STILL DECIDING

[Carien]

Hi everyone. We have been talking about Australia for the past year now. But we still cannot decide what to do.

Does anybody regret their decision to immigrate to Australia? And what makes it greener on the other side?

Carien

[Enrica]

Dear Carien

Firstly, welcome to the forum.

I must say, a rather unusual way to introduce yourself, but here is my 2 c worth.

I think the question you need to answer for yourself is if you have been talking about migrating .....the reason way.

Do you really think that some one on the forum is going to honestly tell you they regret the decision of leaving?

If you take the time to read thru some of the posts you will get a really good feel for how people settle , the reason why they choose a certain city , how they settle, their up and their downs etc etc.

As for being greener on the otherside.............is that why you are leaving ?

I dont know about greener, but certainly safer and better opportunities in the furture for your children.

So the question to you is why do you want to leave ?

Regards

Enrica

[emmarentiad]

Hi everyone. We have been talking about Australia for the past year now. But we still cannot decide what to do.

Does anybody regret their decision to immigrate to Australia? And what makes it greener on the other side?

Carien

Hi Carien and welcome

I Ditto to what Enrica said. You must be very clear on your reasons for why you want to emigrate. some people i know want to because it sounds exciting. They haven't yet cos they won't last here. There is a lot of similarities here but it definately is not SA. Australia has its plusses and minuses but overal, it is a wonderfull country with law abiding citizens.

this forum will provide you with almost everything u need to know. start reading.

Regards

Emma

[polly]

There is only a long answer to your question

I would suggest you read through people's experiences plus those who returned.

[MannyT]

Hi everyone. We have been talking about Australia for the past year now. But we still cannot decide what to do.

Does anybody regret their decision to immigrate to Australia? And what makes it greener on the other side?

Carien

Hi Carien

I see no reason to regret my/our decision to relocate to Australia as it was a informed and a conscious decision.

It is definitely greener in Adelaide especialy in winter.

Enjoy!

Manny

[niens]

Hi Carien

I see no reason to regret my/our decision to relocate to Australia as it was a informed and a conscious decision.

It is definitely greener in Adelaide especialy in winter.

Enjoy!

Manny

Hi there,

Have only been in Perth 5 months but will def not move back to South Africa -

Here is more oppurtunities for yourself and for your children, and people here have respect for other people, and then it is a lot saver.

Edited October 10, 2008 by niens

[Ready2go]

Firstly welcome to the forum.

I also ditto what Enrica has said.

No one but you can decide to make this move. You have found a great site to read up on peoples views, still in SA and those already in AU.

My hubby has been there a week today, I have asked him if he thinks we have made a mistake, he says now that he has seen how people are "supposed" to live, there is no way he will ever come back to SA.

All the best with your difficult decision.

[Carien]

You are right - I didn't introduce myself properly the previous time. My apologies. So here it goes:

I am from the Free State. Living in a town called Virginia. I am currently working in Welkom which is 20km from home. I am an assistant accountant at one of the leading Abattoirs in SA and I have recently graduated. My husband is Technical Manager at Itec.

As I said previously, we have been thinking about immigration. I havent been in direct contact with the crime in South Africa. So, no, it is not the crime, nor the goverment that makes me wanna leave SA.

I am looking for a better life standard. I am struggling to find good work opportunities and I really do not want to move to Gauteng.

I have been in the UK for 2 years. So I do have a slight idea on how it feels to be away from home and family and all the things one is used to.

But it still remains a big decision.

Can anyone maybe give me advice on what agency to use. I did my assessment at Migration Burea, but they are quite expensive.

Regards

Carien

[hestie tt]

Carien

We are from Welkom if you want to contact me.

Hestie

[Carien]

Thank you Hestie.

I have sent you a message.

Carien

[hestie tt]

Carien

Hope you get my message. Still new with PM.

Hestie

[polly]

I think if you can make the decision to leave before you have children, it is a lot easier in the long term.

We have been in Melbourne for a few months. We are extremely happy here. I don't ever want to go back to SA. There are many more job opportunities here than there was in SA. We actually manage to save here, which was virtually impossible in SA and hubby and I were both working. I am currently staying home with the kids until they adjust.

We are much more relaxed. We get away with having only one car (got to love public transport ). We are healthier because we can walk places and food is fresh (big issue about freshness here).

Hope this helps a bit. Let me know if you need any more info.

[Cramer]

I think emmigrating is a very personal decision that you make and its not a decision you make with your heart but with your head. The fact that you are thinking about it means that there must be a reason.

