Advice from ppl who made the big move!

[Nicole86]

Hi All.

Hubby and I have decided to immigrate to Aus. We have a 5 month old daughter.

We should be starting our visa application next week.

We would really appreciate some advice on how life is in Australia, as we have never been there.

Any feedback would be grateful

Thanks

[Orphan]

Hi Nicole,

A very big welcome to this forum, and the start of your life-changing journey.

This website is packed full of information for people in your situation, and therefore my suggestion is for both of you to set aside a weekend, put your feet up, get out a notebook and pen, and start reading!

Once you have trawled your way through all the posts here, there are lots of forumites willing to assist you with whatever questions still remain.

Best wishes for the future

[BriD]

Welcome and good luck with the adventure ahead of you

That is quite a broad question...life in Australia...do you have any specific questions to get started? What made you choose Australia?

[DXB2OZ]

I actually found it extremely helpful to go through some of the negative posts - I looked at what bothered people and tried to evaluate how much it would both me.

Then went through the positive posts. Then the admin. Then more admin. Then more admin. Then more negative posts about the admin.

This is a big move and will require a lot of work, so make sure you are committed,

For us, this move was totally worth all the heartache, sweat, scrubbing and tears.

[Nicole86]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. We decided on Australia as the climate etc is very similar to SA. Its already such a big step to move to another country, I don't think I could handle the cold of Canada for eg. We have also heard of many South Africans going over and loving Australia.

I have read that Australians do not really want South Africans in their country. They are rude and tell SA's to go back home. Some say they are so friendly. Have you felt "welcome" in their country?

We also wonder about cost of living and if we will find a job. Is Australia really so much bett than SA, as I am aware each country has its issues.

Guess, overall we would just like to know if all the heartache, stress etc... Is worth it in the end?

To live in a country with no family or support.

For us, the reason we want to move is for our daughter.

[DXB2OZ]

I was at Medicare the other day (Central government medical system, funds a lot of your health needs), applying for a letter.

1. This is a governmental organisation

2. I am an immigrant

3. This is a governmental organisation

Greeted at the door by a lovely lady with an iPad who asked my name and what I had come in for. She then directed me to a comfy chair (did I mention the carpeted floor) with a friendly smile. While I was waiting (only a few minutes) one of the staff came up to one of the little old ladies sitting nearby to apologise that her particular enquiry was going to take some time, would she like to go home and come back again that afternoon, so sorry for the trouble, etc.

Was called to the counter by name, helped by a charming gentleman with a friendly smile, resolved my query, was asked if there was anything else I needed, exchanged idle chitchat about the weather and I was on my merry way.

Getting my drivers licence was an almost similar experience. The first woman I saw was pretty positive that I couldn't exchange, that I needed to sit a drivers test. When I insisted that SA licences could be exchanged, she went away to check, came back, apologised for the inconvenience and we all carried on.

Having said that, when we landed to start our new lives in our new home, exhausted and emotionally drained, we got the b**** from hell on passport control, on a massive power trip. By the time she had nearly reduced me to tears, we moved on to customs. Being a geek, I declared my seed necklaces. Such a lovely woman - she wasn't 100% sure! but didn't want to charge for me treatment unnecessarily (these people all seem absolutely determined to save you money), so moved heaven and earth to confirm that my seeds were just fine. We were welcomed to Australia with a smile and sent on our way.

Down side again, making friends is extremely hard. Extremely. But, on the positive, I don't feel that it's because I'm South African, or an immigrant, or a horrible person. It's just that I'm the new kid and they all have their own lives. I'm sure it will come with time.

This experience will leave you reeling, it is an emotional roller coaster like you wouldn't believe. Stick with the forum, they will get you through. Saved my sanity and my sense of humour.

[January]

DXB2OZ,

What a great post. You hit the nail on the head.

[Donovan83]

I have read that Australians do not really want South Africans in their country. They are rude and tell SA's to go back home. Some say they are so friendly. Have you felt "welcome" in their country?

I feel more welcome in Australia than I did in South Africa. This is just something that fearmongering Proudly SA types spout to get others to not leave.

