy of Crash Gordon, and that will make travel harder. On the upsides I agree that the sun is a major factor. For me maybe even the biggest. In the UK we now get one week of sun, and the other 51 are usually so very very bland. Grey skies (witness today) and wind, but little blue skies and sun. Its debilitating. As for teenage girls, I agree with your assessment of Brit kids. My daughter is 16 (just). Fabulous girl. Bright, well educated (for £1200 a month I expect that though) and charming. But courtesy of the Brit media and obsession with celebrity she thinks Paris Hilton is a role model and not a vacuous waste of space. So do most of her friends. I'm not sure if thats better in Australia, but I hope it cannot be worse. Bloody good luck to you. Persuade him if you can. Do it whilst you are young. BUT as I have found out with some great advice on here, it is not going to be paradise either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Emcooper Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Everyones views on Australia are different many would agree with what youve written, some would totally disagree. Everyones experiences differ. If its something you want to do and feel its better for you and your family, I say go for it. youve got to make sure its something you both want to do though. You said you grew up in NZ are you from NZ, its possible you may be eligible to sponsor him for a spouse visa. Im not 100% sure how it works with that but an option to look into as I know the forms say the sponsor needs to be an Oz citizen or eligible NZ citizen, spouse visas are alot quicker than skilled ones. Good luck with trying to convince hubby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mongrel Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Its all the same , IMO Australia is worse on celebrity ,fashion and stuff, as they base thmselves on the us , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hope73 Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 Ah, thanks so much for your replies. My brother is very keen on us moving to where he lives (Nelson Bay just outside Newcastle), but as a result I cannot get a balanced view from him! Also, NB seems quite expensive house-wise as I think it may be a bit of a tourist destination. I know Aus isn't any kind of utopia. I just wish I had a crystal ball! Yes, I am a NZer. I didn't realise this would mean we could somehow get into Aus easier. Will have to look into that. In many ways I love England. And I definitely loved it prior to becoming a parent. Since then the worm has turned and I just want a more basic, outdoorsy, relaxed lifestyle for my children. I know we'd not have any more $$$; I know we'd have the same problems as you do day-to-day anywhere. But I also feel England is not an ideal place to bring up your children, unless you are wealthy. If you're wealthy and live in a lovely village then I imagine it's an excellent place to live. But we're not. And as Luke said, there's no point living on Europe's doorstep if you cannot afford to access it anyway, which has been the case since we became parents. I just feel that England has been brilliant for the past 8 years when we were both working and just interested in having a good time. And it would be a great place to live if we could afford to live in a village and send our children to a lovely country school. But the fact is we can't afford these things and I really do feel that England is really for the wealthy. I'm looking forward to reading more replies. Thank you so much for your replies so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mongrel Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Australia is the same but worse , you can tell the wealth on the person in Aus by their teeth, because the lower paid and underclass cant afford dental care Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LukeSkywalker Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 I really do feel that England is really for the wealthy. Sadly the entire world is for the wealthy - and its getting worse. And teeth (as per above) are probably a good indicator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest benedict1 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 I have two teenagers. 18 and 16. Even when the British weather is good, there are few places that they can go to enjoy themselves without it costing a fortune. They both have a lovely network of friends - fortunately, but, even with those lovely friends, they still 'mooch' about with little to do in the holidays. The UK is rather beautiful in places but I wholly agree with comments made about not taking advantage due to finances. So, if the outdoor, relaxed lifestyle is what you want - go for it. Whatever you decide, there will always come the time when you question whether you have done the right thing. It's human nature. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mongrel Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Sadly the entire world is for the wealthy - and its getting worse. And teeth (as per above) are probably a good indicator. Its worse here than the uk mate ,you have to pay for everything , kids get the basic stuff at school but braces and stuff , get yer cheque book out. I had a front filling fall out the ones with wire( didnt know this till i picked it up ) lol . Theres no discomfort and the cost outways the cosmetic advantage ( I`m an ugly git ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LukeSkywalker Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Its worse here than the uk mate ,you have to pay for everything , kids get the basic stuff at school but braces and stuff , get yer cheque book out. I had a front filling fall out the ones with wire( didnt know this till i picked it up ) lol . Theres no discomfort and the cost outways the cosmetic advantage ( I`m an ugly git ) My daughter had braces in the UK last year. £1200 or wait on the list for 18 months. I paid because it was ruining her life - ridicule at school etc. One of the things that amazes me is the NHS train dentists then over 95% say "sod that I'm going private". Its yet another things that needs to be sorted out ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mongrel Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 My daughter had braces in the UK last year. £1200 or wait on the list for 18 months. I paid because it was ruining her life - ridicule at school etc. One of the things that amazes me is the NHS train dentists then over 95% say "sod that I'm going private". Its yet another things that needs to be sorted out ..... I believe mates daughter $6000 for braces here and more for follow ups , its the quotas and patients with dentists , the guy is doing medical surgery work or equivalent ,all the difference they get is like 30% from nhs ( saw it on computer othe year when waitin for the novocaine to set in , think they have to see 50 patients a day to be viable , while doctors do the nhs and private work . They train the same as doctors and pay for it , the trainning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MrPlodd Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Australia is the same but worse , you can tell the wealth on the person in Aus by their teeth, because the lower paid and underclass cant afford dental care cheaper for me to fly to asia and get my teeth done than London, how does that work when we pay into the NHS, still a great holiday with a flashing clean smile:jiggy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Emcooper Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Have just found this.....dont know if this helps or not or if it would work out any quicker if you do decide to go. New Zealand Citizens Entering Australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlom Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Hi Hope 73 I am also in a similar situation. We are both Irish but I lived in Oz for a year about 12 years ago. Since