I had been thinking about it for a long while totally unaware that my wife had been to. It had been something we discussed a couple of years ago when our friends left and decided the more people who left would leave more oppurtunities for us. We were wrong. My wife came home from work one day in March and said I think we need to consider going, Decision made and ever since then our conviction has grown stronger. Its also not a decision that you or your hubby can make, it must be decision you make together.

[Carien]

Thank you Polly and Wade

Sjoe, it is hard to think with one's head and not one's heart. But I guess that is the way to go.

We have decided on a deadline - December 2008 - for this BIG desicion. Meanwhile, we are going to ask questions and do research like mad.

[polly]

For us the head and the heart spoke the same. Last year this time my husband was ADAMANT he wouldn't leave SA. Then his sister was attacked in her home, she and her daughter tied up. I think he decided that day, but he told me three days later. We were blessed that he got a transfer with his company.

Even if you are still deciding, I would recommend you start applying for jobs. You never know, the right job might just make the decision for you.

And being just you and your partner, you will be able to save a LOT of money. I think with two professional salaries here, you could live like a king!

[calibrated]

have you considered cape town? quite probably the best lifestyle that can be had in south africa. in my opinion anyway.

i've been in brisbane for nearly 2 years. and i most certainly have not had my blinkers on like alot of others.

the grass is definitely not greener (in nsw it is ) there are pro's and con's in every country. you need to find what suits you the best.

do i enjoy the opportunities i have been given in aus? yes, from an earnings point of view.

do i have the same or similar lifestyle i had back in sa? no, far from.

i suppose it comes down to what you are used to, and what you are willing to put up with. aus is far from perfect. although dont tell an aussie that, because they will get their backs up. and lately they arent too kind towards foreigners ( and again, dont remind them that they are infact, too, foreigners, unless they are aboriginal, because they just cant grasp the concept).

would i live in aus the rest of my life? maybe, im here, so i have to make the best of it, do i call it home? no, its just a place of residence

would i ever go back to SA? on holidays, most definitely, going back for the 3rd time in december, i will NEVER say that i would never go back to SA. who knows what the future holds? nobody. people that say they will never go back to their land of birth are thinking rather narrowmindedly.

as for aussies being law abiding citizens, that statement isnt entirely correct. aus has a huge drug problem, amongst other issues. their laws include alot of knee-jerk government reactions, that are quick fixes, that dont actually fix anything (and sometimes make it worse), and alot of aussies will tell you, that they believe the rudd government is turning more and more into a dictatorship. one day you'll be too scared to fart in a shopping centre, as you could be locked up for "being a public nuisance" that sounds stupid, and it is, but these laws arent far from that being a reality.

there are alot of whingers here. they complain about anything and everything.

all of this has its good and bad points. yes, it makes things safer, but in turn, its because people become too scared to do anything in case it breaks some kind of obscure law.

yes we dont have to worry about being raped/mugged/murdered, etc. dont think it doesnt happen here, coz it does, just on a much lower scale than in SA.

anyway, i could debate this all day.

i'll be glad to answer any questions you may have.

Edited October 15, 2008 by calibrated

[polly]

My father was stabbed in a good neighbourhood in Cape Town with a screwdriver through the head. People who think the Cape is safer are living with blinkers on. No, I don't think I would go back. The thought makes me nauseous.

We lived middle to lower class in SA, here we live MUCH better. I've been a teacher in SA. The drug problem here isn't nearly as big.

I do agree we are scared to break some obscure law. Aussies don't take criticism well and are a lot like the USA in not knowing about the rest of the world (not quite as bad, but close). People see overindulging in drink as no big deal, when it should be. Most people we met are very positive about Aus, though they do complain about things we would judge as trivial (different frame of reference I guess). People here don't think too much, they have an easy-going life. Lots of immigrants though, almost more than locals and they DO think.

With kids, my lifestyle here is much better than I had in SA. We feel VERY welcome. When I moved from Cape Town to Gauteng, I was made to feel like an outsider, not welcome. Here, the neighbours came to greet us. The lady next door came to ask if she could keep coupons for dvds for the kids... A child in my son's class came with her mother to welcome us to the neighbourhood when they found we live in the same street.

I know everyone doesn't have the same experience, but ours is wonderful. I guess I feel about SA the way I would about my hubby if I were ever to get divorced...

