Guest jbsma Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 Hi everyone I am a Brit Down Under(since January 2009) who has been through it all – house that won’t sell then can’t let; trying to work out what I should or shouldn’t take with me; leaving my friends and family behind (especially my brand new niece – very hard!) Whilst in the UK, and from time to time over here in Australia, I have been an avid reader of people’s experiences as they give up their UK life for a brighter one (hopefully) on the other side of the world. Well, after a couple of false starts, I have got a job I really love, working as a Migration Lawyer in Sydney. I see people go through the hard times and then the absolute best of times on a daily basis :biggrin:! Although there have been many ups and downs, I definitely made the right decision to come and live here and I absolutely love living in Sydney and working in the field of Migration. I am back in the UK for a wedding at the end of October and thought I would like to offer my help, answer questions, etc to those of you who would be interested. I have been through what you are about to go through and I also have the professional knowledge to be able to give you some decent legal advice as well as possible ways around the restrictions (legal ways, of course!) that the Australian government keep heaping onto the Migration System, should you need it. I am therefore combining a work and family trip (great for me!) and will be mainly in Manchester from 16 – 19 October (that’s where my baby niece is!), South Yorkshire 20 – 21 October (I left a house and friends and a life in Doncaster to come to Sydney!) and London 21-23 October (where the wedding will be). I know (from my reading this brilliant forum) that you all meet up for socials and to chat about your experiences and I would be happy to come along to one of your meetings. Please let me know if any of those locations and times suit. Alternatively, I am happy to meet you for a coffee. I look forward to hearing from you to see if I can help at all. Joanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kathryn7 Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 Hi everyoneI am a Brit Down Under(since January 2009) who has been through it all – house that won’t sell then can’t let; trying to work out what I should or shouldn’t take with me; leaving my friends and family behind (especially my brand new niece – very hard!) Whilst in the UK, and from time to time over here in Australia, I have been an avid reader of people’s experiences as they give up their UK life for a brighter one (hopefully) on the other side of the world. Well, after a couple of false starts, I have got a job I really love, working as a Migration Lawyer in Sydney. I see people go through the hard times and then the absolute best of times on a daily basis :biggrin:! Although there have been many ups and downs, I definitely made the right decision to come and live here and I absolutely love living in Sydney and working in the field of Migration. I am back in the UK for a wedding at the end of October and thought I would like to offer my help, answer questions, etc to those of you who would be interested. I have been through what you are about to go through and I also have the professional knowledge to be able to give you some decent legal advice as well as possible ways around the restrictions (legal ways, of course!) that the Australian government keep heaping onto the Migration System, should you need it. I am therefore combining a work and family trip (great for me!) and will be mainly in Manchester from 16 – 19 October (that’s where my baby niece is!), South Yorkshire 20 – 21 October (I left a house and friends and a life in Doncaster to come to Sydney!) and London 21-23 October (where the wedding will be). I know (from my reading this brilliant forum) that you all meet up for socials and to chat about your experiences and I would be happy to come along to one of your meetings. Please let me know if any of those locations and times suit. Alternatively, I am happy to meet you for a coffee. I look forward to hearing from you to see if I can help at all. Joanne What a lovely offer. I'm already in Australia, but it would have been great to meet up with someone before I made the move. I am originally from S****horpe and moved to Sheffield - I always loved a shopping trip to Donny to meet up with my Mum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jbsma Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 Thanks Kathryn! That's what I thought. I definitely felt the fear of the unknown before I left. I felt that if you can chat with someone who has been in your shoes AND the fact that I have been working for a Migration lawyer so have some knowledge there, it can only be beneficial, hopefully! How long have you been over here? Donny has changed alot in the last 10 years - it is doing really well with lots of European money! The Frenchgate Centre looks so different to the old one now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kathryn7 Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 Thanks Kathryn! That's what I thought. I definitely felt the fear of the unknown before I left. I felt that if you can chat with someone who has been in your shoes AND the fact that I have been working for a Migration lawyer so have some knowledge there, it can only be beneficial, hopefully!How long have you been over here? Donny has changed alot in the last 10 years - it is doing really well with lots of European money! The Frenchgate Centre looks so different to the old one now! I've only been here 2 years so have had the pleasure of visiting the much improved Frenchgate Centre, it has a brill Debenhams! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Northerngirl Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 Hi there you two! It's a small world I grew up in Gainsborough back in the 80s and 90s....the olden days! I now live in the southwest in the UK but lived in Melbourne 2002-2004 and am moving back out to Sydney in the New Year on my tod on a 457 visa! Very scary but very exciting! It would be good to catch up in Oz! Joanne, I think your offer is amazing and very kind. Whilst I'd love to meet up for a drink and natter I don't think I can make any of your dates but I would love to stay in touch and catch up in Sydney, and maybe pick your brains in the next few months on shipping, renting my house etc etc!!!! :smile: You've both brightened my day! Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kathryn7 Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 Hi there you two!It's a small world I grew up in Gainsborough back in the 80s and 90s....the olden days! I now live in the southwest in the UK but lived in Melbourne 2002-2004 and am moving back out to Sydney in the New Year on my tod on a 457 visa! Very scary but very exciting! It would be good to catch up in Oz! Joanne, I think your offer is amazing and very kind. Whilst I'd love to meet up for a drink and natter I don't think I can make any of your dates but I would love to stay in touch and catch up in Sydney, and maybe pick your brains in the next few months on shipping, renting my house etc etc!!!! :smile: You've both brightened my day! Thank you! Good luck with the move - we should catch up if you are ever in Melbourne or I am in Sydney. I'll be there for a weekend just before Christmas, so will just miss each other. Gainsborough is not far from Sunny Scunny at all!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jbsma Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 Kathryn - you are quite right, Donny has become quite the shopping mecca now! It looks like you are doing a great job with the Melbourne based socialising! I will be down there next year so will look you up, if that's ok? Northerngirl, thank you! I was actually thinking I could "offer my services" to those people newly arrived here too! I think it is quite daunting to come here in the first place and knowing there is someone to ask questions to (I can't guarantee I can answer them!) would have been nice for me too. I'll look forward to you arriving early next year. I came out here on my own in Jan 2009 - a good time! I will get my contact details to you. Feel free to pick away until then! Joanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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