the day I left I have wanted to return and am now married with a 3 yr old and really want to start a life there with them, where I believe the lifestyle for our daughter will be significantly better. I have so far convinenced my wife that we would go for a year, probably June of next year and them we would take it from there. it is my job/mission in that year to convince her that it is a better place to be, so intend to rent a nice place near the ocean with a pool that hopefully we can settle into and start to feel like home. I think the key to it is our daughter...if she is settled and my wife meets other mothers that she can have regular contact with she should settle in ok. Anyway, we need to get the visa first, currently waiting for a Case Officer (a nice one hopefully!) all the best convincing hubby! regards Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest destinationoz Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 I'm with Karl - I think it always helps if someone sees it for themselves - book a (extended) holiday to Oz and plan it well so you get to see some of the beautiful places while you're there - maybe look at a few houses etc as well ... I still live here but from what I see and hear - Oz is lots better than the UK which is going down hill fast (I'm sure I'll be criticised from some for saying that but it's my opinion and plenty think it nowadays!) Why not start the process of getting your visa's and at least go over and try it for a few years ... no-one ever said it has to be permanent - and you may always wonder if you don't give it a go... Could you or hubby get a career break for a few years? Whatever happens .... Good Luck with your decision.... and Be happy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inlimbo Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 My thoughts after living in both. I have said to my husband that i'd really like to consider moving to Australia. We have a 20mth old daughter and are planing on having another child soon. His reply was simply: "persuade me" as he hasn't got the headspace to look into it right now. I myself grew up in NZ and my reasons for wanting to move to Aus are as follows (we currently livein England): * I want my children to have an outdoor lifestyle and more sporting opportunities than they seem to have here (I'm a primary teacher and have been shocked by how early girls in particular tend to opt out of sport) Same in Oz , kids worldwide play on xboxes and just do not do sport when they leave school. * I'd like to live somewhere warmer and prettier Warmer yes prettier no way. * My husband loves sport so he'd love the way Australians follow it so keenly English and Aussies love sport in equal measures. * We'd like a more relaxed lifestyle You can have a relaxed lifestyle in either Country if you have the money..:cute: *We'd like more space Aussie houses are bigger but seem more crammed together for some reason. * I'd like to be closer to my own family (although can't quite bring myself to live in NZ as it's a tad too cold for me!) * I am not impressed with the school system in England and am under the impression the Aus school system is more similar to NZ Schools are not as good in Oz so I have been told unless you go private. * the health system seems better the Nhs is better IMO * We think we'd lead a healthier lifestyle wHY? if you eat crap you eat crap a...it's up to you if you want to be healthy in either Country. * My brother lives out there so it'd be lovely to live near him * My personal opinion is that in England females grow up thinking they're nothing more than clothes horses, whereas in Aus and NZ girls grow up feeling better about their body because they're usually into some kind of sport. Having a daughter in England scares me as most girls seem to be obsessed with shopping, fashion and celebrity and that is about it! So I just wondered if those of you who have moved from England to Aus would think I was under the correct impressions and if you had anything to add? The down sides are: * we have lovely family and friends here (but we also have lovely friends and family in NZ too and I know we'd make friends easily in Aus as you just do when you have small children) *hubby has a secure job with good promo prospects and is concerned about security. * I'm a primary teacher so I am on the skills list but more crucially, we don't think hubby does fit on the skills list as he's a business analyst in an IT dept, but is no IT wizz. * I like the option of being able to go somewhere amazing on holiday, like EuroDisney etc etc (but I think you can access amazing places in Surfer's Paradise can't you?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Magnetic6 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 cheaper for me to fly to asia and get my teeth done than London, how does that work when we pay into the NHS, still a great holiday with a flashing clean smile:jiggy: Good grief....what exactly do you get for your money if it costs that much? A smile like Simon Cowell?:laugh: Natalie x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MrPlodd Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Good grief....what exactly do you get for your money if it costs that much?A smile like Simon Cowell? Natalie x :wink: all me cavities filled:laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inlimbo Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 cheaper for me to fly to asia and get my teeth done than London, how does that work when we pay into the NHS, still a great holiday with a flashing clean smile:jiggy: Wait till you get to Oz mate...it will be cheaper to go on the QE2 to Monte Carlo mate..:laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MrPlodd Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Wait till you get to Oz mate...it will be cheaper to go on the QE2 to Monte Carlo mate..:laugh:you're right there, but my mother works over in Asia inLimbo and she introduced the whole family to brillient dentists in Asia (all London trained) wouldnt go anywhere else now mate. Its a right old rip off in the west. BTW inlimbo great music in Vicky Park tonight Madness, Pogues, its buzzing, seems the whole of london is sitting down by the canal next to me chilling, London is sweet right now:yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inlimbo Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 you're right there, but my mother works over in Asia inLimbo and she introduced the whole family to brillient dentists in Asia (all London trained) wouldnt go anywhere else now mate. Its a right old rip off in the west. BTW inlimbo great music in Vicky Park tonight Madness, Pogues, its buzzing, seems the whole of london is sitting down by the canal next to me chilling, London is sweet right now:yes: And in Asia you can get a little extra...:spinny: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MrPlodd Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 And in Asia you can get a little extra...:spinny::jiggy:fillings? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inlimbo Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 :jiggy:fillings? lol yep....little fillings...:cute: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MrPlodd Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 yep....little fillings...:sad:little!., seriously as much as folks moan about dentistry costs, this was a prerequsite in our family, oral hygiene is most underestimated these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inlimbo Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 :sad:little!., seriously as much as folks moan about dentistry costs, this was a prerequsite in our family, oral hygiene is most underestimated these days. if you floss every day and use an electric toothbrush twice a day you only need to see a dentist every 2 years most experts have said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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