[calibrated]

People who think the Cape is safer are living with blinkers on.

not saying the cape is safe. but it is ALOT safer than gauteng.

as for the drug problem, i have family and friends here that work for customs, and police. its alot worse than the general public know about.

i've had alot of people welcome me, and made some good mates for life, but i've also had people come tell me to my face to F*ck off, because australia is for australians (even though i hold an aussie passport), i've been told this by people that dont know me at all, bouncers at clubs, members of car clubs, etc.. merely because i have a south african accent.

suppose everyone's situations are different. i came from middle to upper class cape town (west beach) far from high society, but not struggling either. i certainly felt more accepted amongst my coloured and black friends and colleagues in the cape, than i do with alot of aussies here.

[polly]

I grew up in Table View, down the street from the high school. I know Blouberg very well. My experience, the Cape is worse. People are just better at ignoring it. My father as attacked in his shop every day. If he called the police, they would arrest him on charges of brutality when he defended himself against a gang of street kids with knives. A brute attacked my sister in the shop when he stopped him for stealing. You can't even go to Dolphin beach in broad daylight without being accosted or attacked by bergies and street kids on glue. When I was at varsity at Stellenbosch, the girls in the flat behind were attacked and their escort stabbed. When my father was still in the air force, I would see people start screaming and shouting at him calling him a bloody PF if he were in uniform. and they would be whites.) These aren't even the big incidents.

My opinion, honestly, is that you shouldn't leave the country only because of safety issues. If that is your only motivation, then you will never be happy where you are going.

Calibrated, I am sorry that you have been treated that way. I have fortunately not had that treatment anywhere, but then I am a mother with kids, so most people wouldn't say things like that to my face with my kids around. That is unacceptable behaviour anywhere.

This isn't the land of milk and honey, nowhere is. It has it's problems, just like anywhere else. You won't find perfection, but there are opportunities here, even with all the regulations. If you want a family, this is a great place to raise them (though I am not so sure about giving birth here).

[Die Du Plooys]

Hi Carien

Ons bly in Parys, so weet wat jy van praat dat die "crime" mens nie regtig pla en raak hier in die Vrystaat nie. Dit is vir my ook baie hard om te dink ons moet weggaan hier, my hele familie bly in Parys en my suster-hulle is boere hier, so ook my ouers en my broer. Hulle wil NIKS weet van weggaan nie, die lewe is vir hulle nog heel gemaklik hier.

Ons (ek (29), my man(30) en 4 kiddies) is nog jonk getroud en 'n jong familie en ons grootste redes is maar die feit dat ons regtig voel dit wat ons insit hier en wat ons uitkry kom nie ooreen nie. Ons verarm en goed is belaglik om te kan bekostig teenoor die geld wat mens verdien. Ons werk baie hard en lang ure in ons eie besigheid, dit net om 'n middelklas lewe te kan lei en sien die mense om ons regtig sukkel, dit voel nie reg nie.

Ek dink die ouer mense in SA wat alreeds baie opgebou het kom goed reg, maar vir 'n jongmens om met die salarisse en pryse en rentekoerse en huispryse en mediese kostes en sekuriteits kostes uit te kan kom is REGTIG moeilik!!

Ons was ook in Engeland, ek was daar vir 4 jaar altesaam en het daar gesien dat as mens jou deel doen in 'n eersteklas wereld, kan jy vinnig vorder. Hier voel dit net nie so nie!

En ons moet tax betaal etc etc, vir wat? Die regering gebruik die geld vir nonsens of steel dit en die mense om ons suffer nogsteeds en die dienste word al slegter. Ek weet nie eers waar my kinders kan skoolgaan as hulle Gr 1 toe moet gaan nie, want die standaarde van die skole hier is net pateties!

Dis nou al twee keer dat hier mense van die munisipaliteit by ons winkel aankom om die krag te sny, al is dit betaal. As ek die munisipaliteit bel, moet ek kwansuis ingaan met my kwitansie om te bewys ek het betaal. Wie se probleem is dit, ek sit met hulle kwitansie in my hand en dit moet tog op hulle stelsel wees? Haar antwoord is dat hulle stelsel af is en sy nie kan sien nie?? Hoe sny mens mense se krag as jy nie eers kan sien of hulle betaal het of nie???

Op 'n ander keer word ons briewe gestuur dat hulle nie krag en water kan lees nie, omdat niemand op die perseel is as hulle kom nie. Toe ek bel en sê dat dit onmoontlik is, aangesien ons 'n Supermark is en tot Sondae oop is, sê sy dan weet sy nie, maar ek moet van nou af die lesings self doen en inkom munisipaliteit toe en vir hulle kom gee???

Ek word weggevoer, sorry!