I'd recommend that you visit the country before you move, and as for similar climates, if you're looking for sunny and similar to RSA, you might want to avoid VIC.

[DXB2OZ]

Think CT in the depths of winter and that's a bit like Melbourne. Uggs are essential, heating is pretty close to essential.

Having said that, Melbourne is NOT Cape Town, Sydney is NOT Jo'burg and Brisbane is NOT Durban. Rather they are their own cities, with their own unique characteristics. There is a lot that is similar, a lot that is different and a lot that is similar enough to shock you when it actually turns out to be different.

Many people arrive expecting another SA and are genuinely bewildered and upset when they realise that this is actually a different country. But it is a nice one with some fabulous new things to be discovered. But I do second Donovan83 - if at all possible, visit first. You will either realise you made a bad decision or it will give some level of certainty that you made a good decision. It is one thing to decide to leave SA. It is another to decide to arrive in Oz.

Best of luck.

[Mara]

Nicole, you have had wonderful advice from everyone above, all I can really add to it is the following:

1. Do not have preconceived ideas of where you want to settle... unless you have family or close friends in that city... even then... GO WHERE THE JOBS IN YOUR FIELD ARE!

2. Australia is huge, if you do not like the area where your first job is, try and stay in it for two years, then when you have the required "Australian experience" you can job hunt in the area of your choice!

3. Unless you have very unique qualifications which are desperately required in Australia, you will probably find it difficult to find a job here whilst you are still in RSA.

4. Realise from the beginning, that you need to give it at least two years from your time of arrival, to actually be completely settled! For some it is immediate, for others it takes even longer than that.

5. Make a list before you leave RSA with the reasons why you want to leave... once you are in Australia and the doubt creeps in... get out your list, read it AND THEN have a stern chat to yourself, knowing that none of those reasons have probably changed in RSA, but actually deteriorated!

6. Making friends can be difficult... especially with Australians. Remember, they were born here, raised here, schooled here, they probably have life long friendships already, so you are the one that will have to make the effort to make yourself wanted. It would be the same for someone from overseas settling in RSA. Again, this idea is not set in concrete, some new arrivals have been extremely fortunate.

7. Know that you will have to probably take a step or two back in your careers, but hard work will bring you back to where you were.

8. Cost of living in Australia can be very high, but I find that your Dollar goes further than the equivalent Rand in RSA. I do know of many people that do not earn a kings ransom, but they live well, not extravagantly, but well.

9. If you are not arrogant and always telling everyone "but we did it this way in RSA", then you will be made welcome, Aussies are friendly people.

10. Will you be doing the right thing by moving? Well I am sure if you ask most of the South Africans already in Australia, the resounding answer would be YES, YES, YES!

Good luck with the paperwork journey, the stresses can be dreadful, just deal with them, one item at a time !

[OubaasDik]

I've had similar experiences as DXB2OZ, apart from the power trip bit at passport. The first time, I went to a guy who had just been dealing with an Asian gentleman who acted like he didn't understand what the agent was talking about when he wanted the gentleman to remove his baseball cap, which was obscuring his face, and played dumb for at least 5 requests ..... Personally, if I'd been the customs guy, I would have taken the gentleman off to explain new English words like "cavity search" and "hat as suppository", but when I got to him, he was fine.

Remember that they are a country of their own (our own, now). One tends to forget that,becasue there are so many similarities, so when the differences spring up, they are way more jarring than one would expect, if one had been (for instance) in Germany, where the language, the side of the road, the streetsigns, the houses, all shout "foreign coutry" all the time.

Mara has given you her 10 commandments. They are well worth following.

Your initial question is just too broad to answer in less space than the Encyclopedia Britainica.

You would be well advised to go through older postings reading and searching for whatever facet interests you and then ask.

[leeferg1]

We've been here for nearly 3 years and for us, the heartache, emotional rollercoasters and starting from scratch have definitely been worth it. We had never been to Australia before - couldn't afford to - but we don't regret our decision for a minute.

It's not for everyone though, so make sure your are 100% committed - not just for the visa journey, but as Mara said, for at least 2 years after you arrive.