What’s it really like to up sticks and move all the way around to the other side of the world?
We have now completed our first full year, the whole of 2008, of living in Australia. Here are the highlights, in a 3 minute and 33 second video. My intention was to launch this website on Christmas Day with this video, but this was not possible due to technical issues, Christmas hats and some beer. But I decided not to let my tardiness to deny you the pleasures of the accompanying music. A very special version of Jingle Bells.
Did we make the right decision coming here? See what you think?
Why Australia and What Do We Think of It?
For almost half a century, I lived in the UK. On November 12th, 2007, I boarded an aeroplane, bound for Australia, with a one way ticket. On November 14th, I landed in Brisbane. What has life been like since?
Even I can’t believe the enormous transformation that has taken place in our lives. I have come here with my wife and my (at the time) 3 year old daughter, to build a new life. My wife and I had always planned to leave England at this stage of our lives. For us, living in the same country for your whole life just didn’t make sense. You’re only here once, right? But for many years the destination was always going to be France.
Then along came our little girl. Our attention slowly moved from France to Australia. Australia is such an outdoor sporty kind of place which suits our daughter down to the ground. Whereas France is more of an indoor food and wine kind of place. There; two nations summed up in two sentences. How unfair is that!
After a holiday here in Australia, our third visit, we finally fell in love with the place and decided that this was where we wanted to live. So in January 2006 we initiated the paperwork. Over the coming months I’ll be running through the entire process with you. I will also be doing my best to describe just how amazing it is to live in this country.
It is difficult to comprehend the difference living here can make to your life.
If you are thinking of coming here to live, or even just considering a holiday, it is my hope that the information that I am going to provide on this blog will help you with that decision. So please bookmark this page or subscribe to my RSS feed.
And don’t forget to watch the video.
Related posts:
- Living in Australia: Our Third Full Year
- Our Second Full Year Living in Australia
- State Education in Australia: Year 2 Homework
- Australian Schools: Looking Back on Prep Year
- Happy New Year?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi just found your site you have done a great job, Oz looks and sounds great, myself and my husband are considering relocating to Oz or NZ, i work as a dementia care nurse for BUPA and they are now in oz and nz so fingers crossed! my husband is a plasterer and has recently built an extention all by himself to our house!
Happy New Year to you all
take care
love Dawn & Pete x
@dawnanpete
Hi Dawn and Pete
Thanks for the kind comments. If you’re thinking of coming, stop thinking and just do it. It’s paradise here!
I have a friend who finds work placements here for nurses. Drop me an email if you want his details.
Cheers
BobinOz