Anyway, alles en alles het ons besluit om hierdie emigrasie ding 'n "go" te gee. Ons kids is nog jonk en ons hele lewe lê nog voor ons. Ek gaan eerder nou en as dit 'n fout was vir ons, dan kom ons terug, nie die einde van die wêreld nie. MAAR, ek wil nie oor 10 jaar hier sit en spyt wees oor die geleenthede wat ek nie aangegryp het nie! Inteendeel, net om nou vir myself te dink ek moet eerder dit los, voel ek alreeds spyt teen vanaand!

Soos iemand al voorheen ook gesê het op die forum, dink daaraan as 'n wonderlike "adventure"!!

Jy sal nooit kan weet of jy 'n fout gaan maak nie en al sê ander vir jou hulle het nie 'n fout gemaak nie of ander weer hulle het. Jy sal nooit weet vir jouself AS JY nie self probeer het nie!!

[Carien]

Hi everyone!

Thanks for your advice.

Slowly but surely we are making up our minds. BUT we are waiting for the green light from Above!

The only other place in SA I would consider is Bloemfontein. Gauteng is too crazy and unsafe, while CT is far from home anyway.

Our case is similar to the Du Plooy family's. We both work full time and after hours we live our passion - photography. We are working very hard for a medium standard of living. My hubby wants to do photography full time, but we cant afford living without his current income. And imagine having kids with this busy schedule???

We are seeking a more relaxed environment where both of us can do what we love and raise kids. Life is short and should be enjoyed-we miss out at this stage.

I also dont think there is a land of milk and honey. I remember back in the UK, we (the foreigners) were treated badly. But we worked hard and it did not go unnoticed. I will never go back to the UK though - the weather was too miserable.

I also remember how hard it was missing birthdays, family days, births and happy moments we couldn't share with our family members.

That is the only reason our heart is still here!

Regards

Carien

[Johan Venter]

Yes I do regret it. Regret the fact that I didn't came earlier.

We, me and me wife and 2 children, should have had come 10 years ago.

I was very stupid; I can still kick my backside for not coming earlier!!

[Carien]

Today on OFM Radio news they said that the Australian Government are looking into the fact that skilled workers cant find jobs due to employers wanting Australian experience only. They said they are thinking of only granting sponsored visas in the future.

Seems like it will be getting tough.

We are awaiting our new passports in order to do the skills assessment...we will take it from there!

[Johan Venter]

Yes, I do believe there is some truth in it the fact that company's want Australian trained people. I found that a lot of people that came over, years ago, from Poland, Yugoslavia, Bosnia, etc., are still straggling with the language barrier. One guy that worked with me has being in the country for 26 years and I still find it difficult to understand him. He could barely speak English. His children are fluent in English but he couldn’t cope. Another lady, also in the country for 25 years; that I worked with had the same problem and they admit that they have a language problem. I think as an Australian Employer that is the problem they face with. I think that was one of the reasons why Immigration decided to make the IELT compulsory.

I’m a Mechanical Designer using CAD systems to design equipment. What I found was that some of the systems they used were out of date. Microstation V7 is used in most of the mining designs. The CAD system is 8 to 9 years old. I used SolidWorks Advance 3D system in South Africa for 6 to 7 years before I came over in 2006. Some of the programs they use is old and therefore people need to be trained do work on these systems.

I don’t think that the education that the South Africans received is in-adequate, as a matter of fact, I believe they are more multiple skilled than other people. I just think that they, the companies in Australia, have a way of doing certain things and are very reluctant to change. As far as I know, South Africans are very sort after in the mining industry because of there skills, knowledge, etc. and that include technical personal.

I also heard that in the future it is going to be very difficult to get a VISA not even to mention Permanent Residence. I believe they start to limit the amount of people coming into the country. The economy also has a roll to play and we know the worlds finances are in trouble. For the people that still want to come, don’t stop trying. You never know.

If you don’t have a hook with bait on the line in the water, you don’t stand a change of catching anything!!

[zorba]

Hi Carien,

Welcome to the forum! I noticed the wonderful quote at the bottom of your post - you can't go wrong with that as your creed.

Carien, I am a firm believer in always having a Plan B. If you and your husband are not yet sure where your future lies, why not go ahead and apply for a PR visa anyway. Once that is "in the bag" so to speak, you still have a while to make up your minds. The whole process takes a while so you may have already decided by then anyway.

I truly believe that any South African who has the means to secure a ticket out, and doesn't, is living in La-la Land.

Be prepared for whatever comes your way, and don't leave it too late.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

zorba

PS. Just for the record, since being in Australia I no longer feel the need for a Plan B!!