Madelein Posted February 17, 2007 Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 We arrived at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport on 2 February 2004....We only had 5 suitcases with us, taking the big step into our new future. My Sponsors organised a Limosine to get us, I was so impressed, until... Stayed at a "losieshuis" as you know it in SA - found out the other day that the guy had sold it for townhouses to be build on. Good riddens to Cockroachtown as I renamed it! Yuk!! We only paid $150/week, so we shouldn't complain, do we?? Well, we stayed for 2,5 weeks, paid for 4, so I think it all went OK>My First day on the job went absolutely from one disaster after another... Waited for the train to take me from Petersham to Liverpool for 2 hours, only realising later that I should've taken one train to Granville and hop-off on another with the Cumberland line towards Liverpool! No-one has told me that!!! Comming from Hermanus/Durbanville, this was truely scary! When I went off-duty at 2200, the same damnt thing. I had to get the taxi and paid the guy $45.00 for the trip!!!!!Second day went easier, I realised that I'm much more safer, can do the "hop-on-hop-off" thingie better and settled for that, untill... well, we had to move, didnt't we??Our First Car was called "Silver Bullet" Silver Bullet even took us for a visit to the Bluw Mountains that we never expected her to do. She was our saviour, but she was also too old and shabby - we waisted $550! She lasted 6 months, enough time to visit the most beautiful spots with her. When they came to fetch her, it felt like they were taking a part of me. Cried for a few days, etc...Our first house was in Toongabbie, near the station where I could catch the train to where-ever I want to go... untill they changed the schedule of trainstops and we dearly needed a car - pronto! From April 2004 I worked as an Agency Nurse at Campbelltown Hospital - a good hour's drive from where I lived. From day one, still being on cloud 9, they have accepted me with an open heart. God bless them. Always being in the news, but their Emergency Dept where I have worked, was my only ticket to stay sane. Lot of South Afican Doctors working there, as well as nurses. I felt like I was part of the "family", even tried to move to Mount Annan, but as we had settled in Blacktown at that stage and with Marius studying, it feldt wrong. Sadly, I had to resign and re-assign myself to the Agency again. Finally, we found a gap and relocated to Canberra. I had a 3-month contract with the National Capital Hospital in ICU/CCU. Groot bokke verdien toe... After the 3 month period, they asked me to stay on for another 3, which was ok - steeds die groot bokke. Marius started being a full-time student to obtain his Ozzie Qualification as his elecrical engineering career from SA meant nothing! That is what we thought... Untill he found his dream-job in his own trade in January this Year!! IT TOOK HIM 3 YEARS!!!! We are in love again, spirits are good, and we know we are going to have a good year. Mom & family are coming over for a visit after 3 years.3 things that changed my life SA vs Oz:Lyfestyle: More creative than ever -time for myself! More Free-time with hubby, etc FREEDOM!!!Wealth: I am not materialistic: anything can get replaced - (ex buying a microwave or tv with your week's salary)Life is so short, I enjoy every minute of it! The most secure time of my life...Love (vannie Knape...)Madelein (&Marius)PS Canberra is tops! Het nou eers die Social Life begin leef om te vertel van die wonderlike wynroetes, restaurante en alles wat so weggesteek is.. Ek hou almal op hoogte met al die verwikkellinge... Hier is m$e baie om te doen, met die Courtessey Bus et al! GroetnisMadelein Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan Stoof Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Hallo Madelein. Ek skryf net gou iets om te sê, ek het jou stukkie gelees. Pragtig. Ek weet hoe voel dit as almal jou flat ignore (35 jaar gelede se studente taal) 3 jaar is ongeveer 1100 dae. Ek het nou 270 dae hier beleef. Nog 800 om by julle uit te kom. Almal praat altyd van 2 tot 3 jaar om te "arrive" Maar moeilik party dae. Ons bly hier naby die Barossa. As ek na al die vreemde registrasie nommers kyk, het jy nog nie die wynroetes beleef in Oz, as jy nog nie hier was nie. Jy is nou te lank uit die RSA uit om te weet van 'n televisie advertensie wat daar geloop het. Dit gaan oor twee couriers (wat ek nou nood gedwonge doen) wat 3 bottels brandewyn op 'n klein dorpie moet gaan aflewer. Vir die Burgermeester, Stasiemeester en Pos- meester. Dit is een en dieselfde persoon. The Moral of te story is, "daar kuier 'n ou lekker" So is dit hier in die Barossa. Amper soos in die Paarl, Drakenstein, Stellenbosch ens ens. Hier kan julle lekker kuier as julle uit gekuier raak in Canberra. Gaat nou slaap. Moeg sien, want hier moet 'n ou werk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippa Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Thanks for the great post Madelein! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBs Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 Personally, I feel that one of the most important thins with a big move, especially from one country to another is to allow oneself at least 2 - 4 years to settle. So often people arrive in a new place and "hate" it only to find that they just need to adapt. We moved from Zim to SA and only now after 4 years would actually say that we feel "at home". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madelein Posted February 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 Hallo Jan StoofOns het darem daardie advertensie gesien net voor ons weg is. Ek het amper so iets beleef toe ek in Outjo (Namibie) gewerk het vir 2 jaar. Ek was in 1989/90/91 daar en die dorp het maar 'n populasie van 500 mense gehad. Binne die eerste 2 weke het ek al die hubare mans ontmoet en hulle het behoorlik tou gestaan... Ek het in Stellenbosch Medi Clinic begin werk toe die plek oopgemaak het en ek is in 1996 daar weg. Op 'n wynplaas gebly in 'n woonstel vir so 2 jaar (tussen Stellenbosch en Kuilsrivier) en het dit verskriklik geniet. Beste kuierplek vir my was maar die ou Dros, Spier Landgoed en 'n vriend van my het Jacob's Ladder gehad (bietjie extreme). My Oom het gewerk by Nietvoorbij. Ek moet erken, ek is so bietjie bang vir die wyntoere: 'n glas wyn is so goed soos 'n slaappil vir my, so ek bly maar weg. My Ma kom oor 2 weke vir my kuier, dan sal ons so 'n paar toere doen hier in Canberra (ja, hier is baie wynplase) en ek sal 'n paar foto's plaas.TheBsYep, your'e spot on: my husband hated Canberra untill he found his job. We started the new year in a more positive way than before, so much to look forward to. But, we found it easier to adapt in Canberra than Sydney. You know your neighbours and in a way, it feels like a small town where everyone has time for each other. GroetnisMadelein Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madelein Posted February 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 (edited) Oops... Edited February 20, 2007 by Madelein Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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