[Tamashii]

Hi everyone

I haven't posted on here for about a year. Shocking I know.
We were supposed to get our baby's visa so we could all head over to Melbourne last year but our house just has NOT sold here in Scotland due to the recession that hit a few years back.

Anyway, we are about to put the house back on the market so I am trying to find out if there is anyone else on here who has just recently arrived in Melbourne and if so how have you found it? Are you renting short term then looking for long term, did your kids start school straight away, did you take everything with you or are you starting from scratch with respect to furniture, tvs etc?

Thanks for any replies. I feel like giving up and just staying here and trying to make the most of it but I keep dreaming about barbies by the Yarra river, the Great Ocean Road and just everything right down to the beautiful sunrises and sunsets we used to see when we stayed in Melbourne years ago.

X

[lara175]

Hi Tamashii!! What a wonderful choice! I came to Australia exactly 3 years ago and by far was the best thing I could ever do. The lifestyle and everything else is great. Even my workplace - a very stressful corporate consulting group, is more relaxed down here.
The difference is that I came by myself. The family started to be built here...
In regards to the moving, I left everything I had in my home country - in a storage available at my parents place. The main reason was the shipping cost - around $8K per m3, and I also was not so sure if I would like to live here. I decided to make an 'experience' in the 1st year and then evaluate if I would stay or not.
Initially I lived on a shared house, it was more convenient for me. All furnitured and with basic kitchen appliances, no costs to set up. I only had to buy some manchester. The situation would be completely different if was me and my family... For you I think the best option is to rent something - paying the less you can, and then start to know the areas, see the ones you like more, where you would like to live... And then make the best decision for you and your family.
About renting, something I noticed is that some real estates only rent to australian citizens. As a newcomer is not so easy to have a first rent, especially because you'll not have references here. But it's not impossible.
I cannot help you with school and this kind of things, but if you have any other question please let me know.

This post has been edited by lara175: 06/02/2013, 11:03 AM

[Tamashii]

Sorry to anyone I have replied to via PMs but I don't know what is going on as when I checked my sent messages it just keeps sending your own message back to you so sorry for that.

[Dinosaurus]

No worries we can talk here.

When are you moving? Where in Scotland? And do you want Scotland to be a republic?

Ok, you can just talk about the furniture!! I'm usually nice I promise

[Tamashii]

Hi Lara

Thanks for replying. I am glad you are loving it in Melbourne. 3 years is long enough to be getting over the home sickness I hope????

The main thing I am worried about is that my Dad is getting very old and I am scared that if/when we leave for Melbourne then it will be the last time I ever see him. I know we can Skype but to actually see him face to face and give him a hug. I can't see how we can afford to come back to UK for a holiday for a good few years as we will be spending all our money getting set up in Melbourne. It really is getting to me. I am generally scared about moving over anyway... What if it is a huge mistake??? Then again I know we will look back in 20 years and wish we had given it a go so.... We are going to go for it.

Makes me cry to think of saying goodbye to my old Dad and I KNOW he doesn't want us to go really. He still has lots of family over here so he won't be on his own or anything. There is no way he would come to visit us either so it is a possibility that we wouldn't see him again

Sorry - that was a bit morbid! I didn't mean to be. I think I just needed to get that out...