chatterbug Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 Hi All,I'm new to the forum thing, but have been gawking in the background at the other rainbow site for a while now, wondering when (or if ever) the right time would be to dabble. Must say I was a bit reluctant to get going when reading some of the stuff there. I was afraid I could become the proverbial to hit the fan. Well I stumbled on this forum and this certainly looks much more inviting...still early days though, I believe!Anyway I have been in Brisbane Australia for just over 2 years now - married with no kids. We love it here and have absolutely no desire to move back. I believe we are entering the "post 2 year phase" of "starting to settle down" (if this really ever happens! - otherwise known as the "wortelskiet" fantasy). After experiencing the following phases:"LSD"-; "shall I stay or shall I go-"; "paperwork/money and vasbyt stage-""life-on-pause, waiting for the freakin visa-""disengagement and facing the music form all and sundry in SA-""The big goodbye-""The honeymoon-" "reality bites and reverse cultural shock-" "who am I now really-" periods.Thus I'd be willing/able to help some of you from my experiences of the above phases, but that being said I'd be keen to lean on some of the "oumanne/-tannies" who are already deep into the uncharted waters of subsequent phases, or from my "contemporaries".Part of why I'm here is curiosity, possibly a search for engagement and to get some therapeutic value through communicating with one's own.I hope to give some and get some!Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dedrei Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 Welcome!! Glad you decided to joing us.I know you will help a lot of people on this forum, seeing as you have gone through the whole story already.Looking forward to seeing you in the forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 Hi chatterbugYou gonna like it here Welcome and yes, I will be asking questions and will appreciate any help I can get Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajay Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 Hi Chatterbug,Hopefully you'll find a new home here I was on another forum previously as well (the same one, I believe....) and got involved here to try and make sure that the same thing didn't happen and that this forum would offer a real 'soft place to land' for all ex-pats, new immigrants, would-be immigrants and other interested parties.Looking forward to all your advice and pearls of wisdom in the furure!Cheers, Ajay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queensland Girl Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 Hi ChatterbugGlad you came over. Welcome!The Queensland Representation is growing!Did you find this summer more bearable than last year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jules Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 Hi chatterbug Welcome to the forum, glad to see another person from Brisbane here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Seoul Sister Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 Hi chatterbug Well, well, look what we have here, ANOTHER JO'BURGER !!Always glad to see one of those !! Welcome, thanks for joining us.LoveSeoul Sister Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chatterbug Posted February 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 Hi All,Thanks for all the good wishes! Qld Girl yes This summer was better for us because we had airconditioning as opposed to only ceiling fans in the beginning - that was murder!Seoul Sister - Not a pukka Jo'burger - only lived there for last couple of years! We lived in Pta, Cape Town Durban before, so had a good mix of experiences. My wife and I however really enjoyed JHB and lived in Melville, Emmerentia, North Cliff areas.I'll see you around! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riekie Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Hi there Chutterbug! Welcome to our cozy corner of the virtual world!I've been through so many "stages" during the past two years of my life (from when the decision was made to leave my beloved country up to this moment, sitting here, typing this post.....) At this stage it really feels like our life is "on pause", waiting for our PR. We can't buy a house & settle down permanently (just this morning during our 6 months home inspection I was informed that the owner asked for a market estimate and might sell his property, which would mean we'd have to once again, uproot ourselves and move into yet another property with ghastly features we can't change...), we pay through our necks for school, TAFE & medical expenses, we have heaps of stuff in storage we don't want to get rid of because we don't yet know where we will settle and we can not even enter a competition on a chocolate wrapper!! I feel like a horse ready to race but being held back - it is SOOOO frustrating!! I know I must be patient, but for me patience is not something I am comfortable with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Seoul Sister Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Northcliff !! No ! How can this be.That's my neighbourhood !!See ya around !LoveSeoul Sister Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serileen Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Hi RieKIEI can empathise with you .I feel the same about the uprooting and not being able to make the place your own.As you probably read We moved about 2weeks ago cause the house was up for sale , only to hear today that the sale fell through .All the drama was unnecessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riekie Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 I think it is also because you don't feel in control of your own life until you have PR and can start making decisions and taking steps to get your life back in order. After being in control of your own life for so long, it is a mindset change that I get right some days, but on other days, it really gets me down. I know it is only temporary, but still. Counting the days....So, are you now going to remain in your house or are you going to move anyway? I mean, if the house is up for sale, maybe this type of situation might happen again (and again....) I wonder what I would do when we get there... Should I just get on with it and move, or should I hold thumbs every time the owner gets an offer that it will fall through? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZHigh Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 So, are you now going to remain in your house or are you going to move anyway? I mean, if the house is up for sale, maybe this type of situation might happen again (and again....) I wonder what I would do when we get there... Should I just get on with it and move, or should I hold thumbs every time the owner gets an offer that it will fall through?I know, this is a tough one (one of many). We did have PR at the time but simply couldn't afford a house when we arrived in Auckland. We were however extremely fortunate in that we never had to move from the house we rented, but we did go through the evaluation process as the Landlord seriously considered selling. Even if we were to move just down the road, one has to pack up everything - again (remember that container that was shipped form SA just months earlier???). But we were lucky, and eventually bought a house in the area we wanted.The problem is, that you could move now and your 'old Landlord' never sells, but the new one does eventually, and you have to move once again (Similar to what Serileen said). I helped one family to move twice in one year because the house they rented was put up for sale. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serileen Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Hi RiekieWe moved already and will have to do so again in 6weeks as the property we are in is only an interim one,but I am taking it real easy and living like someone on holiday ...only 4 of everything and out of the suitcase , the rest is in storage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chatterbug Posted February 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Hi Riekie,How long do you estimate before you get PR, I assume you have applied and are now waiting? Are you in a position to buy a house as soon as you get PR? If not than you'd have to rent for some time anyway....maybe you can negotiate a longer rental agreement...till you are ready to buy. My advice is to start looking for another place anyway with option of longer agreement, saves you the uncertainties and you get to take control of your situation sooner.If so than its more tough since you'd have to get something in the interim. Maybe still move (rent) and then spend much of your energy/time in looking for the ideal house/place to buy so that when you get PR you are more informed/in charge and can make a good decision. From your posts you do look like an organised and well informed person, good luck! Just another thing. Are you sure you cannot buy a house at all without PR? Maybe you cannot buy what you are looking for right now but I know you can in some instances, mostly with new houses and developments with FIRB (www.firb.gov.au) approval - check with them. We bought a property in Aus whilst we were still in SA and all was OK cause it fitted their criteria.Anyway I am giving alot of advice without even knowing your background/situation.....maybe none of this applies to you.I am fortunate to have come in via skilled independant visa with PR on arrival - but our "life on pause" phase was spent in SA - moving 3 times in 1,5 yrs for the same reasons...whilst waiting for the visa. My wife and our jobs became unbearable because of the inherent uncertainties and the fact that we had to keep it all quiet till the very end. (I had my own business and my wife was about to be offered a partnership in a firm) We were about to throw in the towel when it came through. Like you I also don't do patience very well, Aussies will say its a SA thing esp if you used to JHB's pace!I hope you can vasbyt and it all works out well!CheersCheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riekie Posted February 25, 2006 Report Share Posted February 25, 2006 Our PR is sponsored by my husband's employer and it has already been approved - now waiting for their HR dept to get on with it but they are in no hurry! We CAN buy a house without PR but we'll have to get special permission (which in itself is a whole mission) and also we will not qualify for the first home owners grant until we have PR. We have a rent agreement without an expiry until the owner sells the property, so we do have a long time arrangement, but if the owner sells, we would still have to move. Hopefully, IF the owner sells, it would not be right now and by the time we have to move, we can move into our own house..... It's just that everything seems to hang in the air when you do not have PR - it is SO frustrating! I'm someone who wants to get things done and I don't do the waiting game...... I also think that it could be due to the way of life I was used to: the mad rat race in RSA! I'll just sit tight and take a deeeeeeeeeeeeep breath, and another one, and another one.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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